Solved Tutorial: How to make Windows 8 understand you ARE the Administrator

[tw33k]

Good tip. I need to be able to save files to my C: drive to be able to connect to my work domain. In Windows 7 all that was needed was turning off UAC but this didn't work in Windows 8. I'm glad I work off the desktop and haven't run into any problems as yet

 

[johnm]

Omg I totally messed up and didn't read the fine print about how this would mess up Metro. So I'm running windows 8 and I followed these steps and now my metro apps don't work (the Microsoft ones don't, like travel, but the 3rd party ones do for some reason)! I tried to go back and undo what I did with the "enable" "disable" part but when I go back, it already says it is enabled??

How do I fix this and restore it? Do I have to reset my computer and reinstall again?

 

[Brink]

Hello John, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Using step 3 in OPTION ONE of the tutorial below should be able to help.

User Account Control (UAC) - Elevate Privilege Level

 

[johnm]

Hi Brink,

Thank you for the response. I tried your advice and tried that step by downloading the reg file, running and restarting my comp but it's still the same =(. Do I have to reset my whole computer?

 

[Brink]

You could also do a system restore using a restore point (if available) dated before this to undo it.

 

[johnm]

Huh you know what's really strange? When I am in my account, I cannot use the Travel or News app in the Metro UI. HOWEVER, if I switch accounts, it works! Isn't that strange?

 

[Harbl]

Thanks a lot!

Was having issues with updates not applying for some programs (Firefox, Java, Spotify, etc) in Windows 8 even logged in with an administrator account . No prompts were showing up asking for approval; installation of updates would just fail. This has fixed it.

 

[SallyMae]

BTW:

Do I understand correctly, from what I've read in this thread, that this tweak will not work with regular Windows 8 edition that one must upgrade? My computer comes back saying secpol.msc does not exist when i type it in start. I am logged in as administrator account but I cannot install some software because it says "You have insufficient priviledges to access this directory: ProgramData/Microsoft/windows/startmenu/programs/software program here. The installation cannot continue. Logon as administrator or contact your system administrator." I've had this happen with other software too. How does a regular, I guess what you are calling "home edition" of Windows 8, get the operating system to recognize you as administrator? I notice on a lot of programs and files, when I look in the security tab, there is an administrator account with priviledges but my own account set up as administrator does not show up. I downloaded and started using "Take Ownership" and that worked for a while but even that is not working a log now. Any suggestions? Why the heck would microsoft not want someone to be able to have control of their own computer? Do I need to upgrade? BTW, I should mention that the programs that won't let me install them do not have the "run with administrator" option, even though I am logged in with an administrator account.

 

[eddy1choon]

can u make a video of how to do this please?

 

[Brink]

Hello Eddy, and welcome to Eight Forums.

The tutorial link in the first post will show you how to do it, and also has .reg files that will do it automatically for you if you like. Just be sure to read the warning.

 

[eddy1choon]

i cant find the secpol.msc.

 

[Brink]

Eddy,

Secpol.msc is not available in your edition of Windows 8. It's only available in the Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise editions.

You could use OPTION ONE with the .reg files instead though in the tutorial link under So let's start on the first page.

 

[eddy1choon]

ty very much brink

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

 

[tbcam88]

You could use OPTION ONE with the .reg files instead though in the tutorial link under So let's start on the first page.

Shawn,

Are you aware if this method is still applicable using Windows 10? Like many others, I've deactivated UAC entirely but Metro apps are now broken as a result... Do you have any idea if there's a way to keep UAC fully disabled but still launch "Calculator", for example?


Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello tbcam88, and welcome to Eight Forums.

I'm afraid that if UAC is completely disabled in Windows 10, it will also break the modern apps.

If you have specific programs that you don't want to get a UAC prompt for, then you could still use the tutorial below on the programs though.

Elevated Program Shortcut without UAC Prompt - Create - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Chrysalis]

guys turning off UAC completely is not a good idea.

Setting to just remove the approval prompts might be ok if it bugs you but not disabling it completely.

 

[Jody Thornton]

I never say it's a good idea, but since I backup my data regularly, and I don't have really sensitive stuff on disk anyway...

I rename my Administrator account, enable it and give it a REALLY good password. Then I just use that account so I have full access to the system. And in the case of Windows 8, disabling UAC and running as Administrator gets rid of all of that Metro-itis Windows 8 suffers from.

I've never had a problem. Not denying I ever will, but I have never had a known attack or infection.