Another UAC question

[Guest]

I searched here for UAC topics but I still cannot figure out a workaround to
this.

I installed QuickTax today and it installed fine and running great. The only
thing is it always asks for permission when started. Its shortcut also has
the shield on it.

I went into properties and clicked Run This Program as an Admin under
privileges thinking that I won't get asked for permission every time I start
it. Didn't work; still getting asked.

I also want other users (standard users) to be able to run this program but
right now they need my admin password to do so.

How can I set up the program to run without any permissions being requested?

 

[Guest]

I should rephrase my question; why does Vista deem my QuickTax a security
threat?

I have 8 or so other (older) programs running that don't initiate UAC
queries. Vista has no issues with those but it does with QuickTax? And how
can an administrator, short of shutting off UAC altogether, allow this
program to run for Standard Users without having them enter an Admin password?

Can a user-trusted program ever be added to the Vista-trusted list of
programs?

I have to say this is the first stumbling block I've encountered with UAC. I
really hope there is a solution.

 

[Dennis Pack]

Rob:
The most likely cause is that the program was written for XP where
everything could be run as an administrator (default account). If that's the
case there's nothing that you can do. Another option is during installation
there may be an option to allow all users to run the program. Have a great
day.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Most Intuit programs won't run unless they have administrator rights in XP,
Vista, or any other OS. In order to run in Vista Intuit may have set this
during the install. This means that there is no way to run the program
without a uac prompt. Intuit is quite famous (infamous) for doing stuff like
this. You should contact Intuit support to find out the real reason.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Another Intuit program.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies. There was no options during the install as far as
allowing other users access.

This is very annoying. And I really do not want to turn UAC Off.

I have just sent an email to Intuit regarding this issue.

 

[Rock]

Thanks for the replies. There was no options during the install as far as
allowing other users access.

This is very annoying. And I really do not want to turn UAC Off.

I have just sent an email to Intuit regarding this issue.

You should be annoyed with Intuit. They are famous for requiring admin user
rights. UAC is there to give you control on what's running and where it's
trying to write. You want that control.

 

[Dennis Pack]

Kerry:
I don't know who publishes Quick Tax. I use Quicken 2006 and Turbo
Tax from Intuit, the only UAC prompt that I get is when I update Turbo Tax.
I have read about different problems with QuickBooks on Vista but I don't
use that software.

 

[marco]

I should rephrase my question; why does Vista deem my QuickTax a security
threat?

I have 8 or so other (older) programs running that don't initiate UAC
queries. Vista has no issues with those but it does with QuickTax? And how
can an administrator, short of shutting off UAC altogether, allow this
program to run for Standard Users without having them enter an Admin
password?

Can a user-trusted program ever be added to the Vista-trusted list of
programs?

I have to say this is the first stumbling block I've encountered with UAC.
I
really hope there is a solution.

Me Too! - Same problem with Quickbooks and another couple of programs I use.

 

[marco]

Quickbooks runs fine - but It's annoying to have to type in Admin
credentials each time I use it!

 

[Kerry Brown]

Intuit publishes QuickTax.

http://www.intuit.ca/

 

[Alexander Suhovey]

Just to add a bit to valuable responses you've got so far:

It is critical to understand the root cause of the issue so you can address
it most efficiently.

Modern versions of Windows operating systems are multi-user OSes. Which
basically means that there are distinct isolated areas to store per-user and
system-wide settings and data. Standard users can change only their own
settings and data (normally stored under user profile and per-user registry
hive) and read most of system-wide areas (like Program Files and Windows
folders as well as HKLM registry hive). This design protects other users and
system itself and was there in Windows for ages.

Now, in many cases in small or middle-size software companies developers
make several critically wrong assumptions about environments programs they
write will be used in. Two most common are:

- The user who installs a program is the user who will use this program
- This same user has administrative privileges on computer

This leads to applications that do not work correctly in multi-user
security-conscious environments since they store per-user settings/data in
areas designed to store system-wide settings/data.

Since standard users don't have write access to system-wide areas, when one
tries to use such a program (basically, change some program settings or add
some data to it), the result is either program malfunction, its abnormal
termination or an error message regarding denied access.

In case of Vista, it is smart enough to make you aware of program's issues
beforehand and give you some options to address it like running a program in
compatibility mode, presenting you a prompt to provide administrative
password or providing file system and registry virtualization.

But to really fix the problem, we need to make sure developers know we want
them to care about our security as customers and to design applications in
accordance to guidelines Microsoft has published long ago.

Vista does a good job at highlighting incompetent while providing facility
to work around the issues related to poorly written programs but the root
cause is that for years third-party developers were paying little to none
attention to security and were able to get away with that, sometimes even
blaming Microsoft for problems with their apps. Now it's time to stop that.

Sorry for a long post. For me as an IT pro it's one of major pain points in
managing IT environments I'm responsible for.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Good post!