Disable User Account Control (UAC) Warnings-Annoyance in Microsoft Windows Vista

May 27, 2008 in Microsoft Windows Vista, Specific Computer Information
Tags: annoyance, annoying, disable, disable uac, hack, hate vista, measures, mistake, security, turn off uac, uac, user account controls, vista, windows

Who should read this: NOONE. NO 1 should read this. If you don’t have Microsoft Windows Vista than just move on. If you are running Microsoft Windows Vista and are determined to defeat this feature then pay careful attention to the next paragraph.

I do not recommend that you disable User Account Controls. It’s better to change the folder permissions on specific folders and applications to allow the Users group Full Control of that specific folder. You can also set the icons and executables for the applications in question to Run this program as an administror . Anyway if your heart is is set on disabling this feature, here it is. Proceed at your own risk!

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So you still don’t want Microsoft Windows Vista to gray the screen and force you to click on Continue to grant Administrator access whenever you install or change most programs. You probably don’t want to be bothered when you try to modify data found in protected areas like c:\Program Files.

Follow these steps to disable User Account Controls. Your Control Panel view is either set to use the Control Panel Home or the Classic View. I describe how to find it with both views. You will probably disable User Account Controls and then reactivate it again if you follow the instructions for both views.

• Left-click the Start button to open the menu.
• Left-click on Control Panel.
• Follow these steps if you are set to Control Panel Home if not skip to section for Classic View:
  • Left-click on User Accounts and Family Safety.
  • Left-click on User Accounts.
  • Left-click on Turn User Account Control on or off.
  • Left-click on Continue at the User Account Control security warning. (Hopefully the last time if you are brave enough to do this.)
  • Left-click Restart Now.

• If you have Classic View enabled instead of Control Panel Home:
  • Double left-click on User Accounts.
  • Left-click on Turn User Account Control on or off.
  • Left-click on Continue at the User Account Control security warning. (Hopefully the last time if you are brave enough to do this.)
  • Left-click Restart Now.

When the computer comes back up you may want to disable the Windows Security Center warning as well.

• Left-click the Start button to open the menu.
• Left-click on Control Panel.
• If you are set to Control Panel Home if not skip to section for Classic View:
  • Left-click on Security.
  • Left-click on Security Center.
  • Left-click on Change the way Security Center alerts me In the left column of the Windows Security Center window.
  • Left-click on Don’t notify me and don’t display the icon (not recommended) to disable Windows Security Center warnings.
  • It’s over just close the Control Panel and Security windows.

• If you have Classic View enabled instead of Control Panel Home:
  • Double left-click on Security Center.
  • Left-click on Change the way Security Center alerts me In the left column of the Windows Security Center window.
  • Left-click on Don’t notify me and don’t display the icon (not recommended) to disable Windows Security Center warnings.
• It’s over just close any Control Panel and Security windows.
• There will be no more warnings or pop-ups to prevent computer viruses and malware from infecting your computer.

Side note:

I’ve heard a lot of complaints about UAC security being weak and Mac this, Linux that. I have not heard of anyone writing a virus or coming up with a way to remotely disable the User Account Control system or to remotely install rootkits if the UAC prompts are answered correctly each time. I was originally told by Dell that it wasn’t even possible to disable this feature at all. So this time Microsoft has listened. With the release of Microsoft Vista Service Pack 1 there have also been enhancements to how the User Account Control feature works. If you think Vista is insecure with User Account Controls enabled, imagine how insecure Microsoft Windows Vista probably is without these measures in place. It’s annoying, sure. There is no way for me to tell how many holes this procedure really opens besides silent rootkit installations & viruses. Don’t disable it if you use your computer for anything important. Just adjust the security settings (permissions and groups) for the users and applications (folders and files) in question to reduce the warnings.

I can only equate disabling User Account Controls to what it must be like to pay for a prostitute and then to remove the rubber she gave you during sex. The Internet is a dirty, dirty whore. Be extra careful living in the fast lane like this.