Daily Cup of Tech

I’m a pretty independent guy. I left home the summer of my 18th birthday and I have been on my own ever since. I learned early in life that I needed to make my own decision and accept the consequences, both good and bad, for those decisions.

Apparently, Vista is having a hard time cutting the apron strings.

Vista is under the impression that I need to have my hand held for everything that I do. If I go to run a program or install a new application, it has decided that it needs to be my moral conscience. “Are you sure you want to install this program? Really? But it might cause a tear in the space/time continuum and cause the end of the universe! Are you really sure?”

Same thing goes for running some applications. “Did you know that running OpenOffice has been linked to cancer? I wouldn’t do this if I were you!”

OK, this isn’t exactly what Vista says but it sure feels like it sometimes. Anyway, I thought that I would show you how to get rid of this little annoyance.

This Vista feature is called User Account Control. According to Microsoft:

The main goal of User Account Control is to reduce the exposure and attack surface of the operating system by requiring that all users run in standard user mode. This limitation minimizes the ability for users to make changes that could destabilize their computers or inadvertently expose the network to viruses through undetected malware that has infected their computer.

Here’s how to make your Vista box less secure (and less annoying):

1. Open up the Control Panel
2. Click on User Accounts
3. Click on User Accounts again (this is not a typo)
4. Click on Turn User Account Control on or off
   
5. De-select Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer
6. Restart when prompted
   
7. Vista is now officially less annoying

Now, please be aware that this can cause some other problems but I have found them to be minimal. For example, you cannot install Adobe Reader 8 when UAC is turned off. I’m sure there are other annoyances but I have not found them yet.

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14 Responses to “Make Vista Less Annoying”

1. The Fieldhouse Says:
   November 30th, 1999 at 12:00 am

   Donated/Trashed a Computer? Your Data May be at RiskWindows Update On A DiskStories of Identity TheftDCoT Helps Find Lost ChildHow Jared Was Hacked!E-Mail Request: USB AntivirusThe Vista SkipRearm DebacleMake Vista Less AnnoyingTorpark 2.0.0.2a ReleasedWhy don’t you just go Google yourself?Secure Your Computer in 20 MinutesMicrosoft says IE Biggest Internet Threat, Get OperaSmall Business Primer on Network Security Threats

2. Geekfather Says:
   March 14th, 2007 at 7:08 am

   Good timing.

   I have to go work on my brother-in-laws new computer tonight and it will be my first real hands on experience with Vista.

   This will be my first setting to change.

3. ChamPro Says:
   March 14th, 2007 at 9:36 am

   I support the idea that turning off UAC is a bad practice. It doesn’t matter whether the user is an expert or a beginner. You turn off UAC and the security level of Vista goes below where it was with XP. Now it will just run anything without asking.

   UAC is a new part of running Windows that you just have to get adapted to using. Administrator/root authentication has been around for ages in the *nix systems and it’s in Mac OS X as well. Why shouldn’t they (finally) implement the same practice in Windows?

4. Geekfather Says:
   March 14th, 2007 at 10:55 am

   I agree, to a point. To get through the initial installing of all the software packages he wants added, I’d be saving time and headaches if I just disable it. At least temporarily.

5. The_Flames Says:
   March 14th, 2007 at 1:31 pm

   another way of stopping the prompts or controlling the prompts is on this page http://vistahelp.blogspot.com/2007/01/tweak-user-account-control-uac-with.html

   this way allows you more control over UAC

6. Fernando Callejon Says:
   March 14th, 2007 at 2:05 pm

   I don’t like windows at all, but UAC it’s a feature that allows a practice like ’su’ or ’sudo’ so… do you really think those commands are “a little annoying”

7. EntreGeeks Says:
   March 14th, 2007 at 2:10 pm

   [IMG ]Technorati links Automatiser la gestion de l’alimentation de Windows ( outil Powercfg)RWAPM과 태터툴즈 를 이용한 블로그 개인 웹서버 만들기Make Vista Less AnnoyingGames for Windows - Live: Feature ListXbox 720 se už připravujeMicrosoft: don’t use illegal software, but if you do, use oursXnView Full 1.90.3 FinalWindows Server 2003 R2 integrált telepítőNo Patchday but some new patches anyway

8. Kriptópolis | Criptografia - Seguridad - Privacidad Says:
   March 14th, 2007 at 5:56 pm

   como éste

9. Seguridad Informática Says:
   March 15th, 2007 at 1:21 am

   Hace tiempo que era de prever un artículo como éste [inglés], donde se explica cómo acabar -en cinco simples pasos más reinicio- con UAC, un sistema que, aunque molesto, criticado y controvertido, puede que represente la mayor diferencia entre la seguridad de Vista y la de XP (como

10. 10i Says:
    March 15th, 2007 at 3:02 am

    This fixes my biggest gripe with Windows Vista.

    Thank you very much for this tip.

11. Matt T. Says:
    March 15th, 2007 at 8:46 am

    And then the spyware runs wild…

12. Mark Says:
    March 15th, 2007 at 1:52 pm

    Please don’t suggest this tip. It is disabling probably the best function of the new windows version. We finally have “root”/user support, and privilege elevation implemented properly on windows, which other OSes have had for a while.

    UAC, while annoying for programs that aren’t coded properly with user privileges in mind (Vanguard, and World of Warcraft’s Patcher as of 2.0.3 in particular), only programs you allow will receive admin privileges to do things to your computer. Never again will a program do something to your computer in secret. Like webpage scripts, or any program you’ve downloaded off the internet.

13. Matthew Jabs Says:
    March 16th, 2007 at 10:15 am

    My two cents:

    I think it’s a must to disable this feature! I’m an IT director and I say YES…definitely disable this.

    I have been disabling the Windows Firewall service for years, and all that does is FIX problems.

    I have been trying Vista for over 6 months and I can not stand it. Unless you have a brand new PC…your going to be in for some long wait times.

    I found that one of the best ways to speed Vista up is to turn off the sidebar, disable the extra graphical options, and upgrade your video card.

    However, I’m going to wait AS LONG AS POSSIBLE before upgrading my users to this less than desirable operating system!

    The best thing about Vista so far are the MAC commercials making fun of this new UAC option!

14. Mark Says:
    March 16th, 2007 at 2:33 pm

    I don’t understand the Apple commercials making fun of UAC, since you cannot turn off the Apple version at all.

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