User Account Control explained

User Account Control (UAC) is one of the most controversial components of Windows Vista. Its job is to lock down the operating system, stopping rogue programs installing themselves on your PC, and warning you before you make any changes that could compromise security.

It’s annoyed some users who find the interruption of the UAC message irritating, However, before you decide turn it off, it’s important to understand what UAC does and what the consequences of disabling it could be.

UAC came about after concerns over security in Windows XP. Back then, all users were given administrative rights by default, meaning that anyone could make changes to the system, even if they didn’t know what they were doing.

When it came to designing Windows Vista, Microsoft decided to lock down security so that the integrity couldn’t be compromised. Secondary accounts are now assigned ‘standard user’ status, which means they’re not allowed to make changes to the system that may affect security. When they try to do this, UAC will ask for an administrator password before it continues.

In theory, this is the way all systems should be run, and while surfing the internet and performing day-to-day tasks, Microsoft advises you to use a standard account and leave your admin account untouched. If something requires admin privileges, you’ll simply be prompted for a password. This is all very well, but few people actually run their computer this way.

Take control

With this in mind there seems to be a simple choice: to leave UAC on, which is advised, or to turn it off. This can be done in the User Accounts menu, which will remove all warning when using your computer. Unfortunately, in Windows Vista Home Premium there’s no way to set the UAC for standard users only, which means the kids will be able to make changes to the entire system without any warning or administrator clarification.

Fortunately, there is a third way, which enables you to make a compromise between the security of your PC when others are using it, and your own interruption-free experience. A free application called TweakUAC enables you to place UAC in ‘Quiet Mode’. This means that administrators won’t be bothered by UAC prompts, while standard user accounts will still be asked for administrative passwords as before. You can download TweakUAC from www.tweak-uac.com.

Understanding how UAC works

Learn to recognise the warning signs to see how UAC protects your PC

SYSTEM-CHANGING The blue Windows shield indicates that the function that's trying to run is part of the Windows operating system, and the settings you're about to change may affect the running of your PC.

BE SURE If you try to run a non-Windows program you'll be alerted by an orange shield. The exclamation mark means that the program has a valid signature, which means you just need to verify that you're sure you want it to run.

UNKNOWN APP If the orange shield with a question mark appears, proceed with caution. The application you're trying to run is not verified by the publisher, so could be harmful to your PC. Only run the program if you trust the source it's coming from.

ACCESS DENIED The red shield means that the PC's administrator has blocked the program you're trying to run, and you'll need to enter the admin password to continue.

 

Turn off UAC in three easy steps

SEARCH Search for the UAC options by searching for 'User' in Start Search. Click on User Accounts when you see it displayed in the Start menu to open the relevant dialogue box.

ACCOUNTS On the main screen you should see an option called Turn User Account Control on or off. Click it, and then press Continue at the User Account Control screen that will inevitably follow.

RESTART You'll now be faced with a check box called Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer. Uncheck this box to banish UAC for every user. You'll then be prompted to restart your PC.

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