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    quick newbie question about vista

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by seabass123, Apr 15, 2008.

  1. seabass123

    seabass123 Notebook Guru

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    whenever i want to install a game or access some file in vista, it brings up this little window asking me to allow the action or deny it. it's sort of annoying, is there any way to turn it off?
     
  2. BryanL

    BryanL Notebook Consultant

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    From the tweaks thread:

    14. Turn Off User Account Control (UAC)(Ty and Rep Sequoia225)

    This tweak is best followed after a 'clean' install with respect to the below listed advisory.

    One of the most annoying things in Vista is the protection of your system through UAC. Before I knew how to disable it I considered throwing the system out the window. The purpose of UAC is to make you confirm a large number of everyday functions in order to somehow protect your system from malware infections. In any case heres how to shut it off (or turn it back on).

    1. Click on start and then click on your username picture top right of the start menu.
    2. Click on 'Turn User Account Control on or off.'
    3. Uncheck (or check) User Account Control, select ok and restart.

    Thats it except...

    There needs to be a word of caution in turning UAC on and off. There is a process called virtualization that, when UAC is 'on' saves program data files (things like INI files, configuration files, saved game files etc.) within a totally separate area for each individual user. If you then turn UAC off, there have been reports that certain programs may be unable to find that saved data. The truth, in fact, is that the data is still there but only visible to the program in this 'virtualization folder' once UAC has been turned on again.

    An example is... If UAC is on and you install some game, and the game then saves files to that program's main directory and subsequently you turn UAC off. Those files may appear to the game that they have been deleted when, in all actuality, they are stored in this folder and only accessible through virtualization when UAC is on. (Thanks to SchuderiaConchiglia and Crash for an enormous amount of background study on this.)