Once my program is installed on a client machine, how do I force my program to run as an administrator on Windows 7?
You'll want to modify the manifest that gets embedded in the program. This works on Visual Studio 2008 and higher: Project + Add New Item, select "Application Manifest File". Change the <requestedExecutionLevel> element to:
<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
The user gets the UAC prompt when they start the program. Use wisely; their patience can wear out quickly.
Adding a requestedExecutionLevel element to your manifest is only half the battle; you have to remember that UAC can be turned off. If it is, you have to perform the check the old school way and put up an error dialog if the user is not administrator (call IsInRole(WindowsBuiltInRole.Administrator) on your thread's CurrentPrincipal).
The detailed steps are as follow.
Add application manifest file to project
Change application setting to "app.manifest"
Update tag of "requestedExecutionLevel" to requireAdministrator.
Note that using this code you need to turn off the security settings of ClickOnce, for do this, go inside Properties -> Security -> ClickOnce Security
I implemented some code to do it manually:
using System.Security.Principal;
public bool IsUserAdministrator()
{
bool isAdmin;
try
{
WindowsIdentity user = WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent();
WindowsPrincipal principal = new WindowsPrincipal(user);
isAdmin = principal.IsInRole(WindowsBuiltInRole.Administrator);
}
catch (UnauthorizedAccessException ex)
{
isAdmin = false;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
isAdmin = false;
}
return isAdmin;
}
You can embed a manifest file in the EXE file, which will cause Windows (7 or higher) to always run the program as an administrator.
You can find more details in Step 6: Create and Embed an Application Manifest (UAC) (MSDN).
While working on Visual Studio 2008, right click on Project -> Add New Item and then chose Application Manifest File.
In the manifest file, you will find the tag requestedExecutionLevel, and you may set the level to three values:
<requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false" />
OR
<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
OR
<requestedExecutionLevel level="highestAvailable" uiAccess="false" />
To set your application to run as administrator, you have to chose the middle one.
Another way of doing this, in code only, is to detect if the process is running as admin like in the answer by #NG.. And then open the application again and close the current one.
I use this code when an application only needs admin privileges when run under certain conditions, such as when installing itself as a service. So it doesn't need to run as admin all the time like the other answers force it too.
Note in the below code NeedsToRunAsAdmin is a method that detects if under current conditions admin privileges are required. If this returns false the code will not elevate itself. This is a major advantage of this approach over the others.
Although this code has the advantages stated above, it does need to re-launch itself as a new process which isn't always what you want.
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
if (NeedsToRunAsAdmin() && !IsRunAsAdmin())
{
ProcessStartInfo proc = new ProcessStartInfo();
proc.UseShellExecute = true;
proc.WorkingDirectory = Environment.CurrentDirectory;
proc.FileName = Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().CodeBase;
foreach (string arg in args)
{
proc.Arguments += String.Format("\"{0}\" ", arg);
}
proc.Verb = "runas";
try
{
Process.Start(proc);
}
catch
{
Console.WriteLine("This application requires elevated credentials in order to operate correctly!");
}
}
else
{
//Normal program logic...
}
}
private static bool IsRunAsAdmin()
{
WindowsIdentity id = WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent();
WindowsPrincipal principal = new WindowsPrincipal(id);
return principal.IsInRole(WindowsBuiltInRole.Administrator);
}
As per
<requestedExecutionLevel level="highestAvailable" uiAccess="false" />
you will want to add an application manifest if you don't already have one or don't know how to add one. As some projects don't automatically add a separate manifest file, first go to project properties, navigate to the Application tab and check to make sure your project is not excluding the manifest at the bottom of the tap.
Next, right click project
Add new Item
Last, find and click Application Manifest File
In Visual Studio 2010 right click your project name.
Hit "View Windows Settings", this generates and opens a file called "app.manifest".
Within this file replace "asInvoker" with "requireAdministrator" as explained in the commented sections within the file.
You can create the manifest using ClickOnce Security Settings, and then disable it:
Right click on the Project -> Properties -> Security -> Enable ClickOnce Security Settings
After you clicked it, a file will be created under the Project's properties folder called app.manifest once this is created, you can uncheck the Enable ClickOnce Security Settings option
Open that file and change this line :
<requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false" />
to:
<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
This will make the program require administrator privileges.
In case you want a code-only solution for some reason, here's a standalone class file. Just call "AdminRelauncher.RelaunchIfNotAdmin()" at application start:
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Security.Principal;
public static class AdminRelauncher
{
public static void RelaunchIfNotAdmin()
{
if (!RunningAsAdmin())
{
Console.WriteLine("Running as admin required!");
ProcessStartInfo proc = new ProcessStartInfo();
proc.UseShellExecute = true;
proc.WorkingDirectory = Environment.CurrentDirectory;
proc.FileName = Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().CodeBase;
proc.Verb = "runas";
try
{
Process.Start(proc);
Environment.Exit(0);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("This program must be run as an administrator! \n\n" + ex.ToString());
Environment.Exit(0);
}
}
}
private static bool RunningAsAdmin()
{
WindowsIdentity id = WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent();
WindowsPrincipal principal = new WindowsPrincipal(id);
return principal.IsInRole(WindowsBuiltInRole.Administrator);
}
}
THIS DOES NOT FORCE APPLICATION TO WORK AS ADMINISTRATOR.
This is a simplified version of the this answer, above by #NG
public bool IsUserAdministrator()
{
try
{
WindowsIdentity user = WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent();
WindowsPrincipal principal = new WindowsPrincipal(user);
return principal.IsInRole(WindowsBuiltInRole.Administrator);
}
catch
{
return false;
}
}
Related
I have this code but I don't seem to understand exactly the purpose of the permission Demand method
RegistryPermission registryPermission = new RegistryPermission(RegistryPermissionAccess.AllAccess, #"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run");
registryPermission.Demand();
RegistryKey regKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(#"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run", RegistryKeyPermissionCheck.ReadWriteSubTree);
if (checkBoxLoadStartup.Checked)
{
//make an entry in the registry to make this program run at start up
regKey.SetValue(Application.ExecutablePath.ToString(), Application.ExecutablePath.ToString());
}
else
{
//delete the entry
regKey.DeleteValue(Application.ExecutablePath.ToString());
}
I expected to see a window popping up and asking me to allow the permissions to write the registry. Instead I got an exception. To make it work I added:
<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
in app.manifest and now I don't see any popups but I'm allowed to change the values.
Is it possible to show a popup asking a question to give permissions to change the registry and based on the given permissions to modify or not the registry key?
I am creating startup entry in window startup. If user deselects the entry using msconfig startup window, my app creates a duplicate entry. I need to either remove the existing entry if it existing there or skip creating duplicate. How can I do that?
My code to create startup entry is this:-
string startUpFolderPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Startup) + "\\" + "MyexeName.exe";
if (System.IO.File.Exists(startUpFolderPath))
{
return;
}
WshShellClass wshShell = new WshShellClass();
IWshRuntimeLibrary.IWshShortcut shortcut;
shortcut = (IWshRuntimeLibrary.IWshShortcut)wshShell.CreateShortcut(startUpFolderPath);
shortcut.TargetPath = Application.ExecutablePath;
shortcut.WorkingDirectory = Application.StartupPath;
shortcut.Save();
The entries are stored in the registry.
This is how you should add and remove entries:
using Microsoft.Win32;
private void SetStartup()
{
RegistryKey rk = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run", true);
if (ShouldAdd)
rk.SetValue(AppName, Application.ExecutablePath.ToString());
else
rk.DeleteValue(AppName, false);
}
here is a list of different entries:
https://stackoverflow.com/a/5394144/2027232
To get admin rights you need to add a manifest file to your app:
Ctrl+Shift+A (add new item), then select (Aplication manifest file)
Open the manifest file and change the line:
<requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false" />
to
<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
and press save.
More info: How to give my C# app administrative rights? manifest file
Iam asking this question as a series to the below link
Unable to delete .exe file through c#
While i was debugging the application,iam able to delete the .exe file.But when i try to delete the application after installing in the desktop,again iam getting the exception message as "Access is denied".
Edit:-
The code i am using to delete the file
public bool deleteAppExecutable(string filePath)
{
try
{
if (File.Exists(filePath))
{
var di = new DirectoryInfo(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory);
di.Attributes &= ~FileAttributes.ReadOnly;
SetAccessRule(filePath);
File.SetAttributes(filePath, File.GetAttributes(filePath) & ~FileAttributes.ReadOnly);
File.Delete(filePath);
}
return true;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
return false;
}
}
public static void SetAccessRule(string filePath)
{
FileInfo dInfo = new FileInfo(filePath);
FileSecurity dSecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl();
dSecurity.AddAccessRule(new FileSystemAccessRule(Environment.UserName, FileSystemRights.Delete, AccessControlType.Allow));
dInfo.Refresh();
dInfo.SetAccessControl(dSecurity);
}
I found the solution why i am getting the "access is denied" exception in my application.
Since i am deleting a file inside the application through code i need to have the privilege of "Administrator".
One way is to make the user login manually as administrator.But that is not a better option.
Another way is to create an App Manifest file within your project and set the level as "administrator."
Creating App Manifest--> Right click on the project->Add new item-->Select App Manifest option from the right pane->Click ok
Open the manifest file and change the level to "requireAdministartor".
<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
This will solve the issue while running the application,it will prompt user to run as administrator.
Hope this will be helpful to someone in future. :)
Check that you have full permissions on the folder the exe is contained in (and all of it's child objects)
I am having trouble creating a .txt file with the code below. I get an exception as follows:
Unhandled exception: System.unauthorizedAccessException: Access to the
path 'C:\log.txt' is denied.
I have looked online and done similar things to what is on the api. Below is my code, so you can understand what my train of logic is. What do you think causes this exception? Thanks in advance!
static StreamWriter swt;
static string logFile = #"C:\log.txt";
static FileStream fs;
static void Main(string[] args)
{
Console.Out.WriteLine(swt);
string root = args[0];
if (!File.Exists(logFile))
{
try
{
fs = File.Create(logFile);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
swt.WriteLine("EXCEPTION HAS BEEN THROWN:\n " + ex + "\n");
}
{
}
}
}
You're most likely getting this error because a standard user cannot write to the root of a drive without elevated permissions. See here.
Detect the folder permissions. It has to has write permission on the logged user.
Yes, it is permission error. You don't have enough rights to write file in C: drive. To write in these types of folder/drive you need admin permission.
You can give your application admin rights. Simple way is enforce your application to start in admin account/rights only. To achieve this
Solution Explorer -> your project -> Add new item (right click) -> Application Manifest File.
In this file change requestedExecutionLevel to
<requestedExecutionLevel level="highestAvailable" uiAccess="false" />
These enforce your application with admin rights only. On Windows 8/7/Vista it will display UAC (User Access Control) dialog box when you start the application.
Hope this will help you....
My application uses the .NET object Directory.GetFiles()
The actual overload I'm using is
var allFiles = Directory.GetFiles("C:\\Users\\Dave", "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories);
The issue is when the source folder is C:\Users\UserName as it then tries to look through application data folder.
When it tries to read from the application data folder, an exception is thrown:
"Access to the path 'C:\Users\Dave\AppData\Local\Application
Data' is denied."
So, my question is does any one have an opinion as to my options? I would assume I have to either change the way I collect all the files or, there may be a built in overload or method which will allow me to continue this (which I clearly don't know about).
If it helps, the goal of this is to take all the files retrieved by Directory.GetFiles() and 'paste' them else where (a glorified copy and paste/back up). I'm actually not too worried about system files, just 'user files'.
The directory %AppData% is a system-protected directory. Windows will try to block any access to this directory as soon as the access was not authorized (An access from another user than the Administrator).
Only the Administrator by default has privileges to read and write from/to this directory.
Alternatively, you can catch the exception and see if the result is Access Denied. Then, you may prompt the user to run as an Administrator to complete this step. Here's a simple example to prompt the user to run as Administrator
try
{
var allFiles = Directory.GetFiles("C:\\Users\\Dave", "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories);
}
catch (Exception EX)
{
if (EX.Message.ToLower().Contains("is denied."))
{
ProcessStartInfo proc = new ProcessStartInfo();
proc.UseShellExecute = true;
proc.WorkingDirectory = Environment.CurrentDirectory;
proc.FileName = Application.ExecutablePath;
proc.Verb = "runas"; //Required to run as Administrator
try
{
Process.Start(proc);
}
catch
{
//The user refused to authorize
}
}
}
However, you may always prompt the user to authorize when your application launches which is NOT always RECOMMENDED. To do this, you'll have to edit your project app.manifest file
Locate and change the following line
<requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false" />
to
<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
Thanks,
I hope you find this helpful :)
It is better to use a foreach loop to get the folder names that you can acces:
DirectoryInfo dI = new DirectoryInfo(#"C:\Users\Dave");
List<string> files = new List<string>();
foreach (DirectoryInfo subDI in dI.GetDirectories())
{
if ((subDI.Attributes & (FileAttributes.ReparsePoint | FileAttributes.System)) !=
(FileAttributes)0)
continue;
files.Add(subDI.FullName);
}