twistedtech Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I am trying to write an autoit script to configure a local limited user account. This script will be started from System. I am trying to run "SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe" but it is failing because it needs admin privileges. SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe must run under the local account since it accesses the account's profile. Now System has admin rights, since it is system. Is there a way to use System's privileges to run the process as admin under the limited user account? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orbs Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 what makes you think SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe relates specifically to the calling user? to me it looks like system-wide settings. is it the "environment variables"? you can access them directly. Signature - my forum contributions: Spoiler UDF: LFN - support for long file names (over 260 characters) InputImpose - impose valid characters in an input control TimeConvert - convert UTC to/from local time and/or reformat the string representation AMF - accept multiple files from Windows Explorer context menu DateDuration - literal description of the difference between given dates Apps: Touch - set the "modified" timestamp of a file to current time Show For Files - tray menu to show/hide files extensions, hidden & system files, and selection checkboxes SPDiff - Single-Pane Text Diff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedtech Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 I am attempting to set the Visual Effects in Performance Options, which are per user settings. When I trace it with ProcMon, the registry writes go to HKCU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orbs Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 how about if you make the changes for yourself, then you export the relevant HKCU branch and import it later on any user you want? the import to HKCU should not require additional permissions. in principal, if you wish to automate a process, and you can do it either by launching dialogs and clicking buttons, or you can do it behind the scene, go for the latter. it's more robust, professional and less prone to errors. Signature - my forum contributions: Spoiler UDF: LFN - support for long file names (over 260 characters) InputImpose - impose valid characters in an input control TimeConvert - convert UTC to/from local time and/or reformat the string representation AMF - accept multiple files from Windows Explorer context menu DateDuration - literal description of the difference between given dates Apps: Touch - set the "modified" timestamp of a file to current time Show For Files - tray menu to show/hide files extensions, hidden & system files, and selection checkboxes SPDiff - Single-Pane Text Diff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedtech Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 I tried modifying the registry first. I got it to mostly work. I was able to set the HKCU key (see below) and it effectively changed the performance options to what I wanted but the GUI did not reflect that. It was deemed unacceptable since the GUI was "lying" to the user, so I set about doing it the launching dialogs and clicking buttons way. Which is where I hit this issue. [HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerVisualEffects] "VisualFXSetting"=dword:00000002 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orbs Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 there can be at-least two causes for the GUI not to display the registry correctly: 1) you have a complete set of keys you must set, not just one 2) log-off/log-on may be required. i'll check this tomorrow. anyway, regarding your intent to launch the GUI as SYSTEM from the impacted user account - it won't work. to do that, you'll have to temporarily join the user to the local Administrators group, then launch the GUI, then remove the user from the group. Signature - my forum contributions: Spoiler UDF: LFN - support for long file names (over 260 characters) InputImpose - impose valid characters in an input control TimeConvert - convert UTC to/from local time and/or reformat the string representation AMF - accept multiple files from Windows Explorer context menu DateDuration - literal description of the difference between given dates Apps: Touch - set the "modified" timestamp of a file to current time Show For Files - tray menu to show/hide files extensions, hidden & system files, and selection checkboxes SPDiff - Single-Pane Text Diff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedtech Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 I spent some time trying to find the full set of keys to accomplish this and was not able to. If you are able to, I will be most grateful. That's what I was thinking, I assume AutoIt has no way to tie into UAC? I would be surprised if it did since that would defeat the purpose of UAC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I am trying to write an autoit script to configure a local limited user account. This script will be started from System. I am trying to run "SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe" but it is failing because it needs admin privileges. SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe must run under the local account since it accesses the account's profile. Now System has admin rights, since it is system. Is there a way to use System's privileges to run the process as admin under the limited user account? Could you write a script which runs in the user account and saves the relevant reg key from HKCU to a.reg Starts a script which requires admin which renames the key for the admin in HKCU and imports a.reg. then runs whatever to make the changes wanted. Export the key to a.reg, delete the key and rename the original key back. Then close and back to the user level script which imports a.reg. ? Serial port communications UDF Includes functions for binary transmission and reception.printing UDF Useful for graphs, forms, labels, reports etc.Add User Call Tips to SciTE for functions in UDFs not included with AutoIt and for your own scripts.Functions with parameters in OnEvent mode and for Hot Keys One function replaces GuiSetOnEvent, GuiCtrlSetOnEvent and HotKeySet.UDF IsConnected2 for notification of status of connected state of many urls or IPs, without slowing the script. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orbs Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 tested on Windows 8.1, i manually modify the single registry key you mentioned, i see no issue, all is OK, GUI change according to registry, no additional registry changes and no log-off required. just close and re-open the dialog to see it changes. i will test on Windows 7 & XP when possible. what version of Windows are you using? Signature - my forum contributions: Spoiler UDF: LFN - support for long file names (over 260 characters) InputImpose - impose valid characters in an input control TimeConvert - convert UTC to/from local time and/or reformat the string representation AMF - accept multiple files from Windows Explorer context menu DateDuration - literal description of the difference between given dates Apps: Touch - set the "modified" timestamp of a file to current time Show For Files - tray menu to show/hide files extensions, hidden & system files, and selection checkboxes SPDiff - Single-Pane Text Diff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orbs Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 i stand corrected. the registry actually changes nothing in the visual effects, only the options GUI. i gues i shouldn't have tested it on Windows 8 - it's ugly no matter how you set it up... look here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/archive/2014/01/23/10491935.aspx i have no doubt that some guys around here are able to call the correct API, but i'm not one of those guys... Signature - my forum contributions: Spoiler UDF: LFN - support for long file names (over 260 characters) InputImpose - impose valid characters in an input control TimeConvert - convert UTC to/from local time and/or reformat the string representation AMF - accept multiple files from Windows Explorer context menu DateDuration - literal description of the difference between given dates Apps: Touch - set the "modified" timestamp of a file to current time Show For Files - tray menu to show/hide files extensions, hidden & system files, and selection checkboxes SPDiff - Single-Pane Text Diff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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