Reader Question: To install software you must have Administrator rights
Question:
Hi
I don’t know if i am in the right forum - but no doubt you will tell me if I am not!
I have just loaded Windows Vista Home Premium from a clean boot but it will not allow me to load software and programs from a CD. I get the error message :-
“To install software you must have Administrator rights. Please log in as Administrator and start the install again.”
I AM the Administrator, I have not changed any settings since loading Vista - in fact I have re-loaded it but get the same message.
I cannot find anywhere that I can log in as Adminstrator.
Have you any ideas please or can you suggest a help site? I tried Microsoft but they want £40 minimum. - Lovely guy Bill Gates!
Thanks
Keith
Answer:
No doubt this is one of the most common questions/frustrations about Windows Vista. Even if you log on as an administrator, you don’t really have administrative rights, thanks to UAC (User Account Control). UAC runs almost everything using non-administrator rights to help protect you from bad software that would abuse those administrator rights to change your settings or install viruses.
When you run a setup program, UAC should automatically prompt you to run it as an administrator using the UAC prompt (which Microsoft calls the “consent” prompt). If you don’t see this, right-click the program, and then click Run As Administrator. Then, it will really run as an administrator. It should have prompted you, but for some reason, Vista didn’t realize it needed Administrator rights. It woudln’t hurt to check the software developer’s website for a version of the program made for Vista; that would also fix the problem.
If you really get sick of this, you can try disabling UAC–you’ll be giving up a lot of Vista’s security benefits, though, so I don’t recommend it.
Regarding a help site, you can always drop me a note. You can also seek help from the Internet community at the Microsoft Newsgroups–the Vista newsgroup is your best bet for this type of question.
For more information, read the Windows Vista Resource Kit (co-authored by your very own Tony Northrup). Got a question for Tony? Send an e-mail to qa@vistaclues.com.
Posted: March 26th, 2007 under Reader Questions, Administration.
Comments: 9
Comments
Comment from David Ferrera
Time: April 2, 2007, 2:43 pm
Since installing VISTA I no longer get the use of the microphone or speakers on the video conferencing. I do get audio on everything except the built in Video and my VAIO
Comment from Tyrone
Time: June 25, 2007, 6:05 am
explore the dvd or cd’s contents then set it up from there
Comment from Franklin
Time: June 27, 2007, 4:45 pm
I have a friend’s problem. He wants to uninstall Office XP from a Vista basic computer. He looged on as administrator but when he try to uninstall vista denies because administartor policy. Can you help me with this???
Comment from gary harvey
Time: November 1, 2007, 6:10 am
When i create a pdf file in autocad using primo pdf. After saving to decktop i cannot access the file. Adobe says access denied.
I want this file to be sent and opened by others. Can you help
Gary
Comment from Eirik
Time: December 11, 2007, 2:30 am
Thank you:)
Comment from l0u
Time: January 5, 2008, 2:22 pm
I have desactivate UAC
“the UAC prompt (which Microsoft calls the “consent” prompt). If you don’t see this, right-click the program, and then click Run As Administrator. Then, it will really run as an administrator.”
This option “Run As Administrator” is greyed. or not working with the right click in the menu.
So i still cannot install my soft :/
Thx
Comment from Caroline
Time: March 11, 2008, 8:15 am
“Since installing VISTA I no longer get the use of the microphone or speakers on the video conferencing. I do get audio on everything except the built in Video and my VAIO”
-You need to upgrade your drivers too… Installing a new OS, whether downgrading or upgrading.. you need drivers.
Comment from Ken
Time: March 15, 2008, 7:39 pm
Hi hope someone can help. I have just purchased an Archos 605 WiFi, when I try to strem wireless from my vista pc to my tv, I am asked for a username and password to access my pc. This is not the network key as I am connected but some sort of username/password that allows me to get in to my slave dirve. Any ideas, thanks.
PS I have not set any username or password on my pc.
Comment from Tim
Time: March 28, 2008, 9:22 pm
Ken, the username is “Administrator” or “Admin”, if it is not set by you. If the username does happen to be Admin or Administrator, there is no password
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