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Solve : A question about installing games/software which I can't find the answer to?

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So, I decided to make an account just to ask this question and here I go

Whenever I try to install GAMES or software, my computer usually asks for the administrator's password. But for some games or software, the screen to input the password doesn't come up. Also there are times when the password input screen comes up but even when I select cancel it still runs the installer or program. The question is: Why does the computer require passwords on some programs but not on some other programs? How does the program bypass all this? I just seemed to notice that the mainstream or more "FAMOUS" programs require passwords more often than the programs/games that are not that mainstream or well known. I'm not too much of an expert so I am hoping for a clear answer without too much complicated things. And sorry if the question was not clear


List of games that install without password required and those requiring password might help deduce the cause.Sorry for the super late reply

Examples of games/programs that I need a password to install:

Skype
Steam
Winrar
TERA
League of Legends


Programs that don't require/ask for password:

World of Warships
Minecraft
Osu!
Teamspeak
Eclipse(But not the JDK)


There is more but that is some that I can name right now.
Are you sure your on the Admin account when running installs ? ?Quote from: ImightHaveQuestions on November 22, 2015, 12:14:21 AM

Sorry for the super late reply

Examples of games/programs that I need a password to install:

Skype
Steam
Winrar
TERA
League of Legends


Programs that don't require/ask for password:

World of Warships
Minecraft
Osu!
Teamspeak
Eclipse(But not the JDK)


There is more but that is some that I can name right now.

The programs that need a password all need administrator permissions, since they save files to locations that are WRITABLE only by administrator accounts (C:\Program Files, C:\Program Files (x86), etc.)

The ones that don't, don't need administrator permissions to install- Eclipse installs by default to a C:\Eclipse folder, and Minecraft saves in the User's Application Data folder because apparently figuring out user permissions and installing it properly was just too hard.

By the by, the Password prompt itself appears when the program you originally launched explicitly wants administrator permission. The basic run down is this:

1. You Run the installer
2. The Installer runs under your user account.
3. The Installer detects it is not administrator. It attempts to elevate. Elevation is effectively saying "Windows, please re-run this program as administrator"
4. A standard user account launching a program under the admin accounts requires consent. If your account is an administrator account and UAC is enabled, one merely consents to the elevation request. On others where the user account doesn't have admin permissions, you will be prompted to enter appropriate credentials to allow it.
5. If you enter proper credentials or consent the program will relaunch. Otherwise, the original elevation (runas request) fails.

When the "installer continues anyway" that is likely the original program you already RAN continuing after the elevation attempt failed. Some programs will have a separate approach- for example, if I remember correctly, Chrome's Windows installer will request administrator permissions, but if it cannot GET them, it will proceed anyway and install to the user's Application Data Folder.


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