How do i make sure im set as the friggin admin!

[kenshindono]

this is annoying as heck. How do you set yourself as admin in windows 8? I assumed the default profile would be the admin profile... but that doesn't seem to be the case. I actually set 2 accounts up on this laptop. One for me and one for my mother. I was planning on leaving myself as the admin and limiting what she could do on her account to help limit the damage she could do (shes very computer illiterate)

However there are a lot of times i go to run a game, steam game, or other program and it says it wont run right unless i run it as admin. How do i make windows recognize the main profile IS admin. For some reason it shows 3 when i look. Admin, me, my mom. My profile has admin privileges it shows, but for some reason a lot of programs still require me to right click and run as admin.

How can i change this?

 

[nukemaster]

Check under users. As long as you are an Admin you should just get a UAC prompt to come up when a program wants admin rights.

Windows has been setup this way for a long time(Vista/7/8) to prevent code from making unknown changes. All users are not admin(or not using elevated privileges) until it is needed.

This prevented much of the users not even knowing they are visiting a website with an exploit that because they are an admin infects the system and goes to town on it(or downloading that new emoticon pack full of viruses). Now you would get a UAC prompt and know something is up(this program wants to make system changes). No allowing it would stop that problem in its tracks since non elevated users have limited ability to mess up the system(and saying no just kills the program in its tracks).

You can go as far as to disable UAC(making your account elevated at all times), but it is NOT recommenced for security reasons.

You can also launch steam as an admin and all games it launches will be admin as well(again, slight security risk if steam ever gets a bad game or program).

I should note that very few games NEED admin now. Are you playing old or foreign games? Most of those need admin because they are made for Windows XP.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Go into Users and check what classification of user you are

 

[bryonhowley]

It is not a good idea to run any OS in unrestricted Admin(root user) mode. If you are running a older game that does need Admin you can right click on the .exe and change the compatibility mode setting. If it is a newer game it should give you a UAC prompt.

Turning off UAC should really never be done except for trouble shooting and then turned back on when done. With it off any bad code could run unrestricted as well as web sites than can effect the PC just by viewing it with out your knowledge or consent.

The one thing I recommend is not to install your games in Program Files or Program Files(x86) as some older games do have a problem with the extra security settings in those two folders with Windows Vista and up. Install your games in a different folder or drive will help with that.