CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++windowsregistry
Nikhil
Nikhil

Reputation: 319

Unable to write in registry when windows UAC is set to always notify

I have a C++ application, In which we write settings to the registry (Under HKEY_CURRENT_USER & HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE for my application).When windows User Access Control is set to Always Notify, RegCreateKeyEx method returns access denied and it does not write to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE but it writes successfully in HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry. I am using this method to write:

lRet = RegCreateKeyEx( m_hSWRootKey, LPCTSTR(strKey), 
0, _T(""), m_dwCreationFlag, KEY_WRITE | KEY_READ, 
NULL, &hKey, &Disposition );

This method works fine when UAC is set to Never Notify.

What is the reason that it does not write to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE? How can i override the windows UAC setting so i will be able to write when it is set to Always Notify?

Please suggest.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 2723

Answers (2)

Mike Kwan
Mike Kwan

Reputation: 24457

If you do take the path to only allow the application to be run as admin, you can set the manifest in Visual Studio in:

Project >> Properties >> Configuration Properties >> Linker >> Manifest File >> UAC Execution Level.

Ideally you would find some way that does not require modifying HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

Upvotes: 0

David Heffernan
David Heffernan

Reputation: 613302

You can't write to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE unless you have administrator rights. That has always been true for Windows versions based on NT. What changes with UAC is that the admin users run with a standard user token by default and only elevate to gain admin rights for operations that need elevated rights.

You have two options:

  1. Find a way to achieve your goals without writing to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
  2. Require that the user obtains admin rights for the portions of the app that write to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

Of these options the first is by far to be preferred.

Upvotes: 4

Related Questions