CODEWITHSUNDEEP
windowsinternet-explorertoolbar
Marek Sebera
Marek Sebera

Reputation: 40651

Internet Explorer: Install toolbar without Administrator Privileges (UAC)

I know it is possible to install application to userspace without having permissions of administrator user.

Most shining example is Google Chrome which can be installed on-the-fly and runs smoothly then.

Colleague of mine which develops IE Toolbar (IE 7 and higher) say, we cannot install toolbar extension to IE without having administrator account.

Is it right statement, or he has been mistaken? Or it is truth only on some Windows versions?

INFO

We need to register COM object (DLL library), and write to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\ and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar

Are these locations needed, or we can register toolbar component for single user some other way?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 2480

Answers (2)

Larry Osterman
Larry Osterman

Reputation: 16142

It depends on what kind of registration you're doing.

If the registration is done in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, then you can make modifications to that registry hive without requiring elevation (you may have to modify HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes).

If the registration is done in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System, then it requires elevation to be performed.

Registering COM objects does not require administrative permissions, you can install them to HKCU\Software\Classes (HKCR is created by taking HKLM\Software\Classes and overlaying HKCU\Software\Classes).

However modifying HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions (required to create toolbars) will require administrative permissions.

I am not aware of another mechanism to add toolbar components.

Upvotes: 3

danludwig
danludwig

Reputation: 47375

Unlike Chrome, Internet Explorer is a core part of the Windows OS and I believe your colleague is correct. I wish it wasn't this way though. Yet another reason why Chrome is an all around better browser.

Upvotes: 1

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