Annoying Security and UAC prompts by Vista

[kraigyb]

I wasn't sure whether to post this on the AMS6, SUF7, or the Windows Vista Annoyances forum.

I've created several AMS6 applications that allow the user to select multiple (sometimes up to 30) applications to install. When the user clicks the Install button, the individual SUF7 installers are silently executed sequentially. I provide a nice visual log that lets the user know what is currently being installed. The user could walk away and come back later to find all the applications installed. This has worked great...until Vista came along.

In addition to Vista asking permission to run the autoplay.exe, the user is prompted before each individual installer is executed and then UAC wants to confirm that the user started the program. I know this is just Vista doing its job, but it sure gets annoying for the end user when they need to keep clicking through the prompts. We sign all of our installers and autoplay apps, so at least the end users can see that the applications came from our company.

All of my installers use the default "Require administrator" for Vista Privilege Level, and the autoplays use the default "As invoker". Prior to Vista I was using the File.Run command to execute the installers, but have switched to the recommended Shell.Execute command.

My question is: Is there a way to link the installers together so that the user would only need to respond to one prompt? Or, does anyone have a better solution to minimize the excessive prompting?

Thanks for your comments!
Craig Booth
Attainment Company, Inc

[RizlaUK]

i think the only way round that is to make a single "smart" installer, that way the UAC will only prompt once, i dont know much about SUF, but i know AMS can handle the task, the only thing is that you would have to compleatly rewrite your application,

unless any vista pros know a workaround for the UAC nag

[Eagle]

This may work for you, just switch manifest settings:

set the manifests for your AMS60 Parent Apps to "Require administrator".
set the manifests for your SUF70 installers to "As invoker".

may do the trick, you could still 'check for admin privs' in each SUF installer
via build setting or 'manual code' in say: 'on startup' actions, as required.

sure would need to re-build all the stuff , once done should cover things.

(the only thing that may stop this working is if Vista auto raises a UAC notice for
any apps it detects as 'setups' regardless of 'privelage setting' in manifests)

[kraigyb]

Thanks, Eagle!

That did the trick. I set the AMS app to "Require administrator" and left the installers as they were. The user gets one UAC prompt when the autoplay app starts, then all the installers apparently inherit the elevated status. No more prompts! This also eliminates any prompts when launching installers for acrobat reader, quicktime, java, etc.

Thanks again!
-Craig

[Eagle]

NP thanks for the feedback on this one :yes