HI Team, I am using the Process.Start("path of exe") to open the exe present in the C:\Program Files\OverlayUI\Debug\overlay.exe. Tried Steps: Started visual studio in unelevated mode(non admin) and created one wpf app. Tried opening the exe(C:\Program Files\OverlayUI\Debug\overlay.exe) present in c:\Programfiles path using precess.start method. i am getting the bellow error. Could you please guide me how should i run the above path exe from visual studio WPF solution opened in non admin mode.

Need to help to launch the exe from unelevated code.

Sunil A M 171

HI Team,

I am using the Process.Start("path of exe") to open the exe present in the C:\Program Files\OverlayUI\Debug\overlay.exe.

Tried Steps:

Started visual studio in unelevated mode(non admin) and created one wpf app.
Tried opening the exe(C:\Program Files\OverlayUI\Debug\overlay.exe) present in c:\Programfiles path using precess.start method.

i am getting the bellow error.

Could you please guide me how should i run the above path exe from visual studio WPF solution opened in non admin mode.

Lex Li (Microsoft) 5,492 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2022-09-14T16:23:39.51+00:00

I think the answer (and comments) below expanded enough on UAC. If you want to bypass that, then you have to develop a Windows service and then launch that process from there for the users via CreateProcessAsUser Win32 API. That's a rather complicated approach so just leave a comment as hint. You can search for more information if you decide to take this path.
RLWA32 44,931 Reputation points

2022-09-14T23:19:06.957+00:00

If you want to bypass that, then you have to develop a Windows service and then launch that process from there for the users via CreateProcessAsUser

Its not clear to me what you mean here. When UAC is enabled a Windows service running as SYSTEM that passes the token of a standard user (i.e., non-administrator) to CreateProcessAsUser will create an unelevated process running under that standard user's account. The resultant process is not elevated just because CreateProcessAsUser was called by a service.

1 answer

Castorix31 84,281 Reputation points

2022-09-09T09:16:10.407+00:00

Use the "runas" verb...
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Sunil A M 171 Reputation points

2022-09-09T13:52:28.097+00:00

HI,

Thanks for the reply, it works for me because i am admin to my machine.

What happens if the user logged in to that machine as non admin..?
Will the same code works to launch the process if the system logged in user is non admin? (and also we are running the wpf project in non admin access)?

RLWA32 44,931 Reputation points

2022-09-09T14:40:47.147+00:00

The system will display a dialog in which the credentials of an account that is a member of the Administrators group can be entered. If the credentials are entered the elevated process will run under the administrator account instead of the user's account.

Sunil A M 171 Reputation points

2022-09-12T07:06:57.92+00:00

Hi,

i need below senario.

1.The loggedin user will be non admin. - Normal user
2.I want to open the process using Process.Start() - the process/exe is in this path (C:\Program Files\OverlayUI\Debug\overlay.exe).
3.the process.Start() - this method is also calling unelevated.

How should we open exe in this situation?

RLWA32 44,931 Reputation points

2022-09-12T07:23:12.813+00:00

Do what was suggested by @Castorix31 and set the ProcessStartInfo Verb to "runas" and UseShellExecute to true. As I indicated earlier, the system will prompt for the entry of administrator credentials. This is commonly referred to as "over the shoulder" elevation because the presumption is that the administrator user will enter their credentials and remain present to supervise the activities.

If you're asking how you can run an application that requires elevated privileges under the account of a non-administrator the answer is you cannot.
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Need to help to launch the exe from unelevated code.

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