What steps can I take to gain complete control over my PC?
What steps can I take to gain complete control over my PC?
The most puzzling aspect of Windows for me is the "Administrator" feature. I’m the sole user of this computer, and whenever I need to run certain programs, remove files, or perform tasks, I often encounter pop-ups requiring me to confirm my administrator status. In file deletion cases, it prevents me from simply deleting files and forces me to take ownership or follow other complicated steps. The account I use has admin rights, with all permission options enabled. Why must I go through such security measures just to make changes on this machine? Shouldn’t it recognize that I own the device and can do whatever I want? Even if needed, I could simply use force if necessary! 🤣
This is the most confusing part of Windows for me, so any guidance on understanding what’s happening and how I can proceed without all these restrictions would be greatly appreciated.
I acknowledge there are security concerns here, but does that imply even an admin has to navigate these barriers just to delete files in certain folders? Please clarify!
You won’t remove every single control, and it’s probably not wise to try unless you’re sure. If you proceed, you can take steps that will at least reduce some of the issues Windows presents, such as those annoying baby monitor effects. Open the Control Panel and then navigate to User Accounts. If you don’t see "Control Panel" in the Settings section, look for "Change user account control settings." In the new window, drag the slider all the way down (disable notifications) and confirm with a click. This will resolve many problems but also turns off some protective features Windows offers. I usually do this automatically on my systems.
You can also right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop, choose Properties, uncheck the "Display delete confirmation dialog," and click OK.
Regarding protected system folders, avoiding them often requires navigating through complex registry or group policy settings. The safest way without deep technical work is to use the built-in user ownership feature if you’ve already installed a script and have access in your context menu.
Please note, no—you don’t truly own Windows. Having a licensed copy gives you a license agreement with Microsoft, but it doesn’t mean you own the software. Many people mistakenly believe otherwise, but it’s not true.
Thanks for this.
Yes, you are right that I don't own the Windows software only have a license to use it. I kind of meant I "own" it in a humorous sense.
From your helpful reply though I did get confirmation that there isn't a way to give me full and simple access to do these things without possibly compromising security. Although I don't know who it protects against unless you mean a trojan, a hacker (highly unlikely) or some kind of other malware. Don't need any protection against me since I know enough about the software to know how to avoid causing problems and no one else uses this computer.
I don't mind the pop-ups so much to warn me if I do something potentially damaging to the OS or risking security. Everyone makes mistakes and clicking an 'OK' button is no big deal to protect against an unintended result by double checking that is what you intended to do before doing it.
It's the more complex hoops that annoy the heck out of me. Why can't they just have a popup warning and if you bypass it let you do whatever you want as an administrator? If they do that, they warned you so it's not their fault if you mess it up. Again if the answer is that it makes it too easy for a rogue hacker or malware to make security changes then I can understand that... EXCEPT they could implement a password system that you as admin. have to enter in addition to the 'OK' button and that would solve that issue. No it is not a 100% perfectly secure solution, but nothing is, not even the way it is now.
Anyway, I am sure I could disable some if not all of these things if I wanted to dig deep enough. But I agree with your recommendation and don't intend to do that.
When it comes to deleting files in system folders I just use a third party tool that does it quite accurately and easily. Far easier than going through all those hoops.
Bottom line, thanks for a great response that was very helpful and confirmed much of what I was hoping wasn't the case but it is apparently the best I can do without compromising security.
No worries at all, just make sure you visit only reliable websites and avoid opening emails or files from unknown sources. Keep your antivirus and antimalware programs updated, and change the User account control settings to "Never notify." This should prevent issues and remove many annoying prompts when trying to perform tasks. You're doing a great job, Ryan.
Since having admin rights all the time could cause serious security problems and user confusion, it’s better to avoid it.
You control the hardware, not the software.
For instance, if I have admin access but accidentally remove something from your wife’s profile, you’d want to confirm it wasn’t from your account.
There are numerous operations the OS performs in the background that remain hidden from the user. For example, files and folders are set to ReadOnly, except when the file system requires changes. Otherwise, they can't be altered by malicious programs. Many of these are not user files—like your Word documents—but rather essential components for the OS to function. There are thousands of them.
Thank you for your kind words and valuable feedback. 👍 This is significantly more insightful than the other forum I've been part of for many years.
Exactly right. Good luck, again. Let me know if you have more questions later.