Run As Administrator Xp

Windows XP users just need to right-click the file to see the 'run as' option. Right-click the file and choose Run as. Choose the radio button next to The following user. Type the user you want to access the file as or choose it from the drop-down menu.

Learning has never been so easy!

Note that it is not possible to run an interactive process that way on Windows XP (or at least you cannot interact with it). Anyway, the correct solution is to either try to get the original program running without admin privileges, or run it as a service in the background in case no user interaction is required. The Server Proxy Account in server properties is typically used for xpcmdshell users who are non-admin users. It almost always has less rights than the login SQL is running under. Problem is that XP SP3's Runas dialog has running as the current user ticked by default, and even ticks 'protect my computer and data from unauthorized program activity' - this actually reduces privileges! – eug Feb 23 '14 at 4:45.

This How-to will show you the proper method to run the MMC with an elevated administrator account, prompting for a password every time.

Edit: Just to make this clear; this creates a shortcut so you only have to enter your admin password. You do not have to right-click an .exe every time and put in your credentials and password.

4 Steps total

Step 1: Open MMC manually with admin account

At the cmd line, open MMC with elevated privileges using the RunAs cmd;

C:WindowsSystem32runas.exe /user:domainusername 'mmc'

Use your own admin domainusername. You will be prompted for your password.

Step 2: Load snap-ins to MMC

Go to File>Add/Remove Snap-in...or hit CRTL+M.

Command

Run As Administrator Spotify

Add all that you need to fill this 'toolbox'.

Run

Once finished, got to File>Options...and rename the Console to something more descriptive.

Then change the Console mode to User mode - full access. Hit OK, then go to File>Exit to save this as a .msc file.

Save/move this .msc file to a known location on your C: drive. Something like C:toolbox.

Step 3: Create shortcut to .msc file

On your desktop (or wherever you will launch this from), create a new shortcut and point to any file. It doesn't matter which one as we will be changing this shortly.

Enable Run As Administrator Xp

Open the properties of the shortcut, and change the Target to use the RunAs cmd like this;

C:WindowsSystem32runas.exe /user:domainusername 'mmc C:path_to_Admin_ToolsAdmin_Tools.msc'

Change the Start in field to wherever the .msc directory is;

C:path_to_Admin_Tools

You can change the icon here as well by clicking Change Icon...and selecting the %SystemRoot%System32mmc.exe file to get the MMC icon.

Step 4: Launch MMC with admin credentials

Double-clicking the shortcut will bring up a cmdline prompt, asking for your admin password. Enter it and you are running the MMC with the .msc file loaded, as an admin.

To make any changes to the .msc file, find it and right-click the file, selecting Author.

All being well, you should have a new shortcut which will load your MMC in the proper context.

Published: Nov 09, 2017 · Last Updated: Nov 14, 2017

14 Comments

Windows 10 Run Everything As Administrator

  • Cayenne
    rbleattler Nov 9, 2017 at 08:58pm

    Thanks for that. This is definitely some useful information to have!

  • Sonora
    NoAutoSummary Nov 10, 2017 at 12:47am

    Yours' was the first post I liked on SpiceWorks. Interesting content that can make my day a little better. Thanks!

  • Ghost Chili
    Briser_fae_the_broch Nov 10, 2017 at 09:54am

    Nice one, really useful as well! It can be really annoying to be logged in as a Domain Admin and still have to force extra admin privs out of the machine

  • Pimiento
    Jason5542 Nov 10, 2017 at 03:17pm

    You can also Shift-Right Click on 'MMC' from the start menu and click 'Run as different user.' This will prompt for credentials so just use your domain admin creds instead of logging in and out.

  • Chipotle
    stephen jabs Nov 10, 2017 at 03:24pm

    Pressing Ctrl-Shift as you are clicking on any app or search result will open it with Administrator privileges.

    So if you click Start, then type MMC, hold down Ctrl-Shift when you click on it.

  • Cayenne
    CarlosTech Nov 10, 2017 at 04:20pm

    you can cut this down further.
    -Create the '.msc' file (with elevated privileges) and save it.
    -Create a 'Shortcut' to the .msc file
    -Then right-click the shortcut click 'Properties' then the 'Advanced' button, you get the option to 'Run as administrator' (which applies to the shortcut)

    you then get an elevated privilege prompt when you double click the .msc shortcut.

  • Poblano
    TC-Marcus Nov 10, 2017 at 05:00pm

    glad to see the answer to my question yesterday being readily shared with others!

  • Poblano
    Kory.Keenan Nov 20, 2017 at 09:40pm

    When I step 1 from an admin command prompt, I get RUNAS ERROR: Unable to run - mmc 740: The requested operation requires elevation.

  • Sonora
    brandonmoncrief2 Nov 21, 2017 at 05:14am

    Kory,
    Try this

    Runas / user:domainusername powershell.exe

    Once the new admin powershell opens type mmc

  • Pimiento
    mjamm Nov 28, 2018 at 01:01am

    There are multiple ways to open the MMC's as an Administrator, however, if you follow these instructions, the .msc file will allow you to enter your admin credentials 'ONCE' and then bounce from one MMC snap-in to another without having to re-enter your credentials.

  • Sonora
    dcontibr Nov 30, 2018 at 05:57pm

    Hello pmandryk,

    I followed all the instructions but when I get prompted to enter my password nothing else happens, it just close the CMD window.

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks

  • Serrano
    pmandryk Nov 30, 2018 at 07:53pm

    My advice would be to run each piece separately and once they all work, then join the command together.
    So, perform the 'mmc C:path_to_Admin_ToolsAdmin_Tools.msc' first on the cmd line, then the runas to run that cmd, then create the shortcut.
    The most important is this 'mmc C:path_to_Admin_ToolsAdmin_Tools.msc'.

    Paste what your process and I'll have a look.

  • Serrano
    bryndonbooth Dec 5, 2018 at 12:53am

    I'd already tried the runas from the command line to run dsa.msc (AD users and computers). Which requires elevation so the cmd window closes after pw input without opening the console.

    As Carlostech pointed out, yes, you can modify the shortcut to run with admin rights. However this gave me a credential window to put in my admin account details, both username AND password before the runas command window for the password prompt. Not ideal.

    Of course the whole point is to be able to open the console with my admin credentials when I am logged in with my non-admin account.

    Any other bright ideas?

  • Sonora
    dcontibr Dec 21, 2018 at 10:54pm

    I found this solution online which resolved my issue.

    Change the Target filed with the following:

    C:WindowsSystem32runas.exe /user:DOMAINUSERNAME 'cmd /c mmc C:Path_to_Admin_ToolsAdmin_Tools.msc'