How to request administrator permissions when the program starts?

Question

I need my software to be able to run as administrator on Windows Vista (if someone runs it without administrative permissions, it will crash).

When launching other software, I've seen a prompt by the system like "this software will run as administrator. do you want to continue?" when the app was trying to acquire administrative privileges.

How do I request administrative privileges when running an c# app on Windows Vista?

Answer 1

Add the following to your manifest file:

<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />

You can also use highestAvailable for the level.

Look here about embedding manifest files:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb756929.aspx

PS: If you don't have a manifest file, you can easily add a new one:

In Visual Studio, right click project -> Add Item -> Choose Application Manifest File ( under General for Visual C# items)

The added file will already have the above part, just change the level to requireAdministrator from asInvoker

Answer 2

Put this XML in a file called yourexename.exe.manifest:

<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0>
<trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
   <security>
     <requestedPrivileges>
        <requestedExecutionLevel level="highestAvailable" />
     </requestedPrivileges>
   </security>
</trustInfo>
</assembly>

Answer 3

You need to use the requestedExecutionLevel token in a manifest:

http://www.developerfusion.com/code/7987/making-a-net-app-run-on-vista-with-administrator-priviledges/

Answer 4

For F# Visual Studio 2013, including a manifest file that request administrator elevation using the FSharp compiler's /win32manifest flag as follows worked for me. So, given a project output named "App.Exe"

1. Create a file with the following content (for convenience you may add the file to the project. Ensure that it's Build Action is None' andCopy to Output...isDo not copy. By convention such a file is named App.Exe.manifest`. If you require uiAccess (User Interface), the assembly must be strongly named.

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
   <asmv1:assembly manifestVersion="1.0" 
       xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1"
       xmlns:asmv1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1"
       xmlns:asmv2="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2"
       xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
     <assemblyIdentity version="1.0.0.0" name="App" />
     <trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2">
       <security>
         <requestedPrivileges xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
           <requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
         </requestedPrivileges>
       </security>
     </trustInfo>
   </asmv1:assembly>
   

2. Edit the project dialogue build panel's Other flags: entry field to include the following: /win32manifest:<ApplicationManifestFile>. For example, in this case, /win32manifest:App.Exe.manifest.