Windows 7 - Can I add a new Administrator account, then change my main to standard?

[nine9s]

In Windows 7 Home Premium x64, I have only one account on my computer and it is an Administrator account.

Here is what I am trying to do:

1) Change my main account to a standard user for security;
2) With that standard user account be able to give Administrator UAC permission if something needs it (installing application need to do something like run CMD at Administrator level etc.) on the fly by using the Administrator name and password.

To do 1) I think I will need to set-up a new Administrator account with password. Then after it is created, change my main account to standard.

Is that correct?

And will my goal of 2) work? Will I be able to do Administrator stuff in my main Standard account by using the Administrator account name and password at the time it is needed while in the Standard account - or do you have to actually log into that administrator account?

And if so, will this add to my security versus running in an Administrator account?

 

[seepy83]

Yes, you can do that. Well, I should say I have absolutely no recent experience with the Home versions of the OS's, but what you're describing is how it would be done on the Pro/Enterprise versions so you should be alright. Create an admin account, log into that account and change your existing one to a regular user. Then you can use Run As to run applications with the admin credentials.

Yes, it will add to your security. It's no silver bullet, but only running applications as an administrative users when absolutely necessary can protect from some types of attacks.

 

[nine9s]

Create an admin account, log into that account and change your existing one to a regular user. Then you can use Run As to run applications with the admin credentials.

If I do the above, and I am in my main account, which would then be a standard user account, and wanted to run or install something that needs Administrator level, will I get an option to just enter the Administrator account name and password or will I literally have to relog into that Administrator account to approve it?

 

[seepy83]

If I do the above, and I am in my main account, which would then be a standard user account, and wanted to run or install something that needs Administrator level, will I get an option to just enter the Administrator account name and password or will I literally have to relog into that Administrator account to approve it?

Again, I'll preface this by saying that I don't know for the Home version of the OS, but google should help you with that. But under the pro/enterprise OS yes, you will be able to supply alternate admin credentials when you launch an application, installer, etc. Right-Click --> Run As Administrator, or Shift+Right Click --> Run As Different User... and specify what account.

You can create a test account to see how it works before you make any other changes.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

yes, as far as I know that is the way it works. You can right click and run as admin for most things that you may need and that is definitely much better for security.

If I do the above, and I am in my main account, which would then be a standard user account, and wanted to run or install something that needs Administrator level, will I get an option to just enter the Administrator account name and password or will I literally have to relog into that Administrator account to approve it?

 

[nine9s]

Thanks for the help.

I tested on a different computer and it works. Question, for a single user (no one else uses the computer), will this add security? I was thinking that if malware tried to install, I would see the UAC prompt whether in administrator or standard account, so with no worry about others hitting yes, a standard account adds nothing for me a single user. Or would a Standard account make UAC prompts when an Administrator account would not?

Also, if in a Standard user account, would my antivirus program, Avast 8, be able to scan everything? Or would it not be able to scan areas my Standard account could not access?

 

[Chiefcrowe]

Yes it will add security. Many times if you are running as admin, you will not see a UAC prompt, and for a standard user you should see it much more often. So malware could install in the background as an admin.

Most Antivirus programs run as a service or under a system account, so they have full access to your computer even if you do not under a limited user.

Thanks for the help.

I tested on a different computer and it works. Question, for a single user (no one else uses the computer), will this add security? I was thinking that if malware tried to install, I would see the UAC prompt whether in administrator or standard account, so with no worry about others hitting yes, a standard account adds nothing for me a single user. Or would a Standard account make UAC prompts when an Administrator account would not?

Also, if in a Standard user account, would my antivirus program, Avast 8, be able to scan everything? Or would it not be able to scan areas my Standard account could not access?

 

[nine9s]

Thank you very much.

 

[czglory]

definitely a really good idea to run as a standard user the majority of the time, enter passwords to run as admin as necessary, and using UAC set to max