Firefox needs my permission to continue.

Every time I try to run Firefox on one of my computers it brings up a UAC dialog and I can't work out why.  I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling firefox (more than once) but that doesn't help, and even when I try to run Firefox in safe mode it still triggers UAC.  Does anyone have any idea what's causing this and how I can stop it?

Thanks.

Windows Vista Utlimate 64bit
Firefox 2.0.0.3 English (British)

Just disable UAC.

I'd rather switch to IE 7 than do that .

cain wrote:

Every time I try to run Firefox on one of my computers it brings up a UAC dialog and I can't work out why.  I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling firefox (more than once) but that doesn't help, and even when I try to run Firefox in safe mode it still triggers UAC.  Does anyone have any idea what's causing this and how I can stop it?

Check in the compatability tab under the shortcut properties or the executable itself to make sure its not checked to always start as an admin.

BlackTiger wrote:

Just disable UAC.

Yeah fantastic advice there.

I had already checked the compatability tab to ensure it wasn't set to run as admin there, but I rechecked it and it's definately not that.

I tried logging in as a different user and that didn't help either.

I tried the US English version (I don't see how it's 'default', when I go to firefox.com it points me to the British version) that didn't work either.

I also tried uninstalling firefox and then manually deleting every firefox folder I could find (bits left behind in Program Files (x86), AppData, etc.) and then reinstalling, but that didn't work either.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, but it looks like it might be time for me to go back to IE.

Have you tried disabling automatic updating? The Firefox updater requires full Administrator rights.

BlackTiger wrote:

Just disable UAC.

Stupid advice like that is the reason there are so many zombies in the PC world these days.

AndyC wrote:

Have you tried disabling automatic updating? The Firefox updater requires full Administrator rights.

Yep, I'd already tried that too.

Do you see a little shield next to the firefox icon? If so then for some reason Vista has "automatically identified" that firefox may require admin privileges.

I never had that problem myself.

Yes, the shield is there.  Is there anyway to tell Vista that it's wrong?

Randolpho wrote:



BlackTiger wrote:Just disable UAC.

Stupid advice like that is the reason there are so many zombies in the PC world these days.

Just for info. "Zombies" are running XP/2000/98, not Vista.
"I'm running UAC and I'm 100% protected" - is a very dangerous lie.
Zombification can be done with UAC enabled too, because it's user's personal fault.

You can't enforce a people to not to be a stupid.

cain wrote:

Yes, the shield is there.  Is there anyway to tell Vista that it's wrong?

I have not been able to find a way to tell Vista that, although I have looked for it. The same problem happened to me with WinRAR once, so I installed a new version at another location.

sushovande wrote:



cain wrote:Yes, the shield is there.  Is there anyway to tell Vista that it's wrong?

I have not been able to find a way to tell Vista that, although I have looked for it. The same problem happened to me with WinRAR once, so I installed a new version at another location.

Thanks for the suggestion , that worked.

BlackTiger wrote:



Randolpho wrote:  BlackTiger wrote: Just disable UAC. Stupid advice like that is the reason there are so many zombies in the PC world these days.

Just for info. "Zombies" are running XP/2000/98, not Vista.

He said advice like that. If we all follow your foolish advice to turn off UAC, in a few years the zombies will be on Vista.

BlackTiger wrote:


"I'm running UAC and I'm 100% protected" - is a very dangerous lie.

Good thing nobody ever said that, then.

Bas wrote:



BlackTiger wrote: Randolpho wrote:  BlackTiger wrote: Just disable UAC. Stupid advice like that is the reason there are so many zombies in the PC world these days. Just for info. "Zombies" are running XP/2000/98, not Vista.

He said advice like that. If we all follow your foolish advice to turn off UAC, in a few years the zombies will be on Vista.

He is running Vista 64bit. There are no zombies for 64bit Windows PCs, and there probably will be none until it becomes mainstream after Windows Blackcomb is released. As for UAC safeguarding you against zombies, it could be disabled by a zombie, just like the Security Center in Windows XP.

Shining Arcanine wrote:


He is running Vista 64bit. There are no zombies for 64bit Windows PCs, and there probably will be none until it becomes mainstream after Windows Blackcomb is released. As for UAC safeguarding you against zombies, it could be disabled by a zombie, just like the Security Center in Windows XP.

64-bit Windows is perfectly capable of running 32-bit malware, there's no reasons why they wouldn't run. 

UAC as mentioned a billion times, is just an easy way for the user to transition from low-rights to elevated admininstrator permissions. The safest system has UAC disabled to prevent accidental elevation, and runs as a limited user at all times, of course that's not very convenient.

Shining Arcanine wrote:

As for UAC safeguarding you against zombies, it could be disabled by a zombie, just like the Security Center in Windows XP.

How?