Cannot run "Contig" (defrag tool) as Admin on Vista

  • Thread starter Thread starter Neil Jones
  • Start date Start date
N

Neil Jones

I have a Vista Ultimate on my system. I want to defrag some specific
directories/files, so I have downloaded "Contig" (sysinternals toolset)
from the Microsoft site. When I try to run this tool as normal user I
got "Access Denied" message. I have logged in as the System
Administrator and got the same "Access Denied" message.

How can I run the "Contig" tool on Vista? What are the proper settings?

Thank you in advance.

NJ
 
Rick said:
Hi Neil,

Click start, type CMD and right click the entry that appears in the
start menu. Choose "run as administrator". Run contig from this elevated
prompt.
Click to expand...

Hello Rick,

Thank you! This works now.

Regards,

NJ
 
Rick said:
Hi Neil,

Click start, type CMD and right click the entry that appears in the
start menu. Choose "run as administrator". Run contig from this elevated
prompt.
Click to expand...

Hello Rick,

Thank you! This works now.

Regards,

NJ
 
You seem to be saying that it is necessary to use "run as administrator"
eventhough the account being used is an Administrator. Is my understanding
correct? If so then it sure helps to know that it can make a difference to
do that. It is not logical of course.

I am sorry if I am hijacking this thread, but I think my question is
relevant and useful. I have a similar problem that I am researching. I will
create a new thread if I don't get my specific problem(s) is (are) not
solved.
 
Rick,
I only came across this Elevated prompt thing myself the other day when
being given help troubleshooting another issue. Never heard of it before.

Neil,
Is Ultimate different from Vista Bus. Ed.? Or is this some sort of special
defrag you are doing? I thought all Windows OS had a defrag program.
 
Sam Hobbs said:
You seem to be saying that it is necessary to use "run as administrator"
eventhough the account being used is an Administrator.
Click to expand...

In Vista, even the administrator account runs as a limited user
account. The administrative level token is available through a
consent prompt. This use is similar to that of any other limited
privilege account except that the other accounts prompt for
credentials rather than just the consent to use those already
available via Vista's Admin Approval Mode.

Still, it is not recommended to use the administrator account
for everyday usage because Vista's implementation of UAC's
AAM is not a security boundary.
 
FromTheRafters said:
This use is similar to that of any other limited
privilege account
Click to expand...

It is substantially different from the way security works in previous
versions of Windows. I was not aware of that before I saw this thread
earlier today.
Still, it is not recommended to use the administrator account
for everyday usage because Vista's implementation of UAC's
AAM is not a security boundary.
Click to expand...

It is not recommended to use the administrator account for everyday usage;
period, end of advice.

Much of Vista security attempts to reduce the vulnerabilities caused by
violation of that excellent policy. I support use of limited accounts for
everyday usage and have complied with that advice since my first use of NT,
eventhough I am a developer and the only user of my systems. This Vista
security stuff evidently is the result of Microsoft not emphasizing and
supporting use of limited accounts in the past.
 
Sam Hobbs said:
It is substantially different from the way security works in previous
versions of Windows. I was not aware of that before I saw this thread
earlier today.


It is not recommended to use the administrator account for everyday usage;
period, end of advice.
Click to expand...

So say you...

But Vista installs and hides and disables that account and gives you a
limited account that you think is Administrator -but really isn't. That
way most people won't actually be using the full admin account even
though they think they are.

Still, one shouldn't be fooled into thinking it is OK to use this 'not
really
admin' account as an everyday account because it may be possible to
get around the consent prompt and make it act more like the real adimin
account.
Much of Vista security attempts to reduce the vulnerabilities caused by
violation of that excellent policy.
Click to expand...

Indeed, the default condition for an XP install seems to be single user
full admin. Vista's default is different while allowing the user to believe
they are the only and highest privileged account.
I support use of limited accounts for everyday usage and have complied
with that advice since my first use of NT, eventhough I am a developer and
the only user of my systems. This Vista security stuff evidently is the
result of Microsoft not emphasizing and supporting use of limited accounts
in the past.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Vista is less lenient in this regard - and I hear the next OS will be
even less so.
 
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