Limitations of Runas in Windows 7

In Windows XP, you could use the Runas command to run programs as a different user than the currently-logged on user. You can still do this in Windows 7 but there are some caveats. Specifically, Runas will only work in Windows 7 if all three of the following are true:

  • You are targeting the built-in Administrator account.
  • The built-in Administrator account is enabled.
  • Admin-approval mode is not enabled for the built-in Administrator account.

For some alternatives to using Runas on Windows 7, see http://blogs.technet.com/b/elevationpowertoys

Mitch Tulloch is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) and widely recognized expert on Windows administration, deployment and virtualization. For more tips by Mitch you can follow him on Twitter or friend him on Facebook.

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