Vista will not allow permissions for some programs which means that on startup you get a window advising this and you have to click on the blocked programs to run them (actually I am now down to two permissions on startup). Then you can proceed normally on desktop.

I have researched how to turn off these messages about permissions to proceed, which come thick and fast also during browsing, and I suppose are a protection of sorts. I learned that you can disable the UAC (User Account Control) and then the messages cease. But I also notice that the internet protected mode is showing as Off when you do this. How important is this? Can the UAC be left disabled?

BB, I also have Vista Premium and get the same message. It is only one program with mine that shows as blocked. What I do is somply right-click on the "blocked" message icon and hit the "Exit" at the bottom. It will still allow the programs to run normally, without having to go through opening them. Try it and see if it saves you some time. Sandy

Yes, I can see the Exit option but I think this then means that when you click this option, then the required program is not going to run. The blocked one I have is Spy Detector which always requires permission to run after blocking and I want it to run, but am getting fed up with a more or less manual start. You can remove these blocked and permission messages which Vista overdoes, by disabling the User Account Control in Services, but this then puts the computer in unprotected mode. I do wonder how much this matters.

Bb,
I have a blocked one called "WordWeb" which is an on-line dictionary. It's blocked due to no Certificate, but it is a perfectly reliable program accoding to Norton and my Spy Sweeper, but it's privately owned for free use, thus no Certificate. When I click the exit because of THIS one, it still runs normally with no problem. Have you tried opening up the Blocked and checking why it is being blocked ie what message you are given? I know you can "assign" a different category in some programs. I'm not familiar with spy Detector, but it might be worth a try to reassign it's category. Do you get an option with the Spy Detector to tell it to always run and "do no show this message again"? The next time I shutdown and reboot, I am going to look at all of this and come back to see if you resolved the problem. I don't think I would run in unprotected mode, unless you have other security on your computer, such as Norton, McAfee, etc. Sandy

On researching I found a free utility program called TweakUAC (type that in Google to find) which allows the User Account Control (the source of all these blocked and permission requests) to be operated in quiet mode, which gives protection without the messages. You can read the information for yourself on the site. I have downloaded and installed this without any ill effect and clicked the quiet mode option. Will give it a try to see if it lets programs operate safely without those annoying messages. Will report back later.

Thanks Bossyboots - Not having Vista means not being able to comment much about it. I won't be getting Vista until new computer time comes. I recently mended a hardware fault in my present computer (with XP Pro installed), so hope it will last a while yet.

Until this one finally doesn't shape up, I'll only be reading an article or two about Vista. This isn't the same as actually using it. I'll be relying on bits of information such as you have given here once I'm running the OS.

Well TweakUAC hasn't stopped Spy Detector from showing as blocked I am afraid, although there are noticeably fewer 'program requires permission to proceed' notices. I do think that as more people have Vista, this is an issue which will demand addressing, as it is really tiresome. I shall just have to keep unblocking that program as I am not sure whether completely disabling UAC is a safe thing to do.

Bossyboots,
Do you have regular Vista or Premium Vista? Also, unless you want to keep it, have you removed the Spy Detector program itself. I cannot for the life of me remember what the name was, but on my computer before this one, I had a similar program and it gave me NOTHING BUT problems. Of course, at that time I was still running on Windows 2000. I'm just wondering if your Vista is that much different an OS than the Premium. There are VERY few glitches with mine, I am quite happy with it overall, but I do know from researching that there are some conflicts they are working on resolving. The conflicts mainly apply to more advanced type usage and not the regular home user such as myself. Sandy

I did some research on SpyDetector (most program names are merged into one word, so I'm assuming this one would be the same). It doesn't look to be a bad program in itself. Only one bad report found. Softpedia and Download.com carry the utility and they're both reputable download sites. It says it's for Vista, so should be OK.

I have Premium Vista. I am not complaining about the program in itself, but merely that it has to be manually unblocked at startup. I did pay for the program and they are aware of the unblocking issue.

As mentioned, I don't have Vista so can't put anything to a practical test. All I can do is read about it. I expect you have been through a few articles yourself on UAC but I found this one that I think is good. A particular section that looks relevant to your problem comes under the title 'UAC is annoying, I want to turn it off'. Read the entire article though because it gives a fair description of UAC and why it behaves the way it does.

http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Security/uac.aspx

It seems that some programs need Admin rights for the permissions to be set and that there is an option for this when allowing the program to run? Also, was SpyDetector installed while you had Admin rights? If not perhaps that could be a reason for your difficulties.

Edit: UAC = User Account Control.

tw,
Unless I am completely off base on what bossyboots and I are referring to, the UAC is a different matter than the Blocked Start Up. The UAC can be set to "always allow this to run" and you stop getting the message. It can be annoying when the UAC pops up for a program such as my HP Health Check. This is Hewlitt Packards' System Check and is obviously a non-threat to my HP computer, yet it would come up as "Do you want to run this program? It may be a threat, etc." The startup window and blocked programs is a different matter.
Bossyboots, I used to get the same thing - "permissions to proceed, which come thick and fast also during browsing, and I suppose are a protection of sorts." as you said coming thick and fast, but didn' turn off the UAC, just unchecked the "always ask permission" or unchecked "ask me every time". The majority of these are things I am absolutely sure are no harm and the only ones that come up now, I pay attention to, because they are NOT ones I am familiar with. I won't turn off my UAC. Too much chance of harm because anything can access with it off. Sandy

It's more likely to be me that's off the mark jd . It's just that BB had mentioned UAC, so that's what I read up on and tried to help with.

tw, You were of help as always. After all, I have certainly come to know that you are the FT "go to guy" for ANYTHING related to computers or technology! It's awfully hard to be in your position not using the same system we are, yet you still give great input. Sandy

The strange thing is that when I turned off the UAC temporarily, the blocked program notification also disappeared. That would imply some sort of connection. As soon as I re-enabled UAC then I had to resume unblocking the program manually.

I meant to add that the asking for permission notifications have ceased since installing TweakUAC which puts this into quiet mode but not off.