Tuesday 25 March 2014

UAC and editing files with NotePad++

I recently built a new Windows 8.1 system. Previously I used a Windows 7 system and logged in as Administrator with UAC disabled, but on my new system I thought I would try to use it as 'Bill' intended!

After installing NotePad++, I found that I could not save any files that were in a 'protected' folder location such as C:\ or C:\Program Files\xxxx. Futhermore, if I simply changed the Properties of the NotePad++.exe file to run as Administrator, then right-clicking on a file and selecting 'Open with NotePad++' no longer worked and I always got this error mesage:


This is what to do to solve the problem:

1. Make a copy of the NotePad++.exe file in the same "C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++" folder and rename it as "notepad++ Admin.exe" (or as you wish)

2. Right-click on it - Properties - Compatibility - 'Run this program as an Administrator'

3. Download and install Context Edit from http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/ContextEdit-Download-78704.html

4. Run Context Editor as Administrator (right-click on the Desktop icon it creates - choose 'Run as administrator')

5. Click on New and create a new entry (under 'All files, regardless of extension'):


 My command line for box 4 was:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++ Admin.exe" "%1"



Now, when I right-click on a file, I choose the new NotePad++_Admin entry and it works correctly:



I do still get a UAC prompt however, but at least it works!

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