Any way to have system run a batch file at logon without admin password?

[RandySea]

I have a Truecrypt file container. For some reason, TC will not automatically "mount selected volume on start up," a "feature" of TC that doesn't seem to work for me.

I created a batch file to do what TC is supposed to do:
d:\TrueCrypt\TrueCrypt.exe /a favorites /quit

This is in my Startup group. However, when I log on as a standard user, it always demands an admin password before running TrueCrypt.

My question is if there is any way to get TrueCrypt.exe to start up on logon without having to enter and admin password?

Windows 7 Ultimate, sp1

[JoeP517]

Use task scheduler to setup a task that runs at user logon to execute the batch file. You can set the credentials in the task definition.

Joe

[RandySea]

After looking at your suggestion, I tried this several ways. I tried setting it up in my RandySea Standard account as a task with Run with Highest Privileges checked. This didn't work. Same unchecked. Each time I got a dialog box asking for an admin password for my admin account.

Then I set it in Task Scheduler to use an admin account when running. This did not work, either. If I switched to the admin account, that task ran there. When I switched back to the standard user, it acted as if it had run there, too. This was mounting a TrueCrypt volume.

I then logged on to that admin account. From the admin account, I accessed the task I had set up with my standard account. I checked run with highest privileges. It prompted for an admin password, which I entered.

When I rebooted, nothing happened in the standard acct. I still get the prompt there for an admin password.

What am I missing?

[cafed00d]

Try adding the /p option to your batch file. See this for more details:
http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/?s=command-line-usage

[RandySea]

Thanks, cafed00d. The /p option is for eliminating the TC password for mounting the volume, which I definitely don't want to do. The password I'm trying to eliminate is the one Windows asks for before it will even run truecrypt.exe when I'm logged on as a standard user.

Anyone who only has the original account Windows 7 required them to make when installing will never see the problem I do. That's because the original account has admin privileges. As an added security layer, I prefer to logon on with a different, standard user account.

[JoeP517]

When you select "run with highest privileges" that invokes UAC at run time. You'll always be prompted for admin credentials when that is selected. I think you need to provide admin credentials in the security options section and select "run whether the user is logged on or not".

I just stumbled across this - Make Vista launch UAC restricted programs at startup. The procedure should be the same or very similar for Windows 7.

Joe

[RandySea]

Thanks, JoeP. Your link gave me hope. Unfortunately, carefully following the instructions, it did not work for me in Windows 7 Ultimate.

[JoeP517]

What happened?

Have you checked the event logs for any additional information?

Joe

[RandySea]

I have checked the task scheduler history log and applications events logs. The problem is there is nothing discernable as an error or warning. The system functions just as it always had. When Task Scheduler, or a batch file in Startup, says to run the program (TrueCrypt.exe), the UAC asks for an admin password for a listed admin acct. If I type it, TC runs. If I don't enter it, TC just doesn't start up.

There's no entry like: "Allowing this admin program to run for a standard user because an admin user scheduled it."

[JoeP517]

Sorry, I'm out of ideas. Hopefully someone else will jump in.

Joe

[RandySea]

Appreciate your trying, Joe. I guess this is how msft wants it to work, for better or worse. It just means I have to enter three passwords to log on instead of two. Or always log on with admin rights, but not doing that seemed like an advantage of moving to Windows 7.

Randy

[bbearren]

Have you tried changing the ownership of "TrueCrypt.exe" to "System"?

[RandySea]

Have you tried changing the ownership of "TrueCrypt.exe" to "System"?

Good idea. I made a copy of TrueCrypt.exe and changed to owner to System. I created a new task while logged on as an admin. The new task runs TrueCryptSystem.exe at any logon, with highest privileges checked.

I rebooted and logged on to my standard user account. I had to run TaskScheduler as an admin to see the history. The main screen said "the task is currently running." The history log said Task Started, Action Started, and Create Task Process, along with times, numbers, etc. However, if I run Task Manager, there is no sign of the program. Indeed, if it had started up, it would have given me a prompt to mount a volume.