cannot run as administrator

Every time I start Kleopatra I get a pop up warning (see the attached screen shot):
“Kleopatra cannot be run as administrator without breaking file permissions in the GnuPG data folder.
To manage keys for other users please manage them as a normal user and copy the ‘AppData\Roaming\gnupg’ directory with proper permissions.
Are you sure that you want to continue?”

But I run Kleopatra as a normal user.
Moreover I am not able to “opy the ‘AppData\Roaming\gnupg’ directory with proper permissions.”
Please help. Thanks.
p.s. I click on continue and Kleopatra seems to work correctly, but I’d like to understand this warning anf get rid of it.

kleo_error.jpg

Can you do the following:

  • Right-click on the Kleopatra icon and click on “Properties”
  • Open the tab “Compatibility”

Is the checkbox “Run this program as an administrator” enabled? (see the attached image run_as_administrator.png)

run_as_administrator.png

You could also try to reinstall Gpg4win but be sure to backup your keys. When you install Gpg4win make sure that you don’t run the installer nor Kleopatra as administrator. As one can read here (https://dev.gnupg.org/T5212#144782) it suffices to run it once as admin and you always get this message.

The checkbox “Run this program as an administrator” is NOT enabled.

See screen shot attached.

kleo_errorb.jpg

I’ll do it.
Meanwhile I’d like to understand if that message is a problem or could I just skip it and continue?
Thanks.

I uninstalled and then installed again being careful not to act as administrator.
But eventually the pop up warning is still here.
Is it a problem? Is it safe?
No solution?
Thanks

You are not running Kleopatra as a normal user. This message pops up only after it queries the system that you have administrative privileges.

Probably you disabled User Account Control altogether? This is a very unsafe way to operate an endpoint and that is why Kleopatra warns. Is it safe as everything else you do on the computer in that case, meaning it is not safe because everything you do as user runs with full permissions. But this is not a Windows Administrators Forum. A problem would only occur if you run Kleopatra “sometimes” with elevated privileges and sometimes not. But when you always run it elevated nothing will break.

Hi Dan,

also see https://wiki.gnupg.org/Gpg4win/RunAsUser
in addition to Andre’s explanation.

Regards,
Bernhard

“Probably you disabled User Account Control altogether?”
I checked and yes I did it since I am the only one using this machine ad home.
Should I change it?
Will it solve the issue?
Thanks.

“also see https://wiki.gnupg.org/Gpg4win/RunAsUser
in addition to Andre’s explanation.”

I already found and read that but I didn’t understand if keeping that pop up warning will be safe or not.

Many thanks.

already found and read that but I didn’t understand if keeping that pop up warning will be safe or not.

We cannot answer that with certainty, because it depends on what “safe” means for you. (That is a general problem with security, it is not on or off like a switch.)

By disabling UAC you deviate from the default that your operating system vendor recommends, and by using system privileges always, you are running your system in difference to many recommendations. Both remove layers of protection, so unless you have a very good reason, disabling those features will make you less “safe”.)

Hope this help already! :wink:
Otherwise you can consult general recommendation about administrating a Windows operating system.

Regards
Bernhard

“Should I change it?”
Yep :slight_smile: Because otherwise all programs that you run have all permissions but you usually can’t trust every program. It doesn’t matter if you are the only user.

“Will it solve the issue?”
I guess you will have to reinstall Gpg4win again after that but than it should solve the issue.

Good news: eventually that warning pop up has gone!

I set the UAC User Account Control as in the attached screen shot and voilà Kleopatra start without showing that annoying warning.

Thanks all for the help.

uco.jpg

Thanks for sharing this news and great that you could solve the problem!