How do you merge .reg files under SUA?

[Handsome Recluse]

How do you merge .reg files when in Standard User Account?

 

[Ink]

You can't, Windows Registry is a protected area. You need to enter the admin password on the UAC prompt, otherwise access is denied. Alternatively log into an admin user account and merge file with Registry.

Edit: No mention of OS, but UAC has been present since Vista.

 

[tim one]

Generally, a standard user can use the computer with restrictions: it does not have access to the administrator's folders or of other users, it can not install or uninstall programs, it can not add new users, it can modify a very limited set of settings (mainly related to his account, for example, the combinations of colors, or the icons), it can not install new hardware, it can't access the registry, it doesn't have access to the protected system folders, etc.

 

[Wave]

Your best bet is learning to program and writing a program to modify the Registry; some areas can be accessed without administrative privileges however not from the Windows Registry I don't believe (since it'll require administrator privileges to open it).

That is why non-elevated programs can still add to start-up (for the current user) via the registry without requiring administrative privileges. However, even if programs can do this, you cannot open the Windows Registry without granting administrative privileges.

There might be a work around, I believe that it will require administrative privileges due to the manifest file set to "requireAdministrator" or "highestAvailable", therefore if you're good with reversing, you might be able to change that to how it is by default... And as long as regedit.exe doesn't check it's privileges during run-time then you'll be good to go (and if it does you'll need OllyDbg/IDA Pro and then set breakpoints with the debugger and trick the program into believing it's running as admin when it's not through variable manipulation in memory).