how get environment variables of non-admin user ?

Question

0.00/5 (No votes)

See more:

Hi,

I have a desktop application that is executed with Admin privileges. When this application is run by a non-admin user (by elevating the app with admin rights) say standard user, I am unable to get the standard user's (or logged on user's) environment variables, instead the application returns the Admin users environment variable. How can this issue be resolved. Please help...

Posted 9-Jun-12 1:57am

Sunil P V

Add a Solution

1 solution

Add a Solution

Add your solution here

Treat my content as plain text, not as HTML

Preview 0

…

Existing Members

Sign in to your account

...or Join us

Download, Vote, Comment, Publish.

Your Email
Password
Forgot your password?

Your Email
This email is in use. Do you need your password?
Optional Password

I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Please subscribe me to the CodeProject newsletters

When answering a question please:

Read the question carefully.
Understand that English isn't everyone's first language so be lenient of bad spelling and grammar.
If a question is poorly phrased then either ask for clarification, ignore it, or edit the question and fix the problem. Insults are not welcome.
Don't tell someone to read the manual. Chances are they have and don't get it. Provide an answer or move on to the next question.

Let's work to help developers, not make them feel stupid.

This content, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

Mehdi Gholam · Answer 1 · 2012-06-09T06:04:00

Solution 1

Environment variables are user specific and defined in that users profile, when you are using RunAs, Windows is loading the application in the security context and profile of that user, so you will not have access to the original logged-in user.

Posted 9-Jun-12 6:04am

Mehdi Gholam

Comments

Sunil P V 10-Jun-12 0:09am

But is there a way to hack this. I want the logged on user's environment variables even though the application is invoked as an admin user. I suppose impersonation would not work because the admin account does not fall under local system account...

Mehdi Gholam 10-Jun-12 0:50am

The logged in user is the admin, so no.

Sunil P V 11-Jun-12 4:52am

Mehdi, Got a hack for this: Using WMI we can get the active logged in user, even if the application is invoked (run-as) as any other user. :-)

Mehdi Gholam 11-Jun-12 5:30am

Post an article or a tip on it :)