Restarting a Windows Service with C# under Vista when User Account Control is Enabled

Posted: 04-03-2007, 12:29 PM

gourmet

Guest
Posts: n/a

Hello!

I need to restart the "Windows Audio Service" (audiosrv) via C#. I'm
using the ServiceController Class to do this.
It is no problem under XP and no problem under vista if UAC is
disabled.
But with enabled UAC i'm getting a "access refused" exception.
I also tried to do it via console with "net start ..." but the same
error appears.
Three questions:
1. Is it possible to restart the "windows audio service" if UAC is
enabled ?
2. Why does the exception occur? If I do some other stuff, e.g.
starting regedit via Process.Start() the user gets asked if he really
wants that. I would expect the same behaviour for restarting
services.
3. If it's not possible at all: Can I find out programmatically
whether UAC is enabled?

Thanks and excuse my bad english!

Responses to "Restarting a Windows Service with C# under Vista when User Account Control is Enabled"

Willy Denoyette [MVP]

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Restarting a Windows Service with C# under Vista when User Account Control is Enabled

Posted: 04-03-2007, 03:40 PM

"gourmet" <trash@jos.zzn.com> wrote in message
news:1175599768.389379.13120@o5g2000hsb.googlegrou ps.com...

> Hello!
>
> I need to restart the "Windows Audio Service" (audiosrv) via C#. I'm
> using the ServiceController Class to do this.
> It is no problem under XP and no problem under vista if UAC is
> disabled.
> But with enabled UAC i'm getting a "access refused" exception.
> I also tried to do it via console with "net start ..." but the same
> error appears.
> Three questions:
> 1. Is it possible to restart the "windows audio service" if UAC is
> enabled ?

Yes when running as full "Administrator". That is start the console (cmd interpreter) by
right clicking "Run as Administrator".

> 2. Why does the exception occur? If I do some other stuff, e.g.
> starting regedit via Process.Start() the user gets asked if he really
> wants that. I would expect the same behaviour for restarting
> services.

The exception occurs because you are running as a standard user, only admins can start, stop
.... services.
If you want the same behavior you'll have to insert a "manifest" in your executable file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
<assemblyIdentity version="1.0.0.0"
processorArchitecture="X86"
name="someExecName"
type="win32" />
<description>Program description</description>
<trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
<security>
<requestedPrivileges>
<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" />
</requestedPrivileges>
</security>
</trustInfo>
</assembly>

To add above manifest to the executable assembly, you have to run mt.exe like this;

mt -manifest somename.exe.manifest -outputresource:somename.exe;#1
PS change the someExecName and Program description to suit your needs...

> 3. If it's not possible at all: Can I find out programmatically
> whether UAC is enabled?

See above.

Willy.

Willy Denoyette [MVP]

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Restarting a Windows Service with C# under Vista when User Account Control is Enabled

Posted: 04-03-2007, 03:53 PM

"Willy Denoyette [MVP]" <willy.denoyette@telenet.be> wrote in message
news:up02U4fdHHA.1216@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> "gourmet" <trash@jos.zzn.com> wrote in message
> news:1175599768.389379.13120@o5g2000hsb.googlegrou ps.com...
>> Hello!
>>
>> I need to restart the "Windows Audio Service" (audiosrv) via C#. I'm
>> using the ServiceController Class to do this.
>> It is no problem under XP and no problem under vista if UAC is
>> disabled.
>> But with enabled UAC i'm getting a "access refused" exception.
>> I also tried to do it via console with "net start ..." but the same
>> error appears.
>> Three questions:
>> 1. Is it possible to restart the "windows audio service" if UAC is
>> enabled ?
>
> Yes when running as full "Administrator". That is start the console (cmd interpreter) by
> right clicking "Run as Administrator".
>
>> 2. Why does the exception occur? If I do some other stuff, e.g.
>> starting regedit via Process.Start() the user gets asked if he really
>> wants that. I would expect the same behaviour for restarting
>> services.
> The exception occurs because you are running as a standard user, only admins can start,
> stop ... services.
> If you want the same behavior you'll have to insert a "manifest" in your executable file.
>
> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
> <assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
> <assemblyIdentity version="1.0.0.0"
> processorArchitecture="X86"
> name="someExecName"
> type="win32" />
> <description>Program description</description>
> <trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
> <security>
> <requestedPrivileges>
> <requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" />
> </requestedPrivileges>
> </security>
> </trustInfo>
> </assembly>
>
> To add above manifest to the executable assembly, you have to run mt.exe like this;
>
> mt -manifest somename.exe.manifest -outputresource:somename.exe;#1
> PS change the someExecName and Program description to suit your needs...
>
>> 3. If it's not possible at all: Can I find out programmatically
>> whether UAC is enabled?
>
> See above.
>
> Willy.
>

To further clarify:
save the above manifest in a file called "some.exe.manifest", where someApp is the name of
your executable file.
Say you have "audioCntrl.exe", then you could name your manifest audioCntrl.exe.manifest"
and run mt.exe like:

mt -manifest audioCntrl.exe.manifest -outputresource:audioCntrl.exe;#1

Willy.
PS. type mt /help from the command line for more detailed help on mt.

gourmet

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Restarting a Windows Service with C# under Vista when User Account Control is Enabled

Posted: 04-04-2007, 10:52 AM

Thank you very much!

I will try that manifest stuff on friday and will let you know if it
worked for me...

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