In this post we examine the error: “The requested operation requires elevation”.
This error message can often appear when you try opening a file from an external hard drive. However, there are also cases when it appears if you perform a certain action without a valid permission.
Though it can be annoying, it’s actually not a hard problem to fix. In this article, we’ll run you through a few quick fixes that will safely get rid of this error message. But before that, let’s first have an overview about it.
What Does It Mean?
This error message simply means that you need the elevated permission of your local administrator so you can access a certain file you want to open. In both Windows Vista and 7 OS versions, there are two features called User Account Control (UAC) and the Super Administrator hidden account which are built to keep security as tight as possible.
With the Super Administrator hidden account, however, all other accounts are treated as normal user accounts. Therefore, each time you open a file or program that requires administrative access using a previous administrator account, you will receive the error message.
From a system’s security point of view, this can be a good move as it prevents normal account users from opening files or performing tasks which could harm the entire system’s stability. However, it can be quite annoying if you, the owner of your computer, won’t be able to perform certain tasks as you will need administrative rights.
One example of a task which you can’t run is the ipconfig command. If you try to run it using an account without administrative rights, you will receive the error message.
How Do You Fix The Error?
Fortunately, there are a number of quick fixes you can perform so you can gain administrative rights on your own computer and resolve the issue. They are as follows:
1st Fix: Turn Off the UAC
Manage Engine recommends turning off the User Account Control feature as a workaround for this problem. Here’s how:
- Go to your Control Panel by pressing the Windows key then typing Control Panel.
- In the Control Panel section, go to User Accounts.
- For Windows 7, click User Account Control Settings. For Windows Vista, choose the Turn User Account Settings On or Off option.
- After that, simply drag then select the control level down to Never Notify. Click OK afterward. For Windows Vista, however, you have to uncheck the “Use User Account Control (UAC) to protect your computer” option then click OK right after.
- Restart your computer and check if the issue is no longer there.
This fix is applicable for a failed software installation as well as a missing network path. If it didn’t fix your problem, you should try the other fixes.
Video Guide: For Windows 10
Video Guide: For Windows 7
2nd Fix: Run a Program as an Administrator
If you attempt to run a program and encounter the error message, a simple fix would be to run it as an administrator. A community user at EndNote General gives us the following steps:
- Look for the shortcut of your program at your desktop. Alternatively, you can go directly into its folder and look for its executable file. For example, if you encounter the error while using Microsoft Word, you should look for the executable file inside this folder: c:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice12.
- After that, right click the executable then choose Properties.
- In the Properties window, go to the Compatibility tab and look for the “Run this program as an Administrator” option. Check the box beside it then click Apply.
- After that, click OK and check if your program is now running properly.
Once you have set a program to run as an administrator, you should no longer receive the error message. You also have the option to click the “Change settings for all users” option to allow all user accounts to have administrative rights over that program.
Video Guide: How to Automatically Run a Program/Application As Administrator – Windows 10 & Windows 7
3rd Fix: Change a Drive’s Ownership
This fix is only applicable when you get the error message when you attempt to open a file or run a program from an external hard drive. This fix involves changing the ownership of the drive to get rid of the problem. Here are the steps as suggested by Driver Easy:
- Use your administrator account to log in to your computer.
- After that, locate your external hard drive. It can be located in the My Computer section, although it could vary depending on your current Windows OS version.
- Once you’re able to locate it, simply right click on the external drive then click Properties.
- In the Properties section, go to the Security tab then click Advanced.
- Click the Owner tab and choose Edit.
- In the Owner window, choose the account you want to set as the owner of the drive. In this case, choose your Administrator account.
- After that, check the box right next to the “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects” option.
- Click Apply then OK to save the changes.
After following this fix, you should then be able to access the files in your hard drive without any problem.
Video Guide: Taking Ownership of an External Hard Drive
4th Fix: Disable the Admin Approval for built-in Administrator Option
In some cases, updating your Windows OS to the latest version will cause you to encounter the error message. This might be because the system has automatically enabled the “Admin Approval for built-in Administrator” option. Therefore, your computer will automatically ask permissions each time you perform any tasks that require administrative access regardless of your account type.
To fix this, Appuals recommends that you disable the said option. You can do so by following these steps:
- Open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows key and R at the same time.
- In the search box, type gpedit.msc and click OK or press Enter to open the local group policy editor window. Keep in mind that this is a powerful utility which can mess up your system if not done right. As such, it is advised to follow these steps carefully.
- In the editor, go to the following path by taking a look at the left pane:
Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options
- In the right window, look for the “User Account Control: Admin Approval Mode for the Built-in Administrator account” and double click
- In the popup window, simply choose Disabled and click Apply then OK afterward.
- Restart your computer to apply the changes.
Forum Feedback
We wanted to understand better “the requested operation requires evaluation” error so we searched through different tech support forums to gather information about it. In general, people were interested in the required operation requires evaluation ipconfig, the required operation requires evaluation Windows 10 and Windows 7, and the required operation requires evaluation route add.
An individual commented that before he upgraded to Windows 7, he saved some files on an external hard drive. However, when he attempted to open them on the new laptop, he got an error message saying that the requested operation requires evaluation. He was wondering what was the problem, so he reached out to support.
They informed him that “the request operation requires evaluation” meant that you needed the administrator’s permission to gain access to them. Support also explained that Windows 7 had an extra layer of security so that even if you were running the device as administrator, you would need additional permission to access certain files.
Another person mentions that he has a Dell laptop. He had some problems because the laptop didn’t wake up from hibernation, so he had to download new drivers from the Dell website along with Dell’s Support Assist. However, when he attempted to launch the program, he got the error that the requested operation required evaluation.
The support explained to him that he had to run the program as an administrator or it was not going to work properly. They remind him that he’d have to enter his password to provide confirmation.
A person reported that he got the error when he attempted to open some of his files directly. However, when he used Libre Office, he was able to open them through it. He was very annoyed by the situation, so he contacted Microsoft support for help. Unfortunately, they were not very helpful, and he had to work out the solution on his own.
What finally solved the “requested operation requires evaluation” was to uncheck the option to run the program as administrator. The user added that he liked Windows 10 and besides that small issue, he hadn’t had any other problems with it.
Another computer owner claimed that the only programs he had issues within Windows 10 were the Libre Office and Adobe Reader. He reported that he had no such errors in Windows 7 and was starting to regret updating to the free Windows 10 version. The forum poster remarked that Libre Office is the only program besides Microsoft Office that could open docx files and that the needed it for work.
However, even Libre support forums were not aware of any fix for the error. He had updated Libre Office at least twice since the problem appeared but with no change. The user also stated that Microsoft should take care of that bug if they want people to continue to use Windows 10.
Another tech support member also shared that he had similar problems with Libre Office. Both Microsoft support and Libre Office support offered fixes that did not work for him. He was opening the files as an administrator so he couldn’t see what more he could do. As a result, he had to go back to Windows 7 because he was already convinced that a Windows 10 bug was causing the “required operation requires evaluation” error.
A computer user mentioned that he also couldn’t launch the Dell SupportAssist.exe and that he had the same issue people had already reported. What worked for him was right-clicking on the .exe and selecting “Run as Administrator.” However, first, you have to log onto the computer with your administrator profile.
Another computer owner also observed that he couldn’t open his pictures with Windows Live Photo. The problem persisted when he logged onto the computer with his administrator account. However, as an administrator, he would get a different error code. Microsoft support advised him to rename the pictures and try again, but it was a waste of time. Unfortunately, he didn’t find a solution to his problem.
A person also commented that he had some problems starting programs due to the same error message. What support explained to him was that Windows 7 requires some special privileges for some files and that the easiest way to get them would be to right click on the problematic file and select “Run as administrator.” When he attempted that solution, it worked perfectly for him and he could re-register his DNS.
Conclusion
Fortunately, the elevation error message isn’t a serious threat to your system. It only appears when you’re required to have administrative rights to open a file or run a program. By following the said steps, you can easily solve the issue right away.
