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I'd like to run a .bat file as a different user to troubleshoot a rights problem which I suspect.

For normal .exe files, you can Shift-right-click to get "Run as...". However, for a .bat file, this does not work (Shift-right-click gives no menu entry "Run as..."). Why is that so, and how can I "Run as" a .bat file? Is it possible at all?

System is Windows XP SP2 Home Edition.

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2 Answers

up vote 15 down vote accepted

Use the command line. For example,

runas /noprofile /user:COMPUTERNAME\USERNAME "C:\MYBAT.bat"

See more about the command in the reference documentation for Runas.

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At least in WinXP, this also works in the Run box. – pcapademic Feb 7 '10 at 20:22
up vote 16 down vote

To add the Run as... option for .BAT files to the context menu, use the following REG file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile\shell\runas\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

Copy the above contents to Notepad, and save the file with .REG extension (say, bat_runas.reg). Right-click the .REG file and choose Merge.

To add the Run as... menu for .CMD files, use this REG file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\cmdfile\shell\runas\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

Copy the above contents to Notepad, and save the file with .REG extension (say, cmd_runas.reg). Right-click the .REG file and choose Merge.

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Nifty :-). Any idea why this is not the default? – sleske Feb 8 '10 at 15:56
@sleske - This was default in WIndows 2000. It had been removed in XP (and later) for security reasons. added another registry 'hack' to add Run as for CMD files. – Molly7244 Feb 8 '10 at 16:03
@Molly: Thanks. Still I don't get the "security reasons". I can always "Run as" cmd.exe and then run my .bat, that would be the same, wouldn't it? So where's the security problem? – sleske Feb 9 '10 at 0:41
1  
@sleske - sometimes they call it 'User Anxiety', which was the reason for removing the summary from the status bar in Windows 7 when you select a folder. get it? well, i don't ... :P – Molly7244 Feb 9 '10 at 0:47

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