aveyo/leanandmean

RunAsTI is a Windows utility that lets you run programs, open folders, and import registry files with the highest level of system access, called "TrustedInstaller", instead of just running them as a regular administrator. This matters because Windows protects certain system files and settings even from admin accounts. If you've ever tried to delete a stubborn file or modify a locked registry key and gotten an "access denied" error, this tool gives you the permission level needed to get past that barrier. You install it by merging a registry file or running a batch script, which adds new "Run as trustedinstaller" options to your right-click context menu. From then on, whenever you right-click an executable, script, folder, or registry file, you can choose to open it with these elevated privileges. The tool works by borrowing the identity of TrustedInstaller (or the System account as a fallback), temporarily launching your chosen program under that identity, and then handing control back. Notably, it keeps your personal user profile loaded during this process, so your programs still have access to your settings and environment. This tool is built for Windows power users, IT administrators, and anyone who regularly maintains or tweaks Windows systems. For example, if you need to clean up leftover files in a protected system folder, replace a locked system component, or apply a registry tweak that Windows normally guards, you would use this to get the job done without fighting permission errors. It works across Windows 7 through Windows 11. What makes this project notable is how compact and self-contained it is. Rather than requiring you to install a separate application, it uses a clever snippet of code embedded directly in a registry entry or batch file. It also handles edge cases that the built-in "run as administrator" option does not, for instance, it works with file paths containing special characters that normally cause errors, and it includes specific workarounds for a bug in Windows 11's initial release. The tradeoff is that running things as TrustedInstaller is inherently risky, since it removes the safeguards that prevent you from accidentally damaging your system.