The Return of PrivBar (x86 and x64)

  • Article

I recently switched internet service providers, not realizing when I did that PrivBar and MakeMeAdmin would suddenly disappear from the internet when they un-provisioned my space on their servers.  Oops.

To try to compensate you for the inconvenience, PrivBar is now available once again, now in x86 and x64 versions.  So if you are running an x64 version of Windows (XP or higher), you can now use PrivBar in all Explorer and Internet Explorer windows.  (It will also tell you whether that particular instance is running 32-bit or 64-bit code.)

Note that by default on x64, Explorer.exe is 64-bit, but IE is 32-bit; but there are, in fact, 32-bit and 64-bit versions of both programs.  A 32-bit process can load only 32-bit DLLs, and a 64-bit process can load only 64-bit DLLs.  The main IE icons you see point to the 32-bit versions, because the vast majority of IE add-ons, ActiveX controls, etc., are 32-bit:  the 64-bit version of IE cannot load those ActiveX controls, so sites like youtube don't do much.

Click here for the PrivBar binaries; click here if you want the slightly-updated source code and Visual Studio 2008 project files.

Instructions:

  1. Extract PrivBar.dll from the zip file and put it somewhere where all users have Read access to it.  If you're running an x64 version of Windows, extract PrivBarX64.dll to the same location.
  2. At a command prompt running as admin, run
    regsvr32 path\PrivBar.dll
    where path is the folder location to which you extracted PrivBar.dll.  If you're running x64, do the same with PrivBarX64.dll.  Note that you have to be running as (fully-elevated) admin in order to do this, and that trying to register the x64 version on 32-bit Windows will fail.

No need for the extra .reg file anymore.  You can now enable the bar in Explorer or in IE by choosing View / Toolbars / PrivBar, as before.

(BTW -- MakeMeAdmin is back online, too.)

Comments

  • Anonymous
    August 20, 2008
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    August 29, 2008
    Unfortunately, doesn't seem to work with the just released IE8beta2.

  • Anonymous
    August 29, 2008
    Never mind.  Was an issue with Google toolbar 4.x.  Once I updated to the most recent Google toolbar 5 beta, PrivBar began working.

  • Anonymous
    September 10, 2008
    Very useful. Been using for years, along with DropMyRights.

  • Anonymous
    September 15, 2008
    Yes It's works with Internet Expolorer 8 beta 2 1.Unzip PrivBar to C: 2.Run the command prompt as Administratorin for installation process 3.A If you have version 64 Bit like me type or add these path in the windows command prompt: regsvr32 C:PrivBarX64.dll and regsvr32 C:PrivBar.dll 3.B.If you version is 32Bit only this: regsvr32 C:PrivBar.dll

  1. Go to Internet options>         Advanced>         Browsing> uncheck the option:         Enable third-party browser extensions Apply and OK 5.Unlocked Toolbars in Menu Bar> View> Toolbars 6.Close de Internet Explorer Browser if is Open 7.Go to Internet options>         Advanced>         Browsing> CHECK the option:         Enable third-party browser extensions Apply and OK 8.Go to Menu Toolbars and check PrivBar toolbar 9.Lock your Toolbars again. Done.

  • Anonymous
    September 23, 2008
    Thanks, Aaron! Great and necessary add-on Windows!! It should be a default Windows DLL, or , at least, part of PowerToys or TweakUI or Powershell.

  • Anonymous
    September 23, 2008
    That's "great and necessary add-on FOR Windows!!" :)

  • Anonymous
    October 19, 2008
    PrivBar doesn't work here any more! Both on Windows 2000 SP4 + all Hotfixes and Windows XP SP3 + all Hotfixes. The entry "PrivBar (32-bit)" is displayed in the toolbars menu of Explorer and IE (5.01SP4 on 2K, 6.0SP3 on XP), but enabling it does not show the toolbar. Other toolbars (including one 3rd party) but work! Stefan

  • Anonymous
    October 25, 2008
    Is working in my pc with internet explorer 8 beta 2 and vista ultimate 64 Bits and home premiun 32

  • Anonymous
    November 17, 2008
    The bar is great and due to Al's tut I got it running on IE8 beta 2. Thank you guys!

  • Anonymous
    December 08, 2008
    I am having a hard time compliling in VS 2008.  Does this required the latest 6.1 SDK ?  Thanks [Aaron Margosis]  What errors are you getting?

  • Anonymous
    January 14, 2009
    I just got my first Vista machine and installed PrivBar and have an odd behavior. First of all, I HAVE set Explorer to spawn in its own process in settings. If I have any explorer windows (not the shell) open and I launch another explorer that explorer will take on the privbar status/privileges of the existing window. Example: Nothing open Right-click/Run-As-Admin Explorer (comes up as admin after confirming UAC) Open another explorer on same short cut, not as admin (comes up admin) Or Vice-Versa: nothing open Run explorer (comes up User) Right click same, run as admin, get UAC and allow, comes up as user. Is this intended? I really like the ability to have an admin and regular user explorer open and this prevents that. Is there a way to fix it?

  • Anonymous
    April 09, 2009
    I just installed IE8 and it no longer shows my username.  It just shows the circle and the account type.  Is there something else to do for IE8 to have it show the username again? [Aaron Margosis]  It's a bug in IE8 -- it doesn't show the title of toolbars, which is where PrivBar puts the username.  I'm testing an updated version that puts all the info in the button.

  • Anonymous
    August 05, 2009
    I am running the Privilege Manager from BeyondTrust. Are you familiar with it? It allows you to select "Run Elevated" from a shortcut's context menu. Is there anyway PrivBar chould integrate with this app, so as to display an indication that I am running Explorer elevated?

  • Anonymous
    October 18, 2009
    PrivBar with Dropmyrights worked right with IE7. Since I have Installed I8 I get this: To have the red and green points displaided I am forced to check "PrivBar (32)" in the menu bar(right clic)every time I open IE8. The setting of IE8 isn't probably the right one ? Could you help me ? Here is the organisation: XP Pro Sp3 C:DropmyrigthsDropmyrigths.exe C:DropmyrigthsPrivBar....Zip C:DropmyrigthsPrivBar.dll

  • Anonymous
    January 05, 2010
    Any news on the updated version that puts the user name on the button in IE8? I would love to be able to see the user name at a glance again.

  • Anonymous
    February 04, 2010
    is there a way to add this to any/other applications?

  • Anonymous
    February 22, 2010
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    April 12, 2011
    With Windows 7 if you get the message 'Error calling DllRegisterServer 0x80070005' it looks like you need to do the regsvr32 with administrator.