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ERROR_ELEVATION_REQUIRED
What ERROR_ELEVATION_REQUIRED means
ERROR_ELEVATION_REQUIRED is Win32 system error 740 (0x000002E4). Windows returns it when the requested operation requires an elevated security token and the caller is not running with the required elevation.
The code does not by itself mean that ownership of a drive or file must be changed. It also is not a reason to disable User Account Control (UAC). The correct response depends on the API and resource that returned the error.
What to check
- Record the exact API or operation that returned 740 and the file, registry key, service, device, task, installer action, or other object it was trying to modify.
- Check whether the caller is running with a standard token or an elevated administrator token, and whether the operation is documented to require administrative rights.
- For an application that legitimately requires elevation, use the supported Windows elevation path or an appropriate application manifest rather than changing permissions on unrelated resources.
- If the operation should work for a standard user, inspect the requested action and ACLs and redesign only the specific privileged step instead of elevating the entire workflow.
Correct handling
Retry after the caller has obtained the required authorization through a supported elevation flow, or after the application has been changed so that the privileged operation is no longer required. Avoid blanket ownership changes, disabling UAC, or granting broad write access merely to suppress the error.
Developer guidance
Capture GetLastError() immediately after the failing Win32 call and keep the original value together with the API name and target object. If the error crosses a COM or HRESULT boundary, retain both the original Win32 value and any converted HRESULT so the elevation requirement is not lost behind a generic access-denied message.
Official references
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