Visual-studio – Runas Error: Unable to Acquire Password

I know this is an old thread, but it was very useful. I have the exact same situation as Cade Roux, as I wanted /netonly style functionality.

John Rasch's answer works with one small modification!!!

Add the following constant (around line 102 for consistency):

private const int LOGON32_LOGON_NEW_CREDENTIALS = 9;

Then change the call to LogonUser to use LOGON32_LOGON_NEW_CREDENTIALS instead of LOGON32_LOGON_INTERACTIVE.

That's the only change I had to make to get this to work perfectly!!! Thank you John and Cade!!!

Here's the modified code in full for ease of copy/pasting:

namespace Tools
{
    #region Using directives.
    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    using System;
    using System.Security.Principal;
    using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
    using System.ComponentModel;

    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    #endregion

    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    /// <summary>
    /// Impersonation of a user. Allows to execute code under another
    /// user context.
    /// Please note that the account that instantiates the Impersonator class
    /// needs to have the 'Act as part of operating system' privilege set.
    /// </summary>
    /// <remarks>   
    /// This class is based on the information in the Microsoft knowledge base
    /// article http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q306158
    /// 
    /// Encapsulate an instance into a using-directive like e.g.:
    /// 
    ///     ...
    ///     using ( new Impersonator( "myUsername", "myDomainname", "myPassword" ) )
    ///     {
    ///         ...
    ///         [code that executes under the new context]
    ///         ...
    ///     }
    ///     ...
    /// 
    /// Please contact the author Uwe Keim (mailto:uwe.keim@zeta-software.de)
    /// for questions regarding this class.
    /// </remarks>
    public class Impersonator :
        IDisposable
    {
        #region Public methods.
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------

        /// <summary>
        /// Constructor. Starts the impersonation with the given credentials.
        /// Please note that the account that instantiates the Impersonator class
        /// needs to have the 'Act as part of operating system' privilege set.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="userName">The name of the user to act as.</param>
        /// <param name="domainName">The domain name of the user to act as.</param>
        /// <param name="password">The password of the user to act as.</param>
        public Impersonator(
            string userName,
            string domainName,
            string password)
        {
            ImpersonateValidUser(userName, domainName, password);
        }

        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        #endregion

        #region IDisposable member.
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------

        public void Dispose()
        {
            UndoImpersonation();
        }

        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        #endregion

        #region P/Invoke.
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------

        [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        private static extern int LogonUser(
            string lpszUserName,
            string lpszDomain,
            string lpszPassword,
            int dwLogonType,
            int dwLogonProvider,
            ref IntPtr phToken);

        [DllImport("advapi32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
        private static extern int DuplicateToken(
            IntPtr hToken,
            int impersonationLevel,
            ref IntPtr hNewToken);

        [DllImport("advapi32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
        private static extern bool RevertToSelf();

        [DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
        private static extern bool CloseHandle(
            IntPtr handle);

        private const int LOGON32_LOGON_INTERACTIVE = 2;
        private const int LOGON32_LOGON_NEW_CREDENTIALS = 9;
        private const int LOGON32_PROVIDER_DEFAULT = 0;

        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        #endregion

        #region Private member.
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------

        /// <summary>
        /// Does the actual impersonation.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="userName">The name of the user to act as.</param>
        /// <param name="domainName">The domain name of the user to act as.</param>
        /// <param name="password">The password of the user to act as.</param>
        private void ImpersonateValidUser(
            string userName,
            string domain,
            string password)
        {
            WindowsIdentity tempWindowsIdentity = null;
            IntPtr token = IntPtr.Zero;
            IntPtr tokenDuplicate = IntPtr.Zero;

            try
            {
                if (RevertToSelf())
                {
                    if (LogonUser(
                        userName,
                        domain,
                        password,
                        LOGON32_LOGON_NEW_CREDENTIALS,
                        LOGON32_PROVIDER_DEFAULT,
                        ref token) != 0)
                    {
                        if (DuplicateToken(token, 2, ref tokenDuplicate) != 0)
                        {
                            tempWindowsIdentity = new WindowsIdentity(tokenDuplicate);
                            impersonationContext = tempWindowsIdentity.Impersonate();
                        }
                        else
                        {
                            throw new Win32Exception(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error());
                        }
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        throw new Win32Exception(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error());
                    }
                }
                else
                {
                    throw new Win32Exception(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error());
                }
            }
            finally
            {
                if (token != IntPtr.Zero)
                {
                    CloseHandle(token);
                }
                if (tokenDuplicate != IntPtr.Zero)
                {
                    CloseHandle(tokenDuplicate);
                }
            }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Reverts the impersonation.
        /// </summary>
        private void UndoImpersonation()
        {
            if (impersonationContext != null)
            {
                impersonationContext.Undo();
            }
        }

        private WindowsImpersonationContext impersonationContext = null;

        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        #endregion
    }

    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
}

As mentioned in have debugger run application as different user (linked above), another extremely simple way to do this which doesn't require any more tools:

• Hold Shift + right-click to open a new instance of Visual Studio.

• Click "Run as different user"

  

• Enter credentials of the other user in the next pop-up window

• Open the same solution you are working with

Now when you debug the solution it will be with the other user's permissions.

Hint: if you are going to run multiple instances of Visual Studio, change the theme of it (like to "dark") so you can keep track of which one is which easily).