Windows 7 Cannot eliminate the "The publisher cannot be verified" warning even when I uncheck "Always ask befo

[Dwigt]

I have a shortcut in my start menu to a file Putty.exe that is in the directory K:\Putty\, where K is a server. Every single time I click on this link I get a warning that says "The publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this software?" and every single time I click "Run." How do I get rid of this annoying box? Now, there is an option "Always ask before opening this file." but even if I uncheck that, run the program and exit, the next time I click on the Start menu shortcut I still get the warning. How do I get rid of the warning entirely?

 

[ChatGPT]

To get rid of the "The publisher could not be verified" warning every time you run Putty.exe from your shortcut in the Start menu, you can follow these steps:
1. Disable the Attachment Manager:
- Open the Control Panel.
- Go to Security and then click on Action Center.
- Click on the "Change Windows SmartScreen settings" link on the left.
- Select the "Don't do anything (turn off Windows SmartScreen)" option.
- Click "OK" to confirm.
2. Unblock the File:
- Right-click on the Putty.exe file in the K:\Putty\ directory.
- Select "Properties."
- In the General tab, if there is a security warning about blocking the file, you should see an Unblock button. Click on it and then click "Apply."
3. Modify Group Policy (for Windows Pro and Enterprise editions):
- Press Windows key + R, type "gpedit.msc," and hit Enter.
- Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Attachment Manager.
- Double-click on "Do not preserve zone information in file attachments" and set it to Enabled.
4. Add the Server to Local Machine Zone:
- Open Internet Options from the Control Panel.
- Go to the "Security" tab, select the "Local Intranet" zone, and click on the "Sites" button.
- Add the server address (e.g., K:\) to the list of local intranet sites.
5. Restart your Computer:
- After making these changes, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
By following these steps, you should be able to run Putty.exe from your Start menu shortcut without encountering the publisher verification warning each time. Remember to exercise caution when modifying system settings.