Fallout 3 without UAC

CHokKA · 30 Jan 2009 at 15:18

Hey everyone

I built a PC for my boss, and installed Vista 64 Ultimate on it. As soon as it loaded into Windows I turn off UAC (which is normally my first step in Vista anyway) but after it was built, he took it home and enabled UAC when it notified him that there was a security issue. After that was done, he installed Fallout 3 on the PC. Now, whenever I disable UAC to get rid of all of the annoying messages that regularly appear, Fallout 3 will not load up any saved games unless UAC is enabled and the "Run as Administrator" option is selected in the compatibility settings. Now his user account on the PC is an Administrator so does anyone have any ideas as to how I can get Fallout 3 working without UAC turned on? I have it at home on Vista 64 Ultimate and have never had UAC on, and my Fallout 3 works without issues (it was installed when UAC was off though).

Steps I have already taken are as follows:

I've removed Fallout 3 from the PC, rebooted it and then reinstalled the game. It still crashed when Fallout 3 was trying to load a saved game.

I've renamed the old Fallout 3 folder in My Games (save game location), copied it and then renamed it back to Fallout 3 and still get the same issue.

Uninstalled Games for Windows Live, reinstalled that to no avail.

Uninstalled MS .NET framwork 3.0, reinstalled it by installing the game, upgrading to 3.5, and still nothing.

Installed Fallout 3 to a completely different folder on the same drive (in case UAC had stored references to the original folder and was preserving those). Didn't make any difference.

I have tried reinstalling and running Fallout 3 under a different user in Windows Vista Ultimate 64.

I've done all of this and yet, with UAC turned off, the game still crashes regardless of whether I try and start a new game, or load up an old one. The crash is also always at the exact same point of loading (as indicated by the clock timer that Fallout 3 uses on loading screens).

Anyone had this same issue? I see many on the internet are also experiencing it, but none of the fixes work (except of course enabling UAC and granting Administrator privileges to the program compatibility section of the .exe). I know enabling UAC is the solution, but it isn't the solution in this case as UAC is an annoying "feature" in Vista that we could all do without.

Thanks for reading

FrenchTart · 30 Jan 2009 at 15:20

Change UAC to silent mode. Basically similar to having UAC off in terms of nagging popups, but with the features of UAC on. (not the best for security, but UAC turned off in any way isn't good from that POV).

Confused · 30 Jan 2009 at 15:25

You've created the problem by turning off UAC in the first place.

However, the issue may be because when UAC is on, it uses the VirtualStore section within the Users folder, as UAC quite rightly restricts full access to the Program Files directory, so anything that on a non-UAC system would be in Program Files can still have a section which is virtually linked that DOES have read/write access.

If you're going to insist on switching off UAC, then try copying/moving these files from VirtualStore into Program Files.

CHokKA · 30 Jan 2009 at 15:26

Thanks for the replies.

I'll check out your suggestions in a moment

snowdog · 30 Jan 2009 at 15:27

I just run UAC in silent mode because I use the built in (hidden) administrator account

, stops the security rubbish in vista from moaning and it's basically just like as in XP, all stuff gets run as administrator as a default and even though UAC is supposedly on it never shows itself to you

.

Fire Wizard · 8 Mar 2009 at 20:25

Sorry for bumping this thread but I just came across it and felt compelled to reply.

CHokKA said:
I built a PC for my boss, and installed Vista 64 Ultimate on it. As soon as it loaded into Windows I turn off UAC (which is normally my first step in Vista anyway) but after it was built, he took it home and enabled UAC when it notified him that there was a security issue.

Why are you insisting and actually disabling User Account Control on a system that isn't even yours? I'm sorry but that truly does show someone that should not be advising other people how to set their system up. I personally wouldn't let you anywhere near my family and friends computers. By all means, do what you like when it comes to your system but when it comes to others, you need to be setting up the best and securest configuration for them and UAC disabled is miles away from that.

drunkenmaster · 8 Mar 2009 at 20:52

Fire Wizard said:
Sorry for bumping this thread but I just came across it and felt compelled to reply.

Why are you insisting and actually disabling User Account Control on a system that isn't even yours? That truly is pretty poor on your behalf and in which, you really shouldn't be configuring other peoples systems. I personally wouldn't let you anywhere near my family and friends computers. By all means, do what you like when it comes to your system but when it comes to others, you need to be setting up the best and securest configuration for them and UAC disabled is miles away from that.

you really think his boss, had him over to his house for no reason what soever and just sits there watching him try to disable UAC without a care in the world. Or you think just possibly maybe his boss called him over to get rid of UAC because after windows told him the world would end if he didn't enable it, he did, and now he hates it but has no idea what to do about it?

sorry I just felt compelled to reply to the stupid response.

On the offchance he broke into his bosses house to play Fall out 3 but while in game couldn't stand UAC being enabled and rather go home and play it on his own working copy he's decided to risk being caught while asking for advice on getting UAC disabled and the game working. Anyway in that offchance I apologise, if in all likelyhood his boss did infact ask him to do so for him, then I do wonder what exactly makes you think he's gone to this persons house to re-arrange this guys system without him asking.

Fire Wizard · 8 Mar 2009 at 21:06

drunkenmaster said:
you really think his boss, had him over to his house for no reason what soever and just sits there watching him try to disable UAC without a care in the world.

The way CHokKA original post reads is he built a system for his boss and upon first installing Windows Vista, the first thing that he did was disable User Account Control. His post doesn’t suggest his boss asked him to do that but CHokKA disabled it of his own back for whatever reason when he shouldn't have in the very first place. This is merely backed up by the fact CHokKA saids, "which is normally my first step in Vista anyway".

Or you think just possibly maybe his boss called him over to get rid of UAC because after windows told him the world would end if he didn't enable it, he did, and now he hates it but has no idea what to do about it?

On the offchance he broke into his bosses house to play Fall out 3 but while in game couldn't stand UAC being enabled and rather go home and play it on his own working copy he's decided to risk being caught while asking for advice on getting UAC disabled and the game working. Anyway in that offchance I apologise, if in all likelyhood his boss did infact ask him to do so for him, then I do wonder what exactly makes you think he's gone to this persons house to re-arrange this guys system without him asking.

I think you have missed my point entirely. Regardless of weather his boss got CHokKA back round to disable UAC because he found the prompts annoying, it's the fact that he had to enable UAC in the first place.

sorry I just felt compelled to reply to the stupid response.

I'm sorry but that part of your post is extremely frustrating to read. In no shape or form was my post stupid. I simply highlighted the fact that disabling a feature such as UAC is not something you should be doing especially on other peoples systems.