When I launch Call of Duty (from Steam) I get a UAC warning/request.

[NeilF]

This seems to have started over the last few days - I can lauch Steam fine, but when I then start CoD, Windows 11 ask for a UAC permission.

Any idea how I can stop it?

Thanks...

 

[ED209]

Click on start and type "change user account control"

What is the slider on? if its on the very top try and lower it down 1.

Mines on the default one (2nd from top)

 

[NeilF]

It's one down from the top setting. The default I believe. This has not changed, and no other program run from Steam kicks off UAC, only when I launch CoD.

 

[andshrew]

This is a few years old but likely still works. It's a tool for identifying why an application is triggering UAC:

LUA Buglight 2.3, with support for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10

learn.microsoft.com

 

[NeilF]

LUA Buglight - Thing is you can't specify an executable to run, as CoD is being launched from Steam, which is already open?

Of interest, if I run Steam as an administrator, when I then ask it to launch CoD, no UAC. I suspect there's some sort of priv issue on CoD which Steam is simply hitting when launching CoD.

 

[andshrew]

LUA Buglight - Thing is you can't specify an executable to run, as CoD is being launched from Steam, which is already open?

If you right-click the game within Steam, then click Manager -> Browse local files. You might get away with launching the EXE directly (while you have Steam running).

 

[yashiro]

If you have decent internet try uninstalling CoD and deleting it's folder. Reboot and re-install via Steam. Try to never install or run Steam games 'as Admin' you're only causing yourself weird issues further down the line. Steam runs a special background service to deal with normal 'as Admin' issues.

One other technique to mitigate these types of errors is to install games in a public directory. Something like C:\Users\Public\Games rather than the usual default of C:\Program Files. Writing to the Program Files directory requires Admin access you see.

In the next big Windows update this may become become more of an issue since they're planning to change how Admin/UAC works behind the scenes.

 

[NeilF]

If you have decent internet try uninstalling CoD and deleting it's folder. Reboot and re-install via Steam. Try to never install or run Steam games 'as Admin' you're only causing yourself weird issues further down the line. Steam runs a special background service to deal with normal 'as Admin' issues.

One other technique to mitigate these types of errors is to install games in a public directory. Something like C:\Users\Public\Games rather than the usual default of C:\Program Files. Writing to the Program Files directory requires Admin access you see.

In the next big Windows update this may become become more of an issue since they're planning to change how Admin/UAC works behind the scenes.

If I uninstall CoD won't I lose all my configs and setting and bindings?

Steam and all the games are installed in D:\Steam on my machine.

 

[NeilF]

Fixed it.

In the steam "Call of Duty HQ" folder, there was a file, "installscript_1938090.vdf". I deleted this (renamed it out of the way), and the UAC prompt/issue stopped.

 

[NeilF]

After an update yesterday. Same UAC issue started again. Same removal of a file fixed it.

 

[andshrew]

After an update yesterday. Same UAC issue started again. Same removal of a file fixed it.

If you open that file up in Notepad you'll be able to see what it's trying to do that is (presumably) failing, and maybe correct it so that you don't keep getting the issue come back every update.

Some details on the file format: https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/sdk/installscripts

 

[NeilF]

Last time and this time, identical scripts:-

"InstallScript"
{
    "Run Process"
    {
        "Randgrid_install"
        {
            "HasRunKey"        "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Valve\\Steam\\Apps\\1938090"
            "Process 1"        "%WinDir%\\System32\\sc.exe"
            "Command 1"        "create atvi-randgrid_sr type= kernel binPath=\"%INSTALLDIR%\\randgrid.sys\""
        }
        "Randgrid_sdset"
        {
            "HasRunKey"        "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Valve\\Steam\\Apps\\1938090"
            "Process 1"        "%WinDir%\\System32\\sc.exe"
            "Command 1"        "sdset atvi-randgrid_sr D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPLOCRRC;;;IU)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;SU)S:(AU;FA;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;WD)"
        }
    }
    "Run Process On Update"
    {
        "CodInstallPrep"
        {
            "Process 1"        "%INSTALLDIR%\\codinstallprep.exe"
        }
    }
    "Run Process On Uninstall"
    {
        "Randgrid_uninstall"
        {
            "Process 1"        "%WinDir%\\System32\\sc.exe"
            "Command 1"        "delete atvi-randgrid_sr"
        }
        "Gamefiles_uninstall"
        {
            "Process 1"        "%INSTALLDIR%\\codinstallcleaner.exe"
        }
    }
    "Firewall"
    {
        "Call of Duty Core"        "%INSTALLDIR%\\cod.exe"
    }
}
"kvsignatures"
{
    "InstallScript"        "360482ee34571c8ee96b93aa4477ef5b541fa5f9d04e59dcc182bac2dce13052b50b55e34648d9e1bc1f82f3b22a54040c6aa83fc88397091af20d2d09cf8ba295b17be807f47f10edf007f4e6dbe8a6f199b4eddea2d6725cc47e6f3f798244a98fd31853f4ce68c595ce38e53a6579adce0a6d00be9c9758bc69ecb1123eed"
}