Game has to be run as Administrator?

[SerpentBlack.5713]

I was wanting to return to Guild Wars 2 after I bought my very first gaming computer, well I log in, start the first part to getting the game installed, and before I can even get any desktop icons or the front log-in page, I get a page that stops the download and is telling me "The Guild Wars 2 installation requires administrator privileges to proceed, Please re-run the installation as an administrator user." can I get some help with this?

ID: 6897726

[Healix.5819]

Right click the executable and select to run it as an administrator. GW2 installs to Program Files by default, which requires administrator privileges to modify, hence it being requested.

[SerpentBlack.5713]

ok so what I did was at open screen to run the download, I went the option next to it save, but chose the second option, save as, listed it under downloads, then hit ok, the next list of options I got I chose open folder, then from there I see the Icon GW2setup.exe, I right clicked it, and chose run as administrator, now its working

[crepuscular.9047]

turn off UAC completely, do you really need it?

[Ashantara.8731]

@crepuscular.9047 said:turn off UAC completely, do you really need it?

Yes, it is an important security measure, especially for inexperienced users with limited knowledge of security. When activated, nothing can install without your permission (and knowledge).

Anyway, OP, just run this as Administrator. Although I recommend you check the forum for instructions on how to install GW2 on a drive of your choice. No one needs full game installations on their OS partition.

[Ray Koopa.2354]

Yeah, but UAC is only ever a security feature if you put the slider at the highest level. Values below allow any program to do the elevated work by injecting a thread into explorer and making it write to restricted directories there, which then get elevated without any warning. Since that's not the default setting in Windows 7 and later, UAC is practically broken since after Windows Vista unless an "inexperienced user" fixes that which is doubtful.

I recommend putting GW2 in an unrestricted folder. Maybe one you also copy with your backups before you reinstall your PC (not on an automated backup though because the data file is huge), or on a partition (hopefully SSD) you won't delete then to save the time of redownloading it completely. IIRC the original installer doesn't even create a uninstall entry which you could break by simply moving the files in Windows Explorer.

[Ashantara.8731]

@"Ray Koopa.2354" said:Yeah, but UAC is only ever a security feature if you put the slider at the highest level.

Not true. For decades, I have been putting my own computers together and maintaining them, but I still use level 1 ("Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer (do not dim my desktop)"), and that is more than sufficient for experienced users.

My user account is always one with administrator rights, but I do not recommend that for most people who know little about their PCs. Of course, giving a program like the GW2.exe the right to "launch as administrator" doesn't hurt, although it certainly isn't a smart thing to install everything on C:\, because that partition should be restricted to the OS and programs related to running your computer, but certainly not games - which is why I find it weird that, for some time now, GW2 keeps auto-installing on C:\ and not providing a target option to the user.

[OGDeadHead.8326]

@Ray Koopa.2354 said:I recommend putting GW2 in an unrestricted folder.

This.

[Nikon.3921]

@Ashantara.8731 said:

@"Ray Koopa.2354" said:Yeah, but UAC is only ever a security feature if you put the slider at the highest level.

Not true. For decades, I have been putting my own computers together and maintaining them, but I still use level 1 ("Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer (do not dim my desktop)"), and that is more than sufficient for experienced users.

My user account is always one with administrator rights, but I do not recommend that for most people who know little about their PCs. Of course, giving a program like the GW2.exe the right to

"launch as administrator" doesn't hurt

, although it certainly isn't a smart thing to install everything on C:\, because that partition should be restricted to the OS and programs related to running your computer, but certainly not games - which is why I find it weird that, for some time now, GW2 keeps auto-installing on C:\ and not providing a target option to the user.

Sure that's what it appears on the outside or at first...but there is always room for exploitation. If there is a will, there is always a way. And I'm saying that as someone who has been working in IT for over 18 years , 15 being in a Data Centre.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

I doubt people that know little about computers have more partitions (on their HD) than C:. Unless, that is something that automatically comes with Win10; no idea as I have never used Win10 (and hope that day is far away).

[Ray Koopa.2354]

@Ashantara.8731 said:

@"Ray Koopa.2354" said:Yeah, but UAC is only ever a security feature if you put the slider at the highest level.

Not true. For decades, I have been putting my own computers together and maintaining them, but I still use level 1 ("Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer (do not dim my desktop)"), and that is more than sufficient for experienced users.

Except I wasn't talking about what is sufficient for the user, but rather about the claim of it being a "security feature", which it isn't (anymore). Refer here for more information: https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20160816-00/?p=94105