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So, I just got myself a new computer... I'm still in that phase where I want it to be all nice and shiny, and I want everything to work smoothly. So I decided that I was going to find a way to get rid of that annoying popup that appears every time you start MWO.
You can turn UAC off, but to me, that seems like a good way to give malware a chance to do some privilege escalation. Who knows... maybe not...
Cool thing is, I found out a way to do it WITHOUT totally disabling UAC.
Quick Summary:
The task scheduler can start a task with admin privileges, and UAC doesn't appear. You may already know that can use this to start programs, say - at login; what you may not know is that you can trigger these at other times as well, by creating a special shortcut.
My step-by-step directions will be based on Windows 8.1, but I suspect you can employ the same methods in Windows 7.
First, open the Task Scheduler, which is located here on Windows 8.1
Start -> Control Panel -> System and Security -> Administrative Tools -> Task Scheduler
Windows 8.1 Tip: If you click on "Administrative Tools" instead of directly on "Task Scheduler" you will get a folder from shortcuts. From here, you can find the "Task Scheduler" shortcut and click "Pin To Start" which will make this easier in the future.
On Windows 7 it can be found in the Start Menu, under administrative tools or something... it's actually easier to find in windows 7 but I don't have my win 7 box on right now.
Now that you have Task Scheduler open, you can create a new task.
Actually, for sanity's sake, lets create a new folder first. That way you can create similar shortcuts for other programs that need them, and they will all be easy to fid, etc.
So right click on the node in the tree view (left panel) that says "Task Scheduler Library" and select the option that says "New Folder..."
It will prompt you for a name. I suggest naming it:
BypassUAC
Do not put a space in the name, or any funny characters. You will only create more trouble for yourself down the road.
Now that we have create a folder for the task, lets create a task for Mechwarrior online.
Right click on your BypassUAC folder and select "Create Task" (not create basic task)
A new window will pop up, and the first tab will be the "General" tab.
on this tab, do the following:
For "Name" enter:
MWO
(Again, you will make more work for yourself if you add spaces or any fun characters.)
There will be a checkbox near the bottom that says "Run with highest privileges"
Check it.
There is also a drop down labeled "Configure For" and I selected my OS "Windows 8.1" out of superstition, but I'm not sure that this will make a difference.
The 2nd tab is called "Triggers"
Since we will be starting this from a shortcut, we can actually leave this section blank.
The 3rd tab is called actions - this is where it gets slightly tricky.
Click on "New..."
A new window will pop up.
For "Program/Script:" you want to enter the path to your MechWarrior Online executable - the same one that you are currently starting with your desktop shortcut.
To get this path, right click on your desktop MWO shortcut, and click "properties" and copy all of the text from the "Target:" box.
So your "Program/script:" box should contain the following:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Piranha Games\MechWarrior Online\Bin32\MechWarriorOnline.exe"
(include the quotes)
Below this there is an "Add Arguments" section that you should leave blank.
Next, there is a "Start In" section.
You want to paste the same exact thing that you pasted in the Program/Script box, except:
Remove the beginning "
remove the final \MechWarrior Online.exe"
So mine was:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Piranha Games\MechWarrior Online\Bin32
The next tab is called "Conditions"
There are 2 checkboxes that are checked in the power tab which are designed to stop tasks from starting if you are on battery power - you will want to uncheck these so that your shortcut works if your laptop isn't plugged in. Shouldn't make a difference at all for desktop users.
The next tab is called "Settings"
There is a checkbox called "Allow task to be run on demand" which should be checked by default. If it isn't checked, be sure to check it.
The other two checkboxes are some conspiracy BS that are trying to prevent you from playing MechWarrior for more than 3 days straight. I uncheck those as a matter of habit, and principle.
Conveniently, there is also a dropdown that tells it "Do not start a new instance" if another instance is running. If only they had this for MWO UACs (You scrub!)
The last tab is called History, and you can ignore it.
Click OK to finish your new task.
Now, lets test this portion, before we move ahead:
First, make sure MWO is not already running.
Now, Right click on you shiny new MWO task, and click "run"
The MechWarrior patcher should start as usual, except that there will be no annoying popup warning.
If you don't see MWO, don't panic (yet)
Sometimes programs started from the task scheduler get started in the back, and they have no start bar item.
Hold down ALT and press tab to cycle through all of the programs that are open.
You should see MWO Patcher.
I know what you're thinking - this is worse than the UAC popup.
The good news is that this issue seems to disappear when you click a desktop shortcut.
I get the same issue from task scheduler, but when I start it from the desktop shortcut that points to the task, then I do not have the issue - it works normally (minus the UAC popup, of course).
Common Errors:
Spoiler
Ok, now on to phase 2 - creating the desktop shortcut
(Don't worry, this part is actually easy when you know what you are doing.)
Go to the desktop and right click.
Select
New -> Shortcut
A box will pop up asking you to "Type the location of the item"
*Note that shortcuts can actually include parameters, so what we will be doing here is basically launching the scheduled tasks executable and passing a parameter to it, that tells it what to start.
Ok, so type this:
C:\Windows\System32\schtasks.exe /RUN /TN BypassUAC\MWO
No quotes. Anywhere.
Click "Next".
Now it will ask you what to name it. It will probably be filled with "Schtasks.exe" but lets change that to "MechWarrior Online"
Click "Finish"
Now you have an ugly looing shortcut on your desktop called "MechWarrior Online"
Lets test it.
Make sure that MechWarrior is not running.
Double click the shortcut.
A command prompt should appear very briefly, and then MechWarrior Online should start.
If it didn't, you might be able to screenshot the command prompt at just the right time so that you are able to read it.
If you did everything right, and Bill Gates loves you, then MechWarrior should start nicely.
Common problems:
Spoiler
Now that it "works" lets make it pretty:
Lets change the icon, and lets hide that flashing command prompt window that appears for like 1/4 second.
To change the Icon, right click on the shortcut and click "properties"
Go to the "shortcut" tab and click the "Change Icon..." button at the bottom.
What you want to do now is browse to your MechWarrior installation, presumably at:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Piranha Games\MechWarrior Online\Bin32
...and find one of the .exe files there - since they include the icon.
I selected MechwarriorOnline.exe and then picked the MWO icon.
Finally, you may want to do is hide that command prompt window that shows up.
Again, go into properties of the shortcut, and select the shortcut tab (again).
Just above the change icon button there is a drop down that says
"Run:" "Normal Window"
Change this to:
"Minimized"
And then click OK.
DONE!
Did this take longer than all of the total dialogs you would ever have to click? Maybe.
But don't you feel cleaner now?
Edited by Fire and Salt, 13 October 2014 - 09:21 PM.
