Why would Steam suddenly start triggering User Account Control?

[pmv]

All-of-a-sudden if I run a Steam game I get UAC telling me it needs elevated privileges. It didn't use to do this, just suddenly started doing so. Is this the result of a Steam update or something?

 

[xDelta]

Oh my god, I'm at least not the only one, if a fix if found, please notify me somehow, started yesterday for me too, but didn't mind, when it continued today, I searched it up
- As far as I know, it also happened when uninstalling games, will edit if I have further information

 

[WelshBloke]

[Conspiracy theory] It's probably Microsoft using dirty tactics to compete against Steam [/Conspiracy theory]

Honestly I see steam and it's proton development as the biggest threat to Windows as a home OS. Gaming being a PITA or just a no go on Linux was (imho) the main reason it doesn't get traction in the home. Having just switched my home PC to Linux the only thing that doesn't work for me on it are Microsoft products (office and accessing some exchange email accounts being the main ones for me), gaming has been a breeze.

 

[xDelta]

[Conspiracy theory] It's probably Microsoft using dirty tactics to compete against Steam [/Conspiracy theory]

Honestly I see steam and it's proton development as the biggest threat to Windows as a home OS. Gaming being a PITA or just a no go on Linux was (imho) the main reason it doesn't get traction in the home. Having just switched my home PC to Linux the only thing that doesn't work for me on it are Microsoft products (office and accessing some exchange email accounts being the main ones for me), gaming has been a breeze.

Then why does the path end up mentioning a file to run as admin?
Yes Microsoft doesn't like it, but they aren't allowed to use those dirty tricks, especially since we use windows anyway, why those tactics then? I don't even have Proton installed and just wanna play my games in peace
I don't know which OS pmv has, but I still am on my beloved win10 and haven't had this problem in 9 months with Steam, I just hope it stops or gets fixed soon!

 

[balloonshark]

Maybe this will help.

https://www.reddit.com/r/steamsupport/comments/ynneo3/some_steam_games_always_trigger_a_uac_prompt

 

[pmv]

Win 10, sorry.

I might do what that reddit thread concludes (set steamservice.exe to run as admin) but am just puzzled why this never used to be an issue and then suddenly started happening. Got me paranoid about malware (which is the case any time the computer starts doing something new).

Also, discovered that even if I deny the request to 'make changes to this computer' the game still runs perfectly OK anyway.

Seems like either this is a malware thing or it's a Steam update that's changed something. Or maybe a windows update, seems like there have been a lot of them recently.

 

[WelshBloke]

Some kernel level anticheat being updated or installed? That would (or certainly should) trigger a UAC warning!

 

[xDelta]

Maybe this will help.

https://www.reddit.com/r/steamsupport/comments/ynneo3/some_steam_games_always_trigger_a_uac_prompt

I don't have any of these games and for me it's not steamservices.exe, for me it's "runasadmin.vdf"

 

[xDelta]

Win 10, sorry.

I might do what that reddit thread concludes (set steamservice.exe to run as admin) but am just puzzled why this never used to be an issue and then suddenly started happening. Got me paranoid about malware (which is the case any time the computer starts doing something new).

Also, discovered that even if I deny the request to 'make changes to this computer' the game still runs perfectly OK anyway.

Seems like either this is a malware thing or it's a Steam update that's changed something. Or maybe a windows update, seems like there have been a lot of them recently.

It's most likely Steam, I haven't downloaded anything in the meanwhile and I check my pc regularly for malware, viruses etc
But yeah, games usually still run fine

 

[balloonshark]

I don't have any of these games and for me it's not steamservices.exe, for me it's "runasadmin.vdf"

You don't have a steamservice.exe in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin? I'm using Windows 11 though.

 

[xDelta]

You don't have a steamservice.exe in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin? I'm using Windows 11 though.

I do have it, but there's a second path that wants to be used besides the steamservice.exe when I get the UAC

 

[balloonshark]

I do have it, but there's a second path that wants to be used besides the steamservice.exe when I get the UAC

Which game is causing the issue? I'm getting a bunch of hits by searching for runasadmin.vdf.

Maybe it's a direct X issue (see 2nd link)? https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/591756872987527856/

 

[xDelta]

Which game is causing the issue? I'm getting a bunch of hits by searching for runasadmin.vdf.

Maybe it's a direct X issue (see 2nd link)?

It won't let me reply my message since 2 days, how do I contact an administrator?
Uhh wow, I think it was the link from your message... anyway...

It's multiple games, probably all
Seeing your link though, it says some people had the UAC showing to install said admin file, which leads me to an issue with my old pc, where I had to run Steam as asmin to do anything, uninstall, update, install and edit

 

[pmv]

It's stopped doing it for me - possibly because one time I accidentally clicked 'yes'/'allow' and maybe it did whatever it was desperate to do, and now is happy. Was only CIv V, but that's the only game I ever play (have the typical vast Steam library, but just cannot be bothered to actually play any of them, just don't have the energy).

 

[xDelta]

It's stopped doing it for me - possibly because one time I accidentally clicked 'yes'/'allow' and maybe it did whatever it was desperate to do, and now is happy. Was only CIv V, but that's the only game I ever play (have the typical vast Steam library, but just cannot be bothered to actually play any of them, just don't have the energy).

I won't just click yes, keep an eye on it, don't want you to end up like my old pc's steam

 

[balloonshark]

It won't let me reply my message since 2 days, how do I contact an administrator?
Uhh wow, I think it was the link from your message... anyway...

It's multiple games, probably all
Seeing your link though, it says some people had the UAC showing to install said admin file, which leads me to an issue with my old pc, where I had to run Steam as asmin to do anything, uninstall, update, install and edit

New users probably aren't permitted to post links until they reach so many posts. It's to prevent spammers who always post links. If you need to contact an admin try the Forum Issues and Feedback forum.

If I get UAC warnings with Steam I allow them without much thinking. If I didn't trust Steam I would have never installed it. I would say malware with Steam would be an extremely rare occurrence or you would hear about it more.

Some games now need to have secure boot enabled in the BIOS. Perhaps that has something to do with these elevated permissions.

 

[xDelta]

New users probably aren't permitted to post links until they reach so many posts. It's to prevent spammers who always post links. If you need to contact an admin try the Forum Issues and Feedback forum.

If I get UAC warnings with Steam I allow them without much thinking. If I didn't trust Steam I would have never installed it. I would say malware with Steam would be an extremely rare occurrence or you would hear about it more.

Some games now need to have secure boot enabled in the BIOS. Perhaps that has something to do with these elevated permissions.

It was just the link from your message in my reply..

Yeah, I trust Steam too, but I don't want this issue like with my old pc again and actually there is a rarity of malware games on steam, usually quickly removed
And what the hell??? Some examples on which games?

 

[pmv]

If I get UAC warnings with Steam I allow them without much thinking. If I didn't trust Steam I would have never installed it. I would say malware with Steam would be an extremely rare occurrence or you would hear about it more.

I hope so. I see malware everywhere - any unexpected behaviour, it's a virus!

Is there a word for 'digital hypochondria'?

 

[balloonshark]

It was just the link from your message in my reply..

Yeah, I trust Steam too, but I don't want this issue like with my old pc again and actually there is a rarity of malware games on steam, usually quickly removed
And what the hell??? Some examples on which games?

Battlefield 2042 is now requiring secure boot be on. https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/bf2042-now-wants-you-to-run-secure-boot.2630487/

It looks like Valorant and Fortnite also require secure boot. There may be more and I'm sure more are going to come in the future.

 

[xDelta]

Battlefield 2042 is now requiring secure boot be on. https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/bf2042-now-wants-you-to-run-secure-boot.2630487/

It looks like Valorant and Fortnite also require secure boot. There may be more and I'm sure more are going to come in the future.

Whyy bf2042, now I got it for no reason
Not really into Fortnite and Valo, but pls Steam, don't do this, I don't wanna ALWAYS restart my pc for secure boot to play a game, generally I don't want to at all.. Why does Steam do this??

 

[balloonshark]

Whyy bf2042, now I got it for no reason
Not really into Fortnite and Valo, but pls Steam, don't do this, I don't wanna ALWAYS restart my pc for secure boot to play a game, generally I don't want to at all.. Why does Steam do this??

It's not Steam. It's EA that's requiring secure boot. Their launcher has to run even though you purchased the game from Steam. Why would you have to restart your PC unless you're dual booting or just prefer secure boot be disabled? I purchased 2042 from Epic and when I start 2042 from the Epic launcher, the EA launcher also starts and then the game starts. My secure boot is enabled in my UEFI though. I think it had to be enabled with TPM on Windows 11.