Why does KSP need admin rights?

[Decoherent]

This has always bugged me, and it's been bugging me more recently. KSP.exe, KSP_x64.exe, and the patcher all throw UAC prompts when I try to run KSP, which seems really inappropriate given as I'm running the zip version in a non-system directory. Steps to replicate are:

1. Download the zip file from the store

2. Unzip into a new folder in the desktop

3. Launch any of the above (Launcher works fine, then asks for UAC when you click "Play")

I know if it was installed elsewhere in the filesystem it might need permissions, but it really shouldn't on the desktop.

 

EDIT- Well, what the heck. I told it "no" at the UAC prompt, and now it's not asking on subsequent launches. So, I guess that's fixed?

Edited April 30, 2016 by Decoherent

[Stone Blue]

Yup... Desktop and Program Files are all strictly watched by UAC, and require admin rights to modify...

Desktop is included, because its very easy for something malicious or potentially damaging to your OS to plant itself there, and very easy to accidentally initiate whatever it is...

I never got why people store actual STUFF on the Desktop, and not just shortcuts...

Edited April 30, 2016 by Stone Blue

[Decoherent]

Never mind about my first edit.

This happens no matter where I unzip the game, I just tested in a new directory in C:\, and I still get the UAC prompts (at least for running the game from the launcher).

Edited April 30, 2016 by Decoherent

[sal_vager]

Maybe it's because the launcher starts another executable, and neither are really "installed", they are just unzipped so there's no registry entry telling Windows the files are allowed to run.

I'm not sure there's a way to avoid it from the launcher, so I'd suggest just using the KSP_x64.exe

KSP doesn't need admin rights.