[SOLVED] First time setup at every launch

[Voodoo Priest [FR]]

Hi,
I am trying to get rid of a UAC warning that pops up each and every time I click the Play button to launch this game.
I have searched the Web and Steam forums for solutions. None of the ones I've tried has worked.
Examples:

• http://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/163764/first-time-setup-runs-every-time-i-click-play
  
• http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2966084
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/app/208480/discussions/0/828925849325343402
  
• http://www.snowbirdgames.com/forum/index.php?threads/steam-performs-first-time-setup-every-time-the-application-runs.2400/

Creating Registry entries, deleting .blob files, and whatnot, nothing worked. I even changed the value of the "Installed' key to 0 and it never came back to 1.

I have 32 games in my library and this one is the only one that prompts a UAC window when launched. The strangest thing is that even if I click No, the games runs just fine. If I click Yes, I can see for about 1 or 2 seconds a message about "Performing first time setup" and "Microsoft VC Redist package".

The machine, running Windows 8.1, is fully up to date, drivers included. And I have no security software other than what is provided by Win 8.1, i.e. Defender and the likes.

I have tried sending a message to the Steam support but I am being redirected to Namco Bandai's support for a problem which I think is tied to Steam.

Does anyone have a solution to this? Other than running Steam as an admin or disabling UAC altogether. I won't do any of these.

Thank you.

[SlyAceZeta]

I was about to give you the obvious suggestion, when you said this:

Originally posted by Voodoo Priest FR:

Does anyone have a solution to this? Other than running Steam as an admin or disabling UAC altogether. I won't do any of these.

Alright, see ya, then.

Seriously, just run Steam as an admin and let the installs go through.

[Voodoo Priest [FR]]

Originally posted by SlyCooperFan1:

Seriously, just run Steam as an admin and let the installs go through.

I have done that numerous times, it didn't change a thing. If it had I wouldn't have spent all that time scouring the Web or even bothered posting a message here asking for help. It's not like I haven't given the install numerous occasions to "go through", even as an admin, which was confirmed by inspecting the Security privileges of the process in Process Explorer. Steam is currently running as an admin but I still see the first time setup every single time. Editing the vdf file is useless, it gets rewritten every single time the Play button is clicked.

Why would a game need elevated privileges to run? Especially when not installed in Program Files but on a secondary drive? I know some people feel comfortable running everything as admin, or disabling UAC, or whatever. I just don't. I didn't want to turn this into a UAC disabling debate or flamewar, hence the last sentence of my opening post.

[Voodoo Priest [FR]]

I have found the root cause of this problem. Fast solution: uninstall the current Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable. The geniuses with Microsoft found it was a bright idea that the installer of that package reported an error when a so-called newer version is already installed... For explanations, read on.

Here's what I did to find the cause of the problem and fix it (note that I'm a software engineer). I launched a command line and manually executed the command that the install script is supposed to execute, namely the command relative to the VC redistributable. I followed all the steps, even setting the INSTALLDIR environment variable in the command line window. I copied and pasted the fragments of the command and ended up with:
%INSTALLDIR%\\support\\vcredist_x86\\vcredist_x86.exe /q /norestart

When executed from a command line window as a normal user, the UAC prompt showed up again. On Yes, the program proceeded for a second or two and nothing happens. The errorlevel variable then had a value of 5, which means (because the value is not 0) that a problem occurred.

When executed from a command line window run as an administrator, the UAC prompt did not appear. But a fraction of second into the execution, I got an error window informing me that a newer version of Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable had been detected on the system and... asking me to fix that problem ^^

I checked and I had version 10.0.40219 of that package. After uninstalling it, the command listed above proceeded further than previously since this time, I got to the License window. Therefore, I canceled it so that the Steam first time setup wouldn't be hindered.

As one could expect in the light of all this, the first time setup happened again, for the very last time (Steam was running as admin). Subsequent launches whether as admin or as a normal user never showed the First time setup window again. Problem solved. The version that came with Ace Combat turns out to be 10.0.30319.

Disabling UAC or running Steam (or any non-system program) as an admin might seem like a solution, but it doesn't bring an understanding of what is really going on. It's only sweeping the dirt under the rug.

I hope all of this helps someone someday.

[Vinnyboy68]

I would try it but if I uninstall something will my system "revert" to version 10.0.30319 automatically or will this cause a cascade effect of problems on my PC ? There are also two versions of the .40219: x86 & x64; which one do I uninstall?

[Voodoo Priest [FR]]

@Vinnyboy68: for question #2, x86 and x64 since the installer will install both (to confirm that, sort you installed programs by date and you'll see whether both versions are one next to the other. For question #1, I for one wouldn't hesitate because of that consideration BUT I'm a software engineer so I know my way around computer problems, hence my previous post. To be on the safe side (and also as a general rule of thumb) you should create a restoration point before uninstalling ANYTHING. I wouldn't hesitate because such components (MS VC++ redist) are backwards-compatible especially when the major and minor versions are identical ("10.0" in this case). HTH

[Vinnyboy68]

Thank you. How do you create a restore point?

[Voodoo Priest [FR]]

If you start typing "restoration point" (or "restore", I don't know which since I own a french version of Windows) in the search box of the Start button menu, you should normally have it shown to you. If not, or if you don't have a Start button, or a search box once you've pressed Start, I'm afraid you'll have to google it or ask someone around you. After that, it's not difficult: it's 2 or 3 clicks away. Let me know if you succeed in going through all those hurdles :-)

[Vinnyboy68]

Thank you very much, it worked. I don't know if this is a problem but I saw a DOS command prompt window pop-up when I restarted my computer. It disappeared but I never saw that before. It occured following my uninstall of the two Microsoft Visual ++; I did a restore point just in case but should I worry about this command prompt at start up?

[Voodoo Priest [FR]]

Well, a definitive answer to that question would require access to your computer as many things can explain that command prompt window. Sometimes, we have it on our computers and it goes unnoticed until one day, any combination of factors slow down the system startup to the point that we see the window. It doesn't mean the window wasn't there previously, it only means that this is the first time we see it. MS VC++ redist is legit so you don't need to worry. Another rule of thumb, just for the sake of being on the safe side again: make sure your backups are up-to-date and contain everything you can't afford to lose. Backups are, to me, the most commonly neglected aspect of using the unreliable things that we call computers.
Anyway, I'm glad it all worked out OK for you.

[Mina Miko]

necroing because im having the same issue and what you said to do voodoo actually didint help x_x
literally nothing is working. im on windows 10 btw

[SlyAceZeta]

From a different topic, this is what worked for me:

Originally posted by mirHL:

Are you sure it's trying to install the vc redistributable?
Because AFAIK the problem is the steam installer still treat the game as if it had still to install GFWL and always prompt you to install it

Anyway, just open the windows registry editor (regedit)
Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam\Apps\228400
or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Valve\Steam\Apps\228400

and check if you have 3 DWORD called directx, live and vcredist
Make also sure they all have 1 as value

[Mina Miko]

Originally posted by SlyCooperFan1:

From a different topic, this is what worked for me:

Originally posted by mirHL:

Are you sure it's trying to install the vc redistributable?
Because AFAIK the problem is the steam installer still treat the game as if it had still to install GFWL and always prompt you to install it

Anyway, just open the windows registry editor (regedit)
Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam\Apps\228400
or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Valve\Steam\Apps\228400

and check if you have 3 DWORD called directx, live and vcredist
Make also sure they all have 1 as value

didint worked.
i should mention im having the problem with dota altho that dosent changes anything.
it just so happen the thread was here

[SlyAceZeta]

Then what the hell are you doing here? The tips I gave you are for Assault Horizon. Go to DOTA's forums and ask around there, they'll help you better than we can.

[Mina Miko]

Originally posted by SlyCooperFan1:

Then what the hell are you doing here? The tips I gave you are for Assault Horizon. Go to DOTA's forums and ask around there, they'll help you better than we can.

Dude seriously, thats a general issue that isint game specific, who the **** cares where i post it