When I attempt to start Diablo classic, first Windows 10 asks for that standard UAC prompt. Then, the game starts int he background but I'm unable to change focus so it actually shows the screen. I'm forced to use task manager to kill it. If I disable UAC prompting or set it to not "dim the screen", then the game displays properly. However, I am not willing to compromise OS security for a single retro game.

I'd like to be able to use battle.net matchmaking with this game but the "classic" mode is unplayable right now. Has anyone found a solution? The issue seems to be that the OS itself is flagging diablo.exe (literally any file with that exact name) as requiring elevation to run, regardless of individual file compatibility settings.

https://github.com/diasurgical/devilutionX
don't have to run as admin
don't have to disable anything
in next release you will be able to play with random people without forwarding ports ;)

Will this allow connection to Battle.net?
Thank you for the alternative, though I would still like figuring out a fix to make the "classic" release work properly in Windows 10.

While I had no compatibility set at all, Windows 10 itself flags diablo.exe as "needing admin rights". However, your suggestion to set the Diablo "launcher" with admin rights fixed the issue. The UAC prompt now appears on that first which resolves the issue. Thank you!

Previously GOG put only adminrun checkboxes to game or launchers exe. Now they remove that and put another (sometimes even update game build just to do that). Fullscreen optimisation checkbox should be there on some exe for sure.

Im personally always start any game as admin - im admin after all of my own PC. Im not sure why UAC promt prevent Diablo window to appear (maybe some else application... maybe with some overlay? like discord) correctly. Likely, Diablo have additional exe launcher. So in any way, problem solved.

On Windows 7 (and Vista, XP) im also set two disable themes checkboxes. One of them actually can - and probable better - aplly also on Win8\10. But to do that Win10 users should use Win REGEDIT(*) or Microsoft ACT from Windows ADK package.

* For example
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers]
"D:\\Games\\Steam\\steam.exe"="DISABLETHEMES DISABLEDWM RUNASADMIN"


(HKCU or HKLM - for current user or for all users of PC if more that one Windows profile on one PC)
(other path should be 1:1 for Win up to 8.1 x64, but im not sure for Win10 x32\x64)

Having done some more research since then, I think I've figured out what the issue is. It's the "weather and news" bar recently added to Windows 10. It likes to "snag" priority away from full screen apps. There are ways to disable it permanently though.

That isn't really the way you should see it. You as an admin gets to decide what applications can own your computer. Diablo is full of security holes and bugs that are well known and can be exploited by any one when you play online (not just the people you play with), and since you said that Diablo can own your computer the hacker can then do anything they want to your computer.

Security issues is one of the major reasons that we created DevilutionX; all games are encrypted and many of the security issues have been resolved, and you do not have to disable the OS security (by granting Diablo admin rights via UAC, disabeling memory protection etc.), so even if you get hacked by another player they do not have access to the full system.

It's like if a security guard let everybody though because he is a security guard. Programs are not you, they are things other people made, which often allow others to send instructions to your computer. Online games by definition does this, and if there is a flaw in them they can be used to send arbitrary commands to your computer.

Security? You not from Microsoft by the way? They implement security that not worked and not needed (software DEP in Windows and many "security" updates).

Are you serious? What chance to get that troubles? Who use Diablo for that? What "security holes" in IPX that even nor worked directly on current Windows NT OS;s? What about antivirus or antispayware soft? Although i didnt install any one of them and my PC clear for two years without it.

You said to do it for all games. Hackers often do not target a specific client software but instead have suites that scan for a wide range of software with unpatched security holes. Diablo uses UDP for Battel.net games.

Data Execution Prevention was very much needed, and the world would be a better place if it had been a standard feature in software and hardware before Windows 95 made it viable to connect Windows computers to the Internet. I've long disliked how many Windows security updates tell you nothing about what they're really changing, though.If you play open games online, then by definition, people you don't know can join your games and send messages to your Diablo process. As others have tried to explain, Diablo's security posture is poor, and an attacker who wanted to subvert your Diablo process to do something other than be a game has a decent chance of success. This is irrelevant. The issue is malicious remote code execution. Although RCE is sometimes used to install viruses or spyware, it can also do other bad things that defensive software may not catch in time.

User above, advowson, at least try to argue with me.

Anders Jendo akt like... didnt try... i dont want repeat myself. still no one of you told me where im wrong. Even without the fact that he answer me in another thread about INSTALLING process ("installer not launching" thread). Not related to Win9x at all - GOG do not support even WinXP and Win7 (that one for GOG Galaxy).

Just read that I try to get proper explanations from you all. I dont get it yet. If quote above is better "explanation" that i can get - do not ask me why im not respond to possible next messages here.

It not be polite from me next time, anyway. Because this is a one-way game: i try to arguments, but get nothing back.

Maybe working on your english would be a first step towards better communication? xD What's the point if you don't understand answers?