I've looked all over the place and can't find any way to do this. I cant use pinnacle or xpadder whille its in admin mode. On top of that, why does it need admin rights anyway?

While using admin account - right click on the shortcut or the game executable and choose Properties, switch to Compatibility tab and uncheck Run this program as an administrator.

Still wants to run with admin rights. And looking through the forum, I'm not the only one with this problem.

Try refreshing desktop or restarting your PC.

Also just for confirmation - you clicked OK/Apply after right?


My SoC runs fine when I disabled it, the shield/admin marking was gone, and it doesn't prompt when launching anymore.

So if it still doesn't work after those, I have no clue on what's wrong.

First, I recommend NOT installing the game to Program Files or other OS write-protected folder. If you have already done that, maybe you can simply make sure fsgame.ltx's first line doesn't point to a protected folder for your user files.

There's also been a recent update for each of the three STALKER games that changes the game to better support multiplayer, and I don't know if that update is on GOG yet or if that update requires admin rights to run. It absolutely should not; that would make it more vulnerable to security problems.

Second, don't install the game with admin rights, which might require admin rights to run after that.

Third, don't use Steam when you have the GOG version. If you use Steam, then don't run Steam with admin rights.

First log in to your admin account then do as Lazarus_03 says and remove the games need for admin rights under the compatability tab.

Next open the fsgame.ltx file in notepad to find where it is keeping your save games files etc. usually C:\Users\youraccountname\DOCUME~1\STALKE~1.

Next find and copy that stalker folder (mine was Stalker-SHOC) to the same place under the "non admin" account.

Next open the fsgame.ltx file again in notepad and change the "youraccountusername" part of (C:\Users\youraccountname\DOCUME~1\STALKE~1) to your "non admin" account so the game can find the files.

Now you should be able to launch without problems.

I had the same problem and it was the game wanting access to admin account docs folder that was the issue.

No need to be sorry, I am elated someone found this out and posted it here.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for that solution.

I'll necro the necro. Such posts have so much value to me. THANKS a milion times. This works like a charm for every .exe file that I needed.

After I posted that I found an even better solution, at least for STALKER games. Just use OpenXRay. It's an open source port of the engine used by STALKER games. It's more compatible, native 64-bit, built in FOV, etc, which removed the need to install some mods.

hello guys i have a freind that has this problem that when he tryis to open the launcher of phasmophobia it says you need to run this as a admistrator
please if you know any fixes let me know
btw i tryed everything to make it run without but i cant

https://www.gog.com/games?page=1&sort=popularity&search=phasmophobia Cannot find such game on GOG.com, besides this subforum is only for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games.

what if the compatibility tab isnt there

Install SP4 for your Windows 2000... You are on Windows OS, right?
If you have game on Steam - never ever use steam desktop links, they never work properly for entire steam life.

And you MUST be an admin on PC to install, update, verify, configure properly and then first launch the game. If you don't have compatibility tan on exe file properties menu - you are not admin account on this PC.
Second admin run not required for this games. Any games not required that, since WinVista UAC service implemented. This game store settings in My Documents and as I know not use any else (and no system) locations. So installed in proper path
D(*any non system*)/Games/Gamename-2/ it not ask for admin rights. GOG sometimes in older builds pre set 'run as admin' - you can disable it in exe properties (or REGEDIT directly). But admin rights required - it pe-set for ALL_USERS.

If still game actally use HKLM for settings along with config in Documents/MyGames, it be redirected to VirtualStore by Win UAC - in silent mode - no admin prompts appear.

My problem is fixed by running a command in safe mode. https://thegeekpage.com/fix-lost-administrative-rights-in-windows-10/