Skyrim Unplugged (by stoppingby4now)

[stoppingby4now]

Skyrim Unplugged has been released on The Nexus and is available at the Skyrim Unplugged project page.Further information is available on the Description view. In short, Skyrim Unplugged allows you to enforce the Automatic Updates setting in Steam, allowing you to choose when you want to update Skyrim.

[stoppingby4now]

To avoid Skyrim Launcher from resetting information in your ini files, set them to Read Only (and ALWAYS make backups :P ).

 

As for the update...hmmm. Aside from when either Steam or Skyrim Launcher decided to delete files that were supposed to be updated, I'm still sitting safely at 1.4.27. Can you check something for me? (this assumes you have not clicked 'Enable' since the update).

 

Run regedit and navigate to HKCU\Software\Valve\Steam\Apps\72850. Double check the value of "EnableCacheLoading" and let me know what it's set to. It should be 0 for Automatic Updates to be turned off. Regardless of what that setting is, right click on the 72850 key and select Permissions. Click on 'Advanced' and check to see if there is a 'Deny' entry for your username as a 'Special' permission.

[stoppingby4now]

Trying to get the target of a Junction point or symbolic link is a PITA!

[frihyland]

To avoid Skyrim Launcher from resetting information in your ini files, set them to Read Only (and ALWAYS make backups :P ).

 

As for the update...hmmm. Aside from when either Steam or Skyrim Launcher decided to delete files that were supposed to be updated, I'm still sitting safely at 1.4.27. Can you check something for me? (this assumes you have not clicked 'Enable' since the update).

 

Run regedit and navigate to HKCU\Software\Valve\Steam\Apps\72850. Double check the value of "EnableCacheLoading" and let me know what it's set to. It should be 0 for Automatic Updates to be turned off. Regardless of what that setting is, right click on the 72850 key and select Permissions. Click on 'Advanced' and check to see if there is a 'Deny' entry for your username as a 'Special' permission.

 

 

 

Everything looks right and works right for me.

[stoppingby4now]

Did some testing, and thankfully I won't have to set permissions on the directories themselves. You can still delete a file with Deny for Delete through Explorer, but programs you run can not. Should have a test version available later today.

[stoppingby4now]

I'm done updating Skyrim Unplugged. On top of locking down Automatic Updates, the following files ACL's are modified to prevent delete access for the current user:

 

 

 

"TESV.exe"

"SkyrimLauncher.exe"

"steam_api.dll"

"installscript.vdf"

"binkw32.dll"

"atimgpud.dll"

"Data\\Update.esm"

"Data\\Update.bsa"

"Data\\Skyrim.esm"

"Data\\Skyrim - VoicesExtra.bsa"

"Data\\Skyrim - Voices.bsa"

"Data\\Skyrim - Textures.bsa"

"Data\\Skyrim - Sounds.bsa"

"Data\\Skyrim - Shaders.bsa"

"Data\\Skyrim - Misc.bsa"

"Data\\Skyrim - Meshes.bsa"

"Data\\Skyrim - Interface.bsa"

"Data\\Skyrim - Animations.bsa"

"Data\\HighResTexturePack02.esp"

"Data\\HighResTexturePack02.bsa"

"Data\\HighResTexturePack01.esp"

"Data\\HighResTexturePack01.bsa"

"Data\\Interface\\Translate_*.txt"

"Data\\Strings\\*STRINGS"

 

 

 

If the list of files doesn't look complete, let me know. The program will get the Skyrim installation path from the registry, then verify that all of the above files exist before allowing you to toggle Automatic Updates. When you click Enable, you can go into your Skyrim\ folder and right click on any of the above files. You should see a shield icon next to the Delete option. You will still be able to delete the files in Explorer, but programs will not be able to.

 

The updated version is available here. Making it available for any brave souls that would not mind trying it out. Will likely update on Nexus later today/tonight unless a problem surfaces.

 

EDIT: In particular, I'm interested in anyone who has Skyrim installed under C:\Program Files to know if there are problems with setting file permissions.

[frihyland]

99% sure you'll need to run as admin to change file permissions under any UAC controlled directory like program files. List of files looks good though.

[Bealdwine]

Run regedit and navigate to HKCU\Software\Valve\Steam\Apps\72850. Double check the value of "EnableCacheLoading" and let me know what it's set to. It should be 0 for Automatic Updates to be turned off. Regardless of what that setting is' date=' right click on the 72850 key and select Permissions. Click on 'Advanced' and check to see if there is a 'Deny' entry for your username as a 'Special' permission.[/quote']

 

Backups? of course ;)

 

Checked all the rest and settings are as expected... so no idea how the update slipped through. I'll test the new SU version although I install Steam/Skyrim in the root of D:/ so can't comment on UAC issues.

 

I find setting Read Only on the ini files causes some issues (put another way I'm too lazy to keep resetting it when BOSS needs access :) )

[frihyland]

yeah that's a good point Bealdwine, it needs to be a one click deal to change files to read only and back, just like the regedits.

[stoppingby4now]

I've tried to set permissions on files in Program Files and nothing happens, which I expect. What I didn't expect is that no exception is thrown. But, one thing that I see, is that Steam seems to have added Full Control for the User group on the base Steam directory. This would allow users to update games without needing privileges, which means the program should also be able to set permissions without elevation.

 

EDIT: I just don't know if the same is true on a Steam install in "Program Files".

[stoppingby4now]

Just uploaded the new version to the Nexus. Earlier this week, the original version had over 200 unique downloads. Yesterday, it was over 400. When I just looked, it had jumped to over 900. Amazing what a patch cycle can do. :)

 

And thanks to everyone that has spread the word at the Nexus.

[z929669]

It is a sweet little program. However, I am still out of the game and hoping for some stability soon before I get back in for testing... need stability for benchmarking :@

[stoppingby4now]

I haven't played in weeks. Going to have to get some Skryim time in soon.

[stoppingby4now]

Anyone running a 32-bit version of Windows that would be willing to help me do testing? Currently having issues with differences between 32 and 64 bit OS'es that I'm trying to work out when reading the registry for the Skyrim path.

[frihyland]

I'm running win8 32, always willing to help.

[stoppingby4now]

I just posted version 1.2 on the Nexus. If you could launch it, I'm curious to hear if it gets the installation path correctly.