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Symlink mode creates symbolic links (shortcuts) to your mod files instead of copying them to the game directory. This provides significant performance benefits but requires administrator privileges. When you sync mods using symlink mode, BD2 Mod Manager creates symbolic links in the game’s mod directory that point to your staged mods. Instead of duplicating files, Windows treats these links as if the files exist in both locations.

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Performance benefits

Symlink mode offers two major advantages over copy mode:
  • Speed: Syncing is nearly instantaneous regardless of how many mods you have enabled
  • Disk space: No duplicate files are created, saving significant storage space
With 359 mods, the difference is dramatic. Copy mode can take several seconds to complete, while symlink mode finishes almost immediately.

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Requirements

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Administrator rights

Creating symbolic links on Windows requires administrator privileges. If you attempt to sync with symlink mode without admin rights, you’ll receive an AdminRequiredError. The application checks for admin status using windll.shell32.IsUserAnAdmin() before creating any symlinks.

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How to run as administrator

You have two options to run BD2 Mod Manager with admin rights:

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Option 1: Right-click method

  1. Right-click the BD2 Mod Manager executable
  2. Select “Run as administrator”
  3. Approve the User Account Control (UAC) prompt

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Option 2: Use the admin launcher

The application includes runasadmin_main.py, which automatically requests elevation: 
import ctypes

def is_admin():
    try:
        return ctypes.windll.shell32.IsUserAnAdmin()
    except Exception:
        return False

if is_admin():
    subprocess.run([sys.executable, "main.py"])
else:
    ctypes.windll.shell32.ShellExecuteW(None, "runas", sys.executable, __file__, None, 1)
This script checks if you’re already running as admin. If not, it re-launches the application with elevated privileges.

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Limitations

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Drag and drop disabled

When running as administrator on Windows, drag-and-drop functionality from File Explorer is disabled for security reasons. This is a Windows restriction, not a limitation of the mod manager. You’ll need to add mods manually by:
  • Moving them to the mods/ folder
  • Using the file picker dialog in the application
This mods/ folder is not the BrownDustX mods directory. It’s the staging directory managed by BD2 Mod Manager.

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”Admin privileges required” error

If you see this error, you’re not running the application with administrator rights. Follow the steps above to run as administrator. If you move or rename mods in the staging directory while symlinks exist, the links become broken. The mod manager detects broken links during sync: 
try:
    is_correct_link = installed_path.resolve() == staging_path.resolve()
except (OSError, FileNotFoundError):  # Catches broken links
    is_correct_link = False
When broken links are detected, they’re automatically removed and recreated during the next sync. If you previously used copy mode, the mod manager will detect copied folders when switching to symlink mode: 
if installed_path.is_symlink():
    logger.warning(
        "Mod '%s' is a symlink; will be replaced with a copy.", mod_relpath)
    mods_to_remove.add(mod_relpath)
    mods_to_add.add(mod_relpath)
The sync process automatically cleans up old copies and replaces them with symlinks (or vice versa).

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Best practices

  • Use symlink mode if you manage a large number of mods
  • Stick with copy mode if you don’t want to run as administrator
  • Don’t manually edit files in the game’s BD2MM folder - always work in the staging directory
After enabling or disabling mods, you must sync to apply changes to the game directory.

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