Can't start non-Steam Elite Dangerous without starting up HMD

[Thomasklij]

Is there any way to start up the Elite Dangerous non-Steam install without also starting up my HMD?

Googling just tells me these two options, neither of which solves this issue:

• You can stop Elite Dangerous from launching SteamVR through disabling the option "Start SteamVR when an application starts". But that just stops SteamVR from launching, Elite Dangerous still starts up the HMD, with sound coming through the Index's speakers rather than my headphones.
• You can set the 3D option in graphics off rather than HMD. But it's already set to OFF, and still starts up the HMD when starting up.

Closing the VR compositor in task manager just closes the game too, it apparently needs the VR to run even when running in 2D.

Am I missing some really obvious option in the Elite Dangerous launcher to launch it in plain 2D mode without starting up my HMD? Or am I really forced to get below my desk and unplug it every time I want to start this game in 2D mode without starting up the Index?

 

[Alec Turner]

Copy the desktop shortcut you use to launch Elite and rename the Copy to something like "Elite (no VR)". Then edit the properties of this new shortcut and add the /novr option to the end of the Target line. I think that should do the trick.

 

[Thomasklij]

Yes! That's working perfectly. Thank you so much!

I even googled for a shortcut affix like that but couldn't find anything. Clearly my google-fu wasn't up to par, since searching for "novr" as a single search term did immediately show this solution.

Much appreciated, no crawling around pulling cables for me

 

[Premium Munitions]

Confirmed does work.
I installed Elite Dangerous stand-alone version and had this issue.
NOTE: You must add a space after the last " (quotation mark) then type /novr

 

[ramethelis]

As a note, this will work with STEAM as well. After setting the /NOVR, Click the Advanced... button and click the box to Run as administrator.

Click OK then Apply.