[Windows 7] Game failing to run

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Dr.Flay
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[Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by Dr.Flay »

Since Microsoft added the Game Explorer system to Windows 7 it has been a problem for users with limited access to internet.
Most affected users will have already disabled GameUX.dll and its registry options, but now Microsoft have killed the domain it used to talk to, the issue will show itself for people with a permanent connection.

Symptoms you will see if it affects you:
* Old games fail to open, but can be seen in the task manager.
* A copy of Rundll32.exe is eating 50% or more CPU.
* DNS Cache is busy and using lots of CPU.
* Running a second copy of the game works

If you look in your Start Menu, you should see a section "Games" and in there you should find a link to the Game Explorer.
Game Explorer
Game Explorer
Any games you see listed here will have the problem, because Windows is using Rundll32.exe to launch the game but check for updates first.
You cannot remove the games here, only hide them.
Even if you set the options to "Never check online for updates or news" it will still block the game from running.

To remove the games from the list you must remove them from the registry.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameUX
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameUX
Until now they would just come back unless you disabled the system by unregistering "gameux.dll" (requires Admin rights).

Code: Select all

regsvr32 -u c:\windows\system32\gameux.dll
regsvr32 -u c:\windows\SysWOW64\gameux.dll
I have not seen anyone say to unregister another related DLL C:\Windows\system32\GameUXLegacyGDFs.dll
Possibly it is used for compatibility settings, but I have no idea.

The service was contacting a Microsoft domain for updates, specifically "https://games.metaservices.microsoft.co ... rvice.asmx"
Now this is gone, the games you remove from the registry should stay gone.
However, to make sure it will fail properly if the service still tries to work, you can change the location it looks for to "localhost" or "127.0.0.1"
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\GameUX\ServiceLocation
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\GameUX\ServiceLocation
You can paste this into a text file and rename as *.REG to make the change quickly

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\GameUX\ServiceLocation] 
"Games"="127.0.0.1"
Just changing the place it looks for the file should fix the problem, and so the unregistering of the GameUX system and removing the game references should now be optional.

For the terminally lazy or technically challenged I have prepared the fixes as registry and batch files, and included files to switch it back on if you need to.
Win7GameUX.rar
Registry and batch files to add and remove GameUX
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by papercoffee »

Thank you.
I noticed something was suddenly different.
This fixed it for me.
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by EvilGrins »

GET WINDOWS 10!
http://unreal-games.livejournal.com/
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medor wrote:Replace Skaarj with EvilGrins :mrgreen:
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by Dr.Flay »

So kind of you to offer.
Hey every one, Grins will buy you a copy of Win 10 if you PM him :tu:
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by darksonny »

EvilGrins wrote:GET WINDOWS 10!
windows 10? Oh hell, no! worst OS ever in microshit's history all kinda big updates ends your rig with a clusterfuck. Why the hell they do not test their update first before releasing them? No free win10 update's settings manipulation, the shop, telemetry etc....no no...Win 7 best OS (is my thought) even for programmers and designers.
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by papercoffee »

My experience so far with Windows versions.

Win 3.1 GOOD
Win 95 BAD
Win 98 GOOD
Win ME BAD
Win XP very GOOD
Win Vista BAD
Win Win 7 seems GOOD
Win 8 and 8.1 BAD
Win 9 not for PC, no opinion
Win 10 BAD

Therefore I wait for Win 11
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by Barbie »

papercoffee wrote:Therefore I wait for Win 11
Microsoft confirms there will be no Windows 11
"Multiple exclamation marks," he went on, shaking his head, "are a sure sign of a diseased mind." --Terry Pratchett
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by RocketJedi »

Dr.Flay wrote:So kind of you to offer.
Hey every one, Grins will buy you a copy of Win 10 if you PM him :tu:
you can upgrade for free still.

-MERGED-
darksonny wrote:
EvilGrins wrote:GET WINDOWS 10!
windows 10? Oh hell, no! worst OS ever in microshit's history all kinda big updates ends your rig with a clusterfuck. Why the hell they do not test their update first before releasing them? No free win10 update's settings manipulation, the shop, telemetry etc....no no...Win 7 best OS (is my thought) even for programmers and designers.
Yes there have been some *minor issues with *some machines with *some updates, but I do not agree that windows 10 is the worst OS. windows ME, vista prior to SP2, and windows 8 (not 8.1) were the worst. Windows 10 is a solid system. windows 7 *was awesome, but it is outdated, and frankly looks like old crap tbh. windows 1803 was the last reliable and stable version. I finally upgraded to 1903 on my 2011 macbook pro after locating the newer bootcamp drivers. I have upgraded 100's of windows 7 machines to windows 10 with zero issues. All our developers at my company also use windows 10.
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by rjmno1 »

darksonny wrote:
EvilGrins wrote:GET WINDOWS 10!
windows 10? Oh hell, no! worst OS ever in microshit's history all kinda big updates ends your rig with a clusterfuck. Why the hell they do not test their update first before releasing them? No free win10 update's settings manipulation, the shop, telemetry etc....no no...Win 7 best OS (is my thought) even for programmers and designers.
Windows 10 is good only when you miss the start button and other configs.
Force yourself to learn windows 10 and be amased, and above that all its free.

https://www.microsoft.com/nl-nl/softwar ... /windows10

download windows 10 burn disc or set windows 10 up to a usb stick.I did that last usb thing,and windows 10 very stable.Together with that start menu windows 10 is amazing.

https://www.startmenux.com/nl/
unreal tournament 99
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by RocketJedi »

rjmno1 wrote:
darksonny wrote:
EvilGrins wrote:GET WINDOWS 10!
windows 10? Oh hell, no! worst OS ever in microshit's history all kinda big updates ends your rig with a clusterfuck. Why the hell they do not test their update first before releasing them? No free win10 update's settings manipulation, the shop, telemetry etc....no no...Win 7 best OS (is my thought) even for programmers and designers.
Windows 10 is good only when you miss the start button and other configs.
Force yourself to learn windows 10 and be amased, and above that all its free.

https://www.microsoft.com/nl-nl/softwar ... /windows10

download windows 10 burn disc or set windows 10 up to a usb stick.I did that last usb thing,and windows 10 very stable.Together with that start menu windows 10 is amazing.

https://www.startmenux.com/nl/

classichell.net as well is free and a solid start menu option ;)
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by papercoffee »

Image

especially when it's not open source...

Edit----------------------
Barbie wrote:
papercoffee wrote:Therefore I wait for Win 11
Microsoft confirms there will be no Windows 11
I don't want to pay to read it.

So, no Win 11 ?
Well ...
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by Dr.Flay »

No you can't upgrade for free anymore. That ship sailed in 2017 when they finally stopped offering it for free to disabled people.
https://winaero.com/blog/microsoft-end- ... indows-10/

Awww so sweet you think a free download = a free product.
Go and install a fresh "free" Win 10 on a PC that has never had Win 10, and report back what you see when you run it :tu:

My Win 10 laptop gets to go online once a week when I take it to the studio, to use for playing music and reading the news.
At home it just runs WACUP and is nothing more than the media machine.
It has a proper start menu and proper windows with edges you can see (hidden theme), and it a whole lot more private thanks to the following tools;
Open Shell
https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu
Winaero Tweaker
https://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.1836
Ultimate Windows Tweaker
https://www.thewindowsclub.com/ultimate ... windows-10
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by Barbie »

Dr.Flay wrote:No you can't upgrade for free anymore. That ship sailed in 2017 when they finally stopped offering it for free to disabled people.
My last upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 on a PC is just a few weeks ago. Windows 7 licence keys still work.
"Multiple exclamation marks," he went on, shaking his head, "are a sure sign of a diseased mind." --Terry Pratchett
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by Hitman »

For me Win7 still is best and i will cling on to it as long as possible, one thing i notice tho is that UT and the tools around it crash and behave bad with the 32-bit version, but the 64-bit takes everything without errors..
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Re: [Windows 7] Game failing to run

Post by esnesi »

Dr.Flay wrote: Open Shell
oh lol, i still had "oldskool" ClassicShell installed, iam on Win8.1
I see that they moved the project!

Can't live without it for sure!
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