GFWL strikes again(Dirt 2)

[Rifter]

So i bought dirst 2 on the steam sale not knowing it involved GFWL, ill admit thats my first mistake and would have never bought it had i known.

So i installed it and try and launch the game and it tells me my GFWL is not newest version, fair enough i havent used it since i played GTA 4 a year ago.

So i update it and it updates fine, newest version installed now.

Launch game and tells me same thing GFWL not up to date must DL newest version, i click ok to update and it tells me newest version is installed and closes game. Now im stuck in that loop, launch games tells me to update, click update tells me i am updated and closes game. cant get out of this loop.

GTA 4 BTW works just fine so GFWL must be up to date.

Steam is being of no help tells me to contact support for GFWL.

The only way i want to deal with GFWL is if i send them a A-bomb.

Also i just bought a SSD and switched from Vista to windows 7. I had same issue with both OS's. Even after the fresh win 7 install and installing newest version of GFWL not even update but fresh install from scratch gets me into the same loop.

Advice?

 

[kamikazekyle]

I had that once with some game I purchased for a buck off GFWL's website. I also think it happened once with DoW2.

Anyway. The first case was an actual bug that they fixed. The second case, I recall uninstalling GFWL totally from the system using Add/Remove programs (or Programs and Features) in the control panel. I then downloaded the GFWL redistributable from Microsoft, and manually ran the installer. If that doesn't fix it, remove GFWL again, reboot, then install the redistributable, then reboot again. I think one of the key points was to NOT use the downloaded updater/installer, but the actual manually downloaded redistributable. That was a while ago, however, so Microsoft might have made them one in the same.

I haven't had any more install loops since then. Beyond that, I'm not sure. Google tells me that the internet is full of install loop complaints on GFWL, so there might be some more information in another forum post somewhere.

 

[soccerballtux]

there's about 10 or 15 updates you have to apply in order. It was incredibly obnoxious. I noticed the downloads were taking more/less time each time and my download speed was the same, so it was a different sized file it was downloading.

 

[CPA]

I had that happen last week with Red Faction II. I rebooted and all was fine.

 

[mizzou]

Is gwfl there because they want it or because they dont want extra burden on the xbox team to figure out how yo uncode xboxlive for the pc port....

I seriously hate gwfl

 

[Corporate Thug]

Is gwfl there because they want it or because they dont want extra burden on the xbox team to figure out how yo uncode xboxlive for the pc port....

I seriously hate gwfl

This.

 

[BladeVenom]

GFWL is as useless as [insert joke here].

 

[Skurge]

Just uninstal and download the redistributable from the MS site and you should be fine as Kamikaze said.

I have to say GFWL is not well designed, but I haven't had any problems with it.

 

[shortylickens]

Much like Yuplay I am actively avoiding games with GFWL. The main problem with Steam is they dont always tell you what extra DRM or software needs to be running when you buy a game from them.
They didnt say a damn thing about Yuplay when I bought Wings Of Prey. I complained, they refused to refund.
A couple days later they added a line to the Wings Of Prey requirement about having Yuplay active at all times.

They also added GFWL to Dawn Of War 2 a short while after I bought it. Wasnt there to begin with or at least wasnt a requirement. I know cuz I played it for weeks when I first got it and I never installed GFWL ever. Then one day it gets a big Steam update and all of a sudden its not letting me do anything until I install GFWL. That was my introduction to the nightmare.

Now whenever I see the letters GFWL in my mind I think "FFFFFFFUUUUUUUU!!".

 

[lord_emperor]

Chargeback the game purchase on your CC, have Steam globally ban your account then sue them.

Or see if there is a GFWL disabler for Dirt 2, like there was for Fallout 3.

 

[shortylickens]

Chargeback the game purchase on your CC, have Steam globally ban your account then sue them.

Or see if there is a GFWL disabler for Dirt 2, like there was for Fallout 3.

Fallout 3 was no big deal, just dont run GFWL and the game ignores it completely. But in some games like Dawn of War 2 you either cant run at all without it, or you get constant harassment if you try.
Good to know someone finally made a disabler. I will now search my interwebs for such a program.

 

[Skurge]

Well GFWL only tracked achievements for Fallout, in Dirt 2 and DOW2 its used for MP.

 

[Mike Gayner]

Download latest redist from MS. Shit, do I need to hold your hand while you do it? Maybe you should just buy a console or something.

 

[Dankk]

I must be the only one who doesn't hate GFWL. When I get a new game that has GFWL implemented, sometimes it requires an update, but it only takes a few seconds and I'm ready to play. That's all. It doesn't bother me.

I think the only difference between a GFWL game and a non-GFWL game, is a little blue bar that pops up when you start the game. That's seriously the only difference for me. So, if someone asks me if it's ok to get a game with GFWL, they might as well be asking "is it OK if you have a little blue bar temporarily appear when you start the game?" Yes. That's fine.

I have yet to encounter a problem with it, but it might have something to do with the fact that I'm also a Steam user. I heard that there is a problem though with not being able to transfer game saves.

Dirt 2 is awesome btw.

 

[manimal]

Download latest redist from MS. Shit, do I need to hold your hand while you do it? Maybe you should just buy a console or something.

this



omg crysis runs like crap on my netbook. etc...

 

[Rifter]

this



omg crysis runs like crap on my netbook. etc...

I think the bad crysis performance thread with the guy running 16xQ AA was pretty funny

That said i DID download the latest redist from MS after i did the fresh install of win 7, i didnt do it through the game. It didnt help. So i uninstalled it and then tried it through the game(GTA 4, not dirst 2) and let it install windows live, update a few times then i could play GTA 4. Then i started up Dirt 2, and it worked! finally!

This game looks sweet BTW

 

[DarkForceRising]

Good to know someone finally made a disabler. I will now search my interwebs for such a program.

The one for GTA4 and Red Faction Guerilla was called xliveless. It doesn't appear to support other games, but maybe others exist. I just know that I spent quite a bit of time trying to get RF:G to work, and the only way I could even get to the main menu was using xliveless.

 

[Fhistleb]

Only issue i've ever had with GFWL is it constantly telling me it can't log me on. Usually restarting fixes it though.

 

[CPA]

I must be the only one who doesn't hate GFWL. When I get a new game that has GFWL implemented, sometimes it requires an update, but it only takes a few seconds and I'm ready to play. That's all. It doesn't bother me.

I think the only difference between a GFWL game and a non-GFWL game, is a little blue bar that pops up when you start the game. That's seriously the only difference for me. So, if someone asks me if it's ok to get a game with GFWL, they might as well be asking "is it OK if you have a little blue bar temporarily appear when you start the game?" Yes. That's fine.

I have yet to encounter a problem with it, but it might have something to do with the fact that I'm also a Steam user. I heard that there is a problem though with not being able to transfer game saves.

Dirt 2 is awesome btw.

No, I'm with you, I've never had a major issue with my games and it doesn't seem to impede them in any way.

 

[you2]

I've had some issue or other a while ago when I played Batman. I can't remember the specific; something about being configured for off line play and wanting to download the free dlc; then it got upset about something or other (maybe they removed off line play or something like that). I'm not a fan of it and sort of hope they would patch it out. There was also some silly cert issue with gears for war. Bleh.

 

[Bateluer]

I've been avoiding GFWL games for a few reasons. First, all the bad press surrounding it. Those who don't mind it, haven't been burned yet buy it. They keep buying DRM'd up products, they're going to get burned before too long. Supporting such a sh!itty business model is a poor choice for the consumer.

The most prominent game I own that has GFWL, FO3, has to have GFWL disabled with a crack in order to start.

And last, I've taken to avoiding games that use limited activations, Internet access for SP, and other draconian DRM. Its not worth the hassle and its not a business practice I want to support. Supporting it just sends the message that its perfectly OK.