Fresh install retail won't load

[Majormodz]

Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3

Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. GA-MA74GM-S2

AMD Athlon X2 250 Processor @ 3.1 GHz

2048 MB RAM

NVIDIA GeForce GT 440 1024 MB RAM

GTA IV Boxed Retail

 

I recently uninstalled a working (story complete 73%) GTA IV v. 1.0.6.0 with Simple Native Trainer v. 6.0 from my machine so that I could do a fresh (no mod) install on a newer (faster) hard drive.

 

I install GTA IV from my retail disks, apply the Title Update 7 EN, then install GFWL.

 

When I run the game Social Club opens and accepts my information (clicking play).

The disk spins up and I see the icon (disk) on my mouse pointer.

After a few seconds I get this error.

 

GTAIV.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

AppName: gtaiv.exe AppVer: 1.0.7.0 ModName: xlive.dll

ModVer: 3.5.92.0 Offset: 001648d6

 

GFWL also seems to be having issues. If I run GFWM from my start menu I get this pop-up.

To use Games for Windows Software, you need the Windows Live ID Sign-in Assistant. Do you want to view and download the update?

This issue re-occurs even after installing the Windows Live ID Sign-in Assistant manually.

 

GTA runs perfectly if I drop the XLiveLess.dll into the game folder (with the exception of not being able to go online).

 

I'm completely clueless, all I want is a clean game that lets me go online. Any ideas?

[ItsAllAboutGTA]

If you wanted to play online you need:

1.Patch 1.0.7.0

2.RGSC launcher the new updated

3.GFWL launcher

4.Remove the xlive.dll thingy from the GTA IV directory

[friendly luggage]

Try this: GFWL update

It worked for me

[Majormodz]

I have followed the instructions to the letter as provided here.

http://support.rockstargames.com/entries/4...on-instructions

Resulting in exactly the problems I've previously decribed.

[mkey82]

After uninstalling the old game version, did you make sure the install folder was empty? Uninstaller just removes original files, leaves everything else behind, files like dsound.dll can cause a lot of problems when used out of their place. Also make sure the windows live sign in assistant is not disabled in the services management console. Check in the programs list in the control panel that you don't have multiple GFWL versions installed. You'll probably want to remove GFWL completely and then install the latest version again from the link above.

[Majormodz]

@ mkey82.

 

The reason for the "clean" install was the trainer and related files. It had been awhile since I last played, and frankly I did not remember how the trainer functioned. I actually launched 1.0.6.0 before uninstalling, and was able to login RGSC and access GFWL using the "Home" key from within the game. Putting the fresh install into a brand new folder on a different hard drive should have made any "left-overs" obsolete if there were any, which there wasn't.....I checked.

 

I run a very tight machine, allowing only essential services. The system has only 18 running processes at start-up.

Windows Live Sgin-in Assistant is not listed in the services console, even after manually installing it.

I'm starting to suspect Games for Windows Marketplace (GFWL) and it's related components are now dependant on some obscure service that I have disabled.

I have uninstalled and re-installed GFWL numerous times always with the same results failing to recognize the Sign-in Assistant as being installed.

 

This is all very frustrating seeing as I uninstalled a perfectly good working copy of the game. I'm sick of all the Microsoft Spyware, and don't understand why R* has even affiliated themselves with these losers. The PC version of this game should in no way be tied to some crappy login services from a third party !

Edited December 4, 2011 by Majormodz

[mkey82]

 

I actually launched 1.0.6.0 before uninstalling, and was able to login RGSC and access GFWL using the "Home" key from within the game.

This is very weird as the game should have prompted you to do an update. For the game and possibly GFWL.

[Majormodz]

It did do some minor updates, it was very fast and no update was applied to the game.

 

I have a Support Ticket pending at R* Support. We'll see what they have to say.

[Majormodz]

Issue resolved.

 

As I suspected, disabled services were the cause of the problem.

In order for GFWM/GFWL/Windows Live Sign-in Assistant to install properly these services will need to be enabled.

 

1: Automatic Updates

2: Background Intelligent Transfer Service

 

After installation these services can be disabled again.

 

Now that my issue is resolved, how do I get my saved games back into the folder ?

I made copies of my saves from my old 1.0.6.0 before uninstall, and have been using them with the fresh install (1.0.7.0) running with XLiveless. After removing XLiveless and copying the saves into the appropriate folder they aren't showing up ?

 

Looks like I need to send a copy of this to R* Support as well.

Edited December 9, 2011 by Majormodz

[mkey82]

That's the way it was meant to work.

 

http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=386144&st=0

[Majormodz]

I am content with my situation at present.

I have access to all my saved games when using XLiveless (offline play).

 

I'm not sure the Hex editor will work for me, seeing as all of the Xlive data on my machine was deleted.

 

Interestingly enough, launching GTA without Xliveless allows me to load only the games that were saved while logged into GFWL from my old installation up to a certain point (A Dish Served Cold), anything after that fails load.

 

I'm not so much worried about achievements and such, as long as I can keep playing from where I left off. I can always start a new profile and continue from the last legitimate save noted above if I so desire, and I can live with that.