I just upgraded my PC which given I was still running on a PentiumD w/ Windows XP it kind of had to happen.
System Information
Quote:
Windows 8.1 Pro
Intel i7-4790
8GB Ram
64-bit OS, 64x-based proccessor
Intel i7-4790
8GB Ram
64-bit OS, 64x-based proccessor
I dredged up a few things.. related at least in some way to my problems.
from ZAM, "Installing Final Fantasy XI on Windows 8.1 enterprise x64"
NSTALLING FINAL FANTASY XI ON WINDOWS 8.1 ENTERPRISE x64
hi everyone ^~^/ Mateja of Bahamut here <3 (if you are annoyed by my incessant chat, just skip to the problem & solution)
I am in a super good mood atm because I have accomplished the herculean task of getting final fantasy xi online AND final fantasy xiv - a realm reborn installed in a windows 8.1 enterprise x64 environment WITHOUT breaking the windows live tiles. (many things can break them apparently from the forums I have read, unfortunately). lucky for you all my endless trial and error, reading up on countless forums about everything remotely related to this, my clairvoyant hunches, and all the stars aligning correctly have lead me to the most elegant possible solution for this awful and sad problem. unfortunately, it involves reinstalling the operating system (sorry, it's the only solution I know that 100% definitely keeps the tiles alive ... on 2 computers laptop and desktop ... but don't worry. I already went insane reinstalling my operating system about 30 times... literally).
THE PROBLEM:
it took me a few operating system reinstalls to even figure out what was wrong... I still don't know how I discovered it. basically ... .net framework 3.5 and DirectPlay legacy features are required to play this game. ffxi works no prob installing them whenever, but if they are installed too late, they break the windows 8.1 live tiles ... permanently. some open and crash upon searching and don't load any content within... and others just crash immediately.
THE SOLUTION:
since I was too impatient to wait for a windows update, or yet another client update from SE (which is unlikely since the seekers ultimate installer just came out, which I am by the way using) -- I spent the last several days pulling my hair out and going through pot after pot of coffee to determine the solution... so without further adieu, here you goo! :D
1.) reinstall windows 8.1 in the boot mode from disc ... use express setttings unless you absolutely need to change something, it really shouldn't matter just sharing what I know works ... then let it do it's thang, extract, install, update etc etc etc ... but (if you are on a wired desktop) PAY ATTENTION because when it finally finishes that first phase of installing and gets ready to restart (gives you like a 30 sec warning) ... you want to pop out your install disc and disconnect your Ethernet line. if, however, you are on a laptop or some kind of wifi connection just pop out the disc right before it's about to reinstall, wait for it to restart, and after it restarts is the time you need to pay attention, to your wifi radio. hit the internet off switch whenever you see your wifi radio come on when it boots up and starts doing stuff again and -- turn it off then via the hardware button on your laptop or w/e ... if you can't figure it out or have some other type of configuration with no off switch, just cut the modem if you have to at this time.
2.) after that first restart windows will do some stuff and maybe restart another time, pay attention if you're wired you're already offline but if you're like my laptop, you want to let it reboot again and then switch off your internet. anyways... when windows 8.1 finally starts up for the first time ever, let it load. wait a min or two. THEN be in the start menu and type services.msc (wait a min for it to come up in that bing search). open services.msc > scroll down to windows updates > right click and change it from manual to disabled > click apply > right click it again and click STOP (to stop the service... It will still be running even after being disabled) ... click refresh in the services.msc list to be sure that windows update is disabled, and stopped. we don't want ANY windows updates what-so-ever interfering with this process because .net 3.5 and directplay MUST MUST MUST be installed BEFORE any windows updates... or the live tiles will be permanently broken like they were both my computers. trust me, these need to be installed. ffxi setup would make you install them anyway, but by then it's too late. if, however, you are not having this problem, than why are you reading this? lol. j/k ;D <3
3.) THE MOST IMPORTANT PART: with windows updates disabled, and your internet off ... reconnect your internet, and turn it on. you need the connection working and ready for the next phase of setup. but keep windows update disabled and stopped. but have services.msc opened again and ready to start the windows update service again ... but first ... go to start menu > type add or remove programs > open the uninstaller thingy > (p.s. if your bing search glitches out and doesn't bring up the search results like happens to my laptop sometimes just go to desktop mode to find control panel in windows explorer > administrative tools > and services.msc and programs and features will be there... and plz no trolling win 8. this is before any updates that remove glitches like that) > NEXT: in the programs and features/uninstall or change a program/add or remove programs window, click on "turn windows features on or off"
4.) in the "turn windows features on or off" dialogue box, you will find .net framework 3.5, and legacy components features. please click the box next to .net 3.5 (don't worry about the check boxes under .net 3.5 you don't need them), AND click the box next to Legacy Features (DO worry about selecting the check box under legacy features... you MUST check DirectPlay for this all to work out) ... with .net 3.5 boxed, directplay features boxed and checked, click "OK" ... it will begin to try to download these features from windows update ... but windows update service is stopped, but that was on purpose so that these features will be installed before any other windows update ...so... keep that 'we need windows update to continue' box for the features opened > go back into services.msc > scroll down to windows update > right click > properties > switch it back from disabled to it's default setting of manul > click apply > right click it again in services.msc > and click start. IMMEDIATELY after the service starts again ... wait 3 seconds ... then click ok on the programs and features needs windows update to continue button on the other box. it will download and install .net 3.5 and legacy features directplay before anything else. when it says it's finished, restart your pc immediately. d/l all other windows updates. and ENJOY! \^~^/ YOUR TILES LIVE AGAIN!!! ... oh and for ffxiv arr I don't think anything special is needed just wanted to say that I installed the directx that program recommended for me and all is well.
please keep in mind that another factor in all of this is your display driver for your graphics card. in my experience the one that windows update selects for you usually works best so let it do that before you install some new beta driver and break video functionality inside of your working tiles. my laptop has a Frankenstein hybrid driver I created by installing the 13.8 mobility driver + hydravision, then uninstalling the driver part of it, then letting windows install it's driver hence giving me vision engine control center functionality with a video driver version that is compatible with video inside live tiles.
*phew* ... love mateja <3 :)
hi everyone ^~^/ Mateja of Bahamut here <3 (if you are annoyed by my incessant chat, just skip to the problem & solution)
I am in a super good mood atm because I have accomplished the herculean task of getting final fantasy xi online AND final fantasy xiv - a realm reborn installed in a windows 8.1 enterprise x64 environment WITHOUT breaking the windows live tiles. (many things can break them apparently from the forums I have read, unfortunately). lucky for you all my endless trial and error, reading up on countless forums about everything remotely related to this, my clairvoyant hunches, and all the stars aligning correctly have lead me to the most elegant possible solution for this awful and sad problem. unfortunately, it involves reinstalling the operating system (sorry, it's the only solution I know that 100% definitely keeps the tiles alive ... on 2 computers laptop and desktop ... but don't worry. I already went insane reinstalling my operating system about 30 times... literally).
THE PROBLEM:
it took me a few operating system reinstalls to even figure out what was wrong... I still don't know how I discovered it. basically ... .net framework 3.5 and DirectPlay legacy features are required to play this game. ffxi works no prob installing them whenever, but if they are installed too late, they break the windows 8.1 live tiles ... permanently. some open and crash upon searching and don't load any content within... and others just crash immediately.
THE SOLUTION:
since I was too impatient to wait for a windows update, or yet another client update from SE (which is unlikely since the seekers ultimate installer just came out, which I am by the way using) -- I spent the last several days pulling my hair out and going through pot after pot of coffee to determine the solution... so without further adieu, here you goo! :D
1.) reinstall windows 8.1 in the boot mode from disc ... use express setttings unless you absolutely need to change something, it really shouldn't matter just sharing what I know works ... then let it do it's thang, extract, install, update etc etc etc ... but (if you are on a wired desktop) PAY ATTENTION because when it finally finishes that first phase of installing and gets ready to restart (gives you like a 30 sec warning) ... you want to pop out your install disc and disconnect your Ethernet line. if, however, you are on a laptop or some kind of wifi connection just pop out the disc right before it's about to reinstall, wait for it to restart, and after it restarts is the time you need to pay attention, to your wifi radio. hit the internet off switch whenever you see your wifi radio come on when it boots up and starts doing stuff again and -- turn it off then via the hardware button on your laptop or w/e ... if you can't figure it out or have some other type of configuration with no off switch, just cut the modem if you have to at this time.
2.) after that first restart windows will do some stuff and maybe restart another time, pay attention if you're wired you're already offline but if you're like my laptop, you want to let it reboot again and then switch off your internet. anyways... when windows 8.1 finally starts up for the first time ever, let it load. wait a min or two. THEN be in the start menu and type services.msc (wait a min for it to come up in that bing search). open services.msc > scroll down to windows updates > right click and change it from manual to disabled > click apply > right click it again and click STOP (to stop the service... It will still be running even after being disabled) ... click refresh in the services.msc list to be sure that windows update is disabled, and stopped. we don't want ANY windows updates what-so-ever interfering with this process because .net 3.5 and directplay MUST MUST MUST be installed BEFORE any windows updates... or the live tiles will be permanently broken like they were both my computers. trust me, these need to be installed. ffxi setup would make you install them anyway, but by then it's too late. if, however, you are not having this problem, than why are you reading this? lol. j/k ;D <3
3.) THE MOST IMPORTANT PART: with windows updates disabled, and your internet off ... reconnect your internet, and turn it on. you need the connection working and ready for the next phase of setup. but keep windows update disabled and stopped. but have services.msc opened again and ready to start the windows update service again ... but first ... go to start menu > type add or remove programs > open the uninstaller thingy > (p.s. if your bing search glitches out and doesn't bring up the search results like happens to my laptop sometimes just go to desktop mode to find control panel in windows explorer > administrative tools > and services.msc and programs and features will be there... and plz no trolling win 8. this is before any updates that remove glitches like that) > NEXT: in the programs and features/uninstall or change a program/add or remove programs window, click on "turn windows features on or off"
4.) in the "turn windows features on or off" dialogue box, you will find .net framework 3.5, and legacy components features. please click the box next to .net 3.5 (don't worry about the check boxes under .net 3.5 you don't need them), AND click the box next to Legacy Features (DO worry about selecting the check box under legacy features... you MUST check DirectPlay for this all to work out) ... with .net 3.5 boxed, directplay features boxed and checked, click "OK" ... it will begin to try to download these features from windows update ... but windows update service is stopped, but that was on purpose so that these features will be installed before any other windows update ...so... keep that 'we need windows update to continue' box for the features opened > go back into services.msc > scroll down to windows update > right click > properties > switch it back from disabled to it's default setting of manul > click apply > right click it again in services.msc > and click start. IMMEDIATELY after the service starts again ... wait 3 seconds ... then click ok on the programs and features needs windows update to continue button on the other box. it will download and install .net 3.5 and legacy features directplay before anything else. when it says it's finished, restart your pc immediately. d/l all other windows updates. and ENJOY! \^~^/ YOUR TILES LIVE AGAIN!!! ... oh and for ffxiv arr I don't think anything special is needed just wanted to say that I installed the directx that program recommended for me and all is well.
please keep in mind that another factor in all of this is your display driver for your graphics card. in my experience the one that windows update selects for you usually works best so let it do that before you install some new beta driver and break video functionality inside of your working tiles. my laptop has a Frankenstein hybrid driver I created by installing the 13.8 mobility driver + hydravision, then uninstalling the driver part of it, then letting windows install it's driver hence giving me vision engine control center functionality with a video driver version that is compatible with video inside live tiles.
*phew* ... love mateja <3 :)
Again from ZAM "FFXI registry edits"
ust something I did earlier today.
My laptop had gotten fragmented, and after running defrag, I saw that it wasn't defragging several FFXI files. The fragmentation got worse for about a week or two, until finally XI went haywire. NPCs wouldn't load. I would lock up while checking the AH. I couldn't enter the Alchemy guild or Airships. :(
So I finally uninstalled FFXI, then copied all the files off my computer (the ENTIRE PlayOnline folder). I set my settings to default for the Registry, then exported them. I'm on Windows XP Professional SP2, if that affects anything. I'm not super registry proficient, so if anyone more skilled than I can see any necessary corrections to the following, let me know so I can do so.
Copy the entire PlayOnline Folder to where you want it. Double check the *.reg file you will copy below. Make sure that the [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\InstallFolder] values match where you placed your PlayOnline folder. I highlighted them below for your convenience.
[edit] If you are using a 64-bit OS, you will have to change SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS to SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\PlayOnlineUS. CTRL+H in Notepad is your friend.
Copy the following into notepad, and save it as a *.reg file. I called mine ffxi.reg. Doesn't matter where you save it.
FFXI.REG wrote:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\InstallFolder]
"0002"="C:\\Program Files\\PlayOnline\\SquareEnix\\TetraMaster"
"1000"="C:\\Program Files\\PlayOnline\\SquareEnix\\PlayOnlineViewer"
"0001"="C:\\Program Files\\PlayOnline\\SquareEnix\\FINAL FANTASY XI\\"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\Interface]
"0002"="0022241c"
"1000"="0022240d"
"0001"="0015d6a2"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\FinalFantasyXI]
"bFirst"=hex:00
"0001"=dword:00000280
"0002"=dword:000001e0
"0021"=dword:00000000
"0000"=dword:00000000
"0003"=dword:00000200
"0004"=dword:00000200
"0007"=dword:00000001
"0011"=dword:00000001
"0017"=dword:00000000
"0018"=dword:00000001
"0019"=dword:00000001
"0020"=dword:00000001
"0022"=dword:00000001
"0023"=dword:00000000
"0024"=dword:00000000
"0028"=dword:00000000
"0029"=dword:0000000c
"0030"=dword:00000000
"0031"=dword:3bc49ba6
"0032"=dword:00000000
"0033"=dword:00000000
"padsin000"="6,4,11,5,10,1,3,2,0,8,-1,-1,9,33,33,32,32,34,34,37,37,41,41,40,40,7,-1"
"padmode000"="1,0,1,1"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer]
"FirstBootPlayMovie"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer\Settings]
"ResetSettings"=dword:00000000
"PlayOpeningMovie"=dword:00000001
"FullScreen"=dword:00000000
"PlayAudio"=dword:00000001
"UseGameController"=dword:00000001
"WindowX"=dword:00000162
"WindowY"=dword:0000011b
"WindowW"=dword:00000280
"WindowH"=dword:000001e0
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer\Settings\Controller]
"AnchorUp"=dword:00000030
"AnchorRight"=dword:00000032
"AnchorLeft"=dword:00000036
"AnchorDown"=dword:00000034
"ChrCsrNext"=dword:00000007
"ChrCsrPrev"=dword:00000006
"PageNext"=dword:00000005
"PagePrev"=dword:00000004
"Navi"=dword:00000003
"Menu"=dword:00000000
"Ok"=dword:00000002
"Cancel"=dword:00000001
"ID"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer\SystemInfo]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer\SystemInfo\QCheck]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\TetraMaster]
"LOADDIR"="C:\\Program Files\\PlayOnline\\SquareEnix\\TetraMaster\\"
Copy the following into notepad and save it as *.bat. I saved mine as ffxi_reg.bat. You will want to save it to the '\PlayOnline\SquareEnix' folder; you will see the three folders (Final Fantasy XI, PlayOnlineViewer, TetraMaster) if you're in the right spot.
FFXI_REG.BAT wrote:
FOR /R %%G IN (*.dll) DO regsvr32 /s %%G
[edit] If you are running Windows 7, you might have to disable the UAC.
[edit] The '/s' tags on the batch file are so that the prompt window didn't pop up. Having to click ok for all those *.dll files was annoying.
[edit] Once you save the two files, you'll have to run them (just double clicking them should be fine). Just having them saved on your computer doesn't make it work. Sorry about that.
My laptop had gotten fragmented, and after running defrag, I saw that it wasn't defragging several FFXI files. The fragmentation got worse for about a week or two, until finally XI went haywire. NPCs wouldn't load. I would lock up while checking the AH. I couldn't enter the Alchemy guild or Airships. :(
So I finally uninstalled FFXI, then copied all the files off my computer (the ENTIRE PlayOnline folder). I set my settings to default for the Registry, then exported them. I'm on Windows XP Professional SP2, if that affects anything. I'm not super registry proficient, so if anyone more skilled than I can see any necessary corrections to the following, let me know so I can do so.
Copy the entire PlayOnline Folder to where you want it. Double check the *.reg file you will copy below. Make sure that the [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\InstallFolder] values match where you placed your PlayOnline folder. I highlighted them below for your convenience.
[edit] If you are using a 64-bit OS, you will have to change SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS to SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\PlayOnlineUS. CTRL+H in Notepad is your friend.
Copy the following into notepad, and save it as a *.reg file. I called mine ffxi.reg. Doesn't matter where you save it.
FFXI.REG wrote:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\InstallFolder]
"0002"="C:\\Program Files\\PlayOnline\\SquareEnix\\TetraMaster"
"1000"="C:\\Program Files\\PlayOnline\\SquareEnix\\PlayOnlineViewer"
"0001"="C:\\Program Files\\PlayOnline\\SquareEnix\\FINAL FANTASY XI\\"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\Interface]
"0002"="0022241c"
"1000"="0022240d"
"0001"="0015d6a2"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\FinalFantasyXI]
"bFirst"=hex:00
"0001"=dword:00000280
"0002"=dword:000001e0
"0021"=dword:00000000
"0000"=dword:00000000
"0003"=dword:00000200
"0004"=dword:00000200
"0007"=dword:00000001
"0011"=dword:00000001
"0017"=dword:00000000
"0018"=dword:00000001
"0019"=dword:00000001
"0020"=dword:00000001
"0022"=dword:00000001
"0023"=dword:00000000
"0024"=dword:00000000
"0028"=dword:00000000
"0029"=dword:0000000c
"0030"=dword:00000000
"0031"=dword:3bc49ba6
"0032"=dword:00000000
"0033"=dword:00000000
"padsin000"="6,4,11,5,10,1,3,2,0,8,-1,-1,9,33,33,32,32,34,34,37,37,41,41,40,40,7,-1"
"padmode000"="1,0,1,1"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer]
"FirstBootPlayMovie"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer\Settings]
"ResetSettings"=dword:00000000
"PlayOpeningMovie"=dword:00000001
"FullScreen"=dword:00000000
"PlayAudio"=dword:00000001
"UseGameController"=dword:00000001
"WindowX"=dword:00000162
"WindowY"=dword:0000011b
"WindowW"=dword:00000280
"WindowH"=dword:000001e0
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer\Settings\Controller]
"AnchorUp"=dword:00000030
"AnchorRight"=dword:00000032
"AnchorLeft"=dword:00000036
"AnchorDown"=dword:00000034
"ChrCsrNext"=dword:00000007
"ChrCsrPrev"=dword:00000006
"PageNext"=dword:00000005
"PagePrev"=dword:00000004
"Navi"=dword:00000003
"Menu"=dword:00000000
"Ok"=dword:00000002
"Cancel"=dword:00000001
"ID"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer\SystemInfo]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer\SystemInfo\QCheck]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\TetraMaster]
"LOADDIR"="C:\\Program Files\\PlayOnline\\SquareEnix\\TetraMaster\\"
Copy the following into notepad and save it as *.bat. I saved mine as ffxi_reg.bat. You will want to save it to the '\PlayOnline\SquareEnix' folder; you will see the three folders (Final Fantasy XI, PlayOnlineViewer, TetraMaster) if you're in the right spot.
FFXI_REG.BAT wrote:
FOR /R %%G IN (*.dll) DO regsvr32 /s %%G
[edit] If you are running Windows 7, you might have to disable the UAC.
[edit] The '/s' tags on the batch file are so that the prompt window didn't pop up. Having to click ok for all those *.dll files was annoying.
[edit] Once you save the two files, you'll have to run them (just double clicking them should be fine). Just having them saved on your computer doesn't make it work. Sorry about that.
That being said what I have done so far:
1: fresh 8.1 Pro instal, with the 3.5 & direct play features enabled and updated before any other updates.
--at this point POL kept saying it could not run on this operating system.
2: realized my POL was still the wrong version, and upgraded to the Windows 7 version of POL.
--at this point I can login to POL, and get to the "play" selection, but I get "Final Fantasy XI is not installed"
3: went through the registry edits, and made sure that they were all correct file paths. I have Final Fantasy installed on a SSD (D:)
--"0001"="C:\\Program Files\\PlayOnline\\SquareEnix\\FINAL FANTASY XI\\"
--"0001"="D:\\SquareEnix\\FINAL FANTASY XI\\"
POL will still not recognize that XI is installed. at this point I can't find what I'm supposed to be doing from here.