Soldier of Fortune 1 Forums 6hn3

CheaterSkeeter » 16 Dec 2020, 02:18

Hello all, kpuchatek on the GoG SoF forum posted this:

Hi,

I tried to play SoF from GOG lately under Win10 x64 (dual Intel HD and Geforce laptop) and faced similiar problems - SoF.exe is loaded, but nothing happens. Changing name to mohaa.exe or anything else did not work - LoadLibrary("defsnd") has failed error, but I started to wonder why the hell changing name of SoF exe file makes the diffrence ??? And thanks to some posts on nvidia forum I found that Windows has internal Application Compatibility Database where entires for thousands of programs are kept.
SoF.exe is also there with some magic Compatibility Fix "EmulateOpenGL", which seems to be root of the problem.
So in my case I ed program Application Compatibility Toolkit from MS website (look for latest version) and disabled Soldier of Fortune entry (removing seems to be impossible). After that - bang - games starts and everything seems to be ok. At least I can play it again.

BTW. Using above ACT app is clearly visible what a crap MS is installing as part of Win - probably they do not maintain this database which means there will be more and more problems with old apps in new Win10 updates.

So basically 'SoF.exe' has this 'compatibility fix' forced on it which breaks it. Changing its name to anything other than SoF e.g. 'mohaa' or 'blabla.exe' fixes it. A big well done to those on this forum that discovered this and have been helping others with the issue, Thank you!

Dende has managed to achieve the above steps with a registry file that removes the SoF.exe entry in the application compatibility database.

We would appreciate some / testing to prove it works for everyone

The source is below. and the .reg file inside the zip attatched. Just run the .reg file and follow the steps

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;SoF1 windows 10 fix by ~D3nd3~

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags]
"{0e923e24-980f-4300-a0b6-0f1413b15f48}"=dword:00000077

Trekker » 16 Dec 2020, 08:36

Good to see you here, did you post with your mask ON :D

Don't have a single Win10 out of 5 currently running.
Guess we have to wait for a player who has this issue. Never experienced it when I had Win10 and the mohaa fix was posted few years ago and I don't think win10 was around then or still a virgin. MS must have been slowly breaking it with updates and chit.

Don't know how many are affected out of ALL win10 s.

Made me look in Win7 Registry.

I actually been having issues with Win7 for over a year or longer.
Where I have to launch the game and wait up to a minute at times for it to start loading, if I don't want to wait, I just double launch, then remove the "smaller" "sof.exe *32" and "rundll32.exe *32".

This is the same for RTCW, doesn't bother me though.

Great find

Some links:

KB3086255

Spoiler:

https://.microsoft.com/en-ca/hel ... -component" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This guy claims even MOHAA didn't work for him!

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 781ce91a7d" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The "fix" from MS never worked for me and bastards have a "typo" in one line:

sc config secdrv start=auto

Should be:

sc config secdrv start= auto

CheaterSkeeter » 16 Dec 2020, 14:22

Hands, face, space

I notice the same problem myself, open SoF... nothing.. 2nd time lucky. Win7

Windows 10 versions here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/window ... formation/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What was tested:
Version 1909 works with SoF1 but updating to the latest 20H2 breaks it.

So the reg file definitely works for this situation. Hopefully we all share the same database, else a script 'find SoF in the database + remove' could be made

*correction - my understanding of this fix was wrong, its using the GUID of SoF.exe for the fix, which doesnt depend on the exe name or what version you're running, so im more confident in it working now

Trekker » 16 Dec 2020, 15:05

The second link goes deeper in-to DRM and NO-CD Patch.
I thought SoFPlus handles the nocd!

MS really screwed up with KB3086255/ KB2919355, mainly for proudly announcing "the side effects"
I bet the bastards stayed silent with other updates.

Uninstalling the update does nothing for me, but our issue "sounds" different form the ones that can not start at all. Different as in the proper English we speak here in Canada versus the British English minus the accent and don't get me started on French Canadian.

So far the only solution for me to "fast launch" SoF is to leave that instance of failed/ premature sof.exe and the library there and not kill them. That solution is not acceptable.

Have you confirmed if you double clicked the shortcut once and waited, it launches "eventually"? This made me look at it from a different angle, glad you confirmed I'm not alone, thank you for that.

"Warning This workaround may make a computer or a network more vulnerable to attack by malicious s or by malicious software such as viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing this information so that you can implement this workaround at your own discretion. Use this workaround at your own risk."

I was amused by the above statement, it's like Pompeo's designation and words on certain groups.

New server rules, only skins that use masks are allowed else, 14 days ban.

Trekker » 17 Dec 2020, 04:41

When I double click SoF shortcut, rundll32.exe *32 and sof.exe *32 appear in the task manager and the second rundll32.exe disappears, SoF starts to load not even giving me a chance to exit the Task Manager.

The command line is as follows: (there is key then sof.exe with process number after)

"C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe C:\Windows\System32\gameux.dll,GameUXShim"

A quote from the following link:

After much looking around for how to disable this completely superfluous function (and a braindead implementation as well, who requires connectivity to have a launcher function??!) I went ahead and just deleted the two dlls related. I can't say whether it breaks any new games but it fixed the problem with all the old ones.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 4b8849a1b3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I removed "nonetheless" from the other post, it sounded different when I was typing it.

I LOVE deleting USELESS Windows chit, but like to inspect it.

CheaterSkeeter » 17 Dec 2020, 21:27

Thanks for the info, after renaming GameUXLegacyGDFs.dll (took a while to change permissions) in my system32 folder SoF starts fine now. Its been like that for years, oh well, better late than never

Trekker » 18 Dec 2020, 01:07

I deleted both and no change for me, this time I will rename as you did.
Then try the script in the comments if renaming failed.

Can you check and see if rundll32.exe is in the task manager still? It should not be after sof.exe starts loading.

Funny thing, with the "double launch" thingy, I always went in and end process tree on that and it removed the smaller sof.exe too.
If I forget to do that and play then exit the game, the first instance of it hanging there loads after sometime, like I exit the game, walk away, come back after sometime and wonder how sof started on it's own lol.

I know, getting old.

Good that it worked for you.

Sauron » 18 Dec 2020, 20:16

Nice, hopefully this will also fix the influx of people starting a new topic with yadayada win10/7 + sof.

CheaterSkeeter » 18 Dec 2020, 22:27

Sauron wrote:Nice, hopefully this will also fix the influx of people starting a new topic with yadayada win10/7 + sof.

There should be a sticky or a bot that posts - "install SoFplus / run this patch / delete that .dll and then ask for help if that doesnt work"

ShocK » 25 Dec 2020, 11:15

CheaterSkeeter wrote:There should be a sticky

Feel free to write it

Trekker » 27 Dec 2020, 14:34

CheaterSkeeter wrote:Thanks for the info, after renaming GameUXLegacyGDFs.dll (took a while to change permissions) in my system32 folder SoF starts fine now. Its been like that for years, oh well, better late than never

Single launch for me too.

Windows 7 64bit

KB3086255 is applied

Confirmed secdrv.sys Service is stopped and Disabled (Start set to 4)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\secdrv

Both gameux.dll and GameUXLegacyGDFs.dll are in System32 Folder as they were

Removed Soldier of Fortune and RTCW from Game Explorer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameUX

Note:
I had deleted both .DLLs and later created dummy/ empty files and still had the issue.
Windows games do not run with DLLs removed, Game Explorer does not even launch.

For the ones using "Portable version" of SoF (copying SoF folder and moving it from system to system or to a new installation), this should not be an issue to begin with in Win7, haven't/ couldn't test Win10 which has a different KB and "Game Explorer".

So, for me, all I had to do was to remove SoF and RTCW from Game Explorer in the Registry as explained.

CheaterSkeeter » 27 Dec 2020, 19:17

So dende's reg patch fixes a 'crash' in Win10.

For Win7 s who have the 'double' click issue, deleting the Game*.dll ^ solved it for me (but sacrificing being able to play Windows games like checkers

). And if that doesnt work, try Trekkers fix by looking at this registry dir and sub folders (with regedit):

Code: Select all

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameUX\

And then deleting any mention of SoF right?

Trekker » 28 Dec 2020, 05:16

Windows 7 Pro does not install any games (Windows Games), Win Pro s who want to have the games, go to:

Control / Programs and Features

Left Pane, "Turn Windows features on or off"

After it loads, Games should be the first option, Check the box, all games inside should be selected.

Apply/ Save.

Not advertising MS Games but thinking for Win 7 Pro s who have not "enabled" the games, would things be the same?! I am thinking it will be but the Games Key/ Folder as in the attached image, most probably not be present or be empty.

Arguments in the Registry and SoF command line in Task Manager, points to other possible solutions but deleting them, is a lot easier.

To enable Command line in the Task Manager, Click "View" in the Menu Bar then "select Columns..." scroll down and check, "Command Line", click ok.

Keifer » 05 Jan 2021, 10:21

I copied SOF1.exe, renamed the shortcut to dgvoodoo2.exe as previously mentioned.
Works fine.

TSOM » 15 Mar 2024, 22:17

Okay... so, I did all the steps instructed in this thread:

Disabling the SoF entry in "Application Compatibility Toolkit" (both x86 and x64 versions) for Windows, applying Dende's Reg Fix and then restarting Windows 11, renaming SoF.exe to something else (in my case: "SoF_.exe" with an underscore), renaming "gameux.dll" to "gameux_off.dll" in Windows\system32\ folder and...

...SoF still doesn't successfully start on my Laptop (Win11 Enterprise + Intel Core i9-13900H processor, which is a hybrid core architecture with 6 normal cores + HT and 8 smaller cores; totalling 20 threads)! The fullscreen goes grey for a few seconds and then return (crash?) to desktop with no further response!

In my Windows graphics settings (System -> Display -> Graphics), the entry for "SoF_.exe" is already set to "High Performance"/"specific GPU" (Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU).

What now?

Trekker » 16 Mar 2024, 04:01

Can you confirm all your drivers are up-to-date, I am only asking because of Windows 11/ 10 Update that "updates" drivers? If you have that disabled, you should be okay. (many reports on winblows updates causing issues)

The name change is only for not letting Winblows using "MS DLL for legacy games" (you can try copying the SoF Directory, uninstalling SoF completely using REVO Uninstaller or something), then attempt running SoF.exe from the copied location, as in, portable. (this should eliminate some questions) Then we can focus on graphics, doubt cores have anything to do with it.

Virtual machine (not a solution for me but an option)!

Evil4N is the maker of the SoF CE, he was looking for Windows 11 testers, may be make a post:

viewtopic.php?t=4619

I think there are some players using Windows 11, hoping to hear from other players who have or at the least tried Windows 11 and SoF.

This coming Monday I will install 11 and take notes of all issues thrown at me, then we both be looking for fixes.

TSOM » 19 Mar 2024, 02:18

16 Mar 2024, 04:01 Can you confirm all your drivers are up-to-date, I am only asking because of Windows 11/ 10 Update that "updates" drivers? If you have that disabled, you should be okay. (many reports on winblows updates causing issues)

Which drivers? I didn't change my Nvidia GeForce driver since September 2023, shortly after I newly bought my still new ASUS Zenbook laptop and installed a ForceWare driver I specifically selected myself (FW version 532.03 WHQL) after cleanly reinstalling Windows 11 and installing all drivers ASUS provided for that device model. The Intel Iris Xe driver is also the default one provided by ASUS, not Intel directly (version 31.0.101.4255 WHQL).

I think, I did disable (and double-check) Windows automatic driver installation, but I cannot recall anymore, so I'm not sure. I have not updated/installed any new driver since. HOWEVER, certain drivers (mostly Realtek/Audio drivers) are automatically updated by Windows Update regularly and among the since-then updated/installed drivers is 1 Intel driver ("Intel Corporation - Extension - 1.0.3045.0") and 1 ASUS driver ("ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. - Extension - 1.0.14.0") - and that's it!

16 Mar 2024, 04:01 The name change is only for not letting Winblows using "MS DLL for legacy games" (you can try copying the SoF Directory, uninstalling SoF completely using REVO Uninstaller or something), then attempt running SoF.exe from the copied location, as in, portable. (this should eliminate some questions) Then we can focus on graphics, doubt cores have anything to do with it.

I don't think my case/issue has anything to do with that (see below), but I may try it out within the next few days or hours

16 Mar 2024, 04:01 Virtual machine (not a solution for me but an option)!

VM would mean, I cannot use either graphics device (Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 *or* Intel Iris Xe Graphics) natively but only emulated - which would mean NO native hardware rendering but software emulation only, right?

viewtopic.php?t=4619

I think there are some players using Windows 11, hoping to hear from other players who have or at the least tried Windows 11 and SoF.

I've been in touch with "TheDankNarwhal" on SoF1.org Discord channel and together, we've tried to fix my issue for hours - unfortunately, to no avail BUT with a "new" insight (at least *for me*, it wasn't new because I already suspected it from the beginning

) in the course of the analysis: my Windows graphics scaling settings *might* be the cause, since my laptop's native resolution is 2880x1800 on just a tiny 14" display, so I've set font scaling to "150%". Setting it back to 100% occasionally (!) enables me to successfully launch SoF, but just the very next launch attempt, the issue occurs again despite the font scaling still @ 100% - it's weird!

I'll probably report this to Evil4N in the topic You've linked in Your posting!

T.S.O.M.

Evil4N » 19 Mar 2024, 17:46

I already said to put the scaling on 100% when I released SoF CE 7.0 viewtopic.php?p=45098#p45098

I use windows 11 myself. Did you used the dende-fix previously on your windows ? I hope not for u.
Also this is more a laptop issue, there is a difference between the laptop's realistic resolution and the resolution that windows prefers on your laptop. SoF only detects one of them, not both.

What you need to do is, find out your real laptop resolution (not the one that is d by the laptop company: "our laptops are always 1920x1080 !") and use it as your windows screen resolution.

...when you change the resolution through Display settings you will notice that whilst the resolution has changed, the monitor OSD still states that it is receiving a video signal at its native resolution.This is because Windows will scale the image to the new resolution instead of physically changing the resolution. To force a physical mode change, you either need to edit the monitor advanced settings, or logoff, or reboot your machine.

TSOM » 20 Mar 2024, 21:19

viewtopic.php?p=45098#p45098

I had not yet read that... so, it's impossible to get the game to properly run WITHOUT font scaling? My laptop is only 14" but a giant 2800x1800 native resolution - so with 100% scaling, even for my personal standards the fonts and symbols become too tiny (and I am already preferring a tiny size with 150% scaling compared to the average !).

19 Mar 2024, 17:46 I use windows 11 myself. Did you used the dende-fix previously on your windows ?I hope not for u.

Yes, I did that a few days ago, because I was instructed to do so in the other thread...

19 Mar 2024, 17:46 Also this is more a laptop issue, there is a difference between the laptop's realistic resolution and the resolution that windows prefers on your laptop. SoF only detects one of them, not both.

What you need to do is, find out your real laptop resolution (not the one that is d by the laptop company: "our laptops are always 1920x1080 !") and use it as your windows screen resolution.

Like said above, the native resolution of my laptop (OLED) is 2880x1800 - or why should it (by default) run on anything else than native resolution!? Can AIDA64 detect the "true" currently active resolution or whatever You mean with it?

...when you change the resolution through Display settings you will notice that whilst the resolution has changed, the monitor OSD still states that it is receiving a video signal at its native resolution.This is because Windows will scale the image to the new resolution instead of physically changing the resolution. To force a physical mode change, you either need to edit the monitor advanced settings, or logoff, or reboot your machine.

Here's a screenshot:

T.S.O.M.

Evil4N » 21 Mar 2024, 01:43

20 Mar 2024, 21:19 Yes, I did that a few days ago, because I was instructed to do so in the other thread...

Then I won't help you. "TheDankNarwhal" should have the same knowledge by now as I have on this issue. Ask him.

Soldier of Fortune 1 Forums 6hn3

Soldier of Fortune 1 Forums 6hn3

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