Windows
Developers | |
---|---|
Microsoft | |
Release dates | |
Windows | November 20, 1985 |
Microsoft Windows is a popular family of operating systems.
General
Command Prompt
The Command Prompt is the command-line interpreter provided by Microsoft for Windows systems and is the not-as-powerful equivalent of the shell in Linux and Mac OS. It can be accessed by going to 'run' and typing 'cmd.exe' or by running a 'Batch file'.
Admin Command Prompt
Windows 8 and later |
---|
|
Task Manager
The Task Manager is an application built into Windows that allows for the managing running processes as-well as providing information about computer performance. It can be accessed by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete and choosing Task Manager or you can press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Esc to open it directly.
Device Manager
The Device Manager is an application built into Windows that allows for the management of device drivers. It can be accessed from the Control Panel.
Registry Editor
The Registry Editor allows users to edit the Windows registry. It can be accessed by going to 'run' and typing 'Regedit.exe'.
Basic Editing |
---|
|
Advanced Search |
---|
Notes
|
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)
A Blue Screen of Death (a.k.a BSOD or Bluescreen) is an error screen that Windows produces when it encounters an error that it cannot recover from.
DirectX
DirectX is a collection of APIs for Windows that allows programs to interact directly with hardware.
.NET Framework
The .NET Framework is a software framework for Windows that is required for games built in .NET-aware languages (such as C# or Visual Basic), including those that use XNA. Different games may require different versions of .NET Framework. A list with download links to all versions may be found on MSDN. Windows 8 and 10 users may want to read this.
DLLs
DLL stands for "Dynamic Link Library". DLL files (.dll) are Windows exclusive library files containing code and data that can be used over several applications.
While they can save time for developers, these files can cause problems for the end-user (commonly referred to as "DLL Hell").
Issues unresolved
SafeDisc protection doesn't work with Windows 10
Previous Windows of versions included a compatible version of secdrv.sys
for the Macrovision safedisc DRM, but Windows 10 does not, rendering games requiring SafeDisc unplayable. According to a Microsoft representative "Safedisc is not supported on Windows 10" and people will have to wait for Macrovision to come out with an updated secdrv.sys.[1]
Screen recorders, overlays, injectors won't work with Windows Apps
See Windows Store article for this and other Windows Apps related issues.
Issues fixed
Alt F4 doesn't terminate freezed applications
Use SuperF4 |
---|
Older Games Missing .dll File on Windows Vista and later
- Some .dll files have different names on Windows Vista and later.
Copy DLL to folder |
---|
|
Older games refuse to start on Windows 8 and later
Install DirectPlay |
---|
Note: Normally Windows 8+ automatically detects if an application needs DirectPlay or other legacy components when it launches and prompts the user to install DirectPlay, but this requires a certain combination of services to be active such as the Diagnostic Policy Service which are sometimes disabled by the user. |
Force CPU affinity
Provisional solution: Task manager |
---|
|
Permanent solution: customized shortcut |
---|
Notes
|
Permanent solution: flag game executable |
---|
Notes
|
Use PsExec |
---|
Notes
|
Use RunFirst |
---|
Notes
|
4-Gigabyte Tuning
Windows XP and Server 2003 (x86 only): edit boot configuration file[2] |
---|
|
Windows Vista and later (x86 only): edit boot configuration database[3] |
---|
Notes |
Force IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE flag in executables |
---|
Notes
|
Shoddy coded applications mess system-wide registry setting
Edit key ACL |
---|
Notes
|
Codec hell
Reset DirectShow filters |
---|
Notes
|
Missing codecs
Install ffdshow[7] |
---|
|
QuickTime for Windows is no more[citation needed] |
---|
|
Game files missing after upgrading or refreshing Windows
- Upgrading or refreshing your Windows installation will move some files and folders to a
Windows.old
folder on the system drive.
Retrieve files from windows.old[8] |
---|
|
Non-unicode applications
- This is most commonly issue with Japanese games and visual novels. Games may work directly, but usually there may be scrambled text, bugs, game won't start or refuses to even install.
- Easiest way to fix issues is to set Windows non-unicode language to language game origins from, but in some scenarios it may introduce unwanted changes in other programs, especially if OS language is other than English. This includes some basic characters being incorrectly replaced, programs defaulting to set non-unicode language and other programs suddenly not being able to launch or crash.
- AppLocale runs the application with same effect without effecting system.
Use Microsoft AppLocale |
---|
|
Change non-unicode language[9] |
---|
|
IPX protocol deprecated
- IPX was a LAN protocol commonly used with older programs, especially games. Unfortunately it was removed entirely from Vista and later with no indication of returning.
Try a wrapper[citation needed] |
---|
Try one of the following:
|
Copy support files from Windows XP[10] |
---|
What you need: a working installation of Windows XP sp2. Step 1. Ctrate a new folder c:\temp Step 2. Copy the following files to the directory c:\temp *and* to the corrsponding vista directories: Note: You might need to open up an "elevated" command prompt, "run as administrator", (to get write access to directories). Windows\System32\drivers\nwlnkipx.sys Windows\System32\drivers\nwlnkflt.sys Windows\System32\drivers\nwlnkfwd.sys Windows\System32\drivers\nwlnknb.sys Windows\System32\drivers\nwlnkspx.sys Windows\System32\rtipxmib.dll Windows\System32\wshisn.dll Windows\System32\nwprovau.dll Windows\inf\netnwlnk.inf (*) Windows\inf\netnwlnk.pnf (*) (*) The directory "inf" is hidden Step 3. Go to "manage network connection" (in control panel-> network). Right click your LAN adapter connection, click "install", "protocol", "Add", Do not select the IPX that is already in the list, be sure to select "have disk". Navigate to "c:\temp" and select file "netnwlnk.inf", now select "WLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS". You will get a warning it's not verifyable, install anyway (or not..). If you get an error message about a missing module, you forgot to copy the above files to the windows 7 directories. Step 4. Reboot computer.
|
Lowered volume when using background Metro/UWP apps
Instructions[citation needed] |
---|
|
DOS compatibility (32-bit Windows only)
In the transition from Windows 9x to NT based versions, DOS compatibility was temporarily maintained, at least for 32-bit editions. For modern versions of Windows, we recommend you use DOSBox.
If you're having trouble getting DOS games to run on older versions of NT (XP & 2000) checkout The Sierra Help Pages.
Other information
Running previous Windows versions bundled games on newer ones
Game Bar
See Game Bar.
Speed up loading of web pages in Windows
- Windows ships with Automatically detect settings enabled by default for compatibility reasons. This option allows automatic configuration of Internet connectivity in networks that supports it by using the DNS or DHCP services of the network. However support for this type of automatic configuration is almost only found within corporate or academic networks, and the feature is as such not usually required for home or small network users.
- The feature have in some instances been found to add noticeable delays when loading content from the Internet, and is therefor recommended to be disabled unless the network requires it.
- Disabling this feature affects all applications that relies on the internal IE subsystem of Windows, such as Google Chrome, Steam, and more.
Instructions[11] |
---|
Notes
|
References
- ↑ Microsoft Community Forums :: Age of Mythology - Windows 10
- ↑ /3GB (Windows Drivers) - Microsoft Developer Network
- ↑ BCDEdit /set (Windows Drivers) - Microsoft Developer Network
- ↑ The oft-misunderstood /3GB switch – The Old New Thing
- ↑ Kernel address space consequences of the /3GB switch – The Old New Thing
- ↑ Windows Vista File and Registry Virtualisation – Richard's Weblog
- ↑ Tomb Raider 6 Modding Thread - www.tombraiderforums.com
- ↑ Retrieve files from the Windows.old folder - Microsoft Windows Help
- ↑ Change the system locale - Windows Help
- ↑ https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/82727f50-9e1b-4fcf-8a38-e45567938ec4/ipx-on-windows-7?forum=w7itpronetworking
- ↑ Reddit Gaming Subreddit - Make Big Picture Quicker