Easy Max Payne fix for Win 8 (Win 7)

Here is an easy solution for Max Payne 1 and Max Payne 2 working for me.

Intro

Here is an easy solution for Max Payne 1 and Max Payne 2 working for me. I tried a few of the solutions available on the forums etc. and finally the most unlikely one, at first glance, worked! So this solution is NOT originally mine, just a little bit modified and simplified.
Please add your specks in the comments if it worked for you.

My specs

OS: Windows 8 Pro 64bit
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4
RAM: 8 GiB DDR3
GPU: AMD Radeon HD 7870
Driver: Catalyst 13.11, Catalyst 13.12
Native resolution: 1920x1080x32

Occurring errors

a) Starting the game just after installing it results in Steam indicating “XY In-Game Max Payne” and a process “Max Payne.exe” in Task Manager but the game launcher doesn’t pop up

b) Without changing the folder name an error pops out: “Exception in startuplnit: Directory \data not found”.



c) With anti-aliasing enabled an error occurs.

Solution for MP1

1) Download the game via Steam.
2) Go to the game directory (e.g. “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common”).
3) Rename the “max payne” folder to “maxpayne” (without the space).
4) Make a shortcut of “maxpayne.exe” on your desktop (or in the game folder).
5) Right click the shortcut/select Properties/Compatibility tab/select Run this program in Compatibility mode for: choose Windows 98 / Windows ME and click OK.



6) Run the game by the shortcut.
7) The game launcher should appear after approximately 5 seconds.
NOTE: the only resolution that was scaled properly on my monitor was 1440x900.



BUT anti-aliasing must be turned off!



Voluntary steps:
8) Go to steam click on “Add a non-steam game” (on bottom left), search for the shortcut made in step 4) and Add the game
9) Run the game from the new shortcut in Steam – the playtime hours will be recorded normally

Solution for MP2

Solution for Max Payne 2 is exactly the same but it will work correctly with 1920x1080 resolution.

Every suggestion and thanks appreciated.

Other tips

If you have no sound try out this guide (I had no sound issues so not tested by me):
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=848215

For resolution fix try this guide (not tested by me):
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=139582908

[GuyWithJeep]

Thanks!

[ITF1973]

My Win7_64bit OS will not work with this fix. Anyone have the link for a fix.?.

[Space Coward]

This might not work for everyone. There's a variety of issues with this game, especially on Windows 7+ and specifically AMD graphics cards.

If you check the PCGamingWiki article for Max Payne 1, you can still use Anti-Aliasing in this game if you make some tweaks to the game files. The game directory can't take Spaces, so if you change the Max Payne folder to instead be MaxPayne and make the same change with a text editor to appmanifest_12140 in the main Steamapps folder (then restart Steam), it'll work just fine.

After doing that and setting the game to Windows 98 compatibility mode, it's working like a charm at max settings, 1440x1080, and 8x MSAA on the highest settings with my AMD R9 280.

[KIM HYUNMOO]

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Are you a tree ? CS.PRO]

Hey steam it wont work help me plz

[PNTKTSCH]

TY

[dess]

Tnanx for the guide.

Worked for MP1, but not for MP2.

The steps for Max Payne 2 that worked for me was:
* Rename directory to remove spaces
* Update installdir value from file SteamApps\appmanifest_12150.acf to new directory name

And MP2 still doesn't support widescreen, so it definitely does not "will work correctly with 1920x1080 resolution" - 4:3 resolutions only.

[ThatFreakingCat]

Same error. It really likes Steam.

[Mrkvus]

And what happens when you start the exe from the directory?

[ThatFreakingCat]

Nah, got the same error after running that.