Games for Windows - LIVE Save Data

[evo]

Hello, I'm looking for help with a problem that appeared after the "Complete Edition Update" last year.

So, I had the game installed before the big update, and I had also installed some mods, including manual texture swapping trough some tools. It took me a whole day to get those textures, but it was really worth it. Despite having beat the game I always come back to appreciate it for what it is.

Now let's talk about the problem, when I launch the game via Steam it opens up the Rockstar Launcher, then a message pops up saying: "Your Social Club profile has no save data on disk for Grand Theft Auto IV. Would you like to scan your computer for existing save data from Games for Windows - LIVE?", if I click "ok" another message pops up: "We could not find any existing Games for Windows - LIVE save data for Grand Theft Auto IV.". Then the white button inside Rockstar launcher changes to "Loading..." then abruptly goes to "Quitting" and then to "Play on Steam" again, as if I had closed the game.

I never did any save overwriting or swapping, so I'm really clueless as to why this is happening, mods can cause weird behavior to games, especially after updates, but this error seems to be linked to the Rockstar launcher integration, because it is not finding my save.

The worst thing is that the game doesn't even launch, I can't even get to the menus and there isn't even a black screen popping up, it literally just doesn't even open, I've never heard of a game not even launching because it didn't find a save. At this point I don't care about my save, I just want to be able to play the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ thing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if anyone has a fix for this I'll be really grateful.

[Yujah]

Upon not finding "The Complete Edition" configuration/savegames in %userprofile%\Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\<some rgsc id>\ indeed the game/launcher offers to import possibly present old GFWL savegames (which are / used to be in %localappdata%\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\savegames\user_<some gfwl id>\) but should do so only once, whether anything was in fact imported or not.

I.e., the title is likely not fully relevant here: appears you are one of a few reports of the game/launcher not being able to write to that Documents location. I've tried to assist with a few such reports but haven't seen the issue resolved due to those attempts. My suggestion was/is to create a new local and administrator level Windows account for testing, i.e., a new %userprofile%, to see if starting the game from that account works. If so it would be indicated that something's wrong with your regular Windows user's %userprofile% or %userprofile%\Documents folder and/or user-level settings.

That suggestion wasn't reported back on though and the only time I did see the issue resolved was through someone saying he just fully reinstalled Windows. Seeing as how you are not alone with this, and as how Rockstar's issue here seems to go hand in hand with the game Mount & Blade having the very same issue, seems something / someone should be able to pinpoint this further but I'm personally other than for one legacy gaming system not a Windows user and can not do so myself.

If you are unable to debug something wrong with your %userprofile% and/or Documents folder yourself (as said, first of all by trying it under a new, local Windows administrator-level user account) the lame suggestion then is to try and reinstall your system...

[ns_robot]

This does not make any sense, IF GFWL is dead how can we keep getting this question - Would you like to scan your computer for existing save data from Games for Windows - LIVE?" I have the same problem, I can't save the game manualy when I go to the safehouse and autosave is broken, it fails to save everytime. If Rockstar doesen't care anymore for this game, then I want a full refund!

[Yujah]

Originally posted by 76561198161394184:

This does not make any sense, IF GFWL is dead how can we keep getting this question

It on the contrary makes perfect sense. GFWL is first of all not (yet) dead for existing games but that's not even relevant here, since second of all existing GFWL savegames are searched for simply on your own system in the location given. Third and most importantly, and as also said, GFWL is a mere red herring; the issue seemingly is just the new location for the savegames for some or other reason not being writable by the game/launcher.

If you'd like an attempt at debugging/solving please read my above reply and try it with a different, local administrator-level Windows user account.

[ns_robot]

Tnx a lot man, it worked! :D Cheers!!!

[Yujah]

Thanks for reporting. For the sake of others: I suppose that "it" in this case is starting the game from a new Windows user account (i.e., rather than a full reinstall of Windows)?

If so I would personally feel it unacceptable that my regular Windows users acount had apparently been damaged badly enough so as to cause this issue, and would try to further pinpoint it to repair things there... but, well, yes, am as said not a Windows user and other than checking general folder rights issues, not many ideas as to how to do that, so I guess I'll leave that up to your own judgement..

But then, so that others with the same problem know: starting it from a new Windows user account was the thing that worked?

[ns_robot]

Yes, starting the game from a new Windows user account enabled autosaving and regular saving. Also, I have no issues with the loading.

[Yujah]

Thanks again. That confirms at least the nature of the problem, and will be something to point others to.

[evo]

Originally posted by Yujah:

Thanks again. That confirms at least the nature of the problem, and will be something to point others to.

Thanks Yujah for all your support. I haven't tested yet with a different user due to time constraints. I tried simply turning my account a "local" account, AKA offiline account, without success, as to be expected I guess, since it's the same user.

One thing that I think may be causing this issue is the fact that I moved the default "Documents" folder to a different drive other than the system drive, I think Rockstar Games launcher is having trouble to find the saves because of that, I tried to create a link in the default "Documents" location to my actual "Documents" location, but that failed aswell.

The thing that bugs me, and you may know why, is why the game doesnt't even start? I mean, save files aren't exactly necessary for a game to work right? Why doesn't the game start with a fresh save file in the correct folder?

I am glad at least that we helped our friend ns_robot with this thread, when I have some spare time I will give your method (different user launch) a try and see if it works.

But as I said, thanks for your knowledge.

[Yujah]

Although certainly moving your user's Documents folder elsewhere sounds suspicious I sort of doubt that the since I have been paying attention here 4 or 5 people that reported this issue would've all done so, moreover with none of them upto now noting they did. Not too sure that is, doubly since your own link solution would've in that case certainly been a likely solution/workaround.

As to why the game doesn't start at all I can't say to have many insights, but would feel this to be an outright launcher or game bug. It is the case it seems that besides savegames e.g. %userprofile%\Documents\GTA IV\ControlMap.dat is written to each time; inability to do so could be serious, even though clearly there should then be a message rather than a simple "crash".

Anyways. Hope the above turns out useful also in your case.

[AJIN]

Originally posted by evo:

Hello, I'm looking for help with a problem that appeared after the "Complete Edition Update" last year.

So, I had the game installed before the big update, and I had also installed some mods, including manual texture swapping trough some tools. It took me a whole day to get those textures, but it was really worth it. Despite having beat the game I always come back to appreciate it for what it is.

Now let's talk about the problem, when I launch the game via Steam it opens up the Rockstar Launcher, then a message pops up saying: "Your Social Club profile has no save data on disk for Grand Theft Auto IV. Would you like to scan your computer for existing save data from Games for Windows - LIVE?", if I click "ok" another message pops up: "We could not find any existing Games for Windows - LIVE save data for Grand Theft Auto IV.". Then the white button inside Rockstar launcher changes to "Loading..." then abruptly goes to "Quitting" and then to "Play on Steam" again, as if I had closed the game.

I never did any save overwriting or swapping, so I'm really clueless as to why this is happening, mods can cause weird behavior to games, especially after updates, but this error seems to be linked to the Rockstar launcher integration, because it is not finding my save.

The worst thing is that the game doesn't even launch, I can't even get to the menus and there isn't even a black screen popping up, it literally just doesn't even open, I've never heard of a game not even launching because it didn't find a save. At this point I don't care about my save, I just want to be able to play the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ thing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if anyone has a fix for this I'll be really grateful. :cleanseal:

i have the same problems

[Yujah]

Originally posted by bcg2270:

i have the same problems

Inability to save (of which the misleading "GFWL" message is a symptom as per reply #1) has been since identified as probably OneDrive; maybe Windows Defender's "controlled folder access". Please see

https://steamcommunity.com/app/12210/discussions/0/4353373425698284972/