Finally we can install and play Dirt 2 without installing GFWL.

[The Hoff]

Download Dirt 2 (don't start the game yet or it will install GFWL).
First delete the GFWL folder (in the "redist" folder wherever your Dirt 2 install is.
Goto http://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Bulletstorm
Download the "xlive.dll" file from this page and drop into your Dirt 2 folder.
Then start Dirt 2 and it will install and play as though GFWL was never a part of it. You can save your games locally too :)

[Cyberbrickmaster86]

It worked the first time but after playing again, it froze after checking for downloadable content after passing the start menu. The audio was still playing, but nothing was happening. I tried to end the process, but opening the taskbar menu just led me to a blank screen. So I had no choice but to reset the computer to take me back to the desktop. This method is not enough to get the game working properly. I think I'll just have to stick with the old method.

[Cyberbrickmaster86]

Nevermind. I uninstalled Games for Windows and run the game through the executable and it works again. Must of been some sort of technical hiccup, I guess.

[Medicated_OMO]

Sometimes it acts like i don't exist too.

[Monster]

No difference at all, still comes up with 'required security module cannot be activated' & '8016'. Followed your instructions to the letter & watched it done on YT. I didn't restart the PC after making the changes. First start was via the Steam Library play hotkey then second attempt via Administrator launching the exe file = same result.

It's Steam downloaded onto my F drive, could this cause a GFWL file to be located elsewhere in C drive that should have also been removed before first start attempt?

My OS is Win7 x64, two HD being C with Win OS plus some games & F with all my game files that I can custom load.

[Medicated_OMO]

Install Win 10 using your & key and ill help you step by step. Last time i touched Win 7 was to activate 10 with it's key over 10 times for people. Works fine for me. But then my email activates my Win 10 installs. Long time tester. Also i have games in several drives with no troubles.

[Monster]

Hi Med1cated, thank you for your offer of assistance. Win10 will be some time away for me yet on my main PC. I'm one of those Win7 holding-on to the last. I'll download the game onto another machine already with Win10 & test it. Will come knocking if needed after that. Thanks :)

[DasGrischa]

Dude, this works still in 2019 :D

WTF! Thanks a lot! :)

[The Hoff]

DasGrischa původně napsal:

Dude, this works still in 2019 :D

WTF! Thanks a lot! :)

Nice to hear this is still working and being used :)

[GTG]

Someone needs to "fix" this so that we can use without GFWL and can still play multiplayer online or at the very least LAN.

[Medicated_OMO]

Steam could host it again, but the music is old enough the artists are famous now and want their percentage when you hear their music. The Dirt 2 soundtrack is on Spotify btw.

[PeReC]

Thank you!

[spicygamethunder]

This is one fix, but there are other issues that people run into with GFWL. I'm trying to centralize all fixes for GFWL games on Steam. You can find information on that in my guide below.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1904482007

If anyone has any other confirmed additional fixes that doesn't crack or remove GFWL, feel free to share.

[Felix Band]

In the file 'xlive.ini' you can change Online to true, but it still doesn't work though.

[FEBTOBER83]

I had to do a fresh Windows 10 install because the boot sectory on my 6 year old Windows 8.1 install got corrupt and couldn't be rebuilt no matter what methods I tried.

This method works! The problem, as others have stated, is my save is corrupt. I'm not playing through the whole game again to unlock the faster cars. I only played Dirt 2 about once a month with my Fanatec wheel pedal shifter ebrake setup (love drifting around corners!).

Can someone please host a save file where everything's unlocked so I can still enjoy using the faster cars everytime I want to set the wheel rig up?

[davisco]

So happy this (very easy) workaround works!
Finally I can play this game again... Thank you:)