Win 7 and SE 4 launch failure FIX!

[DRUNK_N_MUNK]

I believe I have found the cause of the launch failure in SE4 with people using Windows 7. Many of you noticed a few months back your Windows 7 would no longer update; Windows Update would simply hang at SEARCHING FOR UPDATES and do nothing. You are missing files you need in order for SE 4 to launch properly. This may not be the case for all who have the issue but I'm sure this will help many of you who can not get the game to launch. If you will follow step by step and do it exactly as stated; you can get windows update working again and get the updates you need! I do not take credit for the WINDOWS UPDATE FIX; only the connection to SE 4 launch failure.



I emphasize that for this to work, you must follow exactly as this describes.

There are two main types of Windows 7 installations: 32 bit or 64 bit. You need to know what is installed in your computer. Click the Start globe, type system in the box. Choose System information in the list. The techie shorthand for 32 bit is x86 and for 64 bit is x64

Start Windows Update and change the Setting to Never check for updates. When you do leave the setting at NEVER, Windows Update will no longer be automatic. From this point onwards, you are responsible for starting and installing updates. We recommend you do that a few days following the 2nd Tuesday each month.
The process starts by ensuring that there is nothing running that will prevent the update from working properly. Click on the Start globe and type services into the text box. Click on Services in the list that pops up. In the window that then pops up (its alphabetic), find Windows Update. Right-click on it (left-click if your mouse is set for left-handers) and choose Stop.
Restart your computer.

Now, you are going to reset Windows Update components:

Start, All Programs, Accessories, Right-click on Command prompt, Choose Run as administrator, OK. Type the following in the black box:

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
pause
Exit

You are now going to download and install either one or two updates manually. In most cases only the first (KB3172605) of these is needed. If that produces a result that says the update is not appropriate for you computer, you need to first install the 2nd of these (KB3020369), then install the first (KB3172605). Choose the one that is for your machine — 32 bit (X86) or 64 bit (X64).

KB3172605:

32 bit

https://download.microsoft.com/download/C/D/5/CD5DE7B2-E857-4BD4-AA9C-6B30C3E1735A/Windows6.1-KB3172605-x86.msu

64 bit

https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/6/0/560504D4-F91A-4DEB-867F-C713F7821374/Windows6.1-KB3172605-x64.msu

KB3020369:

32 bit

https://download.microsoft.com/download/C/0/8/C0823F43-BFE9-4147-9B0A-35769CBBE6B0/Windows6.1-KB3020369-x86.msu

64 bit

https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/D/0/5D0821EB-A92D-4CA2-9020-EC41D56B074F/Windows6.1-KB3020369-x64.msu

After restarting your computer, wait about 10 minutes until Windows Update completes its tasks. Do not use the computer for any other purpose during this wait period.

Start Windows Update. It will take only a few minutes to come up with a list and download the updates you select. The process is quite normal as it always was from this point onward.

If your computer has not been updated for a long time, it may take longer.

[satar1x]

Do i need to have windows 7 original?

[DRUNK_N_MUNK]

Any version that can not update using windows update. You need to fix windows update first and get several updates before SE 4 will run.
Follow the steps and it will work.

[CloneTrooper(NL)]

Better buy windows 10. It runs good

[Razorman01]

Windows 7 from my cold dead hand you will have to pry ;) Screw W10 for gaming.

Ps Fix worked well gracias ;)

[DRUNK_N_MUNK]

Coolness!

[DiGiTaL CLeaNeR]

Just bought Sniper Elite 4 and it won't start for me on windows 10 here with a high end gaming rig. Gives me this error:

access is denied (0x5)

To fix it I went to the games directory (in your steam games library right click > choose "properties" > click the "Local Files" tab > Click Sniper Elite "browse local files") and did a search for *.exe which gave me all executables in the sniper elite 4 folder. Went to each .exe file and made them all "run as admin (Right click > properties > compatibility > tick the box "run as administrator").

I then ran "SniperElite4.exe" from inside that folder and it ran for me.

Restart windows.

Please keep in mind that my windows updates automatically. So, that said it could be a windows update that fixes this.

I however did not have to do all that crazy deleting microsoft files and downloading executables to get this to work.

[DRUNK_N_MUNK]

Easier is always better! lol Please feel free to share any bug fixes you find. We tried doing the single launcher .exe file as admin but not all the ones you did. Thanks for the info DC!