Windows 10, launcher not working

[The Bearded Nun]

So I upgraded to windows 10 awhile ago and promptly after doing so, every time I attempt to launch the game through steam, I hit play and the launcher closes with nothing else happening.

Ive been attempting on my own for months to fix this with no luck, Ive only managed to play again because I'm using the launcher from frontier's website.

It's now an issue because THAT launcher is now refusing to update...

Does anyone know a fix that works or have any ideas WHY it does this?

[Laurreth]

Reinstalling .Net through Windows components should fix it.

[funkynutz]

Windows upgrade woes lol. I take it you didn't do a clean install after the upgrade?

If Shadow's advice doesn't work:

First, use DDU in safe mode to wipe your graphics drivers, and block windows from updating them (it buggers it up more times than not). Reboot to normal, and install the latest graphics drivers (available at guru3d or nvidia/amd). DON'T let windows do it for you! (It doesn't actually sound like a driver issue if I'm being honest, but it's quicker than the next option):

If that doesn't fix it, clean install time... Try using the "Reset this PC" option in settings>recovery first (works most of the time), as that option allows you to keep your files (and save a butt load of time).

[Laurreth]

Originally posted by Funkynutz:

Try using the "Reset this PC" option in settings>recovery first (works most of the time), as that option allows you to keep your files (and save a butt load of time).

Uh... the "reset" option is just that. It resets the machine to a clean install with nothing on it. Maybe nuke from orbit should be further down the list :-D

[The Bearded Nun]

So Im attempting to re-install the framework, which of course, claims to be still installed even after I removed it from the programs list.

And also of course, it wont let me just repair the installation.

Is there a way to just repair the installation?

I've dug around in the components and services and found nothing.

It should be further noted, Ive managed to get the OFFICIAL launcher working. I had to run it as administrator.

Given that information, what's stopping the STEAM version from launching? Ive launched the steam client as an administrator with no change.

[Laurreth]

Ooooh right, there was that, yes, Steam somehow managed to break things for some people, thought that had been fixed since.

Check this: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355566-Can-t-launch-Elite?p=5578778&viewfull=1#post5578778

[funkynutz]

Originally posted by Shadowdancer:

Uh... the "reset" option is just that. It resets the machine to a clean install with nothing on it. Maybe nuke from orbit should be further down the list :-D

Why don't you go and read the description?

Come back once you know what you're talking about.

Reset this PC
If your PC isn't running well, resetting it might help. This lets you choose to keep your files or remove them, then reinstalls Windows

And no. If he's done an upgrade from 7 or 8 to 10, and he's not done a clean install since: The nuclear option should be a priority. Except it's not even a nuclear option, as you can keep your files... Keep up, and stop spouting bovine excrement...

[Laurreth]

Crap, blocking doesn't shut people up on the forums.

[funkynutz]

Originally posted by Shadowdancer:

Crap, blocking doesn't shut people up on the forums.

You want to block me because you were wrong? lol

[Ildryn]

Originally posted by Funkynutz:

Originally posted by Shadowdancer:

Crap, blocking doesn't shut people up on the forums.

You want to block me because you were wrong? lol

Safe Space 101

[The Bearded Nun]

So Ive continued to try solutions on here and other forums. No good. I've re-installed framework (at least I think I did, turned it on and off in the registry as per frontier's site), Ive replaced the launch file with the up to date launcher, verified the file cache, nothing. Steam and Frontier development are both shrugging and pointing fingers at the other one.

And yeah no, Im not doing a reset for this game. No matter how much I enjoy it.

Im starting to lose my mind. If I run the non-steam version as an administrator, it launches FINE. But the steam version simply doesnt, not with anti-virus turned off. Not with steam launched as an administrator, not with C++ or the framework updated, nothing.

[The Bearded Nun]

note, I just launched steam as an administrator, browsed local game files, found the launcher and checked "Launch as administrator" under compatibility. Still wont launch through steam...

[funkynutz]

Originally posted by The Bearded Nun:

So Im attempting to re-install the framework, which of course, claims to be still installed even after I removed it from the programs list.

This tells me your registry is slightly borked. If you did do the upgrade to win 10 from an existing install of 7/8, that would explain a few things. Resetting it takes about 15 minutes (assuming you're on an ssd), and will probably fix the problem...

Given that information, what's stopping the STEAM version from launching? Ive launched the steam client as an administrator with no change.

Have you tried simply reinstalling steam? You can do it WITHOUT deleting your games...

Go into your steam folder, delete everything except the steamapps folder (where your games are), the user data folder, and the steam.exe. Run the exe, it will redownload what it needs...

You shouldn't run steam as admin (steam's own advice), and ED doesn't need to run as admin (unless your operating system isn't running properly).

[The Bearded Nun]

Originally posted by Funkynutz:

Originally posted by The Bearded Nun:

So Im attempting to re-install the framework, which of course, claims to be still installed even after I removed it from the programs list.

This tells me your registry is slightly borked. If you did do the upgrade to win 10 from an existing install of 7/8, that would explain a few things. Resetting it takes about 15 minutes (assuming you're on an ssd), and will probably fix the problem...

Given that information, what's stopping the STEAM version from launching? Ive launched the steam client as an administrator with no change.

Have you tried simply reinstalling steam? You can do it WITHOUT deleting your games...

Go into your steam folder, delete everything except the steamapps folder (where your games are), the user data folder, and the steam.exe. Run the exe, it will redownload what it needs...

You shouldn't run steam as admin (steam's own advice), and ED doesn't need to run as admin (unless your operating system isn't running properly).

That's the thing, it WON'T launch from the official non-steam launcher unless I run it as an administrator. I'm attempting the re-install steam option now, but my contention for the reset is that I would be formatting away ALL my data and spending DAYS re-installing and rebuilding my PC. Simply not worth it.

[funkynutz]

You would NOT be formatting all your data. The reset option in windows 10 gives you the option to "keep your files":

https://s4.postimg.org/hepkr9qm5/resetwindows.jpg

It's actually advisable to do it immediately after upgrading from the old version of windows... But I'm guessing that boat sailed months ago... Windows upgrade is a digitally messy process. You'll have system files that are write protected that shouldn't be, you'll have files left over from the old version of windows, you'll have obsolete registry entries, you'll have software that won't uninstall properly (as you've already discovered)...

It's literally 15 minutes (maybe 45 if you've not got an ssd). Yes a few programs will need to be reinstalled, but they'll still be on your PC because you choose to keep your files. You'll run your shortcut, a few moments later the program will be reinstalled and work...

I'm not saying it to be a ♥♥♥♥. I'm saying it because it works...

Only problem I've ever had with it is windows installing rubbish graphics drivers afterwards... (DDU in safe mode, remove rubbish drivers, reboot, install latest drivers).

Alternatively, you could try to fix it manually. That will probably take days, and isn't recomended for the average user (messing around in regedit is bad if you don't know what you're doing); if you bugger it up you'll end up having to reinstall anyway...

But hopefully reinstalling steam will fix the game launching problem for you. Worry about the rest of it when you find the next thing that won't work... Like properly reinstalling the .net framework.

[The Bearded Nun]

Originally posted by Funkynutz:

You would NOT be formatting all your data. The reset option in windows 10 gives you the option to "keep your files":

https://s4.postimg.org/hepkr9qm5/resetwindows.jpg

It's actually advisable to do it immediately after upgrading from the old version of windows... But I'm guessing that boat sailed months ago... Windows upgrade is a digitally messy process. You'll have system files that are write protected that shouldn't be, you'll have files left over from the old version of windows, you'll have obsolete registry entries, you'll have software that won't uninstall properly (as you've already discovered)...

It's literally 15 minutes (maybe 45 if you've not got an ssd). Yes a few programs will need to be reinstalled, but they'll still be on your PC because you choose to keep your files. You'll run your shortcut, a few moments later the program will be reinstalled and work...

I'm not saying it to be a ♥♥♥♥. I'm saying it because it works...

Only problem I've ever had with it is windows installing rubbish graphics drivers afterwards... (DDU in safe mode, remove rubbish drivers, reboot, install latest drivers).

Alternatively, you could try to fix it manually. That will probably take days, and isn't recomended for the average user (messing around in regedit is bad if you don't know what you're doing); if you bugger it up you'll end up having to reinstall anyway...

Hm, alright, it's worth a shot. I'll look into trying that now. Re-installing steam accomplished nothing.

And this point I'd thank someone for walking in and pistol whipping me if it solved this nonsense.