M1 Mac running Windows 10 pre-release on parallels - Steam won't go online and pages show as blank

[Pioneer187]

I have a 2021 MacBook Pro with M1 processor and I'm running a Windows 10 pre-release using parallels - Steam won't go online and pages (such as library or store) show as blank white screens. Is there something I can change to fix this or is it up to steam to release a patch?

[ReBoot]

For starters, switch from Windows pre-release to Windows official release, see how things work there. Stuff not working on pre-releases isn't a reason for patching said stuff.

[Satoru]

steam isnt going to release a fix for emulated x86 on ARM

[Bee🐝]

You could also try the tips listed in the Mac discussion section for this, but Satoru has a point...this is just one of those things when you hit the Mac/Steam barrier.

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/2/

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Bee:

You could also try the tips listed in the Mac discussion section for this, but Satoru has a point...this is just one of those things when you hit the Mac/Steam barrier.

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/2/

... or rather the Mac-barrier. Every single games released prior to the switch is potentially affected, with every 32-bit-game being killed by Apple a few weeks ago.

[Bee🐝]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Originally posted by Bee:

You could also try the tips listed in the Mac discussion section for this, but Satoru has a point...this is just one of those things when you hit the Mac/Steam barrier.

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/2/

... or rather the Mac-barrier. Every single games released prior to the switch is potentially affected, with every 32-bit-game being killed by Apple a few weeks ago.

Well yes, but my SO is a life-long Mac user so I like to break the news gently.

Although it might not be an issue soon; we just can't justify paying €1,399.00 for a pretty laptop.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Bee:

Originally posted by ReBoot:

... or rather the Mac-barrier. Every single games released prior to the switch is potentially affected, with every 32-bit-game being killed by Apple a few weeks ago.

Well yes, but my SO is a life-long Mac user so I like to break the news gently.

Although it might not be an issue soon; we just can't justify paying €1,399.00 for a pretty laptop.

You don't need to. A gaming-grade PC (meaning it'll also get work done if that's important) clocks in @ about 700€.

[Bee🐝]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Originally posted by Bee:

Well yes, but my SO is a life-long Mac user so I like to break the news gently.

Although it might not be an issue soon; we just can't justify paying €1,399.00 for a pretty laptop.

You don't need to. A gaming-grade PC (meaning it'll also get work done if that's important) clocks in @ about 700€.

That's what I've been saying. He uses a lot of niche music production apps from smaller devs that are 32bit and those aren't viable anymore. Most of those though have open-source win alternative.

[Pioneer187]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

For starters, switch from Windows pre-release to Windows official release, see how things work there. Stuff not working on pre-releases isn't a reason for patching said stuff.

I was under the impression that only the pre-release ran on M1. Is that incorrect?

[Pioneer187]

Originally posted by Satoru:

steam isnt going to release a fix for emulated x86 on ARM

Ah, do you have a source for this that you can share?

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Bee:

That's what I've been saying. He uses a lot of niche music production apps from smaller devs that are 32bit and those aren't viable anymore. Most of those though have open-source win alternative.

I've been reading online that the audio latency on MacOS is second to none->there's no alternative, but that's second-hand-knowledge. If you say open-source audio apps on Windows do their job, I believe that.

Originally posted by Pioneer187:

Originally posted by ReBoot:

For starters, switch from Windows pre-release to Windows official release, see how things work there. Stuff not working on pre-releases isn't a reason for patching said stuff.

I was under the impression that only the pre-release ran on M1. Is that incorrect?

I dunno. To be honest, I'm too lazy to read Parallels' FAQ right now. Fact remains, if something doesn't work on the pre-release, there's nothing to patch. There's to wait til the final release drops. Unless Parallels implements x86-emulation or work with Rosetta 2 (which Apple is alredy set to remove), none of your games will work anyway. And when Apple finally removes Rosetta 2 (Rosetta 1 lasted roughly 4 years), none of your games will work, period (unless Parallels implements own x86 emulation).

[Pioneer187]

OK, so for anyone else finding this issue... i've updated windows to Build 21327.rs_prerelease.210226-1427
This updated some .net framework and other bits, and seems to have fixed the issue. I can now go show as "online" and see library, store, friends, etc.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Pioneer187:

OK, so for anyone else finding this issue... i've updated windows to Build 21327.rs_prerelease.210226-1427
This updated some .net framework and other bits, and seems to have fixed the issue. I can now go show as "online" and see library, store, friends, etc.

Can you play games?

[Pioneer187]

Yes, games were already working and playing but I had to load them from the "small mode" view. Also friends were unable to invite me as I appeared offline.
Now all seems to work. I've tested what I have. The following work well and at medium to high spec depending upon game (bear in mind this is a virtual machine running at same time as MacOS):
Total War: Warhammer 2
Total War: Warhammer
Left4Dead2
Killing Floor 2
Left4Dead

Buggy:
Blood Bowl 2

Don't Work:
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 (brings up error saying does not support ARM)
Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide (brings up error saying does not support ARM)

[ReBoot]

So let me get this straight. You're running ARM-Windows? That means that you're running the games off Microsoft's x86-emulator. Now that's good news! MS are known for carrying backwards compatibility with them as long as technically feasible, so maybe, just maybe, ARM-Windows will allow us to play our games decades to come.

[Pioneer187]

Yes, as i'm running the new Apple M1 MacBook it's their ARM processor, so Windows has to run using the ARM version. I'm rather impressed so far. Certainly an improvement over my outdated Desktop PC.