Easy Games for Windows Live Setup Guide

This is a simple guide which lets anyone setup the Games for Windows Live Service that is required in some old PC games. GFWL is the short name for Games For Windows Live Service maintained by Microsoft which they discontinued with the use of Xbox Service. However, GFWL service is still partly functional due to being some of the embedded features of Xbox Live. You can still manage to setup GFWL service without their Marketplace features which means now you don't have access to purchase such GFWL supported games or downloadable content from Marketplace store. In this guide you will be guided on how to setup Games for Windows Live Service in Section 8 Prejudice.

The Same process can be applicable for most GFWL games as well. Currently the Service has been confirmed to be working with Microsoft Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and Windows 10.

Section 1 - Installing The GFWL Client

01. Download Games for Windows Live Setup

• Microsoft officially discontinued the Windows Live ID service which is required to give specific IDs to each Live Profile from their official Website recently.
  
• So the official GFWL client won't work from now on and you will need a pre-compiled version of Games for Windows Live in order to setup the service.
  
• Use the following link to download the pre-compiled version of Games for Windows Live Setup.
  
• https://mega.nz/file/jM0TGaYB#nPPRVz2xqf7Wd6dpGFC2wLOuG2dT67KKHQerkfIURoY
  
  NOTE: Please be aware that above URL has been generated through my personal account in Mega.nz in order to confirm the setup is Virus and Spam Free.

02. Install Games for Windows Live

• Now extract the zip file to a location in your PC "D:\New folder" and install the following components located within folder in the following order.
  
  • wllogin_32.msi
    
  • wllogin_64.msi
    
  • gfwlclient.msi
    
  • xliveredist.msi
  
  
• After installing the above components, Finally launch the gfwlivesetup.exe with an active Internet connection and it will be installed in your PC successfully.
  
  

Section 2 - Installing the Game and Setting up LIVE

01. Hit Install in order to install Section 8 Prejudice in Steam

• Steam will download the Base game of at least 5.5GB.
  
• Disregard the prerequisites of the game that Steam is installing because you have now setup all the necessary applications which are required to run the game smoothly.

02. After the installation process is completed, Launch the game in Steam

• After the initialization screen, hit the Home button and the GFWL menu will be popped up including the instructions on how to setup Games for Windows Live.
  
• Read the instructions if necessary but it will be in vain due to not being practical now.
  
• Click Continue.
  
  NOTE: You will also see a link as create local profile. Through that section you can create a local profile to play the game in offline with LAN (Local Area Network) support.
  
  NOTE: In this guide, We are going to setup an online account with Games for Windows Live support.
  
  

03. Choosing the Microsoft Account you are going to use

• In the following window, Setup will ask whether you are going to create a new GFWL profile or Sign in to an existing GFWL profile.
  
• For those who have played the game during the official release, they can still use their Microsoft account which they used to setup GFWL through the section Use Existing LIVE Profile.
  
• For those who are playing the Game for the first time, they can setup their Microsoft Account with a fresh start through the section Create New Profile.
  
  

04. Create New Profile

• You will be prompted to open a web page and click on Yes.
  
  
  

  ---

  
  
• The game will be minimized and you will be redirected to the Official Xbox Page.
  
• Now head for the Sign In Section of the page.
  
  

  ---

  
  
• In the Following page, Go to the link Create one!.
  
  

  ---

  
  
• Now click the link Get new email address.
  
  NOTE: We are choosing this selection because we are now going to create a new Games for Windows Live profile from a new Hotmail address.
  
  

  ---

  
  
• In the following window, select the Domain (Part of the email address after @) of the email address as "@hotmail.com" and enter a desired name for your new hotmail and click next.
  
  

  ---

  
  
• Follow the next steps in order to complete the new email setup and your Xbox profile will also be setup alongside the email setup.
  
  NOTE: Never use the Two-Factor Authentication while setting up your new Hotmail account because it will cause the process of creating and signing in processes of Games for Windows Live.

05. Signing in to the Newly created Xbox Live Account Part I

• Maximize the game after setting up your new Hotmail account with Xbox Live Support or relaunch the game from Steam.
  
• After relaunching the game, Follow the same steps as above until subsection 3 and click on the section Use Existing LIVE Profile
  
  NOTE: Due to the fact that we have now created and setup a new Hotmail account with Xbox Live Support, We are going to log into that specific account through Games for Windows Live Service.
  
  NOTE: If you had a working GFWL account in early days, You can use this same section to log into that specific account.
  
  

  ---

06. Signing in to the Newly created Xbox Live Account Part II

• On the appearing window type the name and the password of the Newly created Hotmail address with Xbox Live Support and click on the ticks Save my e-mail address, Save my e-mail address and password, Sign me in automatically.
  
  NOTE: By clicking these, whenever you launch the game after the initialization Intro Videos, You will be automatically signed in to Games for Windows Live without manually logging in.
  
  
  
  NOTE: After entering the credentials of the Live Account, The GFWL Service will validate the username and password. This process may take from 5 to 15 minutes due to the Partial Service Functionality and Please wait until you get the next prompt.
  
  
• You will be prompted to Enter the CD Key of the game in the next screen. Please Copy paste the Steam CD Key and proceed.
  
  
• After that, Your Games for Windows Live Profile will be downloaded to your machine with a progress bar.
  
  NOTE: Sometimes the Setup will request to download an update to Live Service as Windows LIVE ID Assistant and after the download grant the permission required to install the update if necessary.
  
  

07. Complete the Games for Windows Live Profile Setup

• After successfully downloading the Games for Windows Live profile, Setup will redirect you to the Main menu of Section 8 Prejudice and Click any key to Enter.
  
• In the Main Menu, You now have more services enabled like Download Content, Extras, Online Match Setup (Conquest, Swarm, Assault, Skirmish), Online Synchronization.
  
  

Section 3 - Unlock the Downloadable Content of Section 8 Prejudice

01. Section 8 Prejudice DLCs

• Currently there were 3 DLCs released for the game title Section 8 Prejudice and yet they are not functional for the PC version of the game due to the shutdown of several services of Games for Windows Live.
  
  • Blitz Pack DLC
    
  • Overdrive Map Pack DLC
    
  • Frontier Colonies Map Pack DLC
  
  
• I personally do not recommend purchasing the DLCs from the Steam store because they lack some security certificates in order to work. However there are some guides in Steam where you can get them working.
  
• DLCs in the following guide which is in subsection 2 are the pre-compiled versions of the original DLCs released by TimeGate which includes all the security certificates.
  
• Due to these security and version differences in Matchmaking you will face a lot of issues while connecting and hosting online matches if you got both DLCs or Steam DLCs.
  
• So It is recommended to delete the Steam DLCs (If you own them in the game, Delete them through Manage my DLCs) Prior to setting up these DLCs.

02. How to Setup Section 8 Prejudice DLCs

• The following guide will briefly explain the instructions on how to setup and use the 3 DLCs in Section 8 Prejudice for PC Steam Version.
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=638506917

03. Section 8 Prejudice Game Modes and Unlockables

• Most of the unlockables in Section 8 Prejudice were based on Player Rank which was primarily based on Ranked Dedicated Server based player level up.
  
• Along with the shutdown of the TimeGate Studio's Master Server the Rank Services were unreachable which lost the way for most of the rank based unlockables and one more Game Mode the company released on the Go named Skirmish
  
• However with offline player level you can still reach 60 Unlockables and beyond that requires the Server Ranking features.
  
• One of our most valuable member in Steam and a dear friend of mine who contributed a lot of dedications for this game title has found a way to bring back those Unlockables along with the new Game Mode Skirmish.
  
• All the credits of this Section 8 Prejudice Unlockables file goes to him (https://steamcommunity.com/id/awesomeusa/).
  
• File
  https://mega.nz/file/PY0DVByB#2P5lEDVoYFiDlASxXoEFiZF0G--uQSZbHJ8zzdon7AY
  
  Note: Please be aware that above URL has been generated through my personal account in Mega.nz in order to confirm the setup is Virus and Spam Free.
  
  Note: Please be warned that unlocking these extra content is also linked to unlocking the achievements which are inaccessible in practice. So some achievement validation sites like TrueAchievements.com will give you a warning if you link your Xbox Live account in their website.
  
  

Section 4 - For GFWL Marketplace Game Owners - Obsolete

This method may no longer be supported

• You can still play your game via Marcketplace even though you can't ourchase any more games.
  
• Open GFWL Marketplace and enter the email address and password associated with your Xbox Live profile in the login stage and proceed.
  
  
  
• Now the Marcketplace will appear in your profile and you can still use items that you have purchased via Marcketplace.
  
  

GFWL FAQ's

01. Live profile signing error I

• First check your internet connection.
  
• Then make sure you are using a wired broad connection.
  
• If the error still occurs make sure LIVE is available in your country.
  
• If so make sure the time zone is updated correctly.
  
• If not update the Time by the Time servers.
  
• To do so go to the control panel and open Date and Time.
  
• On the appearing window choose the Internet Time Bar.
  
• Then click on the Change Settings button.
  
• Tick on the Synchronize with a Internet Time Server and choose one.
  
• Finally click on the Update now button.
  
• The problem should be solved now.

02. Live profile signing error II

• First please ensure whether you Hotmail account has the Xbox Live Support. Without that the profile sign in process may not work.
  
• If the profile sign in process freezes, Just wait for a few seconds and it will be functioning again.
  
• If the profile Sign in process takes more time, Please give your time for the process just as i have mentioned within the guide. This happens due to the partial functionality of the programme.
  
• Finally check whether you have activated the Two-Factor Authentication in your Microsoft account, If so please disable the features and the Sign in process will proceed with no issues.

03. LIVE Profile downloading errors

• If you get the live profile downloading errors it seems that your Hotmail address doesn't support the Live service.
  
• To correct that issue you need to create a new Hotmail account .
  
• On the way choose the country for your Hotmail that has the service of the Live Series.
  
• Then try to re-download your Live profile using the new Hotmail address.
  
• The problem should be solved now.

04. GFWL failed to initialize problem

• First Unistall any GFWL version you have installed on your computer including GFWL
  Redistibutable.
  
• Then download the currently working latest GFWL version from the URL mentioned in Section 1.
  
• Probably this will solve the problem simply.
  
• If the problem still exists go to the game file location, go to the S9.exe and right click on the
  .exe to it's properties.
  
• Click on compatibility tab and see the bottom of the page.
  
• Click on Run this Program as an administrator and apply the changes.
  
• Finally run the game and the problem should be solved.

[Cosmic.Chaos]

Thanks for the guide and providing the GFWL installation files since MS doesn't ;_;

The wording in the guide makes it sound like a new account is necessary unless you played the game already but I signed in just fine with my existing Xbox account? Played through the campaign, got a ton of achievements along the way, have access to the Dropship for managing loadouts (which I noticed was greyed out and inaccessible before installing GFWL).

Something else to note about the GFWL sign-in process: I'm on Windows 11 and after entering my email when I moused over the password box it was automatically filled in and the options to save the email and pw were likewise ticked. This seems to be a feature since at least Win10 if your Xbox account is already signed in on Windows itself? I didn't even need to generate an app password like I usually expect for legacy MS services that don't have 2FA support (i.e. Xbox 360).

[foxtwo92]

alright so after some searching and trial and error i was able to at minimum let me save games and activate the drop ship loadouts by using this link https://www.darquecathedral.org/archives/2253 i found it from a reddit post with a guy trying to activate his mortal combat windows live.i am using it now but obviously be cautious.but its working for me now

[Maselit]

I'm back, basically, you need to go to the DLC folder and in each DLC(#) you open the DLC(#)__S9Game.ini and change the "RequiredDLCId=(#)" from the number to 0.
Sadly you just activate the maps, I couldn't activate the blitz pack because it doesn't have a S9Game.ini file, but you can use the save file to get it, or in case someone else can help with this last step.

[Maselit]

Hellooo!!! I remember that 3 years ago I could install the DLC's and activate them without giving a valid CD key to windows live, I gonna try it again and if I'm success I will post it here

[foxtwo92]

2024.08.08 and cant get it to connect.still over 800hrs of memories to this game. good times

[JellyHead]

@ApeirogonGames OMG wow I didn’t know that! Thanks! Does anyone know if there’s a way to instal GFWL on Linux? I got this game working on my Steamdeck but only on Windows.

[Traveler-VII]

Is it really necessary to create a new GFWL account if I didn't play the game during its heyday? Why can't I just use my regular Xbox Live/GFWL account?

[ApeirogonGames]

Sadly, the GFWL install doesn't work for me as of 2024.07.26. I ran all of the files in order then did the GFWLsetup and it says Install Failed, Network Error.

[ApeirogonGames]

@JellyHead Steam will show you the CD Key. For me it popped up when I launched the game, but if it doesn't for you, just Right-Click on your game in your Library then choose Manage, and there will be an option to get the CD Key

[JellyHead]

Well I’m stuck because I bought the game on Steam and don’t have a CD key.. is there any way to get past that past of the GFWL setup???