Freelancer/Crossfire Start Problems after Windows Installation

There is 1 reply in this Thread. The last Post () by <SF>Jericho.

    As I stumbled over one more tiny thing to remember after reinstalling Windows 10 to get Freelancer and Crossfire working, you can follow the next steps. Without direct play active, Crossfire will start, but will crash immediately — reporting a Crossfire Crash Exit — CODE ffffffffc000000005 [E000000E8] in the logs.


    Guide to reinstalling Windows 10 and enabling DirectPlay


    Introduction:

    Reinstalling Windows 10 may be necessary to resolve issues with the operating system or create a clean environment for your computer. However, if you have games or applications that require DirectPlay (such as Freelancer), you may need to manually activate this feature as it is disabled by default in newer versions of Windows 10. This article will guide you through the steps to reinstall Windows 10, activate DirectPlay through the Control Panel, and also via the Command Prompt.


    Part 1: Activating DirectPlay through Control Panel:

    1. Open Control Panel: Click on the Start menu and search for “Control Panel.” Open the Control Panel by clicking on the corresponding search result.
    2. Programs and Features: In the Control Panel, click on “Programs,” then click on “Programs and Features.”
    3. Turn Windows features on or off: On the left side of the window, click on “Turn Windows features on or off.”
    4. Activate DirectPlay: Scroll through the list of Windows features until you find “DirectPlay.” Check the box next to “DirectPlay” and click “OK.”
    5. DirectPlay Installation: Windows 10 will now install DirectPlay. This process may take a few minutes.
    6. [Optional] Restart: Restart your computer to apply the changes.

    Part 2: Activating DirectPlay via Command Prompt:

    1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Right-click on the Start button and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the context menu.
    2. Run Command: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
    3. Code
      1. dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:DirectPlay /all /norestart
    4. Installation: The DirectPlay feature will now be installed. Wait for the process to complete.
    5. [Optional] Restart: Restart your computer to apply the changes.

    Conclusion: After completing these steps, you should have DirectPlay activated to run older games and applications that require this feature.

    signature.png

    Edited 3 times, last by Huor ().

    I would like to add the fact that even with the latest versions of windows 11 you don't have to manually enable the DirectPlay feature. Just start the game (Freelancer not Crossfire) and it will automatically offer to turn on the feature. That is one of the ways and I guess simpler. I should also add that after installing Freelancer, it is better to start it at least once, I don't know why, but I speak from experience