CFS2 Multiplayer on Win 10

[Drone]

Hi everyone,

I got a laptop with Windows 10 on it earlier this month and yesterday I went to transfer my CFS2 install from my old XP machine. I got it installed opened it up and the multiplayer button was shaded so I couldn't click on it, but everything else seems to be running fine. I've tried running in compatibility mode for XP, adding an exemption in the firewall, disabling my antivirus, and a fresh install from the disk. Does anyone have any other possible solutions? Thanks!

[Dirtman]

Yo Drone:

Bummer news Bro ... I feel your pain.

I don't do Win10 ... (staying with Win7) but I have much multiplayer & PC experience so I'll give it a shot.

Looks like you've covered all the bases using a clean install, reset compatibility & no A/V.


Here is what I know about new PC's:

All new PC's with CPU's manufactured in the past 18 months (or so) have a significant difference from their predecessors in that the CPU's lack certain internal abilities (3 letter instruction packages).

They are therefore unable to be downgraded and run any o/s older than Win10 - this was perpetrated by M/S (and their "Business Partners") in order to kill off the continued use of WinXP thru Win8.1 on new machines.

Your trouble makes me wonder if it's caused by a new-spec CPU ... which would mean that Multiplayer is nonfunctional on all new-spec CPU's with Win10.

You are the 1st person I have encountered using multiplayer on a new machine with Win10; so I'm unsure this is the actual cause .... but it's my best educated guess.
Maybe someone more knowledgeable than I, can shed more light on this issue.



9 or so years ago a group from this forum used to fly multiplayer together. GREAT FUN !!!

We always made Rami the "Host" because he was the only one of us with the required "static IP address".
There's nothing more fun than: "flaming yer Bro's butt" and hearing him swear at you on his way down.... LOL!!!!

Rami, Collin, simonu, Tango_Romeo, Psullykeys, GearyMcS and I shared many hours of enjoyment doing this ... a sad day indeed if Win10 has put an end to it.



Screenshot from Nov. 17 2008 - unfortunately Rami, Geary & Sully are out of the frame.



The rules were:
- WW2 production prop planes only
- unmodified planes only
- NO SLEWING (or cheating)
- "every man for himself" - no teams
- the 1st pilot with 10 kills wins

[SW]

Yo Drone:

All new PC's with CPU's manufactured in the past 18 months (or so) have a significant difference from their predecessors in that the CPU's lack certain internal abilities (3 letter instruction packages).

They are therefore unable to be downgraded and run any o/s older than Win10 - this was perpetrated by M/S (and their "Business Partners") in order to kill off the continued use of WinXP thru Win8.1 on new machines.

Your trouble makes me wonder if it's caused by a new-spec CPU ... which would mean that Multiplayer is nonfunctional on all new-spec CPU's with Win10.

Interesting, I didn't know that.

On my older desktop PC running Win10 CFS2 multiplayer works fine as far as I can see. So yes maybe it is a hardware thing with band new devices??

cheers,

SW

[Shadow Wolf 07]

A god question. I too have a Win10 laptop with CFS2 loaded. This thread and the question should be added to the Win10 "sticky" thread. Rami?

[Dirtman]

On my older desktop PC running Win10 CFS2 multiplayer works fine as far as I can see. So yes maybe it is a hardware thing with band new devices??SW

Yo SW;

Many Thanks for your reply as it has helped to corroborate my suspicion.



After many years of endlessly drooling over all the top-end PC's; 2 years ago I was finally financially able to build my very own "sooper-computer".
AMD FX-8370 8 core (4 core - 8 threads) @ 4.0GHz, 16GB DDR3 RAM Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti 2GB GDDR5
GREAT BOX, lightning fast ... loads CFS2 in 10 seconds flat and our beloved sim has NEVER looked SO GOOD !!!
- Win7 x64 boots in 30 seconds flat to the desktop & is ready to rock!
- Using a (mechanical) WD 500 GB, Black series HD ... NOT AN SSD

I was so happy that I built a second identical PC for my living room 55" flat-screen ... felt like I'd died and gone to "CFS2 Heaven" !!!!


Earlier this year, AMD released a brand new line of MEGA-POWER CPU's under the name "Ryzen". (Intel also upgraded their line of i3, i5, i7 and added the i9)

Upon learning this ... I felt an immediate "throbbing in my nether-region" as I read the specs......
I became very interested in the new AMD Threadripper 1950X - 16 cores & 32 threads, 3.4GHz Base/ 4.0GHz Boost
OMG ...WHAT A BEAST I thought ... I gotta get me one (or 2?) of them !!!!


"But for every bit of pleasure in life ... it seems there is always a bit of pain". (It sounds like a very wise observation ... if you say it with a Irish accent ... like my Grandparents did)

Upon further research I learned that ALL the new CPU's would not support any o/s below Win10.

... if you listen carefully ... you'll hear the sound of my heart breaking.


Food for thought:

Personally I have no interest in Win10. Too much collection of "personal data" by M/S and their "business partners".

I will use Win7 as my primary o/s until M/S support ends in 2020 and take the 2 new PC's off-line and use them for gaming only.
- I will probably end up dual booting them with Linux to go on-line.

Everyone still using WinXP should be doing this right now. (Attn: No Dice)

- WinXP is riddled with security vulnerabilities due to is obsolete design and has had no security updates in several years (except for a recent patch for "wannacry" encryption/ransom malware)

- with WinXP running on an off-line & isolated PC .. you can remove all active antivirus & security apps as they are no longer needed.
This will almost double the speed at which the WinXP PC operates ... the operational speed difference is very noticeable. Like night & day!


CFS2 runs incredibility well on Win7, mainly due to the ability to use more than 4 GB of RAM in the x64 (64 bit) environment.
- with 16 GB of RAM available ... Win7 likes to use 4 GB (25%) just at idle and has almost 12 GB in reserve.

I may use Win8.1 until M/S support for it ends in 2022 or 23?

I have been switching over to Linux for the past 3 years. Tried several different types ... found Linux Mint 18 with the MATE interface to be best and most "Windows-like".
Linux is what I'll use for all on-line activities ... Almost all Linux versions are complete freeware. Has several tiny (200 KB -2 MB) updates per week. No security, no disc defragging, no Registry .. virtually no maintenance required ... all updates & applications originate from secure local servers. Firefox is the primary browser. Libre Office does everything M/S Office does and is also free.

Linux will not run CFS2 or any Windows software ... that's why I'll keep Win7 machines around.

SW: I hope this info is useful to you and our fellow forum members (inmates?)

[Drone]

Thanks for the input, I'm glad to say that by going to "Control Panel/Programs & Features/Turn Windows features on or off" then turning on "Legacy Components" I was able to fix the problem and join a session hosted on one of the old XP boxes.

Just a little more background, my "new" laptop is actually a used Lenovo T440 that had originally came installed with Win8 Pro, so the new CPU's wasn't an issue this time. Also, I agree with people wanting to stay away from Win10, I had tried to get something with Win7 but the seller never got back to me and I needed a newer OS for a job I just started.

Thanks,
Drone