Windower 4.2 Links

So the devs / admins don't like this but here is the links and instructions everyone's asking for.

First realize that the more recent Windower launcher was compiled with some sort of 64-bit library requirement, even though FFXI and all related components are 32-bit. This means you can't even load the windower launcher. So if your running any 32-bit version of Windows 7 or 8 then your *** until they recompile.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2achcar7x50h77/AADEh2_vP71D_e9qLXO3c1XEa?dl=0

After you copy and past those into your windower folder you need to go to windows firewall and create an output rule blocking access to IP 69.64.46.229 which is where windower downloads itself from.

Now you can start it up without it trying to update itself and breaking your play.

This is just a temporary solution until the developers roll back some of the changes they made.

Worked like a charm, thank you.

BAh never had issues with windower randomly crashing now I do booo

Maybe this isn't the place to ask for it, but are there any plans to add something like the directx wrapper in Ashita?

I would go back to Windower if there was something like that

still updates the hook when I block it. Dunno what I am doing wrong. I give up. Gonna play Fallout 4 until they fix this sh-t.

Meh :( random ***again

Never heard of it - what does it do?

http://ashita.atom0s.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=141&sid=4cbf13e1d0a7d06d77523e1cb738f566

Intercepts DX8 calls and translates them into DX9 calls. The best part is that since Windows GDM see's it as DX9 all the fancy graphics optimizations of modern cards can be used.

Thanks Saevel.

I first thought thats gonna work but now FFXI wont start :(

lets hope they figure it out soon.


Wo hast Du denn geblockt? Wenn du die windower.exe in der firewall blockst dürfte es eigentlich nicht passieren das sie noch updated.
(So hab ich es z.b. gemacht)

Another solution to block update is to add the following line:

127.0.0.1 update.windower.net

at the end of c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

(you need admin priviledges to edit this file)

This forces an incorrect DNS resolution of the Windower update site.

-Tokenr

After doing this I assume relog in Or logout then do? My playonline just randomly crashes since last night no matter character but it sounds like this windower issue

@Saevel and Tokenr,

Between both bits of information you gave, I was able to get it to work. Thank you very much.

Windows Firewall blocking and the DNS blacklisting via hosts are going to work differently based on your Windows version. Windows XP people need to use the DNS blacklisting, Windows 7 people might have to use the firewall outbound blocks. The goal is to not like Windower *update* you into a non-functioning release.

Thank you so much for this information so far no crashes

Blocking access to IP 69.64.46.229 doesn't seem to work on Windows 10.

How are you configuring your Windows firewall? Make sure the outbound rule is being applied to everything or at least to Windower.exe. Also make sure the firewall is enabled.

Outbound Rules -> New Rule
Custom -> Next
All Programs -> Next
Protocol Type -> Any -> Next
Which Remote IP address does this rule apply
These address's -> Add
This IP or Subnet -> 69.64.46.229 -> Ok
Next
Block the connection -> Next
Domain, Private, Public all checked -> Next
Name: Windower Blocking -> Finish

Make sure it's enabled then open a command prompt and test
cmd -> ping 69.64.46.229

Should not ping at all, if it does then something either isn't typed in right or isn't enabled.

Even though im on 64-bit, thanks for looking out to the 30% of us Saev

And after reading Arcon's post, holy *** the arrogance.

Guy, you realize this update broke the *** out of many people's ability to even start the game. The launcher won't run on anyone using a 32-bit Windows and you have a bunch of people wanting to know how to revert it back so they can actually play. The only way was to purposefully block windowers auto-magic update site. Think about that a moment, the only way to get the program to start was to deliberately stop it from updating to the pushed version. Further even those who could launch the program experienced some very unexpected issues, for myself it was the multi-boxing was insanely difficult. While controlling one character windows would randomly grab my input and unfocus me from the screen resulting in my character running in circles. Middle of battle with a boss *BAM* you lose focus and need to frantically click over to prevent a wipe.

This isn't crashing, this is a usability issue. There are a *** ton more then three or four problems and practically nobody who's not a developer use's git, most of my LS has no *** idea what git even is.

Mine would just random crash error out random characters at a time. Even all etc

Agreed and agreed and agreed.

My issue is that the game for me is forced to run on the CPU (the nvidia control panel settings are just ignored because nvidia knows what I want to use my GPU for more than I do obviously...), which means I'm usually running the game at 10 fps in-game

I tried dgvoodoo but it constantly causes my game to crash in towns, so I switched to Ashita because it more or less allows the game to run on my GPU

I was putting the address in the Local instead of Remote. Things seem to be working now.

Thanks for the workaround.

Yeah if your on Windows 10 that's a problem due to the relationship between DX8 and 9 with Windows 10 new graphics model. If your wanting to try it on Windower you can use ENB DX8toDX9 converter, I tested it last night and it worked.

http://enbdev.com/download_convertor_dx8todx9.htm

Version 0.0036 is what I tested.

I'm also trying to get SweetFX / ReShade working though that's a lot harder. Those are DX9 to DX11 converts that implement various shaders to really make ***look good.

A bunch of people I know are looking to switch to Ashita over this last update.

Do you think this has something to do with the radio box marked "Enable gamepad when game is inactive" getting unticked in the FFXiPadConfig.exe whenever the game is launched through Windower?

I don't use gamepads to play FFXI, 100% keyboard player. I've had some luck by enabling the "Always Enable Gamepad" option in Windower 4.3. Seems FFXI handles DirectInput very differently between "Full Screen" and "Windowed" mode.

For the most part I'm about to get everything working but a lot of people I know needed to revert to have a functional program. I spent most of yesterday and quite a bit of today helping people get their FFXI working, and from what the Windower developers are saying our only option going forward is "Upgrade to latest Windows 10 x64" or switch to Ashita.

Okay so ive tried to block the IP address multiple times and i cant get it to work its all enabled and everything. This is what I have done someone tell me if i *** something up. Custom rule>all programs>Any protocol type>Local IP: any>Remote IP: 69.64.46.229>block the connection>all 3 boxes checked>named it. Then when I cmd ping it still pings any ideas at all

Edit: Figured it out McAfee was preventing windows firewall from activating.

Make sure firewall is turned on for your connection profile then make sure the rule is enabled.

If Ashita would impliment a lua based gearswap, I'd switch over right now.

As I sit here setting up Ashita just to give it a try, this, a thousand times this. I'd switch immediately.

a copy of gearswap isn't a very small task, the chances of anyone stepping up to write it are pretty much nil

a lua based system isn't necessarily out of the question, but i'm assuming people mean specifically gearswap to use existing files.. that most likely isn't happening

ashitacast is every bit as fast as gearswap and more reliable, especially in instances.. if you take a moment to figure out how to make your file do what you want i think you'll find it's an adequate substitute