Windows 8 + FFXI = Not Best Friends

my issue seems to definitely have been windows 8. i reinstalled windows 7, and the frame rate drop has been greatly reduced to acceptable levels.

edit: n/m it might be the graphics card. i viewed a cutscene as a test, the first time it went great. for some reason now it's starting to drop again. i've been reading other threads that say 600 series causes ffxi to crash, it's not that bad for me but yeah frame rate is dropping real bad.

moved to windows 8 from 7 it seems to run very well, guessing could be the graphics card drivers for some of you guys, reinstall FF11 etc

i run on 8 now as well and windower works but plugins such as spellcast do not. Does anyone else have this problem. if so how do you fix it?

Sorry I am new to the forums. I am having a problem logging on to FFXI for some odd reason. I get to the screen where you click accept the terms and my POL viewer crashes. Any ideas on what to do here?

Thank you in advance.

Do you use the Windower?

I just built a new machine and I'm trying to decide between Windows 7 or 8. Have people gotten the Windower and it's plugins working under 8?

Windower works but certain plugins dont! Can anyone help. I would recommend 7 for right now btw

OMG This works!!!! I was surfing for weeks... im serious... to try and find a solution!!! Now my life is complete again! ! ! I could kiss you *MUWAHHHH*

My dad got me a new laptop and it had freakin Windows8 which is enough to make me want to chuck it out a window... Then this BS happening, i was sooooo sad

Wondering if anyone ever came up with a solid solution to these compatibility issues?

I play on xbox now and bought a new PC so I can play FFXIV at release but also bought a copy of FFXI for it so I could enjoy the PC version for once now that I have a PC. It is running Windows 8 x64 with an Intel i7 quad core processor and NVIDIA GTX 660 graphics card.

I bought the game from SE direct via download and installed it on my PC. There is nothing else installed, it is brand new. I launch the POL viewer and it loads properly but when I click 'PLAY' it tries to launch the game and says it is missing Direct3d and cannot run FFXI.

I can't seem to find anything online and it doesn't seem to be the same problem as others are having. Any thoughts? I have updated all of my drivers from the manufacturers sites directly as well.

mine works perfectly o.O

install directx 8

Are you running the plugin, "infobar"?

With 2 different computers that I own:

Windows 8 Pro with Media Center 64-bit
- Intel Core i5 2400
- 16GB DDR3 RAM
- Radeon HD 6950
-- Works since Catalyst driver version 12.8
-- Currently running Catalyst driver version 13.6 Beta
- FFXI works with and without Windower
- Clean installation of OS
- Clean installation of FFXI Ultimate Collection Seekers Edition (digital download)
- Windower 3 and Windower 4 both work
- No issues found when loading and running the game

Windows 7 Professional 32-bit
- HP Mini 110 Netbook
- Intel Atom 450
- 1GB DDR2 SODIMM RAM
- Intel HD graphics
-- Use latest available Intel HD drivers from their website
-- Install most recent DirectX version from Microsoft.com
- FFXI works with and without Windower
- OS was previously upgraded from Windows 7 Starter Edition 32-bit
- Runs at 853 x 480 resolution windowed, weather and shadows disabled, clipping plane reduced to 15%, maximum number of characters displayed set to 15% (0% during Delve, Jeuno, Dynamis)
- Clean installation of FFXI Ultimate Collection Seekers Edition (digital download)
- Uses Xbox 360 for Windows controller
- Windower 3 and 4 both work
- Known issues: Heavy slowdown in very crowded areas or areas with too many 3D objects at once (trees, monsters, NPCs); crashes to desktop (CTD) when netbook runs out of memory (or in other words, can't run FFXI plus Chrome with 10-plus tabs open at the same time)
- No issues loading FFXI, however-- can get from PlayOnline to FFXI's Accept/Decline dialog without issue.

Most common issues that prevent FFXI from running properly in Windows 7 OR 8, 32-bit or 64-bit:

1. Drivers.

   Spoiler Alert! Click to view.

   The latest drivers should be installed first to see if it fixes any issues. Only downgrade to a previous version if the newest available driver continues to give problems. Video cards tends to be the first with driver issues, motherboard (chipset) second, and thirdly are peripheral drivers (mouse, keyboard, controller, or other devices) that may conflict with the other two.

2. Viruses and malware.

   Spoiler Alert! Click to view.

   Certain viruses and malware can affect programs and may prevent them from loading and running. Example: A virus can affect all .EXE files in the C:\Program Files folder(s) preventing them from running or loading. Update your antivirus and antimalware software and do full scans of your system especially after you have a downloaded a file that may be suspicious.

3. Hardware.

   Spoiler Alert! Click to view.

   Faulty hardware can cause software to crash, or not load at all, if they are damaged or their drivers (see #1) are buggy. Look for memory errors in Windows 7/8 or inability to boot up your computer. Look for graphical issues especially after playing a game for long periods of time. Video card may have a bad cooler and is overheating, or the card is damaged and needs to be replaced. Sound card issues would be having no sound at all, improper output of audio, etc. Hard drive controller drivers could be anything from data loss to not recognizing any attached hard drive. Hard drives themselves, again data loss, bad sectors found after checking the disks, corrupted data, heavily fragmented hard drives (non-SSDs), or damaged memory cells in SSDs and capacity decreasing.

4. Windower plugins (Windower 3 and 4) and addons (Windower 4).

   Spoiler Alert! Click to view.

   Disable all addons and plugins then run FFXI with Windower. Check if it crashes at any point. Update the Hook.dll to latest version (if any is available). Note: Do not mix Windower 3 Hook.dll with Windower 4 Hook.dll, and vice-versa. Activate each addon/plugin one-by-one until you find the one causing problems. Plugins and addons that overlay another graphic or other text on top of FFXI are known to give issues. Examples: TParty, InfoBar, salvage2, rolltracker, MobCompass, Attainment, StatusTimer, etc.

Thank you for the replies so quickly.

I did install Direct X 8 at someone else's suggestion and it did not help.

I have not installed anything else on the computer except FFXI and Skype, and it is a new PC with fresh install of everything from the factory.

I do not have windower or any third party tools of any sort, just the game as it comes from SE.

Someone else suggested that the resolution or full screen mode may be an issue so I will play around with that tonight, hopefully it fixes the issue.

Yeah, when you set your screen resolution and background resolution, try to be conservative. If you're trying something like 1366x768 fullscreen and your background resolution is set really high like 2048x2048, don't expect FFXI to be happy about it if your computer can't handle it. I don't recall anyone having FFXI run stably enough above 2048x2048 background resolution, such as 4096x4096.

Keep it modest first and see how stable it will run. Let's say you want to play at 1366x768, set the background resolution to something like 1366x768, 768x768, 720x720, or 1366x1366 in the registry. (Final Fantasy XI's configuration doesn't have an option to customize the background resolution outside of its preset values, so you'll have to edit the registry to do so.) FFXI is very particular with these settings; set them too high and FFXI will not be very stable, or set them too low and FFXI looks like a Playstation 1 game.

More details here: http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Graphics

Just got new laptop with Windows 8 per-installed, can anyone confirm to have spellcast working and all the essential addons ?


Not sure if I should try to install the game in this windows or partition it from the start.

I got a new laptop with windows 8 and was having problems with pulgins and addon not working. I went into the BIOS and turned off the secure boot and they started working.

Windows 8 and Windower 3.x was, for me, a matter of right click Run as Administrator every time.

Windows 8 and Windower 4 has worked fine. I've had more crashes than with my old machine, but I think that has a lot more to do with the GTX 670 in the new one than Windows 8.

Thanks, Aselin, that was the trick. I set the normal graphics to match my windows setting of 1068x922 and it ran fine finally, the background resolution was set to 2048x2048 and did fine because the computer has some decent memory and a decent graphics card so it had no trouble. Hard to believe such a simple thing like matching resolutions will keep the game from playing but glad you guys were able to help me with it!

I'm not too sure how relevant this is for anyone, but I was having an issue with the install AGAIN *shocker* when I came back after another year off. Windows 8 made us all move up to Windows 8.1... and it broke final fantasy AGAIN.

I once again got the error about windows DirectX8 - which turned out to be all lies cause I have all of them up to 11 installed.

The trick to fixing this for all you peeps out there who are pulling your hair out is DO NOT download direct x 8 like the error message is telling you for windows 8.1, that's actually NOT your issue.

Do This:
Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off > Legacy Components (check this box & hit the plus sign) > Direct Play (check this box) | Accept & wallah!

Make sure you have installed the windows 7 / vista version of POL as well: Download From FFXI Here

This fixed it for me to run the normal POL for windows 7 / vista version but I still havn't figured out how to get the new widower working. I'm just glad to be able to see my Mithra again, I'll work out that kink later.

If you still have issues make sure your graphics cards are compatible: Scroll Half Way Down For Graphic Cards That Work
**ANYTHING NOT LISTED HERE WILL BE TO POWERFUL AND EITHER MAKE YOU CRASH WITH GRAPHICS (ie when people level up)- or too weak and you really should update that PC you have had since 1995

I updated my PC to a brand spanking new graphics card before I realized that it would make the game unable to run *sigh* so I thought I would warn you all :) I hate that they don't update a game that was made in 2002, it's bull-onie cause I would play more and re-subscribe if I didn't have to pull out my laptop and get down on the bed or couch. But SE never listen's to the English players.