Windows 8.1 Background processes

[Bearmonk]

So I've recently built my first machine and decided to install Windows 8.1 (in spite of all the voices in my head advising otherwise).  For the first 6 or so months things have gone pretty great.  I'm finally getting used to Metro and finally found that damn shutdown button.  

 

But starting a couple weeks ago, I started having issues with Assassin's Creed 4.  It seem to start up Uplay fine, but nothing happens past that.  Check in the Task Manager and there's the .exe running as a background process?

 

WTF?

 

So I assume that this is an issue with AC4 and I contact Ubisoft and jump through everyone of their hoops with no success.  So I keep looking for a solution and in the mean time I snag Towerfall.  I try to bring that up and am greeted with the exact same scenario.  Steam starts up and all that and then in starts running as a background process.

 

Based on that, I'm now guessing this isn't a Ubisoft issue, but a windows issue.

 

Has anyone else had this issue or know how to fix this?  I mean other then formatting and going with a Win 7 install.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!!!

[DoubleY]

I don't have that issue and I have been using 8/8.1 ever since it was in developer preview (MSDN)

[ZetZet]

Try compatibility mode?

[DamDirtyApe]

So I've recently built my first machine and decided to install Windows 8.1 (in spite of all the voices in my head advising otherwise).  For the first 6 or so months things have gone pretty great.  I'm finally getting used to Metro and finally found that damn shutdown button.  

 

But starting a couple weeks ago, I started having issues with Assassin's Creed 4.  It seem to start up Uplay fine, but nothing happens past that.  Check in the Task Manager and there's the .exe running as a background process?

 

WTF?

 

So I assume that this is an issue with AC4 and I contact Ubisoft and jump through everyone of their hoops with no success.  So I keep looking for a solution and in the mean time I snag Towerfall.  I try to bring that up and am greeted with the exact same scenario.  Steam starts up and all that and then in starts running as a background process.

 

Based on that, I'm now guessing this isn't a Ubisoft issue, but a windows issue.

 

Has anyone else had this issue or know how to fix this?  I mean other then formatting and going with a Win 7 install.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!!!

 

Background process.. Maybe it's having an issue with reading it? There's the typical stuff like... Check updates, drivers, mobo drivers, etc.

 

Could also check the games compatibility. Make sure it's set to Windows 8 or XP. Make sure each game is also running as an administrator?

 

No clue. Like DoubleYGamer, I've had 8/8.1 since the get go and have never had a single issue like this with it. Outside of Corsair link, but that was fixed with a registry change.

[LOLPhilips]

So I've recently built my first machine and decided to install Windows 8.1 (in spite of all the voices in my head advising otherwise).  For the first 6 or so months things have gone pretty great.  I'm finally getting used to Metro and finally found that damn shutdown button.  

 

But starting a couple weeks ago, I started having issues with Assassin's Creed 4.  It seem to start up Uplay fine, but nothing happens past that.  Check in the Task Manager and there's the .exe running as a background process?

 

WTF?

 

So I assume that this is an issue with AC4 and I contact Ubisoft and jump through everyone of their hoops with no success.  So I keep looking for a solution and in the mean time I snag Towerfall.  I try to bring that up and am greeted with the exact same scenario.  Steam starts up and all that and then in starts running as a background process.

 

Based on that, I'm now guessing this isn't a Ubisoft issue, but a windows issue.

 

Has anyone else had this issue or know how to fix this?  I mean other then formatting and going with a Win 7 install.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!!!

 

If you use a different drive to install your games on then your windows boots from, try checking that disks health using a third party software(like hard disk sentinel). Even though on the surface it seems to be working, damaged sectors will screw with your executable files and in time will show more and more problems..

 

If you tried this and its not it let us know, and we'll think of some more possible solutions.

[Bearmonk]

Wow...thanks for all the quick replies.

 

I've checked updates on my mobo, chipset, video card, etc. in the last couple days.  I am running a SSD and HDD in the machine.  I've got Windows installed on the SSD obviously, and just as a precaution installed AC4 on that drive as well (since it didn't work on the HDD).

 

I have tried running as administrator and still no go.  I think the real thing that gets me is that I've played this game on this machine.  It's not like I installed and never got to it in the first place.  I played through like 60% of the game and then came back after a week and now this.  I'm thinking very hard about a full reformat of the machine.  I will, however, be checking the hard drives for damaged sectors.

 

Thanks again.

[DamDirtyApe]

Wow...thanks for all the quick replies.

 

I've checked updates on my mobo, chipset, video card, etc. in the last couple days.  I am running a SSD and HDD in the machine.  I've got Windows installed on the SSD obviously, and just as a precaution installed AC4 on that drive as well (since it didn't work on the HDD).

 

I have tried running as administrator and still no go.  I think the real thing that gets me is that I've played this game on this machine.  It's not like I installed and never got to it in the first place.  I played through like 60% of the game and then came back after a week and now this.  I'm thinking very hard about a full reformat of the machine.  I will, however, be checking the hard drives for damaged sectors.

 

Thanks again.

 

Could always to a system restore to a much earlier point. 8.1 regularly sets restore points. Though other problems can happen from this because it will uninstall certain updates and drivers though it usually doesn't do anything negative from my experiences as long as it's not from a year ago, lol. But it could tell you what changed since then. Specially if it was a windows update not playing nice with something? Driver update not installing correctly?

 

That's all I can think of that I would do if compatibility and Administrator didn't help.

 

At that point I"d start uninstalling and reinstalling the games, lol.

[flibberdipper]

Uninstall and reinstall the games.

 

This is weird, since I've been using Windows 8 since the very first beta (back when Aero was still good, and I ran it off a machine from 2006 without any problems). I've never had this problem.