Extremely frustrated with the Windows Store and a technician was no help; can’t even download a game

[JD3Nine]

Some people just can't let it go I guess. Even MS / The mighty Phil say the store is busted and needs improvements. Yet, we still have people assuring us that it's actually your fault. Nevermind the fact that it's a standard fresh install of Windows 10. You obviously are using shut up 10 or some kind of weird antivirus OP.

 

[Turin Turambar]

Because the Microsoft Store is weirdly built into the operating system.

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Yes, that's the crux of the problem, actually. It's why Steam, Gog, Origin, Uplay etc can download games without no problem, but the Windows store has all these weird issues. It uses windows components that use other windows components that use new Windows technologies. If any part of Windows is corrupted or misconfigured, even if you don't notice in your day to day experience, it can provoke problems in the Store.

 

[itchi]

The first two are MS issues. Aren't Windows updates MS responsibility, since they opted to trigger them automatically and take away the control from the user? Shouldn't the store be able to detect if the user doesn't have the proper windows updates and tell the user that's the cause? Shouldn't Windows and its store be better at managing accounts? Is terrible design IMHO.

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Of course it is terrible design if you follow those steps you generally won't have any problems though.

 

[Sqrt]

Update: FH4 is now downloading. After looking at windows update history, it downloaded and updated some characteristics overnight. Before you ask, I did searched for updates yesterday before and after getting the download errors.

Do I still think that the Windows Store is shit? Yes. Looks like there was nothing I could do to have the game running yesterday and I wasted my time, when the solution was to wait for MS to sort its mess outside of my control. Is totally my fault, though.

 

[Sheepinator]

At least Windows is under completely different leadership and a division within Microsoft now. The previous UWP era was an attempt to get developers to develop apps for Windows Phone and then 100GB Xbox games got shoehorned in at the last moment.

After reading a lot of issues with Windows Store most problems come down to:
1. Windows is not up to date
2. Using a local account instead of a Microsoft account
3. Using a pirated version of windows or Windows is not activated

If you pass all 3 then your only real option is to reinstall Windows and try again. Also, another issue I've had is if you try downloading with a VPN you get a nonsensical no internet error message.

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It's more convenient for me to never use the Windows Store again than to re-install Windows and then get my computer set up again the way I want it, just on the off chance that maybe possibly the Store then works properly. It's on MS to get their shit to work. There are no excuses for it after this long. Maybe they figure they've already gotten peoples money after a sale, but they forget about all the money they aren't getting from people who don't trust it any more.

 

[Pargon]

Whatever I installed after refreshing my PC didn't broke Steam, Origin, Ubiplay, Epic Games Launcher and GoG. Only the Windows store has this problem. So yes, I will keep blaming Microsoft.

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Well first thing: refreshing your PC is not a completely "clean install". It should be equivalent, but may not be since it preserves some data.
I don't know what it is that you have installed on the PC, but if it was working after the OS refresh, and suddenly stopped working a few days later, it's very likely that something you installed broke it.

After reading a lot of issues with Windows Store most problems come down to:
2. Using a local account instead of a Microsoft account

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I use a local account and have not had issues since something like the 1607 update. I would not be surprised if there are still issues caused by changing a Microsoft Account to a Local Account however.

How exactly does stuff like antivirus break the Windows App Store, but not break every single other place I buy PC games from?

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A lot of third-party anti-virus software is doing many things it should not be doing to gain lower-level access to the OS to "protect" it.
It tends to cause issues with the OS more than the store though, and has been the cause of many of the issues with updates "breaking" computers. If you're lucky, the latest version of the anti-virus software would have been updated to support the new version of the OS by its release, but that only helps if the user has updated the anti-virus before installing the OS update.
Back when the Meltdown/Spectre updates were released, several anti-virus programs held back the update for several weeks. Some protection they offer.

Some people just can't let it go I guess. Even MS / The mighty Phil say the store is busted and needs improvements. Yet, we still have people assuring us that it's actually your fault. Nevermind the fact that it's a standard fresh install of Windows 10. You obviously are using shut up 10 or some kind of weird antivirus OP.

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I'm not saying the store is flawless: it has issues. But it doesn't just break by itself, repeatedly.

EDIT:

Update: FH4 is now downloading. After looking at windows update history, it downloaded and updated some characteristics overnight. Before you ask, I did searched for updates yesterday before and after getting the download errors.

Do I still think that the Windows Store is shit? Yes. Looks like there's nothing I could do to have the game running yesterday and I wasted my time, when the solution was to wait for MS to sort its mess outside of my control. Is totally my fault, though.

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Out of interest, was the PC running overnight? (or is your PC configured to wake up to install updates?)
I don't think there have been any new updates released since the 12th, but it's possible that automatic maintenance fixed it.

 

[VariantX]

Struggled to get KI to download and after finally getting to DL i pretty much was done with that platform. Kind of sad to hear its still struggling to do basic shit the likes of...well every other storefront has no problem doing

 

[Sqrt]

Well first thing: refreshing your PC is not a completely "clean install". It should be equivalent, but may not be since it preserves some data.
I don't know what it is that you have installed on the PC, but if it was working after the OS refresh, and suddenly stopped working a few days later, it's very likely that something you installed broke it.

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By refresh, I meant format and reinstall, doesn't get cleaner than that. IDK if it was working before formatting. I didnt care to check. What I did install is my business (literally). Some of you might have a dedicated gaming PC that can format as will, but I spend all Sunday afternoon setting up my development environment that I need for a living and if some of that brakes the Windows store, then i will choose getting paid and not format again.

 

[itchi]

It's more convenient for me to never use the Windows Store again than to re-install Windows and then get my computer set up again the way I want it, just on the off chance that maybe possibly the Store then works properly. It's on MS to get their shit to work. There are no excuses for it after this long. Maybe they figure they've already gotten peoples money after a sale, but they forget about all the money they aren't getting from people who don't trust it any more.

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That's fine getting to play a bunch of games for $1 was worth the effort for me :)

 

[Waaghals]

I have a larger list of Win32 apps that have this issue than UWP apps. Some of them drop the refresh rate to single digits until the mouse cursor is moved.
There are two solutions: disabling windowed-mode G-Sync and enabling it on a per-game basis via NVIDIA Profile Inspector, or creating a profile that disallows G-Sync in those applications.
It is a pain to add UWP apps to a profile via NVIDIA Profile Inspector though.

Here's what you need to fix Spotify:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<ArrayOfProfile>
  <Profile>
    <ProfileName>_DISALLOW_GSYNC</ProfileName>
    <Executeables>
      <string>spotifyab.spotifymusic_zpdnekdrzrea0</string>
    </Executeables>
    <Settings>
      <ProfileSetting>
        <SettingNameInfo>G-SYNC</SettingNameInfo>
        <SettingID>279476652</SettingID>
        <SettingValue>2</SettingValue>
      </ProfileSetting>
      <ProfileSetting>
        <SettingNameInfo>G-SYNC</SettingNameInfo>
        <SettingID>279476687</SettingID>
        <SettingValue>2</SettingValue>
      </ProfileSetting>
    </Settings>
  </Profile>
</ArrayOfProfile>

Save that as a ".NIP" file and import it with Profile Inspector. It should be fixed after restarting Spotify.

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I just went and did this and it fixed the issue! Thank you very much!

 

[Ryu bogard]

I had to reinstalled windows 3 times for gears, horizon 3 and 4 Because games not downloading and online not working. The state of win store is crazy.

 

[Sqrt]

Out of interest, was the PC running overnight? (or is your PC configured to wake up to install updates?)
I don't think there have been any new updates released since the 12th, but it's possible that automatic maintenance fixed it.

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Yes, it was running overnight.

 

[Aardvark Barber]

Anecdotal and all that but I've never had an issue with Forza Horizon 3 4 or crackdown.

Seems like there are soooooo many variables that MS can't handle them all.

 

[Serastros]

because some gamers treat console manufacturers like sports teams

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Because making you use a store that encrypts your game files so you can not modify them = breaking the steam monopoly and better in the long run.
It's funny because the only quasi monopoly on pc is Windows and direct X.
Proton and Whine are great projects but if you want perfect compatibility, Freesync/gsync, HDR, better and more optimized drivers etc. There is no way around Windows.

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because people are idiots and buy into garbage force fed to them by companies

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ok, what I thought.
I got confused and thought there might be a seroius reason to use the WinStore...
But apparently not only in my opinion it is the crap of $!§§, I thought it to be.

 

[Bede-x]

In my experience things are actually slightly better now, but I still couldn't download the multiplayer of Crackdown, but single player worked fine. Amusingly someone else on Era couldn't download single player, but multi player worked fine.

You never know what kind of issues you run into on Windows Store only that they are many and frequent.

 

[Paul]

I subbed gamepass couple days back. Downloaded Gears 4 (giving them second chance, after I gave up with GTX1070 due to BSODs, now I have RTX so hopefully it won't crash anymore) and Forza Horizon 4. Already had FH3 installed.
Downloading Gears 4 was a pain in the ass, because it has 130GB and the download kept crashing due to "error" and had to be manually restarted. But once downloaded, all three games worked perfectly.

Enter today. This morning, games still worked. Then I received new Xbox One controller with wireless adapter. Installed it, then downloaded from Windows Store the "Xbox Accessories" app in order to know the battery status. Ok, downloaded, it works.

Except, now none of my three games work. All three just crash right after launch, only showing me the logo.

.....

So I tried the usual stuff like wsreset, nothing helped, so I uninstalled FH4 and redownloaded that sweet 70GB. And now it works!
So now I get to redownload the other two games to the tune of another 200GB.

MS Windows Store, you fucking piece of shit. Will you please die in the fire already? Now that Halo is coming to Steam, could MS maybe let its other games free of this UWP prisonhell? Pretty please?

Or if MS at least would create some new store/launcher for its AAA games that would not be interconnected with windows itself and would actually work, with win32 format, that would be swell...

 

[Sqrt]

Having to redownload a 200GB file because some obscure windows setting updated is egregious. But is totally your fault, though.

 

[Jaypah]

I subbed gamepass couple days back. Downloaded Gears 4 (giving them second chance, after I gave up with GTX1070 due to BSODs, now I have RTX so hopefully it won't crash anymore) and Forza Horizon 4. Already had FH3 installed.
Downloading Gears 4 was a pain in the ass, because it has 130GB and the download kept crashing due to "error" and had to be manually restarted. But once downloaded, all three games worked perfectly.

Enter today. This morning, games still worked. Then I received new Xbox One controller with wireless adapter. Installed it, then downloaded from Windows Store the "Xbox Accessories" app in order to know the battery status. Ok, downloaded, it works.

Except, now none of my three games work. All three just crash right after launch, only showing me the logo.

.....

So I tried the usual stuff like wsreset, nothing helped, so I uninstalled FH4 and redownloaded that sweet 70GB. And now it works!
So now I get to redownload the other two games to the tune of another 200GB.

MS Windows Store, you fucking piece of shit. Will you please die in the fire already? Now that Halo is coming to Steam, could MS maybe let its other games free of this UWP prisonhell? Pretty please?

Or if MS at least would create some new store/launcher for its AAA games that would not be interconnected with windows itself and would actually work, with win32 format, that would be swell...

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This happened to me as well. After buying Cuphead and not being able to download it, which prompted a refund, I said I was done with the store. But eventually I saw the $1 for a month of GP deal and decided to try it. Downloaded Forza Horizon 4 and it went smoothly. Played for a few hours, closed it and set Gears 4 to download. Next night I played Gears 4 for a few hours, started Crackdown downloading and went to sleep. The next night I played Crackdown for a bit then tried to play FH4 and it wouldn't get past the splash screen. After trying fixes I redownloaded it. Went to play Gears 4 and it crashed at the splash screen. Went to play Crackdown and it crashed at the splash screen. FH4 finished downloading and played fine until then next night. Then FH4, Crackdown and Gears all crashes at the splash screen. To make matters worse the store will only download at one fifth of my internet speed. I looked online to trouble shoot and saw command line instructions and powershell shit and said "Nah. Fuck off". I'm not jumping through those hoops to play games when there are plenty of competent storefronts on PC that aren't a complete pain in the ass. If they ever truly fix it I might swing again but for now it's broken trash.

 

[pepone1234]

This is what happens when you take a store made for smartphones and mobile games and try to use it for more serious things.

 

[Jaypah]

This is what happens when you take a store made for smartphones and mobile games and try to use it for more serious things.

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Yup and it's obvious. Any smaller app downloads and launches time and again with no problem. This shit wasn't made for downloading games for PCs. They should shut it down and announce that it's under construction until they figure it out and relaunch it. But that's not going to happen because some people don't have issues but looking online there are a lot of people experiencing these problems and it's not like they have the market share to be turning customers off.

 

[Paul]

This happened to me as well. After buying Cuphead and not being able to download it, which prompted a refund, I said I was done with the store. But eventually I saw the $1 for a month of GP deal and decided to try it. Downloaded Forza Horizon 4 and it went smoothly. Played for a few hours, closed it and set Gears 4 to download. Next night I played Gears 4 for a few hours, started Crackdown downloading and went to sleep. The next night I played Crackdown for a bit then tried to play FH4 and it wouldn't get past the splash screen. After trying fixes I redownloaded it. Went to play Gears 4 and it crashed at the splash screen. Went to play Crackdown and it crashed at the splash screen. FH4 finished downloading and played fine until then next night. Then FH4, Crackdown and Gears all crashes at the splash screen. To make matters worse the store will only download at one fifth of my internet speed. I looked online to trouble shoot and saw command line instructions and powershell shit and said "Nah. Fuck off". I'm not jumping through those hoops to play games when there are plenty of competent storefronts on PC that aren't a complete pain in the ass. If they ever truly fix it I might swing again but for now it's broken trash.

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Jesus Fucking Christ, if I redownload this and it starts crashing again like it did for you, I will be pissed. I truly marvel at this level of incompetence.

 

[Deleted member 15440]

even the "fixes" spencer keeps talking about (for years with nothing really changing) aren't fundamental changes to the platform, just added features on top. the basic functionality of UWP apps downloading, installing, updating, and running are all things that the windows team has to fix, and they apparently have no interest at all in doing so.

 

[MechaJackie]

I saw this thread pop up again in my notifications and I decided to retry downloading Phantom Dust, just to ruin my day, I was sure it wouldn't work, and weirdly enough, it worked now, for no reason. I guess I'm happy.

 

[matimeo]

This is what happens when you take a store made for smartphones and mobile games and try to use it for more serious things.

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Correct. It's not really the store teams fault. Just like Xbox they got a new mandate out of nowhere and the store app itself was not their only responsibility at that time.

The store probably should have been rearchitected but no executive is going to give you time for that when a band aid solution is an option.

Yup and it's obvious. Any smaller app downloads and launches time and again with no problem. This shit wasn't made for downloading games for PCs. They should shut it down and announce that it's under construction until they figure it out and relaunch it. But that's not going to happen because some people don't have issues but looking online there are a lot of people experiencing these problems and it's not like they have the market share to be turning customers off.

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The only conclusion I can make is they have the data so they should know how often failures happen in regards to the store. My guess is it's a small amount but it would be if they are not isolating AAA game buyers from smaller app buyers on the store. This allows them to de prioritize those issues for other things.

even the "fixes" spencer keeps talking about (for years with nothing really changing) aren't fundamental changes to the platform, just added features on top. the basic functionality of UWP apps downloading, installing, updating, and running are all things that the windows team has to fix, and they apparently have no interest at all in doing so.

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Phil is now an executive stakeholder due to a reorganization of the entire store team (over 1k people at one time). This means he can now be a part of prioritizing issues and/or provide resources to help the team deal with issues. Basically a portion of store now lives under Phil.

MS is a huge company so change and influence takes time.

I saw this thread pop up again in my notifications and I decided to retry downloading Phantom Dust, just to ruin my day, I was sure it wouldn't work, and weirdly enough, it worked now, for no reason. I guess I'm happy.

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Happy to hear. The team is always working on things so potentially all issues will be solved eventually.

I've tried escalating a few things myself for people on Era but I have no idea what happens once they acknowledge it and most likely drop it in their backlog with thousands of other things. The issues are hard to replicate for different users so not much anyone can do but wait and see and try again occasionally.

 

[Paul]

Gears 4 downloaded now. Had to "resume" the download about 10 times due to it crashing.

Downloading Forza 3 now. First 40GB downloaded without crashing. In the remaining 15 the download so far crashed 4 times. It's really unbelievable.

 

[Deleted member 38397]

Maybe when they announce Windows Game Pass at E3, they'll switch over to the Xbox delivery system and all this nonsense will be behind us.