When you try to load a Games for Windows ? LIVE game, you receive one of the following error messages: "System Cannot Find the Path Specified" or "LIVE gaming on Windows failed to initialize"

Article ID: 941208
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SYMPTOMS

When you try to start a program that is enabled for Games for Windows ? LIVE, you receive one of the following error messages:
Error message 1
System Cannot Find the Path Specified
Error message 2
LIVE gaming on Windows failed to initialize. This may be because another LIVE Gaming on Windows application (such as Halo2 dedicated server) is running on the same machine. Otherwise, reinstalling the game may fix the problem.
This problem may occur if you are running the Games for Windows ? LIVE program as a dedicated server on a Windows Vista-based computer, on a Windows XP-based computer, or on a Windows Server 2003-based computer.

Important Before you run a Games for Windows ? LIVE-dedicated server, make sure that you have the latest updates installed for Windows Vista, for Windows XP, or for Windows Server 2003. To check for updates, visit the following Windows Update website:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
(http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com)
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CAUSE

This problem may occur for one of the following reasons:
  • A file in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Catroot2 folder is damaged.
  • The Cryptographic Services service is disabled.
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THINGS TO TRY

To troubleshoot this problem, try the following methods.

Method 1: Reinstall Games for Windows ? LIVE software

Step 1: Remove the Games for Windows ? LIVE Software

  1. Open Add or Remove Programs.
    • Windows Vista

      Click Start
      Collapse this imageExpand this image
      Start button
      , type programs and features in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
    • Windows XP

      Click Start, click Run, type appwiz.cpl, and then click OK.
  2. In the list of installed programs, click Microsoft Games for Windows ? LIVE, and then click either Uninstall or Remove.
  3. Follow the directions on the screen.

Step 2: Reinstall the current software

  1. Visit the following website:
    http://www.gamesforwindows.com/en-us/Support/Pages/technicalIssuesGuide.aspx
    (http://www.gamesforwindows.com/en-us/Support/Pages/technicalIssuesGuide.aspx)
  2. Click Download the latest Update.
  3. Download the file to your desktop.
  4. When the download is complete, double-click the executable file, and then follow directions on your screen.
  5. When the installation is complete, close all programs.
  6. Try to start the game again.
If the problem continues to occur, try method 2.

Method 2: Download and install all Windows Updates

Install the latest updates for your Windows Vista-based computer, for your Windows XP-based computer, or for your Windows Server 2003-based computer. Install the updates before you run Games for Windows ? LIVE-enabled programs.

For more information about system updates, visit the following Windows Update website:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
(http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com)
If the problem continues to occur, or if your computer is running on a system other than Windows Vista, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, try method 3.

Method 3: Adjust Settings in Windows

Step 1: Rename the Catroot2 folder

Rename the Catroot2 folder, and then try to start the program again.
Important Make sure that you do not rename the Catroot folder. Windows automatically re-creates the Catroot2 folder after you rename it. However, Windows does not re-create the Catroot folder if you rename it.
To rename the Catroot2 folder, follow these steps:
  1. Log on to the computer by using an account that has administrator rights.
  2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
  3. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
    net stop cryptsvc
  4. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
    ren %windir%\system32\catroot2 catroot2_renamed
  5. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
    net start cryptsvc

Step 2: Set the Cryptographic Services service to start automatically

Configure Cryptographic Services to use the Automatic startup type. Then, reinstall the program that is enabled for Games for Windows ? LIVE.

To configure Cryptographic Services to start automatically, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
  2. In the Services Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in, double-click Cryptographic Services.
  3. In the Startup type list, click Automatic.
  4. Click Start, and then click OK.
Note Games for Windows ? LIVE does not support running several different games at the same time. If you are running several different Games for Windows ? LIVE games, exit all games, and then restart the game that you want to play.
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MORE INFORMATION

For more information about how to resolve this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
822798
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822798/ )
You cannot install some updates or programs
For more information about related issues, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
936688
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936688/ )
While attempting to start a dedicated server from a program that is enabled for Games for Windows LIVE, you receive one of the following error messages: "System Cannot Find the Path Specified" or "Failed to Initialize LIVE"
938705
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938705/ )
Games for Windows LIVE: You are unable to sign in to LIVE and you receive an error message
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Article ID: 941208 - Last Review: 05 October 2011 - Revision: 2.0
Keywords: 
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