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Error message when you try to install a Microsoft Games for Windows game: "Failed to load DLL: GameuxInstallHelper"

Article ID: 968365 - View products that this article applies to.

Notice

This article may contain a link to the Windows Installer Cleanup utility (MSICUU2.exe). If you were directed to this article to solve a problem by using the Windows Installer Cleanup utility, please contact your software manufacturer for installation support on the product, or see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article for steps to troubleshoot uninstallation issues with products that use Windows Installer:

2438651 How to troubleshoot problems that may occur when you install, uninstall, or upgrade a program on a Windows-based computer

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2438651/ )

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SYMPTOMS

When you try to install one of the Microsoft Games for Windows games that are listed in the "Applies to" section, the game does not install successfully. You also receive the following error message:

Error to number 0x80040702
Description: Failed to load DLL: GameuxInstallHelper

Setup will now terminate.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Restart the computer by using a clean startup

Note You may experience a temporary loss of some services functionality when you follow these steps. Restoring the settings restores the functionality. However, when you restore the functionality, you may receive the original error message or experience the original problem again.

Open System Configuration. To do this, do one of the following:
- In Windows Vista, click Start
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  , type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
  
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  If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
- In Windows XP and earlier versions, click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
Turn off programs and services. To do this, follow these steps:

Windows Vista
1. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
2. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup Items check box.
3. On the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box. Then, click Disable All.
4. Click OK, and then click Restart.
Windows XP
1. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
2. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the following check boxes:
  - Process SYSTEM.INI File
  - Process WIN.INI File
  - Load Startup Items
3. On the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box. Then, click Disable All.
4. Click OK, and then click Restart.
Delete the registry key for the game. To do this, follow these steps.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322756
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ )
How to back up and restore the registry in Windows
1. Start Registry Editor.
  - In Windows Vista, click Start
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    , type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
    
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    If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
  - In Windows XP, click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2. Locate and then click to select the following registry key:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Games
3. Right-click the registry key of the game that you have problems installing, and then click Delete. Click Yes when you are prompted to delete the key.
4. On the File menu, click Exit to exit Registry Editor.
Try to install the Microsoft Games for Windows game again.