Newest Paradox Launcher version 2023.14 no longer starts on Win7

[Mefisto1029]

How did you make it run?. I also have W8.1, and I've tried renaming the folder, and it still doesn't work. Could you please help me?

I don't know your steps, but I did on Win7:
1. Downloaded this instalator
2. Reinstall launcher with this instalator
3. Go to C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Programs\Paradox Interactive
4. Rename folder launcher-v2.2023.13 to launcher-v2.2099.99

And now I can use launcher normaly.

 

[Ramiel]

This is not a solution, is not ready, and likely won't be useful for most people here. But if you're really stubborn and don't mind getting your hands dirty, here's something to keep an eye on in the future
https://github.com/win32ss/supermium-electron

 

[frozenparagon]

I have no real answer for you, but Windows 7 is now a 14 year old OS (released in 2009), has been out of mainstream support for 8 years now (2015) and extended support finally ended in January 2020 roughly 3 years and 9 months ago.

What this means for any software/hardware company including Paradox is that THEY TOO can no longer call Microsoft for support. So if they have a problem with Windows 7, Microsoft will tell them: Oh well, that OS is now as obsolete as the iPhone 3 (which was released in 2009 as well), so we won't support you.

That the OS is "perfectly fine" and that your old iPhone 3 with them sweet rounded corners is also "perfectly fine", despite both of them being 14 years old..... doesn't really matter, as the companies providing support for these products pulled the support on it a LONG, LONG time ago.

There will come a time (and it has already happened with many other software companies) that companies making software products will be unable to support Windows 7. It is very possible that Paradox no longer has a single Windows 7 computer left in their building to even test the client for Windows 7, and the fact that it still worked up until now..... is just pure luck because the code had not changed all that much, or not in the spots that matter for compatibility.

I'm not saying this IS the cause, but running a 14 year old OS is bound to cause problems at some point. Perhaps its time to upgrade to Windows 10, which is still supported for another 2 years....

heh, well i'm sure they'll extend support quite a bit to avoid the massive stock plummet from the PR mega blast of forcing folks to jump over to their still not quite up to snuff win 11. I'm keeping a very loose eye on it's progression and it does seem to be getting better

 

[Palp]

Well that rather sucks as many of the games there where sold for win7 and looking around at steam and GOG, that is still in the minimum system requirements. May want to change that then.

 

[AndrewT]

Well that rather sucks as many of the games there where sold for win7 and looking around at steam and GOG, that is still in the minimum system requirements. May want to change that then.

Update on Paradox Game Launcher's support on Windows 7, 8 & 8.1

Hello everyone! Last week, we deployed version 2023.14 of the Paradox Game Launcher. With this version we are no longer supporting Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. We wanted to give you all some more information on how this decision came about and what it...

forum.paradoxplaza.com

 

[Avald]

The problem on Linux is different than the windows problem and almost certainly solvable from the users side, because the launcher still works on ubuntu (at least for me on kubuntu 22.04 and ubuntu 23.04). Have you tried starting the standalone version of the launcher ( "~/.paradoxlauncher/launcher-v2.2023.14/Paradox Launcher" ) from a terminal? Maybe it gives a helpful error message. You could also try a full uninstall of the launcher as explained in this support article. Maybe an older cache file is causing the problem. And if this doesn't help, you could have a look at the logs which are in the folder which is mentioned at the end of the article. You could also post the logs here

I have also gotten a problem with the launcher very recently. Never had an issue before. Namely it takes like 30+ minutes for the launcher to initially recognize my installed mods. At least that was the case for Vic3, started up EU4 for the first time this month only to realize that it isn't instantly recognizing a new mod either and has the same issue there, lets hope it doesn't take 2 hours or more, simply cause the list is so much longer.

Already deleted the launcher mod place, as well as the vic3 folder in the hidden local folder, nothing fixed it. Even a clean full reinstall, with removal of the game via steam + clearing of the game folder in the pdx folder and clearing of the launcher folder isn't helping either. They borked something.

Running Fedora 38/39 (issue has persisted for over a week, I upgraded yesterday).

 

[grotaclas]

I have also gotten a problem with the launcher very recently. Never had an issue before. Namely it takes like 30+ minutes for the launcher to initially recognize my installed mods. At least that was the case for Vic3, started up EU4 for the first time this month only to realize that it isn't instantly recognizing a new mod either and has the same issue there, lets hope it doesn't take 2 hours or more, simply cause the list is so much longer.

Already deleted the launcher mod place, as well as the vic3 folder in the hidden local folder, nothing fixed it. Even a clean full reinstall, with removal of the game via steam + clearing of the game folder in the pdx folder and clearing of the launcher folder isn't helping either. They borked something.

Running Fedora 38/39 (issue has persisted for over a week, I upgraded yesterday).

This thread is not a good place to discuss launcher problems on linux. Have you tried to find other people with the same issue? If there are none, it might be something unique to your system. Such a long time sounds like the launcher tries to do something which doesn't work and waits for a timeout. This could be accessing a server, connecting to steam(AFAIK it does it through the loopback network interface) or maybe accessing some files. Do you maybe have a firewall which drops packages instead of rejecting them? Or maybe a network drive which is not connected.

 

[Avald]

This thread is not a good place to discuss launcher problems on linux. Have you tried to find other people with the same issue? If there are none, it might be something unique to your system. Such a long time sounds like the launcher tries to do something which doesn't work and waits for a timeout. This could be accessing a server, connecting to steam(AFAIK it does it through the loopback network interface) or maybe accessing some files. Do you maybe have a firewall which drops packages instead of rejecting them? Or maybe a network drive which is not connected.

Where would I talk about this? This topic seems to be closest, while being close enough in time to make sense.

I consider my issue time sensitive as I never experienced this issue before, while using linux for the past 2+ years. The only thing that changed was the most recent pdx release bonanza. I do get the same problem in proton, so who knows. I hope it is a network issue, that will resolve itself.

 

[grotaclas]

Where would I talk about this? This topic seems to be closest, while being close enough in time to make sense.

Probably a new thread in the tech support forum of one of the affected games. Or maybe the thread about the launcher startup problem on linux in version 2023.14: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...rsion-2023-14-does-not-work-on-linux.1606188/

I consider my issue time sensitive as I never experienced this issue before, while using linux for the past 2+ years. The only thing that changed was the most recent pdx release bonanza. I do get the same problem in proton, so who knows. I hope it is a network issue, that will resolve itself.

Do you happen to have a windows installation which you could test? That it happens in proton as well might indicate that it is not a Linux issue. But it still might be something specific to your system.
Or maybe it is related to the mods to which you are subscribed. Have you tried unsubscribing from all mods and clearing out all the launcher data in your game folders in "~/.local/share/Paradox Interactive/"? Each game folder usually has a launcher-v2.sqlite file a content_load.json/dlc_load.json and a .launcher-cache folder.

 

[fukraa020]

There will come a time (and it has already happened with many other software companies) that companies making software products will be unable to support Windows 7. It is very possible that Paradox no longer has a single Windows 7 computer left in their building to even test the client for Windows 7, and the fact that it still worked up until now..... is just pure luck because the code had not changed all that much, or not in the spots that matter for compatibility.

 

[ford92925]

What this means for any software/hardware company including Paradox is that THEY TOO can no longer call Microsoft for support. So if they have a problem with Windows 7, Microsoft will tell them: Oh well, that OS is now as obsolete as the iPhone 3 (which was released in 2009 as well), so we won't support you.

That the OS is "perfectly fine" and that your old iPhone 3 with them sweet rounded corners is also "perfectly fine", despite both of them being 14 years old..... doesn't really matter, as the companies providing support for these products pulled the support on it a LONG, LONG time ago.

 

[rubert]

Personally I have blocked PDX launcher from accessing Internet because of the early bad updates when the current launcher was added. "Don't fix it if it isn't broken". Least Stellaris has worked just fine that way and I can decide when to update.

You can block specific applications from Internet by using Windows' in-built firewall, exact steps can vary slightly depending on Windows version.

In case of Parodox launcher blocking following executables prevents auto-updates, in C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\Paradox Interactive

• bootstrapper-v2.exe
• launcher-v2.XXXXX\cpatch.exe
• launcher-v2.XXXXX\Paradox Launcher.exe

Blocking just cpatch.exe might be enough. This is obviously unofficial suggestion and might break things, eg. I assume mods downloaded from Paradox's own mod site might no longer update or be downloaded though I have only used with Game Pass CK3 and least back then game pass version had their own launcher in a different location.

 

[Victor20346]

NotParadoxLauncher works on 7 (can't post link because account is too new), maybe it can even be ported back to other OSes. It should also work on Mac OS once Paradox Launcher switches to the Electron version that drops support for High Sierra. Nice to see some other people also still on 7, I tried using Linux before (after 10) but it was so bad. This I guess also goes with that one Victoria 3 fix for Windows 7. Go into the game's folder, find a file called "dbghelp.dll". Delete or rename it. Run Vic3.exe or open the game from the launcher. The game runs flawlessly on Windows 7.

 

[Avald]

Probably a new thread in the tech support forum of one of the affected games. Or maybe the thread about the launcher startup problem on linux in version 2023.14: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...rsion-2023-14-does-not-work-on-linux.1606188/

Do you happen to have a windows installation which you could test? That it happens in proton as well might indicate that it is not a Linux issue. But it still might be something specific to your system.
Or maybe it is related to the mods to which you are subscribed. Have you tried unsubscribing from all mods and clearing out all the launcher data in your game folders in "~/.local/share/Paradox Interactive/"? Each game folder usually has a launcher-v2.sqlite file a content_load.json/dlc_load.json and a .launcher-cache folder.

Sorry to reply so late. I seldomly visit the forums, so my apologies. I can report that whatever issue I had, has resolved itself (to my knowledge) as of yesterday. My thumbnail preview images are loading and I don't have to wait several minutes for each item to timeout before it moves on the next, so that it can finally register my latest mod subscription.

So yes, most likely a network issue that has resolved itself. No clue if it was something on steam's end, on pdx's end, or on my end.