Over the past several Ubisoft Connect ~monthly automatic updates, I started getting an error message on launching FarCry 5, that, until the latest update today, I was able to click through. Now it won't launch.

After investigating "The procedure entry point CreateDXGIFactory2 could not be located in the dynamic link library dxgi.dll" and (in hindsight, foolishly) renaming System32/dxgi.dll and copying it back in from another location on my PC, with much faffing around with file permissions to do so, I now learn that Ubisoft Connect support is discontinued for Windows 7  T_T  T_T  T_T . I had downloaded the latest and reinstalled it without any warning or complaint, but no joy as far as being able to run it.

The only good news in all this is Insurgency is still playable, even though the Steam Client is also unusable after an update, possibly for the same reasons.

Going to really miss FC5 until I can upgrade to Windows 10!

This looks tempting ... https://www.groovypost.com/howto/dual-boot-windows-10-other-versions-windows/

Forumites: 10 or 11, and why?

No idea. You may find 10 more stable and not so likely to put up cutting edge features to test your hardware. There's also a hugely greater body of online help around if you hit problems. At the moment there isn't a world of difference, but if you just want it to run FC5 then go for 10. 

Well that's what you get when you use DRM malware platforms. :<

Also, Fuck Windows: https://software.kaminata.net/linux-wine-games/far-cry-5-linux-dxvk-wine/

> Far Cry 5 is a game for Windows which runs very well on Linux with the newer versions of
> DXVK. It has some problems in the past but they have been solved by the community. To
> play this game on Linux is easy. You’ll need only Wine, DXVK, and a Windows dll.

Wow. I had no idea. Thank you!

Whelp using a combo of https://www.windowscentral.com/how-restore-trustedinstaller-owner-system-files-windows-10 (this also works in 7), and  https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161

I managed to restore functionality to Radeon Settings and Steam, and Windows 7 now boots without error messages.

I don't use System Restore, because a) it never works and b) a huge waste of time and storage.

sfc /scannow seems fairly effective at replacing fucked system files.

I did dl an official Win10 installer iso, waiting for an opportune time to deal with the potentially system-nuking fallout

I looked into the running FC5 on Wine thing in more detail TL;DR this trick may be even more fraught than essaying a Win7/Win10/Linux multiboot. Not had good experiences with Wine (see System Restore ^^^), allowing how it's matured since I last fucked with it. Since this is my production system ...

But can you run Far Cry 5?

 

I feel that one day, I will again!  :-O~~~