How to fix performance issues caused by rundll32.exe/gameux bug

[Karlotta]

There is currently a bug affecting some windows installations, which affects game performance. The issue was possibly caused by a recent windows update, as it seems to now affect the "vanilla" Freelancer game too.

How do I notice if I am affected?

There are 2 ways in which the bug manifests itself:

- In the Launcher you have to press "Launch Game" twice before the game will start, and the second time you have to tell the prompt to shut down the already game instance

- There is a rundll32.exe task (visible by opening the task manager with control+alt+delete), which uses up a lot of CPU. This may cause the game frame rate to stutter.

In order to solve the problem until there is a mod-side solution, there are two possibilites

1. Shut down the rundll32.exe task after the game has started. To make sure you're really shutting down the correct rundll32.exe instance (there may be other non harmful ones running, used by other applications):

Open your Task Manager (press control+alt+delete and select Task Manager), and go to the "Processes" tab. Set Freelancer to start in Windowed mode in the launcher (you can switch to fullscreen and back pressing Alt+Return). Click on "Launch Game" in the launcher. After the game started in windowed mode (you may have to lick "Launch Game" twice and tell it to shoot down the running instance of Freelancer), look in the processes if there is a rundll32.exe task that was started the moment you clicked "Launch Game", that uses an unusually high amount of CPU. Close this process down and game performance should be back to normal.

2. A more permanent fix that doesn't have to be done every time you start the game: You rename C:\Windows\SysWOW64\gameux.dll to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\gameux so the system doesn't find it, because this is the program that is causing the bug. If this somehow has negatively affects other games (none were identified by anyone so far) you can undo the change by simply renaming it back to gameux.dll.

To rename it you will have to give yourself the rights permissions. That is done by right-clicking on gameux.dll and going into Properties > Security > Advanced > Owner > Edit and give the file to the Administrator account. After you have done that, edit the file permissions (right click the file, then go to permissions > edit) so the Administrator has full permissions. You should now be able to rename it with administrator permissions.

Video that shows how to give the right permissions for renaming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULd8Y8pAlak

Other mentions of this bug:
https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/f...597996108/

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[Karlotta]

Just audited the launcher code and there are exactly zero invocations of rundll32 in it, nor do I see any rundll32 processes spawned when I run the game from the current live version of the launcher on any of my machines. I don't know where this is coming from. I recommend running anti-malware tools after uploading your DSLauncher EXE to VirusTotal and sending me the results. ~Kazinsal

Uploaded both the DSLauncer and the rundll32.exe to virustotal and it said it didnt find anything. Also did an avira virus scan, again nothing.

Tested starting Disco again, and the rundll32.exe that uses like 50% CPU definitely starts the exact moment I click on "Launch Game" in the launcher (together with Freelancer.exe but the game doesnt start until I click a second time and tell it to shoot down the previous Freelancer.exe). The rundll32 keeps using more CPU than the game itself when I play, and shooting it down while playing had no noticeable effect apart from a freed up CPU.

Even weirder is that the high CPU usage seems to have started only AFTER I reported the bug for the first time and gave my system specs here. I'm pretty sure I would have noticed it before if it had been there, because it makes my CPU cooler howl and game framerate drop.

So... at the risk of sounding somewhat paranoid to peeps who don't know some parts of disco's history, is it possible that someone activates what ever rundll32 does remotely through the launcher, specifically aimed at certain computers, not by starting rundll32 through a line in the launcher code but a line that is sent or situated elsewhere? Looking at the launcher credits didnt exactly defuse suspicion.

Maybe people who had at least the first part of this problem can check if they also get a superbusy rundll32 task when they click "Launch Game"?

EDIT: Did a little more testing. It looks as if the game wont start unless the rundll32 process is already running: If I kill Freelancer.exe in the task manager after the game didnt start properly, it will start the game on second click as long as rundll32 is still there. But it wont start if click "Launch Game" again after shooting down the rundll32. So it looks like rundll32 needs to be running before the game starts or it wont start, but doesnt need to be running after it started.

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[JP DUPREEZ]

Hi it is the same on my PC and it make the game lag

[Kaze]

Question to @Karlotta and @JP DUPREEZ. What is your operating system?

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[08:11 PM] Dusty Lens said: Well in that case. NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKE & #SAVAGE & #STORIES

[Karlotta]

windows 7

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[evanz]

i did the exact same experiment earlier, and came to the same results

ive been told that rundll32.exe should be running from boot, but mine dont
im also getting game jitters, where my fps goes down to 20-30, ive got a 780 ti
ive updated my graphics driver, going to give that a try

[JP DUPREEZ]

Hi yes Windows 7

[Kaze]

Thank you. We're analyzing the situation.

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[08:11 PM] Dusty Lens said: Well in that case. NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKE & #SAVAGE & #STORIES

[Karlotta]

Did a little more testing.

Instead of using the launcher, I started the game by clicking on Freelancer.exe in the EXE folder of the disco installation. It looks like it's the Freelancer.exe that starts the superbusy seemingly useless rundll32 task.

When I double-click Freelancer.exe the first time, a Freelancer.exe and rundll32.exe task start (the later again uses like 50% CPU), but the game doesnt start. The game only starts when I double click Freelancer.exe a second time. Couldnt test playing tho because without the launcher it didnt find the server.

Also, the DSLauncher has the "last change" date of 5th of June, while Freelancer.exe has the "last change" date of 12th of June. I can't be 100% certain, but the high CPU usage seems to also have started at the later date (I noticed the 50% CPU rundll32 on 17th of june).

EDIT: Still more testing. My Freelancer installation (vanilla, not discovery) is displaying similar behavior. It starts a superbusy rundll32 and you have to start it twice before it starts. Also, vanilla Freelancer crashes and I can't play it at all. I'm starting to think this is caused either by a windows update that broke stuff, or by a non-detectable virus that many of us got somehow.

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[JP DUPREEZ]

Hi all I have a temporary fix for the runndll32.exe for windows 7 start game with launcher were you see the sever press ctrl+alt+delete start tast manager go to performance press resource monitor click on rundll32.exe and right click and end process and go back to game and it works fine but you have to do it all over if you change accounts you see CPU usage and internet speed drop to normal it works for me. try it