After investigating this particular issue thoroughly, it turns out that there are several potential causes that might end up triggering this particular problem on a Windows 10 computer. Here’s a shortlist of the potential culprit that might cause this behavior:
Method 1: Running in Compatibility Mode with Windows 7
One of the most common fixes for this particular issue is to run the game in compatibility mode with Windows 7. Keep in mind that this game was created years before Windows 10 was even announced, so the base architecture was not designed with this OS in mind. Sure, the developers have since patched the game to work on Windows 10, but every once in a while, a new Windows update comes around that ends up breaking the functionality of the game. Fortunately, there seems to be an easy way to fix incompatibility issues related to Windows 10. All you need to do is configure the game’s main executable or the shortcut you use to launch it to run in Compatibility mode with Windows 7. If you don’t know how to do it by yourself, follow the instructions below: In case the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.
Method 2: Running the Launcher with Admin Access
According to some affected users that were also having the same problem when attempting to run LOTRO from the main launcher, this can also be a permission issue. Depending on your UAC (User Account Preferences), it’s possible that the main LOTRO launcher is unable to update the game to the latest available version because it’s missing admin access. If this scenario is applicable, you should be able to fix the problem by opening the main game launcher with admin privileges. To do this, simply right-click on the LOTRO’s launcher and choose Run as Administrator from the context menu that just appeared. See if this allows you to launch the game normally. If the game now runs just fine, you have successfully confirmed that the problem was previously occurring due to missing permissions. In this case, you can ensure that the same problem doesn’t repeat in the future by following the instructions below: If the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.
Method 3: Installing the Missing DirectX files
As it turns out, one of the most common instances that will trigger this issue on Windows 10 is a DirectX issue. If you have the GPU to support it, your system will default to DirectX12 when playing LOTR – This is not a problem by itself, but some Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files that the game uses are not included by DirectX 12. If this scenario looks applicable and you’re missing certain dependencies that are not present with DirectX 12, you’ll need to install older versions of DirectX in order to ensure that you have the necessary files. By far, the easiest way to do this is to use the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer to install every missing DirectX package and make sure you have every required dependency. This operation was confirmed to be successful by a lot of affected users that were previously unable to launch LOTRO. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide that will walk you through the process of updating your local DirectX installation with the missing dependencies: In case you’re still unable to launch LOTRO on Windows 10 and you encounter no error message, move down to the next potential fix below.
Method 4: Resetting LOTRO Graphics Settings
According to a handful of affected users, this problem can also originate from a graphical preference that the game is forced to use. If you modified the graphical settings inside Lord of the Rings Online before launching it the first time, chances are you’ve forcibly enabled a setting that your GPU is not comfortable with rendering. Keep in mind that having a powerful graphics card has nothing to do with it – There are certain legacy graphics settings that newer GPU models have a tough time rendering. If you find yourself in this particular scenario, you might be able to fix the problem by reverting the graphical settings back to their defaults. This method was confirmed to work by several affected users. To do this, you need to access the LOTRO graphics settings via the launcher menu – Down Arrow > Options > Repair. Once you’re inside the correct menu, click on Graphics and click on Revert Graphics before clicking on Accept to save the changes. After you do this successfully, attempt to launch the game normally and see if the problem is now fixed. In case you are now able to run the game without issues, you can experiment with different graphics settings until you find the correct configuration for your rig.
Method 5: Installing the Missing Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packs
As some affected users have pointed out, this problem can occur if your Windows installation is missing a very important dependency brought about via Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015 package. Keep in mind that since this is an older iteration, your Windows 10 will not automatically update and maintain this Redist. package for Visual C++. Fortunately, you can download and install this missing dependency manually from the official download page. Simply download the executable, run it, then follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation before restarting your computer. Once your computer boots back up, launch LOTRO again and see if the problem is now fixed. If the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.
Method 6: Checking the Integrity of LOTRO’s Files (if applicable)
If you’re launching the game through Steam and you’ve only started to experience this problem after an unexpected shutdown or something similar, chances are you’re experiencing this due to some type of corruption that is affecting the game files. Several affected users finding themselves in a similar scenario have reportedly managed to fix this problem by using the built-in Steam settings menu to check and fix the integrity of the LOTRO’s game files. IMPORTANT: This potential fix is only applicable if you’re launching the game through Steam. If you haven’t tried this fix yet, follow the instructions below: In case you’re still unable to launch the game even after doing an integrity check or this method was not applicable, move down to the next potential fix below.
Method 7: Clean installing LOTRO outside Steam
As it turns out, some affected users that were previously unable to launch the game have finally been able to launch the game without issues after uninstalling the current Steam version and downloading the game from the official website. According to a lot of users, this workaround has successfully allowed them to finally run the game – This seems to suggest that the problem is somehow related to something inside the Steam ecosystem. If you haven’t tried reinstalling yet or you only reinstalled the steam version, follow the instructions below to uninstall your current Steam version of LOTRO and then reinstall the game from the official launcher: In case the same problem is still occurring on your Windows 10 computer, move down to the next potential fix below.
Method 8: Disabling Integrated GPU (if applicable)
If you’re using a dual-GPU setup, chances are LOTRO is insisting on running using the integrated graphics card, which might not be capable enough to run the game. This problem was reported to occur with both Nvidia and AMD motherboard, and the only viable fix in most cases is to disable the integrated GPU. One way of fixing this problem is to use the Nvidia Control panel or AMD Catalyst Contol center to force LOTRO to use the dedicated GPU, but this is not always sufficient according to some affected users. As it turns out, the best thing you can do to ensure that LOTRO is using your most powerful GPU is to disable the integrated equivalent, leaving the game with only one option (to use the dedicated GPU). Here’s a quick guide on disabled the integrated GPU using Device Manager in order to force LOTRO to use the more powerful GPU: If disabling the integrated GPU didn’t do the trick for you or this scenario was not applicable, move down to the next potential fix below.
Method 9: Pasting the missing DLL files Manually
If none of the potential fixes below have worked for you, chances are you’re dealing with this problem after something went wrong with the initial installation. If you don’t want to do the reinstallation all over again, there’s also the option of replacing the files that are most likely to become corrupted with healthy equivalents. We’ve managed to find a user that was kind enough to upload the .dll files most likely to go bust in a Drive archive. We’ve checked every file for malware, adware, or spyware and they are completely clean – Even more, a lot of affected users have used this archive to fix their LOTRO installation on Windows 10. However, keep in mind that you will need to replace potentially corrupted DLL files in 2 separate locations:
C:\Program Files\Lord of the Rings OnlineC:\Program Files\Lord of the Rings Online\x64Note: This is only true if you installed LOTRO in the default locations.
If you’re looking for step-by-step instructions on replacing the missing or corrupted DLL files, follow the instructions below:
LOTRO Game error [201] Can’t open the data files ‘Resolved’Tweet Claims Pixel 4a Launch Delayed Again: Possible Launch in July with Two…How to Fix the ‘Windows Cannot Find the Microsoft Software License Terms’ Error…FIX: Cannot Drag Windows on Dual Screens (Windows 10)
