Hook And Game Crashing

Just started seeing an error message today when trying to login to POL via windower. Something about Hook. Uninstalled and reinstalled, but then ffxi wouldn't load (POL would crash when FFXI would attempt to start). Did a brief check files of ffxi (11 were found and fixed) and POL (none found). Uninstalled and reinstalled windower and its not working still... Just keeps crashing when ffxi attempts to load.

Any ideas? Also, is there an older version I can try? I also can't log on vanilla, because I get booted back to POL with a message about my Direct 3D, and not sure how to fix that either.

Please advise, or point to appropriate thread. Thx.

Well if vanilla won't load, windower most likely won't load either.

is this a fresh install, or do any updates recently?

Vanilla just loaded through steam. It always has loaded before on windower, but was having an issue loading vanilla externally (not through steam).

Windower not working. No, this is not a fresh install. Woke up this morning to FFXI not loading through windower. Not sure what happened overnight.

Windows Update maybe? Which OS are you using?

Yeah, I don't fiddle with Steam installs, good luck.

Windows 8.1

There was another thread a couple of days ago where someone was having a directplay issue with POL on Windows 8.1 - I think they managed to resolve it, although it might be different from what you're experiencing. Here's the thread:

windows 8.1 (64bit)

Direct Play =/= Direct 3D.

To me if it's launching via steam and not via pure vanilla, it means that Steam is forcing it to use different settings, do you have multiple video cards?

But short of a windows update or something autoupdating to change a setting/driver it shouldn't just stop working. Check your system restore points and see if there's a point for yesterday that you can revert back to, obviously make a new one for now so you can reverse if you need to.

I know that, but it might be resolved similarly.

Its not Direct play. I checked that thread prior to making this one. idk what the hell Direct 3d is, or why vanilla FFXI crashes upon loaded. Again, steam works fine, but I haven't used the steam version in over 8 months, as I've always used windower.

I'm checking to see if there was an update overnight (usually my PC tells me this, and there was none that I was aware of). Where am I going to find my restore point?

Believe I only have 1 video card.

No, it's related as features of directx, but it's a different issue.

the directplay issue is caused by not having the legacy features of directx 9 enabled by default in windows 8.1 (maybe 8 too, I don't keep up with the differences as I purposely use 7).

A direct 3d issue is usually caused by an incompatible driver being used, or a secondary video card, or just having 3d acceleration disabled, considering steam launches it fine, it may just be an issue of forcing it to use the right card (assuming there's more than one) but it doesn't answer why it just stopped working.

Is windower being run as an admin?

in system restore...

is this a desktop or laptop (sorry if I missed this if it was said already).

Yes it is being run as administrator. I also don't know why I was receiving that Hook error earlier with windower.

Laptop

Just checked. No updates since the 27th.

What model of laptop?

Is Windower still giving the hook error? or just the direct3d?

There was an update last night that caused my game to stutter really bad. I just logged off and shut down. logged on this morning. Downloaded 5 file update from SE then booted up Windower. Didn't have any problems.

Also on 8.1

toshiba satellite p55w

No windower hook error now. I have since removed windower and reinstalled it, but now its still crashing when it tries to load ffxi.

always at the startup screen to ffxi.

My game was lagging inordinately last night as well. Would hit a macro and it would fire off maybe 5 seconds later. Thought it was server lag.

Just tried to log on with steam, and now im getting the same Direct3D error.

"Terminated as error occured in FINAL FANTASY XI. Failed to initialize Direct3D. Please check that this computer has the required specifications to run FINAL FANTASY XI. (-1)"

Check your intel graphics driver version

Idk what that means. I believe i have the latest version (just downloaded it to make sure, and it is).

but what is it?