AoE2:DE can't start after forced update.

Thanks, Georges - Windows has been nagging me for weeks to schedule another update. I have resisted because last year a Windows update happened without my knowledge or consent and left me stuck with a BSOD and a corrupted C: drive. Over $600 to repair, and no help from MS. I don't trust their updates, and i don't appreciate having them forced on me.

Nevertheless after a lot of digging i got in touch with a MS tech support person - three, actually - i kept getting transferred around. She recommended i do the Win update, so i did, and the AoE2E icon was magically restored at the end of the Win update.

I remain very uncomfortable with having to go thru some kind of Xbox app to launch my game. I'm not interested in the Xbox presence, it adds nothing to my gaming and by times gets in the way. Call me old-fashioned, but when i pay for software, the deliverable should include a visible executable file that launches when i click on it.

Thanks again for offering assistance, i appreciated that.

The remaining question seems to be whether AoE2E can run single-player without internet access. My provider was down for a few hours yesterday. The game kept crashing and was sometimes unable to find the saved games. Well, it could open the saved games folder in Explorer, but couldn't find it when i asked for a Reload. Way too much weird $h*t going on for comfort.

Still love the game, when it works, tho... (-:

Thanks again, Georges.

Hello again, I believe that the file .exe of each game is hidden through the App, I think it strange that it has updated and does not appear the icon completely.

You've checked to see if Windows has any updates to do, if you have the latest version installed, they often come as optional updates.

Georges, thanks for replying. Already tried that, it does not change the shortcut icon, which is still a featureless dark square. What i really want is to be able to open the exe file directly, but for some reason MS has it very well hidden. All i've ever had access to is the taskbar shortcut, and after that unwanted update, all it does is send me to Microsoft's "Gaming Services" page, with the big Xbox logo and no way forward.

If i were smarter and braver, i'd delete the taskbar icon and try your suggestion again, hoping for a better outcome. But that icon has been my only way to activate the game, since installing it, and i don't want to lose it entirely.

Hoping for a solution, i like to play this game a lot.

Hello again, I understand perfectly, and I'm glad the icon was restored has in the meantime for the Xbox ecosystem on PC some Apps are needed,