Game Pass PC Games won't install to external D Drive

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Respectfully,



Microsoft Community Moderator

Hello blinkysquid,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community.



We understand that you are trying to install Halo: The Master Chief Collection however, the installation always gets stuck at 1%. Let us check on this together and sort this out in timely manner for you to get back to gaming.

For installation of games, there is a need to check if the game required specific requirements. Halo is one of the games that is best played when the Xbox app and the PC itself is up to date. However, getting stuck at 0% installation might also mean the game could be faulty or else there is a specific apps hindering the game to be installed. Before we begun the installation of Halo, let us try the troubleshooting for Xbox app for Windows. You may save the game to specific location you would like to.

• Restart device -
  
  • This will clear your computer’s memory/RAM.
    
• Keep your Windows updated -
  
  • Install PC updates including Optional Update. Guide - Update Windows
    
    • Settings > Update & Security (Windows 10) or Windows Update (Windows 11) > Check for updates > download updates and install > restart device and wait for the update to be done.
      
  • If you have issues with update, please check the troubleshooting steps available here - Troubleshoot problems updating Windows.
    
  • Update your Windows and Windows drivers:
    
• For the best game performance, make sure your system’s video card drivers (or display adapter drivers) are up to date. Drivers are available on the support website for your computer manufacturer, or if your computer system is custom built, on the video card manufacturer’s support website. Updating video card drivers can resolve game crashes, improve frame rates, and improve overall game performance.
  
• Update Xbox app and Gaming Services from Microsoft Store
  
  • Launch Microsoft Store app on Windows by searching it on Windows search bar.
    
  • Select Library > Updates & downloads > check if an update is available for the Xbox app or Gaming Services app.
    
  • If an update is available, select Update.
    
• Sign out your account on Microsoft Store and Xbox app. Make sure you are signed in to Microsoft Store and Xbox app with the same credentials.
  
• Uninstalling and reinstalling Gaming Services.
  
  • Right-click the Start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).
    
  • Type this command one at a time, press enter and wait:
    get-appxpackage Microsoft.GamingServices | remove-AppxPackage -allusers
    start ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN
    
  • Install the app on that page and select Yes when you receive the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.
    
  • Restart your device and try to install the game again.
    

Source: Troubleshoot issues with the Xbox App for Windows



Let us know the result and we will get back to you as soon as we can. We may recommend further troubleshooting steps once we have received your answers to the above questions.



Sincerely,



Microsoft Community Moderator

If the game is installed on an external, then I don't think there should be a problem playing them on another PC if you're also signed in for authentication purposes.

Actually, it doesn't work the same as it does on console or like any other PC download service for that matter. In short it won't work.

The reason why it won't work is because the games are encrypted, and this encryption digitally locks them to the PC they were originally installed to. If you put the drive in another PC, that other machine will not be able to see them.

You can use your Game Pass or other purchased Windows Store on another PC, but the games themselves need to be downloaded again. you can't copy them across to another machine or play them off an external hard drive that was installed via a different PC.

Game Pass games use protected folders, and if format Windows, it no longer recognizes any game even if it is on another external hard drive or hard drive. If you install it on a Windows or PC you don't recognize any of the games.

... I suspect the "problem" might be that my Windows 10 system resides on an external hard disk which somehow messes up the installation process for "Administrator approval required for installation" games.

I have similar issues with apps and external storage.

It seems that for whatever reason, external drives aren't "trusted" as much as an internal system drive.

How is the external drive connected? Via USB, or is it an external SATA connector? You might coax the system into believing it's an internal drive, if you use an external SATA connector.

If you actually managed to install Windows on an USB drive (and it's not an official Windows To Go install), that might really be the problem.

The setup is an iMac 2019 with external Thunderbolt 3 SSD drive with Windows 10 Pro installed on it specifically for gaming needs. The problem with Xbox Games Pass for PC is the first (serious, mysterious) problem I have with this setup. Steam, Epic, GoG
- every other online gaming store works as it should and I can play pretty much any game I want, except for the ones available on the Games Pass for PC. I find it somewhat ironic.