rFactor Not Working on Windows 10 or Windows 11? Here's What to Do

As a fan of classic games, I often find myself returning to titles that I enjoyed in the past. One such game is rFactor, a popular racing simulator that has been around for quite some time. While it may have been overshadowed by newer racing titles like iRacing and Gran Turismo 7, rFactor still has a dedicated fan base who appreciate its unique features and gameplay. However, getting the game to run smoothly on modern operating systems like Windows 10 and Windows 11 can be a challenge. In this blog post, I will provide some tips and tricks to help you troubleshoot compatibility issues with rFactor on 64-bit Windows.

So then, why am I even writing this?

If you're a fan of classic games like me, you probably have a few titles sitting on your shelf that haven't been touched in years. There's something nostalgic and comforting about revisiting old games, even if they don't have the same flashy graphics or advanced features as more modern titles. One game that I've returned to time and time again is rFactor, a popular racing simulator that still has a loyal following despite its age. However, if you've tried to run rFactor on a newer operating system like Windows 10 or Windows 11, you may have run into some compatibility issues. That's where this article comes in - I'll be sharing some tips and tricks to help you troubleshoot common problems and get rFactor up and running on your 64-bit Windows machine. So let's dive into the nitty-gritty details and get started!

Why doesn't rFactor work after installing?

This is assuming you have an installer and have been able to obtain a proper one. Simple. DRM (Digital Rights Management).

rFactor is based off of F1 Challenge 99-02 (its a different thing entirely though) and as such uses similar technology to copy protect it. F1 Challenge uses secdrv.dll as its reliant DRM technology so I figured rFactor would be similar. There are no additional files in the rFactor install directory. 

If you're running Windows 10 or 11, you may have noticed that certain older games and applications that rely on SecuROM or other write protection DRM technologies won't work. This is because Microsoft has removed support for these technologies in newer versions of Windows due to security concerns. As a result, you may encounter error messages or other issues when trying to launch these programs.

What options do I have?

Steam

If you are like me, you  may have bought a digital version of the game many years ago. If your lucky you might even have the email to say you have a license with try media or one of the other suppliers of the day. If you do, you CAN request a steam key. Yes its a genuine option even though it opens a google form (check the rFactor support pages https://www.rfactor.net/#support).  At time of writing I have requested a key but not got one yet. (6 weeks later still no answer).

DRM free exe

With the DRM knowledge in mind (and the fact I have bought the game) I located a DRM free executable on the internet (you will have to do this yourself) and it actually worked! The only thing you need to do is replace the games main executable file and it actually runs without any wizardry. I have the original rFactor installer and the only change I needed to make was to replace the executable file.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer works with the DRM free executable. I had all the original files with exception to this one file and have played a number of races online via the direct IP connection feature. I cannot comment on the other online feature as its officially discontinued as it utilised game spy servers, so therefore will do no further investigation.