Xfire - FAQ

Take the Xfire Product Tour!

Questions

Does Xfire have a Product Tour?

Answers

* Does Xfire have a Product Tour?

Yes! You can access the product tour by clicking here.

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Xfire General

Questions

Answers

* What is Xfire?

Xfire is a free gaming tool that automatically keeps track of when and where gamers are playing PC games online and lets their friends join them easily. It doesn't matter which online game your friends are playing, which server browser they are using, or which gaming service they're playing on; Xfire is intelligent enough to recognize where your friends are at any time.

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* How can I get Xfire?

You've come to the right place! Download Xfire at the Download section of this website. Xfire is a free tool, with a small download which requires a simple installation.

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* Is Xfire really free? What's the catch?

Xfire is completely free. Xfire is supported by leading sponsors in the gaming industry, and brings relevant advertising messages to you. But rest easy; we do not sell, exchange, or share any user information with anyone. If you need further clarification on how we handle user information, read our privacy policy.

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* Who makes Xfire?

Xfire was created by the team at Ultimate Arena, the leading online tournament platform. For further information on the company, visit the About Us section of this website.

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* What games does Xfire currently support?

Xfire supports the latest and best PC games, with more being added constantly! Mosey on over to the Games section at the Xfire website to peruse the current lists of games Xfire supports.

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* How is Xfire different from a game server browser?

Game server browsers help you find game servers to play on, but leave you on your own when it comes to playing with your buddies. Gamers regularly deal with the hassles of finding a game server to play on together and resort to having to cut & paste server IPs or call each other.

We at Xfire believe gaming should be gamer-centric rather than game server-centric. It's simply more fun to play with your buddies than it is to play on some random game server against strangers. You still get the standard server browser info in Xfire (e.g. ping, # of players, map, etc.), but we show you when and what games your buddies are playing, what server they're playing on, and you can join their server with a click of a button.

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* How can I make suggestions for new games that I want Xfire to support? How does Xfire decide on which new games to support?

You can post your suggestions for games you would like to see supported by Xfire in our New Game Ideas forum. Threads with the most replies and Users requesting a given title will be more likely to get noticed. We are always going to add the new releases and now Xfire can release support right away via the Xfire Download System!

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* How can I make suggestions for improvement or enhancement to Xfire?

Xfire couldn't exist without your help and support. Got an incredible idea? Heck, got a mild improvement? Then we'd love to hear it! Create a thread in our Feature Suggestions section of the forums and tell us all about it!

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* Is it pronounced X-Fire or Cross Fire?

It's pronounced X-Fire.

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* Can Xfire sponsor my clan or E-sports team?

We are currently not sponsoring any teams other than Team 3D and GoodGame.

We hand pick other teams to participate in Xfire events.

Thanks for your interest in Xfire! Good luck in your tournaments and keep us informed of your performances.

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Downloading / Installation

Questions

Answers

* What are the system requirements for Xfire?

PC with a Pentium processor running Windows XP, 2000 or Vista
10 MB available hard drive space recommended
Desktop resolution of 800 x 600 at 256 colors (1024 x 768 at 16 bit color or higher recommended)
Internet Explorer 5.0 with Service Pack 1 or higher
Internet connection (broadband recommended)

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* How do I install Xfire?

Installation is a breeze. You can find detailed instructions to install Xfire on the Download page on Xfire's website.

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* I didn't choose to have the Xfire shortcuts placed on my desktop and system tray during installation, but I changed my mind. How do I create shortcuts now?

Having a single button to create shortcuts for Xfire is something that could be coming down the road for a future release, but for now you'll have to do it the old fashioned way. Xfire's default install location is "C:\Program Files\Xfire". Navigate to there, or to wherever you decided to actually install it. Right-click on Xfire.exe, and click "Create Shortcut." You can then put the shortcut wherever you want on your desktop, in your system tray, in Internet Explorer - wherever you might have a sudden craving to launch it. Alternatively, you could click on the Xfire.exe icon, hold the Alt key, and drag it anywhere. This will automatically create a shortcut as well.

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* Can I set up Xfire on multiple PCs?

Of course! You can install Xfire on as many computers as you like (being that Xfire is free and all) and log in to any of them. Your list of friends and favorite servers will follow you around! Right now, however, your custom statuses are linked to only the machine you create them on, so you'll have to think of new, witty phrases to use at each system. But you can setup Xfire at home, on your laptop, at work, and at your friends' computer. The small installation makes it easy to download anywhere!

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* Do users get automatic updates to the Xfire software?

You betcha. You'll automatically receive Xfire updates the next time you (as an Xfire user) log in, once an update is available. If you have your Xfire Downloads enabled you will get the updater file a day ahead of everyone and be able to login right away once the servers are updated.

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* Is there a Macintosh or Linux version of Xfire?

No. While we do want to support gamers regardless of operating system, right now we're focusing on working out the features and development of XFire on Windows based systems. This makes the development cycle much faster, and then can be ported over to other operating systems when necessary.

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* How do I uninstall Xfire?

Xfire's uninstallation service can be accessed from the Add or Remove Programs tool in Windows XP. To access Add or Remove Programs, go to Start -> Control Panel and double click on Add or Remove Programs. Scroll down to Xfire and click Remove.

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Xfire User Account

Questions

Answers

* I just installed Xfire. How do I start using it?

Follow the three point plan below:

Launch the Xfire client application which you can access by clicking on the Xfire desktop icon or on your Start menu.
Once the login screen appears, you'll notice the "New User Registration" button underneath the Username field. Click that button to open up the Registration page.
Once you've created your account, you can enter your Xfire Username and Password at the login screen. Click on the Login button and you'll fire up Xfire. The next steps? Adding friends to your buddy list, then going online gaming with them!

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* How do I register as an Xfire user?

The process is as simple as it is quick. You've downloaded and installed the Xfire application, right? Then click on the "New User Registration" link where prompted at the log in screen. Spend a few seconds thinking of a suitably cool/ironic/l33t Username, type it in, followed by your email address (don't worry; we aren't sharing this information!) and then type in a Password. Make sure the Password is something you'll remember easily, and at least 5 characters.

We do need your actual email address because this will be the primary way for us to communicate with you about password retrieval, customer support, etc. In addition, if your friends want to search for you but don't know your Username, your e-mail address will be one of the easiset ways for them to find you.

Your Username isn't case sensitive at this point in time, all the Usernames are lower case for simplicity. Your password, however, is case sensitive, so if you mix up upper and lower case letters be sure to remember which ones you used!

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* Can I have more than one Username on Xfire?

Yep. Each Xfire account is free and usable anywhere Xfire is installed. So if you need a different Username for each of your groups of friends or have decided that your last Username just doesn't get the right amount of respect, go ahead and make a change! Unfortunately, there's no way to transfer your network of friends over to the new Username, so you'll have to invite them again.

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* Can I change my Xfire Username and Password?

You cannot change your Username, but what you CAN do is change your Nickname. This will change how you appear to all other users in XFire. To do this go to Tools menu, select Options, and under the General tab you will see a field to add a Nickname. Type in your new Nickname and click Ok. Now whenever your friends log in again, you'll appear in their lists with that Nickname! If they open the expanded infoview window, they'll still be able to see your original username (so that people can't go around spoofing anyone!). This option is great if you've got a clan tag or some other preferred name so you can appear as that name to other people.

To change your password launch XFire, then go to the XFire menu, and select My Profile. This will launch your browser and bring you to your Profile page. Click the 'Edit Profile' link. There is a field where you can enter in a new password. Type your new password twice, and select Save Changes. We suggest that you use a combination of letters, numbers, and upper/lower case for better security results.

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* How can I update my email address?

You can update pretty much all your information right from the Xfire Profile page. Launch Xfire, open the Xfire menu, and select My Profile. This should launch your default web browser and take you to your Xfire Profile page. Once it comes up click the "Edit Profile" button next to your information. You can change your name, e-mail address, password, website, avatars...pretty much anything you could want here. Once you are done make sure to save your changes.

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* Can I register on the Xfire application instead of on the website?

The very first time you launch the Xfire application, you will be given the option to register a new User account. If you choose not to or close that window by mistake, right below the Username field you'll notice a link title "New User Registration." This will bring you to the web registration page. Either way, you have to register a user name in order to get into our database and be able to login!

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* I forgot my Xfire Password. What do I do?

Ack! There's nothing worse than a login screen with a Password you've forgotten/mislaid/eaten. Our lost password process is a little different. Go to the Lost Password Recovery page, type in just your username and click the "Go to next step" button. This will send you a Confirmation Code to the email you originally registered your Xfire account with.

In the email you will have a hyperlink which takes you back to the lost password page and pre-populates your confirmation code. Click the Submit button to receive a temporary password.

Login to the website with the temporary password, click Profile, Edit Profile, scroll down to the bottom of the page and enter a new password. Click Save Changes.

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* I forgot both my Xfire Username and Password. What do I do?

Now you're in trouble. Just kidding. If the Lost password recovery system is not working for you (not getting the email, invalid code), please send an email to support@xfire.com with the user name you wish to recover and the email you believe it was registered with. Make the subject of the email “Lost Password”.

Requests are usually replied to within three business days from being received.

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* Why do I have to enter my email address while registering on Xfire? What are you going to do with my email address?

We're certainly not going to share it with anyone, so don't worry. However, for our users' security, Xfire only responds to the email addresses that you specify. This is especially relevant if you lose your Password and need to retrieve it. Remember, we're not in the business of selling, exchanging, or sharing our users' information with a third party. We are in the business of making your online gaming as stress-free and friend-packed as possible. Check our Privacy Policy, this tells you just how we handle user information.

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* Is there a way to remove a game from my profile?

No. It is our policy to not edit profiles individually.

Currently, there is no User option for this but there may be in the future.

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* If I create a new Xfire User account, can I move all my stats and gameplay hours to the new account?

No. There is no option for Users to edit their profiles individually.

Xfire will not transfer stats from one account to another.

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* The Username I wanted is taken, but that person has 'No Games Played'. Can I have that account?

No, we do not reset Usernames or accounts.

We may clear out the unused accounts in the future, but there is no timetable for this.

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* Some Users have more hours played for "this week" than is possible in seven days. Why?

Xfire records your game time as "sessions". As long as Xfire and the game are both running you are recording that session. Let's say you leave a game sitting at the main menu for three days. When you quit the game, Xfire will record 72 hours for that session. This is why some Users Profile (or miniprofile) show more hours for "This week" than there are in seven days.

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* How do I cancel or delete my Xfire account?

Currently there is no User option to cancel an account.

Like many other free services on the internet we do not recycle accounts.

Here's one thing you can do to protect your info before discontinuing your use of the program. In your Xfire client go to Tools | Options | Privacy tab and uncheck "Show on my profile and miniprofile." This will hide your extended profile information, gaming history and friends list from other users browsing the website.

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* How do I verify my email address?

Xfire is now requiring a valid email address for certain features of the website.

If you need to validate your email address, first add noreply@xfire.com to your email safe list then follow these steps:

Login to Xfire.com.
Click Profile.
Click Edit Profile.
In the 'Real Email' field, be sure your email address is correct.
Click Verify your email address.
Click the Verify button.

At this point an email is sent to your registered email address. Login to that email account and simply click the link in the email you received from Xfire. For security purposes, this must be done from the same browser and IP address you clicked the Verify link from.

If at any time you change your registered email address you will need to verify it again.

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Connecting to Xfire/Login troubleshooting

Questions

Answers

* How can I automatically log in to Xfire when I start my computer?

You've got places to see, people to frag and quests to fulfill. If typing in a Username and Password eats into your online gaming time, we'd recommend checking the "Save Password" and "Auto-Login" boxes on the login screen. Now the next time you login to Xfire it will launch directly into the last Username and Password used.

If you did not check "Run Xfire when Windows Starts" in the installation process, you can always enable this feature later from the Tools | Options | General tab in your Xfire client. Check the box next to "Automatically launch Xfire when I startup my computer".

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* I am behind a firewall and cannot connect to Xfire no matter what I do. I think I need to configure my firewall, but what port does Xfire use?

Now we're getting technical. First off, you don't need to jeopardize your security to use this service. Xfire uses TCP port 25999, and you'll be connecting to the cs.xfire.com server. Make these changes to your firewall, and you'll soon be locating your online compadres with the best of them. If there's still no joy in logging on after you fiddle with the firewall modifications, post in the Technical Support - OPEN forum. Be sure to include pertinent information on your firewall (the brand, model, and software version number), and we'll toil with you until the problem is fixed.

For more in-depth information on what ports Xfire uses see the advanced FAQ here: What ports does Xfire use?

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* I have Norton Internet Security and can't login to Xfire! Why?

As of the 2005 edition, go to Norton Personal Firewall. Click Configure. Click Custom Level. Then check the box that says "Enable Control Access alerts". Then Norton will give you a pop up that allows you to permit Xfire to connect to the internet.

You can also do this manually. Configure> Programs tab> Click Add. Browse to the xfire.exe. (Default is C:\Program Files\Xfire) You may need to also add xfire_exception.exe to the list as well.

You will have to repeat this everytime Xfire updates, since the firewall will view Xfire as a new or changed program.

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* How do I allow Xfire into the Windows XP firewall?

To allow Xfire into the Windows firewall built into WinXP:

Go to Start, Settings, Control Panel.
Double click Windows Firewall.
Click the Exceptions Tab.
Click Add Program.
Find Xfire in the list, highlight it and click OK.

You may need to also add xfire_exception.exe to the list as well.

You can also add the Xfire connection port on the Exceptions tab:

Click Add Port.
In the Name field enter: cs.xfire.com
In the Port field enter: 25999
Make sure the TCP radio button is checked.

You may have to re-add Xfire to your exceptions list each time we update.

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* How do I allow Xfire into McAfee Personal Firewall?

Open your McAfee Security Center.

Click Personal Firewall.
Click "View the Internet Applications List".
Click "New allowed application".
Browse to the Xfire.exe in your Xfire directory and select it.
Click "Ok".

You may need to also add xfire_exception.exe to the list as well.

This should allow Xfire to connect. You may have to repeat these steps each time Xfire updates. McAfee can be configured to alert you and give you the option to permit after the program is "changed".

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* Xfire just auto-updated and I can no longer log in. I receive some type of DNS error. How do I resolve this?

Do you have a firewall? When Xfire is updated, most of it's critical features are updated as well. Firewalls will view the program as a "changed program" and not the same program you originally allowed in your firewall. This is a security feature to help prevent viruses, malware, etc.

To fix this simply allow Xfire again in your firewall. Once Xfire is not longer blocked by your firewall you should be able to log in once again.

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* Xfire freezes right when I login! What is causing this?

Some anti-spyware programs like "Spyware Doctor" or "Stopzilla" will view Xfire as a threat and halt the process before it can connect to the internet. This is why Xfire appears to crash or freeze when you login.

To prevent this, be sure to allow Xfire.exe and xfire_exception.exe in your anti-spyware programs exceptions list or allowed programs list.

For details on how to do this please consult the online support or documentation that was included with your security software.

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Privacy and Security

Questions

Answers

* With whom does Xfire share my information?

Nobody. We're not the sort of company to sell, exchange, or share any personal information with anybody. Nothing you type in when you register your UserName, Password, and email ever leaves our database. The best place to learn how we handle user information is the Privacy Policy page.

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* Why do I have to enter my email address while registering on Xfire? What are you going to do with my email address?

We're certainly not going to share it with anyone, so don't worry. However, for our users' security, Xfire only responds to the email addresses that you specify. This is especially relevant if you lose your Password and need to retrieve it, or when updates are available to download. Remember, we're not in the business of selling, exchanging, or sharing our users' information with a third party. We are in the business of making your online gaming as stress-free and friend-packed as possible. If you need to check our Privacy Policy, this tells you just how we handle user information.

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* When I type in my friends email addresses to invite them to use Xfire, will you spam them with future emails?

We don't keep your friends' email addresses until they become registered Xfire users, and we certainly don't spam them with annoying email clutter!

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* How do I block another Xfire User from messaging me?

If someone is "spamming" you or being abusive, they are either on your Friends list or Friends of Friends list.

If the User is on your Friends list, you should delete them by highlighting their name and pressing the "Delete" key on your keyboard or right clicking their name and selecting "Delete".

If they are on your Friends of Friends list, right click on their name and select “Add User to block list”. You can also get this menu under Tools | Friends. This will prevent the blocked user from sending you instant messages, Chat Room, Voice Chat and Friend invites. You can also do this right from the Instant message window, Actions | Block User.

To unblock someone go to Tools | Options | Privacy tab. Highlight their username in the Block list and click “Remove”.

If you wish to disable the Friends of Friends feature altogether, go to Tools | Options | Privacy tab and uncheck "Show friends of my friends".

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* Where do I find my Privacy settings and how do they work?

Some features of the Xfire website and miniprofile are actually controlled from the Xfire software client.

To get to your Privacy settings go to Tools | Options | Privacy tab. The list of options and their functions are:

Show my friends - Displays what game you are playing to people on your Friends list (this must be enabled for Xfire to track your game hours).
Show on my profile and miniprofile - Displays your current status and Gaming History on your Xfire.com Profile and Xfire Miniprofile.
Show my game server data - Displays the IP address and other info about the server you are currently playing on.
Track kill/death stats for display on profile - This allows Xfire to collect kills and deaths for games that are supported by Xfire Game statistics. See here for more info: Game Statistics FAQs
Show Friends of my friends - Displays a list of common friends in your Xfire friends list and will allow people not on your Friends list to message you, join your game or send you a friend invite.
Show my Voice Chat server to my friends - Allows friends to see your Teamspeak or Ventrilo IP address.
Show people when I type to them - Displays a notification in the IM window when you are typing a message back to a friend.
Idle Status - Allows you to set the time when Xfire will set your status to AFK (Away from keyboard)

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* Why does my security software detect Xfire as a keylogger?

The file that is actually causing this false positive is xfire_toucan_xxxxx.dll. This dll will hook into windows watching for keyboard and mouse activity. The reason it does this is for our 'auto-afk' feature which you can enable on the Tools | Options | Privacy tab. In order to know whether or not you're afk, we have to monitor the keyboard.

We also use toucan to do In-Game messaging. For In-Game it actually injects itself into every running process to determine if it's a game, and if it is a game, whether or not it supports XIG and should 'hook in' to the process.

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Friends/Status/Joining Games

Questions

Answers

* Is there an easy way to invite friends to use Xfire?

Most definitely. Locate the easily accessible Invite a Friend section on the Xfire website. Then log in with your Xfire Username and Password. Once done, there's an option to enter your friend's email address, and/or customize the default invitation email message we've prepared for your convenience. Your Xfire Username is automatically included in the invitation so your friend can easily add you to his or her Xfire Friends List after he/she installs Xfire.
Remember; the more friends you invite, the more use you'll get out of Xfire!

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* How do I add friends to my Friends list?

With extreme ease. Is your friend already an Xfire member? Then add them to your Xfire friends network by selecting "Tools", and "Add Friend" in the Xfire interface. Or, you can just click on the "Add" button at the bottom of the screen. Type in your friend's Xfire Username (or search for them using the fields available), and when he or she logs onto Xfire the next time, your friend will receive an invitation to join your Friends List. Assuming your friend accepts your offer, both of you are added to each other's Friends List.

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* When I add a friend, I type in his Xfire Username, send an invitation message, and click OK, but he still doesn't appear in my Friends List. Why?

Because you've jumped the gun a little bit. Your friend needs to approve the request for the addition to be complete. When that happens, you'll see his or her name appear.

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* I'd like to find out more about the friends of my friends on Xfire. Can I see their profiles (e.g. who are they friends with)?

Profiles are a huge part of the Xfire experience. If you go to the Xfire website www.xfire.com and log in, you'll be able to access your profile and make any updates necessary (your name probably isn't a blank space, for instance.) You'll also see a list of your friends and can link to their profiles, and then to their friends, and then to their friends, etc etc, all the way down the line. We encourage you to fill out at least some basic user info for yourself. It makes it a lot easier for your friends to search for you.

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* I'm just way too popular. How do I delete friends from Xfire?

If your initial enthusiasm with Xfire now has you responding to messages from your newfound friends 24 hours a day, it may be time to pare down the list a little. Simply right click on a friend in the "Friends Online" or "Friends Offline" section, hit delete, and that person will be removed from your list. However, since the "Friends of Friends" section is created from your friends' buddy lists, there's no way to remove people individually from that section. You can collapse the entire section by going to the Tools menu in Xfire, clicking Options, and unchecking "Show Friends of my Friends" on the Privacy Tab.

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* What does it mean if my Friend is online but has no status displayed next to their Username?

It means they have logged onto Xfire, but are not currently playing a game. To start a chat, make contact by double-clicking on their Username.

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* I know my friend has a lot of friends signed up on Xfire, but why don't I see them under my "Friends of Friends Playing" section?

Only friends of friends who are playing a game will appear in your Xfire interface. Look for them under the Friends of Friends category on the Friends tab in the Xfire client.

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* How can I set a customized status (e.g. I'm up for Halo right now!) for myself once I log on to Xfire?

Xfire gives you the ability to put up whatever custom message you want, so you can tell your friends exactly what they need to know. At the bottom of the Xfire client, note the little arrow button next to your default status. If you click that and select, Set Custom Status, you can type in whatever status message you like.

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* How do I erase my custom status messages?

There is no way to delete the custom status messages with the Xfire user interface. However, once you have five custom status messages and you create a sixth, the oldest custom status message will be erased automatically.

This will happen each time a new custom status message is created and you already have five custom status messages. The oldest message will be bumped off and the newest one added.

Your other option is to delete them out of the XfireUser.ini file. Here's how:

First, make sure Xfire is not running.
Locate the XfireUser.ini file. On WinXp it is located in C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Xfire. *Note* You will need to have show hidden files enabled to find the XfireUser.ini file
Once you have found this file open it with Notepad.
Inside this file you should see a section that looks like the following:

[Status]
Custom1=Example 1
Custom2=Example 2
Custom3=Example 3

Simply delete the status line that you no longer want. When you delete them however, make sure that you change the Custom# so that the list is still in order.

Make your changes and save the file. Start Xfire and check your status messages, they should appear exactly as you left them in the XfireUser.ini.

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* I have a game installed on my computer that is supported by Xfire, but when I start playing my status never shows the game. Why does this happen?

If you are running a game on your computer that is on our list of supported games, it will not show up in Xfire if the Windows registry tags are missing or incorrect. If you have relocated the game on your hard drive without doing an actual installation, or installed on a Windows NT-type computer but not as an administrator, this could cause the problem. Xfire uses the game's registry tags to know where a game is installed, and how to detect it.

To fix this, go to your Tools | Options | Games tab.
Find the games you have on your system in the 'Not installed' list.
Highlight the game name and the "Manual Setup" radio button.
Click 'Browse'.
Find the folder that contains the .exe file for that game and click 'Ok'.
Click 'Apply'.

Check your Tools | Launch menu to verify that the game is now detected.

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* Does Xfire support mods and expansion packs of games?

We support some mods and expansion packs, but it does depend on how well the mod was designed. For instance, many mods call identical .exe files and resources, with the only difference being in loading certain maps or skins. Xfire is unable to distinguish between this usage and playing the base game. We're working on some better ways to detect the usage of mods and expansion packs for almost any game, but for now we're only able to support certain mods. This is why, for instance, you'll be see "Battlefield 1942" when you play Desert Combat, or "Battlefield2" when you're playing BF2: Special Forces. We're continually working to provide better detection and launching of mods and expansion packs!

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* My friend is playing a game online in multiplayer mode as indicated on Xfire. When I double click on his Username, I only get an IM pop-up but do not have the option to join him instantly. Why is this happening?

There's a couple possibilities. First, the online game your friend is playing may not be currently supported by Xfire's "One Click Join" feature. Xfire is proud to support many of the most popular online titles, with more being added all the time. However, in instances when Xfire displays the name of the game your friend is playing (plus his or her status with the game), and you can't instantly join him, you'll have to begin your game the old fashioned regular way. One Click Joining (double-clicking your friend's Xfire UserName and clicking "Join") is an incredibly cool Xfire element, and we're striving to add Xfire with Instant Joining functionality with as many online games as possible.

Second, if Xfire does support the game you're trying to join, but your join button is greyed out, make sure there is a valid IP showing for your friend in the "Expanded Info View" pane. They may be playing single player, or on a server that is not joinable. Once you've ensured there is an IP, make sure that Xfire detects you actually have the game installed. If it doesn't know where the game is, it can't launch it to let you join! The fastest way to check is to add yourself to your own friends list, launch the game, and then alt-tab or alt-enter out and see what your status says. If Xfire isn't detecting your gameplay, see the FAQ Here!! Follow the instructions to get your games showing up in the Xfire Launch menu.

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* My friend is playing a game online in multiplayer mode as indicated on Xfire. When I click Join, I get an error message and can't join him. What's wrong?

Be sure that you have the game loaded onto your computer and have the latest build of it. Another reason for this error message may be that the game itself has a problem that is preventing you from joining. For instance, if it has had a server time-out, or if the server filled up with other players as you were joining.

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* Sometimes when I hit the enter key (or the "send" button) to send an IM to a friend, nothing happens. I suspect that my message is never sent. Why does this occur?

When sending IMs, Xfire waits patiently for confirmation from your friend's Xfire client. Then it sends over the message. You won't spot the message in the upper part of the chat window until your friend's machine has informed your client that the message was received. If your compadre is having network predicaments, the message text may stay in the lower window of the chat session.

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* My friends say they can't see any of my server info. What's going on?

There's a couple things that could be going on here. First, ensure that you've connected to an external server. If you start the server in the game itself, then there is no IP address to send to your friends (127.0.0.1 isn't very useful!) You need to connect to a server outside of your machine in order to allow Xfire to detect the server info and send it to your friends. You MAY be able to launch a separate dedicated server on your own machine, and then connect to that, but you'll have to try it and see if it sends the proper info to your friends - each instance is a little different.

If you're connected to an external server but your friends can't see the IP address, make sure you're moving around and interacting in the game. If you're dead or otherwise just spectating in the game, there is no IP traffic from your machine back to the server, and hence no way for Xfire to know you are actually playing.

Also, make sure that you've enabled the ability of other people to see your server info (which is on the Privacy Tab of the Options Menu.) If you're active in the game, however, and you've allowed people to see your server info, the problem may be in your Xfire installation. Try hopping onto a couple different servers - we have seen some servers that aren't able to be detected, so make sure it's not just the one server you happen to be on. If that doesn't work, you may want to try uninstalling Xfire, rebooting your machine, reinstalling, and then rebooting again to ensure Xfire is able to be properly installed.

Finally, if your IP address is showing but there is no list of players, it may be that we're still working on parsing out the server info for that game. While we generally support server info as soon as we support the game, it may need some tweaking, particularly if the game developers have changed the communication protocols in a patch or upgrade. We'll have that info working as soon as we can!

If none of this works, feel free to post in the Technical Support - OPEN forum and we'll see what we can do. We haven't worked out all the possibilities here yet, but we'll try to get you up and running if possible!

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* Why can't I join games like JointOps and Ravenshield?

These developers do not allow their multi-player servers to be joined using a "command line". This is the way Xfire allows you to "one click join" into servers.

Since there is no joining, there is no server list in the Xfire servers tab. You should still be able to launch the game from Xfire and track your hours.

Visit our Games page to see which games have "one click join" support from Xfire.

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* Why doesn’t my server show up in the Xfire “All” servers list?

We track every time someone joins your server via their Xfire client. Once enough Xfire users have joined your server we recognize it as a “good” server. Then it should be added to the “All” servers list.

We will send out a query every week to verify your server is still active.

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* How do I set up a Game Lobby?

The Chat Room admin (or whoever is "hosting" the game) sets the Chat Room as a Game Lobby for their installed game.

Your friends in the Chat Room click the Join Game button. This puts them in the Game Lobby "ready state". (In the Info View) They should remain there and not click the button again. If they click the button, they will un-ready themselves and not join.

Once everyone is "ready", the host clicks the 'Join Game' button. Your game should launch and bring you to the in-game lobby screen.

Your friends in the Xfire Game Lobby in the ready state should then be automatically launched into the game created by the host.

The limiting factors would most likely be firewalls. The easy way to test this is can the host go onto other sites like Gamespy or MSN Zone and host this game online.

In order to host a lobby, you must open some ports in your firewall or router. For Directplay 7 games you need to forward TCP and UDP traffic on port range 2300 to 2400 and port 47624. For Directplay 8 games you need to forward TCP and UDP traffic on port range 2302 to 2400 and port 6073.

Here is the Microsoft knowledge base article on this topic: Ports required to play on a network.

Click the link below to see games that are supported by Xfire Game Lobbies:

http://www.xfire.com/supported_games/lobby/

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* Xfire does not detect my Private server or No-Cd version of a game. Why?

Xfire only supports full retail versions of games.

We do not test with or support "no-cd" cracks or Private Server versions of MMO games.

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* Why does my game server show up in Xfire as the wrong country?

We use the database from http://ip-to-country.webhosting.info/ which is updated about once a month.

If you find an IP address that is displayed incorrectly in Xfire, you may want to report it in the IP-to-Country Bug Report forum.

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* When I try to join Call of Duty 2 MP (Steam) from Xfire, it launches single player. Why?

Call of Duty 2 uses two different exe files. One for Multiplayer and one for single player.

Steam changed their applaunch command to use the same applaunch # for both MP and SP.

There is currently nothing Xfire can do about this to our knowledge.

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Xfire In Game Messaging

Questions

Answers

* I really want to use Xfire In-Game but I do not have a Scroll Lock key on my keyboard. Is there a way fix I can change the keys?

Yes! You can define your own two key combination to bring up the Xfire In-Game interface.

Here's how:

Go to your Tools menu in Xfire.
Choose Options.
Click on the Chat tab.
Find the Key Binding button and click it.
Now press and hold a two key combination and release them to set it.
Press OK and you're done.

The next time you run a game the new key combination will take effect. You will also need to press the keys in the order you set them.

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* When I receive messages in game or try to send one the Xfire In-Game interface is blurry. What can I do to fix this?

This issue happens if Anisotropic Filtering is enabled in your game. Currently, the only work-around for this problem is to turn off Anisotropic Filtering in your game(s).

We realize this is a less than ideal work-around, which is why we are digging into the problem. If we can find a fix we will certainly put it out with an update.

On a side note, apparently Anti-Aliasing seems to not cause this problem to occur.

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* I'm running Windows 98/SE/ME and I can't get Xfire In-Game messages or use Scroll Lock + X. Why?

Xfire In-Game is no longer supported on Win9x systems

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* How do I enable or disable Continuous In Game mssaging?

Start up a game. Press Scroll Lock + X (or whatever your key bind is) to bring up the In Game Menu.

Press F2 (Menu). Selection 2 (Game you are playing options).
Selection 4 (Enable Continuous/Alert mode).
Press Enter to confirm.

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* Xfire In Game messaging does not work for me at all. Why?

There are a number of factors that allow Xfire to run along with your games and send and receive messages from within the game. Things to check on your system are as follows:

What OS?
Xfire In-Game messaging is currently only supported on Windows Vista, XP and 2000. If you are running a 64-bit version of Windows Vista or XP, some games will run in 64-bit mode and Xfire will not be able to detect them at all.

What Xfire Skin?
Some older User created skins do not have the latest In-Game support if any at all. The Xfire skin (default), Standard and Combat skins were created and tested by Xfire and always guaranteed to work with Xfire In-Game.

What game is not working?
Is this game on the Supported Games page? (Currently over 200 with In Game support)

Is the game on your Xfire Tools | Launch menu and can it be launched from there?
What is your key bind set to? (Tools> Options> Chat tab.)
Is In Game messaging enabled? (Tools> Options> Chat tab. Requires Exit and restart of Xfire.)
Can this game be run in different render modes? (Example: CS 1.6 runs in both OGL and D3D9)
If so, what renderer are you running?

Are you running Fraps?
Fraps is a software video recording application. Older versions did not work well with OGL games and Xfire which could cause low fps or lockups. If you are running newer versions of Fraps, Xfire will detect it and not hook into your game. This will cause XIG and Screenshots to stop functioning

Are you running a “No CD” patch or a mod to launch the game?
If your game is using a different .exe to launch the game, there is a possibility that Xfire will not detect it.

Does Xfire In-Game work for any of your other games?
What video card are you using?
What driver version for the video card?
What version of DirectX?

If you run through the steps listed here and still can't get In Game messages, copy and paste the above questions with your answers in theTechnical Support - OPEN section of our Forums with the subject "XIG not working - " so we can troubleshoot the problem further.

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* What is the new In-Game interface and how do I use it?

As of Xfire 1.77, we have added Xfire In-Game 2.0 support for Dawn of War as well as the Winter Assault and Dark Crusade expansion packs. We plan to add a few games at a time until all of our *possible XIG supported games are using XIG 2.0.

XIG 2.0 looks and functions more like the Xfire client outside of game, including the ability to use the mouse to drag the skin around the screen, resize your friends list, chat window and alert window.

For more detailed information on how to manually enable the new In-Game skin in other games, see the announcement in the Xfire In-Game 2.0 forum.

*some games which currently support XIG may not be able to use the new In-Game system.

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* Nothing happens when I try to send a message in All Chats view. Why?

The All Chats view allows you to see all of your incoming messages in one window. To send a message in this view, you must specify which user you want to send a message to by using a /t (tell) or /msg (message) command (/tell also works). You must use your friend's user name, not nick name when typing to them. Here's an example:

If you are in game chatting with "[Xfire] mfive" and "[Xfire] Wyndairn" at the same time and want to reply to a message from "[Xfire] mfive", you would type:

/msg mfive "your message here"
Or:
/t mfive "your message here"

Without the quotes.

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* What skins support Xfire In-Game 2.0?

Currently, the three skins that come bundled with the Xfire software are the only officially supported XIG 2.0 skins.
These skins are Shadow, Xfire and Standard.

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* Which games have official XIG 2.0 support?

You can find a list of games that have received XIG 2.0 support in the Xfire In-Game 2.0 forum here:

Xfire In-Game 2.0 supported games.

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Xfire Download System

Questions

Answers

* I'm trying to download files from Xfire. Whenever I click "download now" it just opens upXfire? Why?

The first thing to look at is what Xfire skin are you using? Most older or User created skins do not have a "Files" tab and do not support the Xfire download system.

The three skins that are "Official" Xfire skins are guaranteed to work with the Xfire download system. Those skins are Standard, Xfire (default) and Combat.

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* My Xfire download says 99% complete but is still in the Active category and requesting sources. Why?

If a file you downloaded from Xfire says “99 or 100%” try right clicking on the file name and selecting “Stop Download”, then right click again and “Start Download”. This will cause Xfire to immediately look for new sources or move the file to its completed state. You can also do this by logging off of Xfire and logging back on.

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* Why is Xfire downloading files I did not ask to download?

Check the categories in your Files tab.

You may have inadvertently subscribed to a channel which automatically delivers content via the Xfire download system. Simply right click on it and 'Unsubscribe Channel'.

Delete any unwanted files from the C:\Program Files\Xfire\downloads folder. Set your download options to 'Disabled' to avoid this in the future. The download throttle settings are found in Tools> Options> Files tab.

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* Can I add or upload my own files to the Xfire Download system?

No. We control all the content for the Xfire download system to ensure that we are providing clean files to the Xfire Users.

Feel free to post a link to something you have created and we can review it. If the content manager feels it is appropriate and something the Xfire Users will enjoy, we may contact you and add it to the download system.

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* What are these .dat files in my downloads folder?

When you select a file to download, the first thing you see in your Xfire Files tab is "Getting Metadata". This adds an entry to the fileids.ini files.

Then we add a temporary file to your downloads folder. That is the .dat file. What this .dat file does is reserve the hard drive space necessary for the file you are downloading. This way you no matter what other functions or files you are working on on your machine, you will not run out of hard drive space for your download.

If you still have that download active in your Xfire files tab, you will not be able to delete the .dat file as it is "in use" by Xfire.

Once the download is complete, the .dat files are deleted automatically.

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* Why is Xfire uploading data? What is it uploading?

The Xfire File system is a P2P system. If you download files from Xfire and leave them in the default directory with your download settings on, they are eligible to be "shared" with others using the Xfire File system.

If you do not wish to share files:

Move the files out of the downloads folder when they are complete.
Set your Tools | Options | Files settings to 'Disabled'.

If you disable your Xfire downloads, you will still get interim game updates for the latest game support and Xfire Updates via P2P but they will not be shared with the Xfire network.

Remember, if everyone just downloaded the files they wanted and then set those options to disabled, the file system would be considerably slower.

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* Why can't I send a file using Personal File transfers?

There are two likely cases where sending a file through Xfire would not work for you.

You or the person receiving the file are running an older Xfire skin that does not support Personal File transfers.
You are behind incompatible firewalls.

The way to check if it is firewall related is by finding out what "NAT type" both users are. To check this, go to your files page, open the info view, scroll to the bottom, you should see NAT Check Failed. If both users are NAT type 3 it will not work either. For more info on how to fix this see here:

How to forward a port to allow Xfire P2P.

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* I have Automatic Patch downloads on but I'm not getting any patches, why?

You will get automatic patches when a new patch is released for a game that your Xfire client detects.

A new patch usually stays in the system for about two weeks. So if you install a game while that patch is still live, it should be pushed to you automatically in the Patch channel.

If there are no patches currently in the channel, you can go to the Xfire Files page and search for your game title. We try to have patches available for most games we support and we will usually have the latest patches for the most popular titles on Xfire.

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* I can't download files at all on Xfire, why?

See more details in the Advanced FAQ here:

http://www.xfire.com/faq#170

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* How do I send a file directly to a friend with Xfire?

Xfire Personal File Transfers use the same P2P network as the Xfire Download system.

Here's how to send a file:

Right click on a friend in your friends list
Click Send File.
You should get a window to select the file you wish to send. Browse to the file and click OK.
You then get the File Transfer Confirmation window. Here you can add some text to describe the file and select to "Use your rate cap". This means the Personal File Transfer rate will respect your download settings in the Tools | Options | Files tab.
Click Ok. You should get a chat window to your friend that says "Requesting file transfer. Waiting for response"

At this point, your friend clicks Ok and selects a directory to save the file in. The file transfer should begin.

If at any point either user gets disconnected or logs off, the partial file transfer can be resumed if the sender re-sends the same file.

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Xfire Voice Chat/Chat Rooms

Questions

Answers

* How do I use the new Xfire Voice Chat feature?

First of all you must have a working microphone and speakers (or headphones/headset mic) attached to your computers sound card. It is a good idea to test your microphone and speaker levels before starting a voice chat. You can do this by going Tools> Options> Voice tab and clicking the ‘Test’ buttons there.

There are several ways to start a voice chat but they all start by highlighting a Friend in your Friends list. Left clicking the “Mic” button on the Info View of the main client or an IM window will instantly open a chat window to your Friend with an incoming voice call. Once they accept the call, you can start voice chatting!

You can also get to this menu by right clicking on a Friend or selecting Tools | Friends | Call.

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* Why do I hear my voice echoing on my headphones when I voice chat with someone?

It is likely that the Friend you are voice chatting with has a combination of loud headphones and a sensitive microphone. What you hearing is the sound from their headphones coming back through their microphone.

The best way to tone this down is to have your Friend adjust their headphone volume and possibly the microphone input sensitivity as well.

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* My friend sent me a voice chat invite and I didn’t get it. Why?

Xfire Voice Chat uses a peer to peer system. It is possible that you and your Friend are both behind firewalls that aren't compatible. If you think this may be the case, try forwarding port 25777 in your router or firewall. Details in this FAQ here.

Another possibility:

Are you already in a voice chat with someone else? You currently can only voice chat with one Friend or Chat Room at a time on Xfire Voice Chat.

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* How do I voice chat with more than one person?

As of version 1.46 we have implemented Xfire Voice enabled Chat Rooms.

To enable it, start a new Chat Room or join a persistent room from your servers tab. Select the "Actions" menu in the Chat Room window. Then select "Host Voicechat".

You are now the Peer to Peer host of the Voice Chat. You can use the "Actions" menu to disable and enable your microphone, but continue to host the others in the room.

If you select "Stop Hosting", all voice chat stops until someone else in the Chat Room selects "Host Voicechat" and becomes the host. Only those with a permission level of Power User or higher may host voice chat.

This feature is brand new and still under active development so your feedback in the Feature Suggestions and Tech Support forums will help us improve Voice Chat in future updates of Xfire.

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* My headset microphone is not working with Xfire Voice chat. Why?

Check the drop down menus in Tools> Options> Voice tab. Make sure the device you are trying to use is selected in the “Input and Output” fields.

If you have a device that is installed properly and working with other programs but Xfire is not finding it, please post some details including the brand and model number of the device in our Technical Support - OPEN forum and we will check into it.

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* How do I disable the "phone ringing" sound when I receive a voice invite?

To disable the ring sound, go to Tools | Options | Chat tab. Uncheck "Play a sound when: I send or receive voice chat requests."

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* Why does Xfire say 'Low quality' when I voice chat even though I have set my options to the highest quality?

Xfire will negotiate the setting between the two users voice chatting. An example would be if your options are set to 'Highest' quality and you send an invite to a friend who is set to 'Medium' quality, Xfire will set the voice chat to 'Medium' to accomodate the user with the lower bandwidth setting.

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* Xfire is set to play a sound when I get a voice chat request, but I don't hear it in my USB headset. Why?

In order to hear the ring sound when you get an Xfire voice call, you must set the USB headset as the default device in Windows XP.

To do this:

Go to your Windows Start menu | Settings | Control Panel.
Double Click Sounds and Audio Devices.
Click the Audio tab
In the pulldown menu for "Sound Playback Default Device:" select your USB headset.
Click OK

You should now hear the ring for incoming voice calls in your USB headset.

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* How do I start a Chat Room?

Start by right clicking on any Friend and selecting 'Invite to new chat room'. Your friend must be using an Xfire skin that supports Chat Rooms in order to receive the invite. The default Xfire skin will always work.

Once you get a Chat Room started you can invite more friends, set up permissions, set voice options and save it in your Xfire Servers tab (persistent room) so you can always rejoin the conversation. This is all done from the Actions menu in the Chat Room window.

For a more visual explanation of these features, check out Chat Rooms in the Xfire Product Tour!

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* I can't voice chat at all on Xfire, why?

See more details in the Advanced FAQ here:

http://www.xfire.com/faq#170

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* Can I answer a voice call while in a game?

As of version 1.59 you cannot answer voice calls in game.

This feature is planned for a future Xfire update.

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Screenshots

Questions

Answers

* How do I add screenshots to my Xfire Profile page?

First launch Xfire and any game that has Xfire In-Game messaging support. Then while in game take screenshots by pressing Scroll Lock + S. (This can be reassigned to a single key or a different key combo in Tools | Options | Chat tab.)

When you quit the game, you will be presented with the Manage Screenshots dialog. Here you can preview the shots you just took, choose which ones to upload, and even add captions! If you want to upload at a later time, click Cancel and access this dialog from Tools | Manage Screenshots.

In the Manage Screenshots dialog, click Process Screenshots to begin uploading to your Xfire Profile page. Please note the upload rate is not the same as the P2P rates you set in Tools | Options | Files. Screenshot uploading will use whatever your maximum available upload speed is.

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* Can I add other images not taken with Xfire In-Game to my profile?

No you cannot upload images not created with Xfire. Xfire adds encryption to the file to show what game you were playing, time and date and server IP.

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* Help! I can’t take screenshots at all. Why doesn’t Xfire screenshots work for me?

Xfire can only take screenshots in games that have Xfire In-Game messaging support. For a list of those games, see our Games Page.

If Xfire In-Game messaging is not working for your supported game, see here: http://www.xfire.com/faq/#178

Xfire In-Game is not supported by default under Windows 98/SE/ME. To enable it see the FAQ How to add XIG to Win9x systems.

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* Why does it take so long to login to Xfire now that I have taken some screenshots?

If you have a virus scan program that has real time file scanning or protection, it will attempt to scan all the files residing in your screenshots and downloads folder. This causes Xfire to appear stuck when logging in.

To prevent this, check your virus scanner options for an exception list for real time scanning. Add Xfire.exe to the list and you should login much faster.

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* What is the maximum number of screenshots I can add to my Profile page?

The maximum data storage is 15mb. So if you run in a very high resolution, you will have fewer screenshots on your Profile page.

Screenshots taken in 1024x768 will allow you to have approximately 15 screenshots in your Profile.

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* Why have some of my screenshots disappeared from my Profile page?

If you add more screenshots than your maximum of 15mb, the oldest “unlocked” file will get bumped off of your Profile page.

If you still have the one that got deleted on your local machine, you can re-upload it.

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* How do I add captions or comments to my screenshots?

You can add a caption in the Xfire Screenshots dialog prior to uploading.

You can also go to your Profile page, click "View full screenshot gallery" then click the "Edit screenshot description" button to edit the caption directly from the website. You can edit them on the website by clicking the screenshot and then clicking the 'edit' option (looks like a little pencil).

In Xfire, you can go to Tools | Manage Screenshots. Under the 'Remote' category highlight the one you wish to edit, type in the 'Screenshot info' field and click OK. You can also do this directly from the Files tab in the Xfire client.

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* What key do I use to take Xfire Screenshots?

The default key combination is Scroll Lock + S. You can change this in Tools | Options | Chat tab. Click ‘Screenshot key binding’ and set a single key or two key combination.

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* Can I take screenshots using a button on my mouse or joystick?

If the mouse or joystick included software for mapping buttons to keyboard keys or macros, then yes you should be able to.

Set your Screenshot key or key combo in Tools | Options | Chat tab. Then using your mouse or joystick configuration software, map that key to a button on the gaming device.

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* How do I delete a screenshot from my Profile?

Go to your Xfire Profile page. Click "See all screenshots". On the Screenshots page you can delete, lock and edit captions for your screenshots.

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Game Statistics

Questions

Answers

* Why aren’t my stats being tracked on my Xfire Profile?

There are a few factors that may cause your stats to not track.

From the Xfire client, check Tools | Options | Privacy tab. Make sure the checkbox for “Track Kill/Death stats for display on Profile” is checked. This option globally disables Game Statistics.
You can also go to Tools | Options | Games tab, under the 'Installed Games' list highlight the game name, click Advanced Options button and make sure “Disable Kill/Death tracking” is not checked for that game. This will disable Game Statistics for that game only.

Xfire Game Stats also rely on other components of Xfire to get the stats to your Profile page. Make sure these things are functioning as well:

Does Xfire In-game messaging work (hit scroll-lock + X)? If this is not working, we will not get data.
Do Screenshots work for you (hit scroll-lock + S)? Can they be uploaded to your profile page? If these are not working, then Game Stats will likely not work either.
Are you running FRAPS? FRAPS is known to cause conflicts with Xfire, so we do not attach to your game if we detect that it is running. This, in turn, means that we don't collect Game Stats information.
Have you edited your xfire_games.ini file? Supported Games are set up to work by default now and do not require editing the internal files.

If all of these things are working correctly, make a post in our Tech Support OPEN forum and give us the IP addresses of the servers you play on so we can take a look at them. There may be server side mods we aren't aware of that prevent Xfire from collecting stats.

Lastly, for Quake 3 there is a server-side setting that can completely disable the information in the console that allows Xfire to track your stats. That command is:

cl_noprint 1

When set to 0, console logging functions normally and Xfire can track stats. When set to anything else, it causes the console log to not get any information whatsoever. If you are playing on a server and your Game Statistics aren't being recorded on your Xfire profile, notify the server administrator about this setting if possible.

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* Why doesn’t Xfire track stats for my favorite game?

Currently we are tracking stats for:

Quake 3 Arena
Quake 4
Jedi Academy Multiplayer
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
Call of Duty MP
Call of Duty UO

Of course we want to support as many games as possible. We will add stat tracking support to more games as this new feature is being developed.

Check the Game Statistics forum for the latest news from the development team.

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* How do I disable Xfire Game Statistics tracking?

From the Xfire client, go to Tools | Options | Privacy tab. Uncheck the checkbox for “Track Kill/Death stats for display on Profile”.
You can also go to Tools | Options | Games tab, under the Installed list highlight the game name, click Advanced Options button and check “Disable Kill/Death tracking”.

The first option disables Game Statistics for all of your installed games. The second method disables Game Statistics for individual games.

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* My stats are showing up but appear to be incorrect, why?

If you are playing on multiple servers this may be related to mods or server-side settings that can disable console information. See the FAQ here for more details.

If you have found a problem or bug with Game Statistics, please post in the Tech Support OPEN forum with the subject “Game Statistics”.

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* How can I stop the console information from scrolling on screen while I'm playing Quake 3 or Jedi Academy?

If you are playing Quake 3, press the tilde key ~ to drop down the console and type in this command:

/con_notifytime -1

When set to -1, this prevents all console messages from appearing on-screen. When set to anything higher, it sets the amount of time that console log lines appear on-screen.

If you are playing Jedi Academy MP, use this command:

/con_notifytime 0

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* What is Skill Rating?

Skill Rating takes your total hours played of a game, kill death ratio, number of rounds played and some other magic ingredients to create an average rating for you to compare against other users.
If your rating seems low, just keep playing and fragging and after a few hours you will notice that it goes up.

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Xfire Clans & Guilds

Questions

Answers

* How do I start a Clan or Guild?

Head over to the Xfire Clans & Guilds page and under the ‘Your Clans’ box, click Create Clan.

Enter a Full name. Think of the Full name like your Xfire nickname. This will be the name displayed on your Clan or Guild Profile page.

Enter a Short Name first and check availability of the name. Think of short name like your Xfire username, this will be the permanent Clan or Guild name. The Short name must only contain lower case letters and numbers.

Click Create! Congrats! You are now the founder of a Clan or Guild.

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* How do I join a Clan or Guild?

First, the email address listed in your Xfire Profile must be a valid email address that can be verified.

Select the Clan or Guild you wish to join from the directory. Click Apply for Membership!

If you wish, enter a message for the Clan or Guild founder and then click Submit Application!

The Guild or Clan founder will then decide whether or not to approve your membership. Once approved, all of the members of the Clan or Guild will automatically be added to a custom group in your Xfire client.

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* How do I leave a Clan or Guild?

First make sure you are logged into Xfire.com with the correct user name.

Go to the Clans & Guilds home page.
Under the "Your Clans & Guilds" box, click the name of the clan or guild you wish to leave.
On the left side of the page click 'Leave Clan' (or Leave Guild)

You will get a confirmation dialog to make sure you want to leave your clan or guild.

Once you select Yes, the clan or guild group will be removed from your Xfire Friends list.

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* My Clan name is taken. What can I do about it?

Make the Short name a slightly altered version of what you wanted and use the Long Name to display the real Clan or Guild name on your Clan or Guild Profile page.

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* How many Clans or Guilds can I be in at one time?

You can be a member of three Clans or Guilds at one time. This includes any outstanding invites or applications you may have.

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* How many members can be in a Clan or Guild?

The current maximum number of Clan or Guild members is 100. This may be increased in the future.

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* What is the difference between a Clan and a Guild?

Currently nothing. We will be adding more functions and features to the Clan and Guild Profiles to make them more distinguishable in the future.

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* Why can’t I apply to any Clans or Guilds?

You can only be a member of three Clans or Guilds at one time. This includes any outstanding invites or applications you may have.

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* Where can I make suggestions for the Clans & Guilds feature and web pages?

Head over to the Xfire Clans & Guilds forum to post your suggestions, ideas and comments about this Xfire feature.

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* I left my clan. How do I get back in?

You must be invited back by a ranking member of the Clan or Guild with permission to invite and/or approve new members. If there are no members in the Clan or Guild to invite you back and you are the Founder, apply to the clan and you should be automatically accepted back in.

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* How do my clan or guild mates accept the invitation I sent them?

Your clan or guild mates must first have a valid registered email attached to their Xfire username.

See the FAQ here for how to validate their registered email address.

If their email is working and valid they will receive a notification that they have been invited to the Clan or Guild you created on Xfire. They simply click the the link in the email which takes them to http://www.xfire.com/clans

Under 'Your Clans & Guilds' they will see their pending invitations and can choose to accept or reject them.

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Troubleshooting

Questions

Answers

* While using Xfire I tried to launch/join a game and my game crashed. Why is this happening?

This problem is likely caused by Xfire In-Game messaging. Xfire In-Game is the technology that now allows you to send and receive messages inside your games (if they're supported). Because this is a very complex feature, there is a possibility that some of our users could run into compatability problems.

The first test we recommend is for you to try disabling the Xfire In-Game system to see if this fixes the crashing problem. To do this, follow these simple steps:

Log into Xfire, click on the "Tools" menu, and select "Options".
When the options screen appears, click on the "Chat" tab.
Find the check box that says "Show chat messages in game" and uncheck it.
Click the "Ok" button at the bottom of the options screen
Exit Xfire completely. A logoff will not be enough to make this change occur. You must exit Xfire for the setting to take effect.
Restart Xfire, log in, and relaunch/join a game to see if it works.

If after performing the steps above, your game works fine, then the problem was with the Xfire In-Game system. In order to help you troubleshoot why your system doesn't work with In-Game, we need a bit of information about your system. There are 2 log files that you can post or send to us that will help us to diagnose the problem.

The first file is generated by Direct X. To create this log file, you will need to follow these steps:

Go to your start menu
Select "run"
When the run dialog window appears, enter "dxdiag.exe" in the "open:" field and click the "ok" button.
When the Direct X Diagnostic Tool window appears, click on the button that says "Save all Information".
Click "Save" on the "Save As" screen that appears to create a file on your desktop that's named Dxdiag.txt

The second log file is generated by Xfire, but you will need to follow these steps in order to create it:

Turn Xfire In-Game messaging back on. (Tools> Options> Chat tab. Check Show chat messages in game. Exit and restart Xfire)
Locate your Xfire directory (default is c:\Program Files\Xfire)
In your Xfire directory, find a file called xfire_games.ini and double click it to open it with notepad. For Windows Vista users see here: http://www.xfire.com/faq/#228
When you open the file, the beginning of the file should look like this:

[Version]
Version=20135

[-1]
LongName=Unknown Game
ShortName=unknown

InGameInfoWindow.X=0
InGameInfoWindow.Y=0

You need to add a line that says "InGameDebug=9" right above the other InGame entries. The beginning of your xfire_games.ini file should now look like this:

[Version]
Version=20135

[-1]
LongName=Unknown Game
ShortName=unknown

InGameDebug=9
InGameInfoWindow.X=0
InGameInfoWindow.Y=0
Save the file by clicking the file menu and selecting "save".
Start Xfire, log in (be sure that your Xfire In-Game is enabled see steps above), and launch the game that was having problems with your Xfire client.
After the game fails, exit Xfire, and go to your Xfire application data directory (For XP users the path is C:\Documents and Settings\your windows user name\Application Data\xfire. For Vista, c:\programdata\xfire), and there should be a file called "xfire_toucan_log.txt". Copy this file to your desktop along with the Dxdiag.txt file you created in the steps above.

Now that you have both of these files created, send an email with both logs as an attachment, the game title, and a brief desciption of what exactly occurs (error reports, etc.) to support@xfire.com with the subject line of "in game logs". Once we've received the log files, our engineering team will look through them to find out why this is happening.

Be sure to disable the debug logging by removing that line from your xfire_games.ini once you have sent off the log files. Continuing to append the debug log can cause performance issues in Xfire.

Once we have a resolution, we will post the details here in the forums as well as rolling it into an update.

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* Whenever I try to send a message to a friend or they send me a message Xfire crashes. Why is this happening?

Unfortunately this problem is nearly always linked to a virus or spyware known as a browser helper object (BHO) on your computer. The reason we say nearly is because the only other instance of this happening has been from a conflict with Earthlink's Total Access 2005. Earthlink has since released a patch for their software which corrects the problem.

If you are not using Earthlink and have this problem, a virus is trying to inject itself into any Internet Explorer windows or controls which is crashing Xfire.

Let us explain further. The expanded infoview (the pop out window on the side of Xfire and chat windows) in Xfire is an Internet Explorer control. By default the expanded infoview is open on a chat window. This is when the virus tries to inject itself into our IE control window, causing the crash, and displaying an exception report.

We do not have a definitive fix to this problem since we are not virus removal experts.

If you have a virus scan application, get the latest updates and try to clean it and remove it. You can also try SpyBot S&D;, Adaware, or HiJack This! to remove spyware at your own risk.

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* I think Xfire is not tracking my gameplay hours. What’s causing this?

There are a few separate things that can affect this. The first thing to do is to make sure the game is supported by Xfire. Simply visit the Xfire Games page on this site to confirm if the game is supported.

The next thing to do is to determine whether or not Xfire knows you have the game installed and is tracking the hours for you. To do this, add yourself as a friend, start up the game in question, now Alt + Tab out of your game and view your status on Xfire. Does it show you playing the game that is running?

If it does not show you playing the game, then Xfire likely has no idea that you have the game so it will not record your play time. Go to Tools | Launch, and view your games installed. If you cannot find the game on the list:

Go to your Tools | Options | Games tab.
Find the games you have on your system in the 'Not installed' list.
Highlight the game name and the "Manual Setup" radio button.
Click 'Browse'.
Find the folder that contains the .exe file for that game and click 'Ok'.
Click 'Apply'.

Check your Tools | Launch menu to verify that the game is now detected.

If the game is being detected while you are playing and you found it on the launch list, it is being tracked. The reason it may not seem to be recorded is because the stats do not update in real-time. When you start a game it begins a “session” and when you exit the game finally it will end the “session.” Once that happens your amount of time played is sent to Xfire and will be updated in an hour or two. Typically the updates occur every 30 to 45 minutes past the hour.

Lastly, if the game shows up on your launch list but doesn't get detected when the game is run, please post in the Technical Support - OPEN section of our Forums describing the problem and with which game it happens to so we can troubleshoot the problem further.

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* When I view my mini-profile it has different played hours than my actual profile does. Which is correct?

Your main profile should always have the correct amount of hours played as long as the game is being detected by Xfire. To serve up the mini-profile more efficiently they have been cached unless you are playing a game at that time. The correct stats will be displayed on your mini-profile shortly after they have been updated to your main profile.

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* I am receiving parse errors while I run Xfire. Why does this happen?

Your install of Xfire may have not been updated properly the last time it was patched.

Try the following:

Exit Xfire completely if it is running.
Go to your base Xfire install directory (default location is C:Program Files\Xfire).
Find and open the xfire.ini file. For Windows Vista users see here: http://www.xfire.com/faq/#228
Change the Version=XX to one integer lower than it currently is.

Example: Your current entry is Version=30. Change this to Version=29.
Save the file.
Now run Xfire, this change will force you to re-update and correct any problems that may of occurred the last time you updated.

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* Why does my mini-profile say I have "chosen not to display this data"?

The mini-profile is linked to your privacy settings in the Xfire client.

To show your mini-profile information simply do the following:

Start up Xfire.
Go to the Tools menu.
Select Options.
Select Privacy tab.
Under Game Status make sure "Show on my profile and miniprofile" is checked.

Your mini-profile will now display all of it's information.

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* I am trying to use a custom Avatar for your website. It only shows up in my Profile and not in my Mini-Profile, why?

Actually this is correct behavior. If you are using a custom Avatar it will only be displayed on your profile page. It will not be displayed in your Mini-Profile as you have noticed. We have done this for multiple reasons. One is because doing this can possibly slow down our webservers. Also allowing it can cause problems if the image is too large or is of something that is inapproprate, etc.

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* Why can't I use Xfire to join a server when my game is already running?

The way Instant Joining works is through what are called command line parameters. These command lines need to be used in conjunction with the launch of the .exe file for that game. If the game is already running there is no way to pass a command line statement to that game.

Some games handle this better than others. Most will let you know that you already have an instance of the game running. Simply shut down the game and use Xfire to join the intended server you were about to join.

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* How do I join a friend in Teamspeak or Ventrilo from Xfire?

Currently, Xfire supports two voice chat programs, Teamspeak and Ventrilo. You can download these programs here:

Teamspeak

Ventrilo

Once you get them installed, run Xfire and Teamspeak and/or Ventrilo should appear in your Launch list just like a game would.

Teamspeak and Ventrilo have “one click join” support through Xfire. So if you have a Friend already in a Teamspeak or Ventrilo chat server, right click their name and select Join Teamspeak (or Join Ventrilo). You can also get this menu by going to Tools | Friends | Join Teamspeak or the Actions menu in a chat window.

If the Join option is greyed out, there is no IP address showing. Make sure you or your Friend talks for about 10-20 seconds in order for Xfire to see the network traffic to the TS/Vent server. Also check the Xfire Tools | Options | Privacy menu and make sure you have "Show my voice chat server to my friends" checked.

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* My Join Game button is greyed out and I can't join any games. Why?

The first thing to check is whether or not the game you are trying to join is supported by Xfire as a joinable game. Some games like Everquest, Diablo II, and Ravenshield are not joinable through Xfire. For a complete list of what games are supported by Xfire and which games are Joinable go to the following link:

One Click Join

The next thing to do is make sure that Xfire knows you have the game you are trying to join. The easiest way to find this out is to go to the Tools | Launch menu. Does it display the game you are trying to play there? If the game is there, can you launch the game from there? If the game is not listed or able to be launched from that menu:

Go to your Tools | Options | Games tab.
Find the games you have on your system in the 'Not installed' list.
Highlight the game name and click 'Browse'.
Find the folder that contains the .exe file for that game and click 'Ok'.
Click 'Apply'.

Check your Tools | Launch menu to verify that the game is now detected.

If you can launch the game through Xfire, that is a good sign. Now when you highlight your friend that you want to join, does the expanded info view show the IP address of the server they are playing on? If there is no IP address listed there you will not be able to join.

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* How do I change the Xfire auto reconnect time?

You cannot change it at this time.

The idea of auto-reconnect is so people who are AFK get a random time that they will be reconnected and people who are at their computer can click "Connect now".

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* When I run Xfire my computer loses network connectivity along with other computers on my network. Is Xfire causing this?

This is caused by a limitation in a network device like a router. This is commonly seen on wireless devices.

When you log in to Xfire it sends out queries to all the servers your Friends and Friends of Friends are playing on. When those queries get returned, the routers internal tables cannot handle the data properly and shutdown your network connection.

The known workarounds for this problem are:
1. Turn off the Friends of Friends option. (Tools | Options | Privacy tab. Uncheck "Show friends of my friends").

2. Turn off the typing notification. (Tools | Options | Privacy tab. Uncheck "Show people when I type to them").

3. Try disabling the Xfire download system. (Tools | Options | Files tab. Set all to "Disabled").

If these things do not improve your connection to Xfire we may ask for you to post the following information in our Technical Support - OPEN forum.

What is the exact text of the error message you get from Xfire?
When does Xfire lose connection? (Getting Friends list?, Initializing??)
What type of connection? (Cable, DSL, 56k?)
What kind of software firewall or router are you using?
Do you have a security software package like Norton or Zone Alarm and if so, which version?

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* My Counter-Strike Source and Half Life 2 cannot be applied in the Games tab. Why?

In order for Xfire to detect any Steam games, you must have run the game at least once to create its directory and gcf file. After a Steam update you may need to run them again for Xfire to auto-detect them.

The xfire_games.ini is also looking for certain criteria.

A dir key in your registry pointing to where you have Steam installed.
A Launcher .exe (which would be Steam.exe) located in the path specified in your registry.
An "install hint" which is a common file from a given games directory.
A "detect .exe" which is the executable that is running when you're playing the game.

Now, if your registry key does not match the location of your steam.exe, your Steam games will not be automatically detected and possibly will not be able to be applied using the Tools | Options | Games tab.

What we suggest is to go to your start menu, click on run, and type 'regedit' and click OK. This will bring up the windows registry editor.

The registry key that Xfire looks for to detect your Steam games is: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam\InstallPath

To find this key, follow these steps:

Open the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder
Open the Software folder
Scroll down and open the Valve folder and then open the Steam folder
In the right pane of the registry editor, you will see a key that says "InstallPath" (this is the original path where you installed Steam).

If the 'path' contained in the above registry key does not match where you have Steam currently installed, Xfire will not detect it. You can double click on the InstallPath registry key to edit it, and modify the path to reflect where Steam currently resides on your system.

Once the registry key matches the directory where your Steam.exe is, you will need to exit, and restart Xfire for it to 'automatically' detect your installed Steam games.

You can alternatively uninstall Steam and reinstall it if you are not comfortable or confident in your ability to change a registry key. Doing this will force the Steam installer to recreate your registry tags, and then Xfire should detect it without a hitch.

Additionally if you are running Windows XP 64, Steam will automatically force your Steam games to run in 64 bit mode and Xfire cannot detect them. We are looking into the possibility of releasing a 64-bit compatible Xfire client in the future.

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* What is this Xfire Update in my files tab and why did I download it?

Here's how the downloaded updates work and why we started using this method.

We push the updater file to you automatically one day before we reset the Xfire service. You will still get it if you have Downloads disabled, but it will not be shared (uploaded) with the Xfire File system.
There is NO NEED to try and run this file. It will automatically run when we reset the service and you log back in.
If you rename and run the updater before we restart the Xfire service, some features will not function due to protocol changes on the server side. (Example: Chat Rooms)

We started using this method to speed up the process for those who log back in immediately after the restart and already have the updater in their Xfire folder. This also improves bandwidth on our end for those logging back in and getting the update the old way via HTTP.

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* When I double click the Xfire tray icon, nothing happens, Why?

This usually can happen when you run a game in a different resolution than your desktop or you resize your desktop while Xfire is minimized. To fix it, first locate your XfireUser.ini file. If you are on WinXP the path is something like this:

C:\Documents and Settings\yourUserName\Application Data\Xfire

The first block of info should look like this:

[WindowPos]
LoginLocation=413x226
Size=539x734
Location=325x0

Make sure Xfire is not running and delete the three lines under [WindowPos]. Save the .ini file. Restart Xfire. This should reset the main client window to it's default location.

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* How do I turn off or change the default alert sounds in Xfire?

You can easily turn the sounds on and off by going to the Tools | Options | Sounds tab. From this menu you can select specific sounds to turn on and off. If you want to manually change the sounds, navigate to your default Xfire directory and go to the Sounds folder. For Windows Vista users see here: http://www.xfire.com/faq/#228

By replacing the .wav files in that directory with your own files, named to match the proper sound event, you an customize your Xfire sounds to whatever you like. We'll be adding in the ability to customize the sounds from within the client itself in the future, but you can do this manual change anytime.

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* I get an error message that says “Xfire has detected that xfire_toucan.dll did not load.” What does this mean and how do I fix it?

This means the .dll file that controls several important Xfire functions like network detection and In game messaging is missing or corrupted. To fix this:

Do not uninstall Xfire
Make sure Xfire is not running.
Download the latest Xfire full installer here.
Reinstall over your existing Xfire directory. Confirm that you wish to overwrite the existing install.
Run Xfire again to be sure the problem is corrected.

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* I get an error message that says “Xfire was unable to set a Windows Hook”. What does this mean and how do I fix it?

This means that Xfire cannot interact with Windows correctly. However, it is very easy to fix. Simply restart your computer.

Run Xfire and confirm that this error no longer occurs.

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* Why do hyperlinks show up black in the chat window?

This is due to the common control settings in some versions of Windows. Xfire skin uses a black background and Windows attempts to “help” us by guessing what color to display the link.

Here is how to fix this manually in WinXp:

Right click on your Desktop and select Properties.
Select Appearance tab and click Advanced.
In the Item pulldown menu go to Selected Items.
Change the Font color.
Click Ok, Apply, Ok.

Hyperlinks will now show as the color you have set!

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* I can't see what I'm typing! Why has the text in the chat window turned black?

This issue occurs when you drag your mouse left over the cursor in the typing field.

There is a Rich Text control there that tells that window what color the text should be. If you accidentally delete that control by dragging your mouse over it, the color gets set to zero or black.

The normal text color will be restored once you press enter to send the message.

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* Why does Xfire give me a "No Disk" error when installing a new game?

Xfire is looking for running processes that may be a game. If the installer disc contains an .exe file that Xfire knows about, Xfire gets injected into the installer to see if you are in fact running a full screen game.

When you take out the disc during the install process, Windows gives you an error that says "Hey Xfire was using that disc!" even though we really aren't.

To avoid seeing this error message in the future, log off of Xfire while installing any software, especially games.

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* I get disconnected from Xfire every few minutes or when I join a game. How do I fix this?

Xfire uses something called a 'heartbeat' to know if you're still connected to the server. On a regular cycle, we send this 'heartbeat' to the server and then the message is received.

If you can't send the message to the server, you get an error talking to it. If you get an error reading from server, you didn't receive the heartbeat back from the server.

The most likely culprit to cause this is an aggressive firewall, router or NAT device. Firewalls and NAT's have functions that will close down unused ports when they are not used for a certain period of time. This is done to protect you from open ports being hacked.

Most good firewalls/NAT's will have an adjustment or timer that you can tweak to adjust how often this happens. Older products came with a default timer of 10 minutes, but newer ones seem to be set to 5 minutes or lower.

If you have a 5 minute timer, or do not have any clue what you have or how to adjust it, you can adjust Xfire instead. First, completely exit Xfire, it cannot be running while you make changes. Once Xfire is not running, you can edit your Xfire.ini file. You can use the "search" feature on your start menu to find it, or you can located it manually (default location is c:\program files\xfire).

Once you locate the Xfire.ini file, double click it to open it in notepad or wordpad. You should see something that looks like this:

[Toucan] Build=19803
[Xfire]
Version=56
InstallVersion=43
UpdateCount=24
[I18N]
LanguageMajor=us
[Skin]
SkinName=Xfire
[DNS Cache]
cs.xfire.com=204.71.190.24

You will need to add a new line that says:
PingInterval=180
You will need to add this under the [xfire] section. After you've done this, your Xfire.ini file should look like this:

[Toucan]
Build=19803
[Xfire]
Version=56
InstallVersion=43
UpdateCount=24
PingInterval=180
[I18N]
LanguageMajor=us
[Skin]
SkinName=Xfire
[DNS Cache]
cs.xfire.com=204.71.190.24

Save the file, and restart your Xfire client. You will now have a 3 minute 'heartbeat' time, which will be below the more modern 5 minute firewall timers. If you still have problems, you can lower the PingInterval to 120 or 2 minutes, but that's the lowest it can be adjusted.

Now if you're only getting disconnected while you're playing games, the problem may not be a port closing up. To send and receive the heartbeat to the server, Xfire requires some cpu time and bandwidth. If you computer is slightly below spec and playing a newer game, you may not have the cpu time available and therefore the above suggestion might not help.

Lastly, all ISP's experience hiccups once in a while. If this happens at the right moment, Xfire will not send or receive the 'heartbeat' and you'll get disconnected. The PingInterval solution is something geared towards the user who gets disconnected many times per day or session, and not just once every few days.

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* Why do I get a High Latency message when I chat with my friend?

Here's how it works and why you get the latency message:

1. User 1 sends IM to User 2.
2. IM hits our server and is then sent to User 2.
3. User 2's Xfire client sends message back to server saying "I got the IM".

If the server doesn't get that message back within 8 seconds of User 1 sending the server the IM, User 1's client says "High Latency..".

This can be caused by anything in that networking path on your end or your friends side (router, software firewall etc.).

If you get the "high latency detected warning" when chatting with any of your friends, adjust your Xfire file transfer settings (Tools | Options | Files).

If you only get the "high latency detected warning" for one or two friends, have them adjust their Xfire file transfer settings.

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* Norton Internet Worm Protection pops up constantly while Xfire is running. Why?

This is known as a "false positive". Norton is simply alerting you that Xfire is accessing the internet to query game servers and get info from your friends list.

To stop this alert from coming up, go into the list of Allowed programs in your Norton preferences. If xfire.exe is already there, remove it and re-add it manually by browsing to the xfire.exe in your main Xfire directory. (C:\Program Files\Xfire is default)

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* I just logged off (or updated) Xfire and when I logged back in I got an Xfire exception error that repeatedly refers to 'system32\urlmon.dll'. What does this mean, and how do I fix it?

Urlmon.dll is a component of Internet Explorer. Xfire uses IE components to display graphics and data in the Xfire expanded info view, and other places around the application. When these components aren't healthy or working properly, it can cause problems for applications such as Xfire which use IE components.

If you've recently installed Internet Explorer 7 but haven't rebooted your machine, this could be the cause of your problem. Simply reboot your computer and once Windows restarts, launch Xfire to see if the problem persists. If the problem still occurs it could be either a faulty upgrade of IE7 (try a reinstall) or a conflict with another program on your system. You should also post in our tech support forum so that we can work with you to isolate and resolve the issue.

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* I get low frame rates in game while running Xfire. Why and how can I fix this?

This is usually caused by another program "hooking" into the game in a similar fashion to Xfire In- Game messaging. Examples include: older versions of FRAPS, Ati Tray Tools OSD, mouse utility applications, basically any other program that can draw on screen while you are playing a game.

To fix it, you can either disable the other application or Xfire In-Game messaging. If you are unsure which application is causing the conflict with Xfire you can also submit a debug log for us to take a look at.

Instructions can be found in the FAQ here:

http://www.xfire.com/faq/#73

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* I got disconnected from Xfire while playing a game. Are my gaming hours lost?

Xfire records your game time as "sessions". When Xfire detects that you are no longer playing a game or have been disconnected from the server, that session gets sent up to us to be recorded on your Xfire Profile.

If you reconnect while still in a game, a new session is started. So the time between being disconnected and reconnecting would not be counted.

You can now type /reconnect in the Xfire In Game menu to actively reconnect while in game to minimize any loss of your game hours.

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* How can I show my World of Warcraft Armory profile in the Xfire Info view?

As of Xfire 1.74, you can display your World of Warcraft Armory character profiles in the Xfire Info View. Here’s how:

First, you must have some World of Warcraft hours on your Xfire Profile. Second, you must have “Show my friends” and “Show my game server data” checked under Tools | Options | Privacy in your Xfire client. See FAQ here http://www.xfire.com/faq/#188 for detailed information.

Lastly, you have to tell us which of your characters you want to display. To do this, go to your Xfire Profile page by clicking on the Profile tab on Xfire.com or Xfire | My profile in your Xfire client. Scroll down to the “World of Warcraft Characters” section and type in your character name and the realm name that you play on. Remember, this information must be spelled correctly in order for Xfire to get the Armory data for your character.

Now when you are playing World of Warcraft, your friends can highlight your name and instantly view your characters Armory profile in the Xfire Info view! Enjoy!

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Advanced User Topics

Questions

Answers

* I think the Xfire In-Game alert window does not stay up long enough. Is there any way to adjust how long the alert window displays?

Yes, you can set the default timer for the alert window in the xfire_games.ini file. Here's how.

First make sure Xfire is not running. Go to your Xfire base directory (default location: C:\Program Files\Xfire) and find the xfire_games.ini. For Windows Vista users see here: http://www.xfire.com/faq/#228. Open this file with Notepad. The first entry should look exactly like this:

[-1]
LongName=Unknown Game
ShortName=unknown
Icon=unknown.ico
CanBeUpForGame=TRUE

InGameInfoWindow.X=0
InGameInfoWindow.Y=0
InGameInfoWindow.AlignX=RIGHT
InGameInfoWindow.AlignY=BOTTOM
InGameInfoWindow.Hide=DOWN
InGameInfoWindow.DisplayTime=3000
InGameInfoWindow.HideTime=200
InGameInfoWindow.Alpha=235
InGameInfoWindow.Width=33
InGameInfoWindow.Height=10

InGameMainWindow.X=0
InGameMainWindow.Y=0
InGameMainWindow.AlignX=CENTER
InGameMainWindow.AlignY=CENTER
InGameMainWindow.Alpha=235
InGameMainWindow.Width=50
InGameMainWindow.Height=50

InGameToggleKey1=SCROLLLOCK
InGameToggleKey2=X
InGameEscapeKey=ESCAPE
InGameFlags=DISABLE_LSP

You need to adjust the InGameInfoWindow.DisplayTime=3000 line. This setting is in ms (milliseconds) so 1 second is equivalent to 1000 ms. The default setting is 3000ms (3 seconds), change it to what you see fit.

Now save the file, run Xfire, then run your game. The next time someone messages you the alert window should stay up for what you have specified.

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* Can I add custom command line parameters for Xfire to launch my game with?

You can now add custom command line options directly through the Tools | Options menu.

Here's an example of how to launch in a custom video mode in Battlefield 2.

In Xfire, go to Tools | Options | Games tab.
Highlight Battlefield 2 in the Installed Games list.
Click the Advanced Options button.
In the 'Extra Command line parameters' field add this line: +menu 1 +fullscreen 1 +szx 1680 +szy 1050
Click Ok.

The next time you launch BF2 from Xfire, it will launch in the resolution you specified.

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* How do I create my own Xfire Game Skin? (Info view graphics)

If you know a little about Html and Javascript, read this introduction and tutorial here:

Xfire Game Skins

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* How can I integrate some of Xfire’s features into my website? Example: Adding a friend or Joining a game server.

We’ve added the ability to use some Xfire features via URL commands. See the details here:

Click here!! - Xfire URLs

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* What ports does Xfire use?

Xfire uses TCP/IP port 25999 to connect to cs.xfire.com.

This is the only port that you HAVE to be able to communicate on in order to use Xfire. Xfire can and will attempt to use a myriad of different UDP ports, however, and they can be somewhat random.

Game servers use various ports, usually between 4000 and 60000 UDP, which is what Xfire is receiving data from when you log on. It does this to get the ping, playerlist, map and other info that is then displayed in your Xfire client for each of the game servers your friends are playing on.

If you have the Friends of Friends option enabled, all the queries from the servers they are playing on get sent out and returned on the ports those games use.

There are 3 other features in Xfire that use UDP as well.

Typing notification - This is a randomly negotiated port above 1024 using the UDP protocol between you and the user you are typing an IM to. This can be disabled in your Tools|Options|Chat tab.
P2P File Download system - This is a randomly negotiated port above 1024 using the UDP protocol between you and as many as 20 other users in the Xfire network. You can disable this by going to Tools|Options|Files in your Xfire client.
Voicechat (1:1 and Group) - This is a randomly negotiated port above 1024 using the UDP protocol between you and the user or Group voice host you are voice-chatting with.

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* I can't download or voice chat using Xfire. Why not and how do I fix this?

Chances are, if you can't voice chat or download files, you are failing our 'NAT check'. To check this, click the Files tab in your Xfire client, open the info view, scroll to the bottom, you should see NAT Check Failed.

As of Xfire version 1.55 we now support Universal Plug and Play or UPnP. If you are using a hardware router that supports UPnP (most name brand routers like Linksys, Netgear, D-Link do) open your router configuration (this is usually done through a web browser) and make sure UPnP is enabled. Once you have done that and saved the setting, run Xfire and it should auto detect your NAT device.

If your router does not have UPnP, there is still another way to fix this. Both hardware and software firewalls allow you to 'forward' a port directly to a specific machine.

If you forward all UDP traffic on port 25777 to the machine that is having the problem, and then restart Xfire, you should then pass nat check, and be shown as a NAT Type 1. To check this, go to your files page, open the info view, scroll to the bottom, you should see either NAT Check Failed, or NAT Type 1. Once your NAT type shows as 1, you should be able to download files (inlcuding Xfire updates) as well as using other UDP features such as typing notification, and voice chat.

Click here for more details about Xfire NAT Types.

To find out how to forward a port on your firewall to a specific machine, check your firewall's user manual or support website for more information.

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* Where do I find my chat logs?

You can open a chat log directly from an instant message window and select Actions | View chat log. The log file opens in notepad and you can then choose to save a copy in any location you wish.

A text file is stored for each friend that you have had a conversation with in a folder tied to your Windows logon name. The path would look like this on Windows XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Xfire\chatlog

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* I'm a Game developer and want to integrate Xfire somehow. Is there an Xfire SDK?

If you are developing a video game and wish to add custom data to the Xfire info view, read all about the Xfire SDK here:

Xfire SDK!

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* Can I connect to Xfire from behind a proxy?

Xfire generally cannot be used with proxy servers. You could send this link http://www.xfire.com/faq/#158 to the network administrator and ask them to configure the network to allow the usage of Xfire.

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Xfire on Windows Vista

Questions

Answers

* Why does UAC ask to permit Xfire on every startup?

As of version 1.78, Xfire will run at a normal “user” level. This should fix the issue with UAC.

Let us know in the Tech Support forum if this is still a problem.

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* Why does Xfire 'require UAC elevation' for some of my games?

As of update 1.79, Xfire runs two processes, one elevated (admin) and one non-elevated (user).

The elevated process only starts if you have games installed that we have specified to run elevated. If you one of these games installed, you will receive a message letting you know that this second process is running.

The second process is just for communication purposes, and therefore only takes about 4MB of memory, and should have no to little CPU effect on your system.

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* Why aren’t the Windows games (Pinball, Minesweeper, etc.) detected on Windows Vista 64?

On Vista 64 the default games run as a 64-bit process which Xfire cannot detect. We may release a 64-bit Xfire client in the future.

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* I can't find certain files in my Xfire folder anymore. Why?

When you update from 1.77 to 1.78 on Vista, Xfire migrates certain files and directories from the Xfire root folder to a Common data path. The default location is c:\ProgramData\Xfire.

The files that get moved are as follows:

Channels folder
downloads folder
skins folder
sounds folder
templates folder
Xfire.ini file
xfire_games.ini file

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* Some of my games are not detected on Windows Vista 64 or XP 64. Why?

Xfire is a 32-bit application and cannot interface with a 64-bit process. We are planning on releasing a 64-bit compatible client in the future.

This mostly affects Steam users since Steam will detect your OS and force HL2 based games to run in 64-bit mode. However, there is a command line switch you can add to force them back into 32-bit mode. Here’s how:

In Xfire, go to Tools | Options | Games tab.
Under Installed games, highlight the game you wish to run in 32-bit mode.
In the “Extra command line Parameters” field add this line:

Click Apply | Click Ok.

You should now be able to launch this game in 32-bit mode from Xfire Tools | Launch menu.

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* Why is Xfire In-Game not working on Windows Vista?

As of Xfire 1.78, Xfire no longer runs at an elevated or “admin” status. This may cause Xfire to be unable to detect some games or enable Xfire In-Game Messaging.

See the Tech Support forum post here:

List of games with known issues for Windows Vista.

If this is not the case for you, take a look at some of the other common reasons Xfire In-Game would not function. FAQ here:

http://www.xfire.com/faq/#178

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* My custom info views (Game Skins) are no longer showing up on Vista. Why?

When you updated to version 1.78 on Vista, several files were moved to a common data directory to improve Vista compatibility. See this FAQ item for more info.

Due to the complex nature of the data migration, we chose to not move custom templates in order to protect your data.

To fix this:

Open your templates folder in the Xfire root directory (c:\program files\xfire).
Copy your custom_infoviews folder (where you kept all of your Game Skins).
Open the templates folder in the common data directory (c:\programdata\xfire\templates).
Paste your custom_infoviews folder over the empty one.
Exit and restart Xfire if it was running.

Your Game Skins should function normally now.

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* How do I know if my game needs to run elevated?

This is an easy test that should be run outside of Xfire (so exit Xfire).

Run the game from the desktop shortcut or from the start menu. If Vista prompts you for Administrative rights, whether mentioning UAC or not this means the game needs to run elevated.

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