Microsoft Solitaire Collection wont open after 8.1

rwarrick

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After updating to 8.1, Microsoft Solitaire Collection wont open from the start screen. The tiles are still showing. When I click on the tile I get the message "This app can't open" with a close button. There is also a link to "go to the store". When I click on this link I get a message that the app needs to be repaired. When I click on the Repair button the store says it is installing but when complete the app still wont open.

Strangely, I had a shortcut to the Collection on my Start8 start menu. When I go to the desktop, the menu option works and I can open the Collection. Many menu items have a right click option to "Pin to Start" but the Collection does not.

Any ideas would be appreciated.
 

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I am getting a similar problem. After installing 8.1 I can play any games except the daily challenge. Say I want to play Klondike it loads up to the play button then it freezes. This happens to all the games.
 

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    Windows 8.1
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maybe you can try uninstalling the app and redownloading it from the windows store.

also check that you have the latest graphics driver as the update may have replaced it with the driver that came with Windows.
 

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Hi there.

I can't post the link - against the rules - but the Old classic Windows 7 games work just fine on W 8.1 (and W2012 server !!!).

These IMO are far better than the new ones from the store --google around a bit and you should find a link of how to install these.

(You should have a copy of W7 though otherwise you could be breaking the EULA if you download separately - that's your conscience between you and your maker !!).

(I like the old windowed system too -- easy to hide when the boss comes around !!).

screenshot enc -- playing solitaire, hearts and spider solitaire here on W 8.1 ENTERPRISE x-64. Also PINBALL (windowed)

You can of course if you have an XP disk also install those versions - just grab these

CARDS.DL_
FREECELL.EX_
MSHEARTS.EX_
SOL.EX_
SPIDER.EX_
WINMINE.EX_

expand - don't forget the dll (top file) with cmd EXPAND filename1 filename 2 - where DL_==> DLL, EX_==>EXE


They should work. The advantage of XP over later versions is that there's no version checking in the dll which causes errors and you can make these portable too.



Cheers
jimbo
 

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You can of course if you have an XP disk also install those versions - just grab these

CARDS.DL_
FREECELL.EX_
MSHEARTS.EX_
SOL.EX_
SPIDER.EX_
WINMINE.EX_

expand - don't forget the dll (top file) with cmd EXPAND filename1 filename 2 - where DL_==> DLL, EX_==>EXE

Good tip!

Extra info, Those are actually cab files.

They can be opened with 7-Zip as well.

You can rename them to *.cab and open them in explorer too.

Just some details:
The x64 version of XP provides x64 versions of the games.

Cheers!
 

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you haven't shown why the old versions are better than the new versions, especially after the many improvements that are in the latest version.
 

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Thank you for all your answers but we are not quite there yet. I can still play all the games in widows 8.1 that is not the problem.
It is all to do with the Daily Challenge. That worked fine until I paid Microsoft for a licence to play the Daily Challenge without the advertisements. From that moment the Daily Challenge won't play it loads up the play button then freezes. That is my problem.
 

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Hi davehc
Thanks for that it found some errors but did not correct my problem.
I sent an email to Microsoft but they haven't replied.
 

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you haven't shown why the old versions are better than the new versions, especially after the many improvements that are in the latest version.

Hi there
being able to play in conventional windows is fine while working on other tasks too -- or while waiting for a download to finish -- apart from the "Hiding from the boss". !!

Sometimes when you are waiting for complex queries or OLAP type transactions to finish on slow corporate networks these can be quite OK to relieve the boredom of waiting the response from a slow network.

Sometimes the old simplicity - especially in games like Hearts which is based on skill doesn't need a lot of audio or special effects.

Like all these things "You pays your money and you takes your choice".

In addition the new games won't generally install from the store on ENTERPRISE versions or SERVERS -- I can't see any corporate IT depts giving their users unfettered access to the Ms store in any case.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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"being able to play in conventional windows is fine while working on other tasks too -- or while waiting for a download to finish"

I can do that playing, for example, the solitaire/klondyke app. Withthe extra help of Modernmix, I can even play it whilst multi tasking on the legacy desktop.
One feature where I do have to disagree. "The simplicity..." I like th action to let the game finish automatically, when the conclusion is inevitable.
Cant comment on the enterprise linitation, as I have not used it, but, I do know from my own past management experience, that googling for quick games, surreptitiously, was rife. No store around then.
 

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you can multitask easily with windows 8.1.

everything has been updated in all the microsoft games. now you have keyboard shortcuts for everything. that wasn't available in previous releases. this was the deficiency I saw compared to old versions.
 

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"you can multitask easily with windows 8.1.
"

Really? I installed modernmix, without testing any multitasking capability, as I understood it only worked on the snap feature and, on my single monitor, with three apps.
Currently, I am playing an online snooker game, with four other programs on the desktop, all instantly useable. Is that now possible with windows 8.1 built in capabilities??
 

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  • OS
    Windows 8.1
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you haven't shown why the old versions are better than the new versions, especially after the many improvements that are in the latest version.

What can be considered an improvement to a game of cards? It reached a final version already. Sharing scores on Twitter isn't an improvement but a small feature.

As mentioned, the ones from XP x64 are pure x64. For those kind of games that's not an improvement but a proof that it was achievable all those years back. Those binaries are not much for the casual user but collector's edition items even now, because today you get buckets full of x86 games for the sake of portability and multiplatforming.

The latest versions are better with newer API's using better 3D/2D acceleration while using more CPU and memory.
The older ones consumed less power and can be considered more silent (especially if you play at work: any laptop fan spinning crazy?).

But I do agree that the new versions deserve their place for the additional features + look and feel. :)
 

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Are there no more answers to my problem?:cry:

If you've already tried uninstalling it. And then redownloading it from the Windows Store (it's okay to uninstall because it's in your purchase history and you can always get it back), I'm not sure how much others know what to do.

Brink has some excellent tutorials on how to repair Windows Store apps and downloads.
 

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Currently, I am playing an online snooker game, with four other programs on the desktop, all instantly useable. Is that now possible with windows 8.1 built in capabilities??

yes

Thanks for the info. unfortunately, it seems it is not that straightforward, unless someone can enlighten me. I have been scanning the Microsoft pages on the subject, as it would be very helpful to be able to accomplish the ask from the bare installation. However, as I said, I only use one monitor, be it any of my laptops or my stationary. I found these proposed figures on one blog

The number of apps which can be run simultaneously

One monitorTwo monitors
< 1024 x 768 - -
1024 x 768 2 4
≥ 1600 x 1200 3 6
≥ 2560 x 1440 4 8

So it looks like I am stuck with two at once, without modernmix. Another advantage with the program is, of course, that you can preset the windows sizes and, after clicking Apps, they automatically open on the legacy desktop at that size. No split screen manipulation etc. I just experimented again, and managed to get 6 programs at once up on the legacy screen, but at that point it became a little confusing to sort one from another.
Example of what modernmix does for me:

png.gif
Untitled.png (90.1 KB)
 

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My Computer

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    Use several different computers during a day, so specs are irrelevant.
The number of apps which can be run simultaneously

One monitorTwo monitors
< 1024 x 768 - -
1024 x 768 2 4
≥ 1600 x 1200 3 6
≥ 2560 x 1440 4 8

So it looks like I am stuck with two at once, without modernmix. Another advantage with the program is, of course, that you can preset the windows sizes and, after clicking Apps, they automatically open on the legacy desktop at that size. No split screen manipulation etc. I just experimented again, and managed to get 6 programs at once up on the legacy screen, but at that point it became a little confusing to sort one from another.
Example of what modernmix does for me:

png.gif
Untitled.png (90.1 KB)

Not entirely. Don't purely compare apps with the desktop programs: apps can be suspended as a new state was introduced. Another thing when you hide an app away, and you don't see it, you can compare it to a minimized desktop app even if it's technically not the same thing.

What I'm trying to point out is that you don't actually need to see 2 or more apps in spit screen or sharing monitor space in order to run them all at the same time (or if they get suspended.. they can be considered paused, in some cases this is a good thing). I agree with you looking at the table: compared to desktop apps, we do have more limitations in spit-screen, shared desktop space, display real-estate. :)

And yes, with modernmix you can use the old habbits of the classic desktop in apps which means that multiple apps can run at the same time, the only difference is that the built-in app UI from MS was more limited that what Stardock offers, but all that is possible because the OS allows multiple apps to be run in both cases.

Without the modernmix, Each app can be "minimized", it can be hidden away while another on fills your screen. While you don't see one, it still runs in the background if it's an online game (especially multiplayer). Depending on the app, it will be suspended and ready to kick back into action when you click it and you won't even feel the difference.

You can run multiple apps and switch very fast between them.

If I play an app game, it can be directly hidden away it I click the left-up corner representing the desktop tile: you won't even see it minimized in the taskbar as with classic programs.

My laptop monitor had 1366x768 and yes you can multitask and multiapp without issues.
 

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    That's basically it.
"you can multitask easily with windows 8.1.
"

Really? I installed modernmix, without testing any multitasking capability, as I understood it only worked on the snap feature and, on my single monitor, with three apps.
Currently, I am playing an online snooker game, with four other programs on the desktop, all instantly useable. Is that now possible with windows 8.1 built in capabilities??

Hi there
"Online Snooker !!!!! -- have to think --what sort of abomination is that !!! - Snooker was designed to be played in a dimily lit Bar full of people making caustic comments when you almost rip the table, cigarette smoke and cheap booze !! -- OK thankfully (at least where I live) the cigarettes are no longer allowed in the bars - but the booze is still available .

I just can't imagine what a Computer snooker game would look like !!!.

Note also one shouldn't have to install things like Modernmix to get the screens to behave like you want them.

I just said for some people those old games are fine and don't necessarily need all the bells and whistles --they play nicely on phones too while waiting for your Metro train etc.

Also for things like Hearts and spider solitaire - the skill component is fairly large -- these type of games don't need a lot of "3d- special effects".


@ptur
I suggested these also as a get around if you like these games and can't get the new ones to work. - Surely they are much better than nothing.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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    2 X 3 TB sata
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