Battle Eye and Fences do not get along

AzDude

Join Date 11/2002

+477

Hello,

I have forwarded your report to the Stardock support team for their review and recommendations.

Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates.

We really do appreciate your feedback, thanks.

Successfully updated karma reason!

sdRohan

Join Date 10/2012

+379

Quoting ,

quoting post

I am usually playing Escape From Tarkov and, if i have Fences installed, i get the error: Blocked loading of file: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\Fences\FencesMenu64.dll".

Battle Eye stalls, the game starts, but it's unplayable. It just freezes.

is there anything i can do to fix it?

Thanks.

We would be interested in how others are dealing with other apps running in the Windows Explorer process (as Fences does). I can only imagine others are complaining about an overactive anti-cheat causing such headaches.

Out of curiosity, if you just 'End' the Windows Explorer process, does it still complain?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Successfully updated karma reason!

Steps i did in the meanwhile (doesn't mean it's solved )

1. uninstalled Fences. Had no choice, game was unplayable.

2. Started using the game (they had some updates)

3. Just now i reinstalled fences. No more issues. BattlEye starts in the background, i no longer see it and the game works as expected.

Thanks,

Alex

p.s. i didn't have to try the Explorer task close.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I'm having the same brob with Battleye anti-cheat software https://www.battleye.com.

I'm trying to play the game Conan Exiles it will lag and freeze the game Conan Exiles.

When starting the game I get a Battleye popup saying:

18:54:08: Starting BattlEye Service...
18:54:11: Launching game...
18:54:29: Note: File blocks can be ignored if they don't cause problems with the game.
18:54:29: [INFO] Blocked loading of file: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\Fences\FencesMenu64.dll".

Now when Battleye blocked this file it will lag and freeze the game Conan Exiles.
I don't know if it will lag any other games that use BattlEye.
When I uninstalled the Fences 4 software all the lag and freezes stopped. The game works as it should.

Stuff I tried before uninstalling Fences 4:
1- I disabled the Enable fences box under Basic options in Fences 4. Then I restarted the PC, went into the game and had the same message popup and same lag problem.

2- I disabled Startup of Fences 4 in the task manager startup tab. Then I restarted the PC, went into the game and had the same message popup and same lag problem.

3- I uninstalled Fences 4 rebooted PC then reinstalled Fences 4. Went into the game and had the same message popup and same lag problem.

The only way I got the game to run well and not have the Battleye popup was to uninstall Fences 4.

Stardock can contact Battleye to get that file whitelisted https://www.battleye.com/contact/

My system info:
Win 11 Version 10.0.22000 Build 22000
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-9900K CPU @ 3.60GHz, 3600 Mhz, 8 Core(s), 16 Logical Processor(s)
BaseBoard Product Z370M MORTAR (MS-7B54)
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 32.0 GB
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
Got the game on an NVMe drive.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Quoting sdRohan,

reply 2

Quoting ,

quoting post

I am usually playing Escape From Tarkov and, if i have Fences installed, i get the error: Blocked loading of file: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\Fences\FencesMenu64.dll".

Battle Eye stalls, the game starts, but it's unplayable. It just freezes.

is there anything i can do to fix it?

Thanks.

We would be interested in how others are dealing with other apps running in the Windows Explorer process (as Fences does). I can only imagine others are complaining about an overactive anti-cheat causing such headaches.

Out of curiosity, if you just 'End' the Windows Explorer process, does it still complain?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Yes even when I just 'End' the Windows Explorer process, It does still complain.
As seen in the image below I killed Windows Explorer process, no more desktop and no more taskbar.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Dropping my name in this bucket also. I get this error when launching Path of Titans. I simply hit the X in the corner for now, & experience no stuttering or lag, but it's an annoyance every time I launch the game that I would like to be rid of. =\

+1

Successfully updated karma reason!

I ran into this issue with Windowblinds back in 2018 when playing Fortnite. I reached to Stardock and Epic back then and it was a case of Stardock not being able to do anything as those running the BattleEye server would have to essentially whitelist apps. Epic didn't really have any customer support structure at the time so I was left to uninstall Windowblinds and haven't reinstalled it since. It's unfortunate to see this is still an issue out there.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I've had this happen with DisplayFusion before, but they have a compatibility list you can add apps to & choose not to hook them. Worked like a charm for that. Could Stardock not add a similar list to Fences?

Successfully updated karma reason!

Not speaking for Stardock, but I would recommend contacting the manufacturer of that game and complain to them that their anti cheat system is causing compatibility issues with other software on your computer.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Quoting EnragedN3wb7421,

reply 8

I've had this happen with DisplayFusion before, but they have a compatibility list you can add apps to & choose not to hook them. Worked like a charm for that. Could Stardock not add a similar list to Fences?

Windowblinds has this and I think I tried that at the time as well.

Stardock was going to attempt some kind of workaround in an update to WB after I had raised the concern. I never went back to test the waters. I just became used to using my PC without WB anymore.

For anyone curious, the original thread I had on the matter is here

+1

Successfully updated karma reason!

As I posted Stardock can contact Battleye to get their files whitelisted on the BattlEye: https://www.battleye.com/contact/

I have just tested with Escape From Tarkov and I get the error: Blocked loading of file: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\Fences\FencesMenu64.dll".

So seeing this is affecting all games that use BattlEye, that would be at least 32+ popular games that use it. I have no other choice than to uninstall Fences 4. Till Stardock contacts Battleye to get their files whitelisted on the BattlEye.

Successfully updated karma reason!

sdRohan

Join Date 10/2012

+379

Quoting Kratomasy,

reply 11

As I posted Stardock can contact Battleye to get their files whitelisted on the BattlEye: https://www.battleye.com/contact/

I have just tested with Escape From Tarkov and I get the error: Blocked loading of file: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\Fences\FencesMenu64.dll".

So seeing this is affecting all games that use BattlEye, that would be at least 32+ popular games that use it. I have no other choice than to uninstall Fences 4. Till Stardock contacts Battleye to get their files whitelisted on the BattlEye.

It baffles me that completely benign software, Fences, is incorrectly fingered by a 3rd party and the developer is somehow to blame and is the one that is punished. Why is the burden not on BE to make their app work with commonly installed applications?

I am not blaming you for having the view - you know we care and likely the path of least resistance I suppose - it's just troubling and somewhat backward IMHO.

That said, I have reached out to BE.

Thanks for the report.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Successfully updated karma reason!

Quoting sdRohan,

reply 12

Quoting Kratomasy,

reply 11

As I posted Stardock can contact Battleye to get their files whitelisted on the BattlEye: https://www.battleye.com/contact/

I have just tested with Escape From Tarkov and I get the error: Blocked loading of file: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\Fences\FencesMenu64.dll".

So seeing this is affecting all games that use BattlEye, that would be at least 32+ popular games that use it. I have no other choice than to uninstall Fences 4. Till Stardock contacts Battleye to get their files whitelisted on the BattlEye.

It baffles me that completely benign software, Fences, is incorrectly fingered by a 3rd party and the developer is somehow to blame and is the one that is punished. Why is the burden not on BE to make their app work with commonly installed applications?

I am not blaming you for having the view - you know we care and likely the path of least resistance I suppose - it's just troubling and somewhat backward IMHO.

That said, I have reached out to BE.

Thanks for the report.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

I contacted Battleye multiple times with their contact us form and the response is always... "Ask the developer of the software in question to contact us so we can whitelist their files. The other choice is to uninstall the third-party software that is triggering the Battleye Anti-Cheat."

No matter how many times I contacted Battleye, it's always the same response.

I gave Battleye the name of the file that is probably wrongfully triggering the Battleye Anti-Cheat and I gave them the contact information for them to contact Stardock and the Stardock website address. That's about all I can give them being a client or am I missing something here?

What more could we have done as Stardock clients?
We have no clue how your software is built, what code is flagging on Battleye's end. Battleye will not decompile the Stardock software(s), I don't think without authorization from Stardock.

the developer is somehow to blame and is the one that is punished.

So far I need to disagree with this claim, It is only partly true. The Stardock software(s) are probably wrongfully getting blocked on computers that are being used for gaming but also we the client(s) are the one that needs to uninstall the Stardock software(s) that we purchased so we can do some gaming with games we have purchased. We are Both (Stardock and your clients) being punished here! Not only Stardock.

So in my point of view, it's best if a programmer of Stardock can talk with Battleye to find what needs to be whitelisted or changed for the Stardock software(s) to not get blocked by Battleye or wait and hope that someone at Battleye will care and contact Stardock which is unlikely to happen seeing how so little clients here have posted about the problem. I'm not blaming anyone but it would be nice for Stardock customers to be able to use Stardock software(s) when gaming.

On another note I do have a question if we reinstall your software(s) every time after we are done gaming are we going to hit a licence activation limit?

Anyways thanks for reaching out.

+1

Successfully updated karma reason!

sdRohan

Join Date 10/2012

+379

I want to be clear here, I was more 'talking out loud' than directing any comments at you - that some other software bursts onto a PC and is somehow the gatekeeper on what can and cannot be run henceforth. It's obnoxious at the very least. My frustration, which I am sure you share, is with the 'ask for forgiveness instead of permission' programming attitude that was used in its design.

Again, I appreciate very much your position.

I will let you know when\if they respond.

On another note I do have a question if we reinstall your software(s) every time after we are done gaming are we going to hit a licence activation limit?

If you hit a limit, it will provide in-app options to remedy it.

Thanks again for the feedback and support.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

+1

Successfully updated karma reason!

Hey again, reporting back in to say my experience with battleye has been the same. They just ignore normal consumers most of the time.

On a positive note, I informed Path of Titans devs of the error also when I posted here, & they have just released a patch switching away from BE & to a different anti-cheat entirely.

It's really refreshing to see game devs that are willing to make such major changes to ensure their players are getting a good experience.

Successfully updated karma reason!

sdRohan

Join Date 10/2012

+379

Quoting EnragedN3wb7421,

reply 15

On a positive note, I informed Path of Titans devs of the error also when I posted here, & they have just released a patch switching away from BE & to a different anti-cheat entirely.

It's really refreshing to see game devs that are willing to make such major changes to ensure their players are getting a good experience.

Indeed, it is and good to hear.

Quoting EnragedN3wb7421,

reply 15

Hey again, reporting back in to say my experience with battleye has been the same. They just ignore normal consumers most of the time.

They have, thus far, not responded to my request as well.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Successfully updated karma reason!

Just got another email from battleye @sdRohan did you get any news?:

Looks like the file got whitelisted.

Successfully updated karma reason!

sdRohan

Join Date 10/2012

+379

Hello,

Yes, I had missed it for a spell (lots of emails these days).

They did reply that they had white-listed an additional cert we have.

While I still have issues with the design and the necessity to reactively reach out to any 3rd party, they were detailed with their response and prompt to fix it when they eventually reviewed my ticket.

While we receive our share of arrows when we are the suspected cause of problems, they get nuclear levels of potentially misdirected hate - something I can appreciate.

Sorry for the delay but thanks for your patience and patronage.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

+1

Successfully updated karma reason!