=== READ THIS FIRST ===

If you have an nVidia 8800, then you need to read about some of the problems they have with FFXI and how you might be able to fix them. You should read this thread.

If you have a laptop and are having trouble updating your laptop to the newest Video drivers, you can follow this guide on how to update your ATI based Laptop. If you have an NVidia based laptop you can probably find a solution on this page.

The ATI Mobility x1700 card seems to cause problems for several people without a currently known solution. Even after following this guide you make experience a “Crash on Play” error. At this time many people have been unable to solve this, and your best bet is to search the Search Forums.

There is also a common problem of “Black or Distorted boarders”. You can read more about this problem on the forums.

=== UPDATE - VISTA SP1 ===

If you have Microsoft Windows Vitsa WITH Service Pack 1 installed, you now install Playonline Directly from the Collection 2007 DVD. You do NOT need to download the Vista versions of Playonline. This will save you the time consuming Playonline Update that the Web versions need.

=== END VISTA SP1 UPDATE ===


Final Fantasy XI - Now officially Supported on Windows Vista (x86/x64)

You will need a copy of PlayOnline that is compatible with [:supportedos|Microsoft Windows Vista]]. You can download the official clients at:

USA and Canadian Playonline: NA Playonline Software
Japanese Playonline: JP Playonline Software
European Playonline: EU Playonline Software

Now that you have the correct PlayOnline Software you need to install both PlayOnline and FFXI. Follow Square Enix's instructions here: Installing Final Fantasy XI on Microsoft Windows Vista (x86/x64).

To Setup the Windower, download and install the latest version of Windower.

Note: If you have disabled UAC you can skip this next step.

You need to setup the Launcher.exe to run in Administrator mode. Right click on the Launcher.exe file and choose properties. Click on the Compatibility tab. Choose “Run this Program as Administrator”.

The biggest barrier to using tools that read Final Fantasy XI's memory in Windows Vista is the User Account Control feature. You have two options for these tools in Final Fantasy XI.

1) Disable U.A.C. This will prevent the pop up box from ever showing up. The disadvantage is that you lose one of the main “security” features of Windows Vista. If you are the type of person who does not understand why your machine is always getting pop ups, spam, and spyware you probably should not disable this.

If you decide to disable UAC, you can do it by following the instructions: HERE.

With UAC disabled you can use all 3rd Party tools the same way you did in Windows XP, just double click on them to run them.

2) Leave UAC enabled, but disable secure desktop. Secure desktop is the name for how UAC “blacks out” the rest of the desktop when a UAC prompt appears. It has a nasty happen of killing fullscreen DirectX applications. Secure desktop locks out all other processes except the UAC prompt. This means it is much more difficult for a malicious program to capture screen control to spoof the UAC dialog or to capture the Administrator password if you are entering it.

To disable Secure Desktop follow the instructions: HERE.

This will still leave the UAC prompt enabled, but will not black out the screen. This means that for every program we run that needs access to FFXI's memory we have to give admin rights to. To do this follow the same steps I outlined in the Setting up the Windower part of the thread.

1. Right click on Application, choose Properties.
2. Click on Compatibility Tab.
3. Check off “Run this program as Administrator”.

It evens works with the Vista Flip3D