Easy downgrade GTA IV to 1.0.X.0

Downgrade requirements and steps. 1

Running with XlivelessAddon (recommended) 1

Running with Xliveless (obsolete) 1

Appendix. 1

About SETTINGS.CFG file in 1.0.4.0. 1

Setting -availablevidmem.. 1

Reference links. 1

 

Disclaimer: This method is for advanced PC users and although it was extensively tested and works for me and many other users I do not take responsibility if your downgraded game does not start.

Once again - it is recommended to attempt the downgrade on a separate copy of GTA IV folder (the one that has GTAIV.exe), you may put this folder anywhere and rename it as you wish. You must have write permissions to this folder and all its subfolders and files. If you are downgrading your main GTAIV installation DO make a backup first!

Downgrade requirements and steps

Direct downgrade 1.2.0.X -> 1.0.X.0 is supported. In general the downgrade works for any GTA IV with original pc\audio\config files and was successfully tested on

• 1.0.7.0 PROPHET release based and 1.0.8.0 Xatab and FitGirl repacks (have original radio),
• 1.2.0.32 FitGirl repack installed "With original music sets for radio" (has bundled old radio downgrader),
• 1.2.0.43 clean Steam version (needs old radio downgrader).
• 1.2.0.43 FitGirl repack (has bundled downgraded radio sfx data but needs older 1.0.X.0 audio config).

Remember that 1.0.4.0 does not support DLCs and if you need them you must also read the 1.0.7.0 section below and downgrade to 1.0.7.0 instead.

This method is for offline play only, if you need multiplayer you will have to replace XLivelessAddon with GFWL + Zolika's multiplayer addons/mods or GTAC.

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Special note for FitGirl 1.2.0.43 Repack downgrade
This repack already has downgraded radio data - no need to download radio downgrader from first step! You need to
a) Run bundled "Downgraded Stations with Old Vladivostok FM.bat" - it will place correct radio data into pc\audio\sfx.
b) Get older 1.0.X.0 audio config - download and unpack 10X0_audio_config.zip to GTAIV folder.

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Steps for 1.0.4.0 downgrade

·        (This step is not needed if the game already has original radio config and sound files installed) Download and install GTA IV Complete Edition Radio Downgrader (RGL/Steam) old IVCEDOWNGRADE.rar ~637 mb - note that you need old downgrader, the newest version at https://gtaforums.com/topic/936600-iii-iv-various-gta-downgraders/ will not do for 1.0.x.0 downgrade (it will freeze after Concrete Jungle mission) as it has pc\audio\config files that only work with 1.2.0.x.

·        Obtain 1.0.4.0 patch GTAIV_MAINTENANCE_UPDATE_1040_EFIGS.exe (download gtaiv_patch_1040.zip), open GTAIV_MAINTENANCE_UPDATE_1040_EFIGS.exe with 7-zip (do not run or double click the patch exe but run 7-zip and use menu to open the patch exe as you would open an archive file), go to $0 subfolder, unpack all to GTA IV folder.

·        Install correct 1.0.4.0 fonts

·        Install either XlivelessAddon (recommended) or Xliveless+SecuROM crack.
Read corresponding section below for important configuration details.

·        Add to commandline.txt
-norestrictions
-nomemrestrict
-noprecache

·        (For AMD GPU users only) Get and unpack to GTAIV folder fixed AMD water shader

·        (Optional) convert your latest Complete Edition RGSC savegame to older format using https://gtasnp.com/ - upload your RGSC savegame and then download downgraded savegame by clicking Modifications / Downgrade version, select "1.0.8.0 IV / 1.1.3.0 EFLC and older". Put it into %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\savegames

·        To avoid conflicts remove or move away from GTAIV folder dsound.dll, dinput8.dll, all .asi files from GTAIV folder and its plugins and scripts subfolders except XLivelessAddon.asi

·        Run the game through GTAIV.exe (recommended - see "Running with XlivelessAddon" section below) or LaunchGTAIV.exe (Xliveless+SecuROM crack). May run LaunchGTAIV.exe or GTAIV.exe as ordinary Windows user e.g. clear checkbox "Run this program as an Administrator" on Compatibility tab for both LaunchGTAIV.exe AND GTAIV.exe

ATTENTION: on the first run of 1.0.4.0 GTAIV.exe may complain that you need to restart the system - it is normal, no need to reboot, just run the game again and it will always be starting OK later on.

If the game doesn't start with error "The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect..." it usually means runtime problem and you need to download and install vcredist_x86.exe from Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 redistributable.

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For 1.0.7.0 downgrade all steps above for 1.0.4.0 downgrade must be used with following modifications:

• Obtain the 1.0.7.0 patch instead of 1.0.4.0, unpack title_update_7_EN.zip, put update_unpack.bat to title_update_7_EN folder that has .msi/.cab update files and run it from there. Move all files and subfolders from opened GFWLTitleUpdateRoot folder to GTAIV folder.
• No need to copy 1.0.4.0 fonts
• No need to add -noprecache if you go with DXVK renderer (recommended)
• Download DLC integration pack (20 Mb), extract it to GTAIV folder and run DLC.bat from there.

If downgraded game does not start there are probably newer 2020CE-compatible .asi files left that conflict with older exe, for example newer FusionFix will not work with 1.0.7.0 GTAIV.exe and it will just exit on start. Move away all .asi files except XLivelessAddon.asi from GTAIV folder and plugins subfolder and then when game successfully launches you may install 1.0.x.0-compatible .asi versions.

Running with XlivelessAddon (recommended)

XlivelessAddon has integrated XLiveless with GFWL DLC support, SecuROM patch, menu skip, VRAM detection fix - it is reported to yield fps gains as it avoids extra code from launchGTAIV.exe. It also supports redirection of settings storage - 1.0.4.0 settings will not conflict with existing SETTINGS.CFG left from 1.0.7.0+.

·        Install XlivelessAddon, don't launch the game just yet;

·        (Skip this step for 1.0.7.0 downgrade) Redirect 1.0.4.0 settings (allows 1.0.7.0+ and 1.0.4.0 coexist on the same system)

o   Create new subfolder settings1040 in GTA IV folder that you downgrade to 1.0.4.0;

o   Edit plugins\XLivelessAddon.ini and set
CustomSettingsPath = "settings1040"

·        Start the game through GTAIV.exe, if settings were redirected the game will create in settings1040\Settings files Limits.dat, SETTINGS.CFG, XString.dat.

ATTENTION: the type of game you are starting or loading must be the same as running in current session. For example if during launch main GTAIV was loaded then you can start only main GTAIV game using Game / New or load only savegames for main GTAIV - if you try to start new TLAD/TBOGT game or load a TLADT/TBOGT savegame the game will crash. It probably happens because older GTAIV.exe can't switch loaded script.img on-the-fly. If you want to start or load another type of game that is different from the type of currently running one you must select it first in the game startup menu during next GTAIV.exe launch. If startup menu is skipped by SkipMenu=1 in XLivelessAddon.ini you may hold Shift key during GTAIV.exe launch to display it. Alternatively you may set SkipMenu=0, start new game of desired type, then when you have a savegame you may set SkipMenu=1 back - on subsequent launches XLivelessAddon will skip menu and load your latest savegame.

 

Running with Xliveless (obsolete)

This section is not needed if you are running the game with XLivelessAddon.

·        Delete/replace leftover GTA IV settings file.  If file %LOCALAPPDATA%\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\Settings\SETTINGS.CFG has size of 1469 bytes (e.g. it is left from 1.0.7.0+) either back up and delete it or replace it with 1.0.4.0-compatible 1437-byte version;

·        Download Xliveless xlive.dll and put into GTA IV folder;

·        Copy SecuROM crack. It is usually launchGTA.exe and additional .dll/.bin files. Silent Razor1911 launchGTAIV.exe/1911.dll are in FitGirl 1.0.8.0 repack;

·        (optional) on Compatibility tabs for GTAIV.exe and launchGTA.exe set "Disable fullscreen optimization".

 

Appendix

About SETTINGS.CFG file in 1.0.4.0

This file contains graphics settings and is usually located at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\Settings\SETTINGS.CFG

After every successfull GTA IV start/exit it is created/overwritten - it has different size:

·        1437 bytes in 1.0.4.0

·        1469 bytes in 1.0.7.0+

!!! IMPORTANT !!!!    GTAIV.exe 1.0.4.0 cannot load 1.0.7.0+ SETTINGS.CFG and will quit on start after unsuccessful load attempts!

XLivelessAddon may work around this with custom settings folder – it allows 1.0.7.0+ and 1.0.4.0 coexist on the same system.

 

Successful start with absent or correct 1.0.4.0 SETTINGS.CFG

Log from debug version of Xliveless (xlive_d.dll):

25/08/2020 18:44:29.900 Log started (xliveless 0.999b7)

25/08/2020 18:44:29.900 GetModuleHandle returns 008b0000

25/08/2020 18:44:29.901 [EXE] unprotecting section '.text': addr = 0x00001000, size = 0x008e4000

25/08/2020 18:44:29.901 [EXE] unprotecting section '.rdata': addr = 0x008e5000, size = 0x001b6000

25/08/2020 18:44:29.901 Patching OK (1.0.4)

25/08/2020 18:44:29.914 plugin loader: loaded 'plugins\dxwrapper.asi'

25/08/2020 18:44:30.081 XLiveInitializeEx

25/08/2020 18:44:30.082 XNetStartup

25/08/2020 18:44:30.082 XWSAStartup

25/08/2020 18:44:36.447 XLiveOnCreateDevice

25/08/2020 18:44:36.447 XOnlineStartup

25/08/2020 18:44:36.447 xlive_5270: XNotifyCreateListener (0x0000000000000001)

25/08/2020 18:44:36.448 xlive_5270: XNotifyCreateListener (0x0000000000000007)

25/08/2020 18:44:36.448 xlive_5263: XUserGetName (0, .. , 16)

25/08/2020 18:44:36.448 xlive_5263: XUserGetName (0, .. , 16)

25/08/2020 18:44:37.056 xlive_5270: XNotifyCreateListener (0x0000000000000001)

25/08/2020 18:44:58.906 [getSavefilePath]: 'C:\Users\anton\Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\savegames\'

25/08/2020 18:44:58.914 xlive_5263: XUserGetName (0, .. , 16)

25/08/2020 18:44:58.914 xlive_5263: XUserGetName (0, .. , 16)

25/08/2020 18:44:58.914 XUserSetContextEx

25/08/2020 18:44:58.914 XGetOverlappedExtendedError

25/08/2020 18:44:58.987 XUserReadProfileSettings (0, 0, 8, ..., 0, ...)

25/08/2020 18:44:58.987 XUserReadProfileSettings (0, 0, 8, ..., 1036, ...)

25/08/2020 18:44:58.988 XUserCreateAchievementEnumerator (dwStartingIndex=>0, cItem=>80

25/08/2020 18:44:58.991 XGetOverlappedResult

25/08/2020 18:44:58.991 XCreateSocket (2, 2, 254)

25/08/2020 18:45:06.976 [getSavefilePath]: 'C:\Users\anton\Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\savegames'

…..

 

Failed start with SETTINGS.CFG left from 1.0.8.0

There is no line with [getSavefilePath]:

26/08/2020 12:43:27.895 Log started (xliveless 0.999b7)

26/08/2020 12:43:27.895 GetModuleHandle returns 00cd0000

26/08/2020 12:43:27.895 [EXE] unprotecting section '.text': addr = 0x00001000, size = 0x008e4000

26/08/2020 12:43:27.895 [EXE] unprotecting section '.rdata': addr = 0x008e5000, size = 0x001b6000

26/08/2020 12:43:27.895 Patching OK (1.0.4)

26/08/2020 12:43:27.908 plugin loader: loaded 'plugins\dxwrapper.asi'

26/08/2020 12:43:28.069 XLiveInitializeEx

26/08/2020 12:43:28.070 XNetStartup

26/08/2020 12:43:28.070 XWSAStartup

26/08/2020 12:43:32.668 XLiveOnCreateDevice

26/08/2020 12:43:32.668 XOnlineStartup

26/08/2020 12:43:32.668 xlive_5270: XNotifyCreateListener (0x0000000000000001)

26/08/2020 12:43:32.668 xlive_5270: XNotifyCreateListener (0x0000000000000007)

26/08/2020 12:43:32.669 xlive_5263: XUserGetName (0, .. , 16)

26/08/2020 12:43:32.669 xlive_5263: XUserGetName (0, .. , 16)

26/08/2020 12:43:33.215 xlive_5270: XNotifyCreateListener (0x0000000000000001)

 

Setting -availablevidmem

Although it is not required if -norestrictions is in commandline.txt (game may paint settings red but will run anyway) but it is highly advisable to specify correct value for your GPU. Without it game may use more conservative VRAM allocation and there may be more world-loading lags.

ExtendVidMem does not work with 1.0.4.0, must specify VRAM size manually with -availablevidmem. Apparently the meaning of this parameter changes from version to version (2020 Complete Edition expects VRAM size in megabytes but older versions expect some sort of multiplier) and the only way to find correct value for it is to experiment.  

Here are values that I tested for RX580 8Gb with 1.0.4.0

With -availablevidmem	0.7	GTA detects	2144 Mb
	0.9		2757
	33		2900
	40		3779 red warning about exceeding suggested limits for your system
	50		1652
	60		3621
	64		3589
	64.1		3896 red warning about exceeding suggested limits for your system
	64.2		106  RED – not enough VRAM
	64.3		412  RED
	80		3463
	90		1336
	100		3304
	110		1177
	120		3146

 

Reference links

·        [OUTDATED] How to Downgrade GTA IV to Version 1.0.4.0  speedrun.com

·        Downgrade to Patch 1.0.4.0 (Most/ Older Mods Work) steamcommunity.com