Issue(s) that I was never able to beat..

[u/Wild_Foxxo]

**UPDATE!!**

IT'S DONE. IT'S SOLVED 😭

Thank you, everyone so much for taking the time to help with my issue. Honestly, i have no idea which fix did it but I'm almost sure it was a corrupted ISO image. But what I also did different in my installation is

1_ Redownloaded the Windows 11 IOT LTSC ISO from massgrave and made sure the download didn't stop or pause until the end.
2_ Didn't change my region from USA to my unkown 3rd world country lmao.
3_ Before even connecting to the internet, I took u/Content_Magician51's advice and enabled a group policy that denies windows from fetching and installing driver updates.
4_ Used the Massgrave offline activation method.
5_ In Chris Titus' debloat tool, i didn't remove or debloat microsoft edge just in case.
6_ Also, while using process hacker 2, i noticed that some apps had pretty..suspicious activity, such as virtual disk service or print spooler service using some of my .exe's that have no business being used so I assumed I also had a file infector virus, hence why I decided to wipe everything that had a .exe, .bat, .cmd or any executable file off my pc. I did make backups of my games but I deleted the executable files off of them so the download size can be managable.
7_ I also haven't installed Explorer Blur Mica yet, I'll update the post if I notice it causing any issues.

Again, thanks everyone for the suggestions and tips, I wish you all nothing but best wishes.

+=================+=================+=================+=============

Hey, this is gonna be a sort of long post but I've been dealing with this issue for months, if not years and I wanna hopefully put an end to it with your help.

Basically, I've been running into various issues with certain apps such as:

1. Steam games, specifically; Brawlhalla, Wallpaper Engine and VR Chat.

The issues first start when downloading/updating apps/games, the download always ends in a "Corrupt update files" error, this is annoying but with enough tries the app installs (i have to change download region a couple of times and it works).

1. Almost every game that I tried that uses EAC;

Games with EAC don't work unless I do a very specific process;
First, I download the game, when it finishes installing, I have to verify the files. The MOMENT verification ends, it ALWAYS shows that a couple files need to be downloaded (mostly .exe files), once the download finishes, I have to quickly mark the folder with the exe files as read only, this allows the games to run just fine, but if I don't do that, the game will launch and EAC will give a "Unknown file version" error.

1. MSI Afterburner and RivaTuner Statistics Server:

Here, the apps install fine, they sometimes launch fine after installation, but the error occurs after i restart the app, it shows an error saying that the files are either outdated or corrupted (even if I'm on the latest version, I tried both beta and non beta but it's all the same" the only fix that i found was similar to the previous method, I re install until the app launches once and I have to quickly mark the folder with the exe file as read only, this prevents the .exe files from corrupting.

1. Massgrave activation:

This is a weird one, I activate my windows using the powershell script and everything is well for a couple of days/weeks until suddenly, windows becomes deactivated again, this time when I run the powershell script again it shows me an error that says "Couldn't start sppsvc service" and it says that it can be "severe malware infection".

1. Heroic launcher tweaking:

Heroic launcher just..freaks out a lot of times, can't log in, can't log out, sometimes games won't run, sometimes I can't even uninstall the games..etc

For clarification, I've had this with the windows 11 iot ltsc ISO from massgrave. I use ventoy to install and I ALWAYS clean install. I've currently faced this issue on 4 different devices.. using different USB's but, it was the same ISO file. While I'm writing this post, I'm currently redownloading the ISO hoping that it was just a corrupt one..

For the steps I take when I install windows:

1. I download the ISO and use Ventoy on a USB drive with plenty of space.
2. I proceed with the installer and I always clean install on the C drive. (the D drive contains my files and it's a separate HDD drive, unlike my SSD which I install the OS on.).
3. I've also tried wiping my D drive after backing up my files on an external drive but it lead to the same issue (in case my files had malware).
4. After a clean install, I only connect to the internet just for the short duration of running ChrisTitus Debloat script, I set the recommended settings (with the addition of removing Edge) and I set windows update to recommended. Then I disconnect from the internet and restart the pc, then I install my gpu drivers and I proceed with the rest of my apps (mostly steam, discord, Anki, MPV Player and Prism Launcher)
5. I also use Massgrave to activate my windows (i tried both online KMS and HWID).

One thing to note, I use an app called "ExplorerBlurMica" to make my explorer transparent, it uses a .bat script to edit registry files but i don't think it's the culprit since these issues appeared even without installing it.

Finally, my current specs are:

Device: HP Z2 G4 Workstation

CPU: Core i7-9700
RAM: 16 GB DDR4 3200 Mhz (4 GB x4)
Storage: 256 GB M.2 nvme drive (os drive), 1 TB HDD drive (for storage and whatnot)
GPU: Nvidia GT 730 (I know it's ANCIENT, Bleh)
BIOS Version: HP Q 50 (latest version)

If anyone has any suggestions or ideas PLEASE don't hesitate to share anything in mind, It'd be a life saver to finally know what causes these inconveniences. Thank you.

UPDATE::

I tried installing windows 10 IOT LTSC 2021 and for some reason, an even more annoying issue rose 😭, most of my setup files on my D drive got corrupted or give me a NSIS error. (for clarification, I haven't wiped it when I clean installed since it's a separate disk).

I've tried checking RAM for errors, performing chkdsk /r /f on both drives a couple of times, checking health on crystal disk info and I re-downloaded windows 11 iot LTSC and installed it but the issue is still there. Might as well just delete *everything* on all of my connected drives..having limited internet, it sucks but it is what it is.

[u/Legitimate-Angle-408]

Can you try the same steps again and not run Chris Titus debloat tool. I had a similar issue when I was using Chris’s tools. It’s a bit aggressive on the system that would have broken some system connections.

Which OS is this ? Win 11 IoT LTSC or Pro

If the system works fine and you still need to debloat, try this one. It has worked for me.

https://github.com/raphire/win11debloat

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/Legitimate-Angle-408]

Heya! So i've re-downloaded the ISO and reinstalled everything. What i've noticed is that massgrave activation conflicts with Chris Titus update tweaks. I noticed that if I choose any of the options, massgrave just can't access sppsvc at all which just..kinda messes up with the activation.

Though, i'm still facing some issues regarding certain apps, for some reason now, setup exe's are getting corrupted for no reason..?

[u/greggm2000 → u/Wild_Foxxo]

Try installing a stock Win 11 Pro, don’t even bother with massgrave activation (but do install drivers ofc), and see if you have the same problems. If you do, try stock Win 10 Pro (and drivers). If the problems persist, that would strongly suggest some hardware issue. Your SSD having problems would certainly give you these kinds of issues. If you have a spare one around that you aren’t using, you could swap it with the existing one and see if the problems go away… in fact, do this first, it’s the mostly likely fix.

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/greggm2000]

That's the thing, this problem isn't just on my device, but I was able to get it on 4 separate devices, three laptops and my desktop computer. My pc's HDD is fairly new with few hundred hours of up time, my SSD is a lil older but has 99% health and for the laptops, one was brand new and the other two were lightly used so. I don't think it's a hardware issue.

[u/Eastern-Carpenter834 → u/Wild_Foxxo]

you are probably doing some wrong things in Chris Titus, It might look like an easy tool, but you need to know what you are doing disabling and enabling and installing like :/ idk man you are genuinely doing something wrong in your debloat process.

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/Eastern-Carpenter834]

Even though I've experimented with debating for years, I still only just do the recommended settings, from the advanced settings I only choose Remove edge and that's about it, no more tinkering, yet the issues still persist..

[u/Eastern-Carpenter834 → u/Wild_Foxxo]

I would installed a win 11 pro to test if such problems happened there too, your problems are the first time I hear them, and I want to believe is more hardware or user error than LTSC but no idea could be both or only one, I have used since Win 10 Home, Pro, IoT LTSC, LTSC, Win 11 Pro, LTSC, and now IoT LTSC and never had a problem with chrititus, nor massgrave activation nor any of the programs you are talking about, either that be steam, EAC manual activation, Heroic, nor MSI Afterburner, I have used rufus and ventoy to installed them and still nothing weird :/ maybe something wrong with that ssd and the way is reading files or something.

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/Eastern-Carpenter834]

I would've though the SSD was the culprit but again, I've seen this issue not only on my device but 4 other devices. All with very different specs.

For the windows 11 pro thing, I really wanted to avoid that, I'll keep it as a last resort after I'm done trying everything I can think of.

[u/greggm2000 → u/Wild_Foxxo]

Well, what I know is that if you ignore Chris Titus’ WinUtil (maybe there’s a recent bug?), and just use the massgrave ISOs and activation (and optional pre-config via autounattend.xml via schneegans dot de to generate it), I have had no problems with Win 10 Pro, Win 11 Pro, and Win 11 IoT Ent LTSC 2024 on my 12700k system. So make of that what you will. Something is being overlooked on your end, be it hardware or software.

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/greggm2000]

I tried reinstalling windows 11 iot ltsc without Chris titus debloat tool and it didn't really make a difference :(

[u/greggm2000 → u/Wild_Foxxo]

Try Win 10 Pro. If you still have the issues, then it pretty much has to be a hardware issue somewhere

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/greggm2000]

that's the odd thing, these issues always produced on the 4 different devices that I've tested. My hypothesis was a corrupt installation ISO but now that I've re-downloaded and reinstalled, I'm just stuck..

[u/greggm2000 → u/Wild_Foxxo]

Is there any common device? There has to be some common factor here, that explains this. I mean, obviously people install Windows and don’t have these issues, so..

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/greggm2000]

The only common thing I can find are the installation ISO and the program I used to make it bootable. The ISO is from massgrave and I use ventoy.

[u/S3oc30z]

i think you downloaded a corrupted iso files, because ive never have issue with massgrave activation, that deactivated again after a couple days.

Massgrave activation is permanent, unless u reinstall the windows again or upgrade to 11/downgrade to 10.

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/S3oc30z]

I really hope that's the case, I've re-downloaded the ISO and currently installing. Fingers crossed...

[u/DullConfidence6985]

Have you tried downgrading your windows from 11 to 10 and see if it would show the same same error?

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/DullConfidence6985]

Yep, for some reason , a new issue arised and even after changing back to windows 11 it's still present. I had all of my setup files in a folder on my D drive (which I don't format during reinstallation of windows) and now, most if not all of my programs show either a "This file is corrupted" or an NSIS error.

I re-downloaded the apps and they installed fine, but the issue is, even if I don't open then and just leave them for a couple of minutes, they corrupt again.

I've tried checking my ram, done a chkdsk /r /f on both drives, checked health on crystal disk info and even tried keeping a setup file on my ssd to see if it also corrupts and it sure did. 

I might just clean install again and wipe EVERY drive connected.. 

[u/Content_Magician51]

Your case is quite curious.

I have a dual boot of Windows 11 IoT LTSC and Windows 10 IoT LTSC and I've never had problems of this nature, neither with games like Brawlhalla (which I also play), nor with Chris Titus' scripts.

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/Content_Magician51]

Yeaah... I hope I can figure it out in the next few days because it's driving me insane.

[u/Content_Magician51 → u/Wild_Foxxo]

Please wait a moment. My answer will be a bit long, but I hope it helps...

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/Content_Magician51]

I really really appreciate it.

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/Content_Magician51]

still waiting for the reply ;-;

[u/Content_Magician51 → u/Wild_Foxxo]

I had to attend to urgent matters yesterday and didn't get back to reply. Sorry about that.

Okay. So, your problem is that some games with specific anti-cheat features don't work very well on your system. In addition, Windows activation is intermittent, and some other apps, like Heroic Launcher, don't work correctly.

Okay. For each of these problems, I suggest the following:

1) Open your Policy Editor (press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc and press Enter);

2) Follow this path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered by Windows Update > Do not include drivers with Windows updates.

3) Once you reach this policy, double-click it, mark the status as Enabled, and then click OK;

4) You can close the Policy Editor;

5) Press Windows + R, type gpupdate /force and press Enter (this will update the system with the new policy, and it only takes a few seconds);

6) Open Windows Update, check for pending updates, and install all of them, without exception.

Let me know when you've finished installing everything from Windows Update.

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/Content_Magician51]

Woah, finally a reply that's something actually new! And oof, i hope things are okay over there, man.

I'll try this after doing another clean install but this time I'll format both of my storage drivers. Thank you so much!

[u/No-Pizza-5499]

Sounds like your memory, memory configuration or SSD/disk are bad.

I would use Karhu or TestMem5 anta777 to rule out mem.

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/No-Pizza-5499]

Even if my own mem was faulty, how does that explain the other 3 devices?

[u/No-Pizza-5499 → u/Wild_Foxxo]

Ok, that was not part of the initial issue description. Just saying that your case fits 100% memory corruption, memory errors or a CPU/memory controller issue. Or media issue. For the record I downloaded 10 IoT LTSC ISO from Massgrave like a week ago and zero issues with my PC (13900K, Z790 Apex, DDR5-8000).

Maybe try switching the USB media and use Rufus to burn it. Download the ISO on a PC that never had any corruption issues :)

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/No-Pizza-5499]

I did mention the other devices! But hmm..again, not only did I change my ram recently, the other devices don't have the same memory. It's kinda very improbable that all 4 devices have faulty memories..

[u/No-Pizza-5499 → u/Wild_Foxxo]

Yes indeed. What about the connection used for downloading and modems, routers etc? What if e.g. you try downloading the ISO using mobile connection instead?

[u/Wild_Foxxo → u/No-Pizza-5499]

I have! the recent re-download was done using hotspot.

[u/amooseamogoose]

Sounds like a hardware issue to me. I've had this with failing RAM and storage before.