Forcing games into Windowed Mode

[zeph]

Hi.

I have a few games that run in full-screen mode that I'd like to run in windowed mode.

Normally I'd look around for a windowed mode "crack" (not really a crack, I own the games) but I can't find any for a couple of games that I play often.

I don't NEED it in windowed mode, like there isn't an issue with framerates or quality or the like, I just like to see my desktop too just in case I get an email or an IM or whatever.

I was wondering if there was a way to make my video card force games (that I specify, I don't want all games doing it) into windowed mode. I have an ATI Radeon 9600XT 256MB.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it very much.

Thanks.

[ThalSwe]

Dont think it works with all games but a press alt+enter in the game. That turns some games into windowed mode from my experience. Do a search here on Neowin on it and you should find a few other solutions IIRC. Seen simular topics about this.

But dont think there is a solution to force a specific amount of them automaticly into windowed mode but if there are I am sure interested in hearing about it too.

[FallenOne008]

If you push Alt+Enter, then youll be able to window your screen. Im pretty sure that it works that way.

[zeph]

Not for all games, especially modern ones.

[Captain_Wang]

It's possible with all games that use directx, which is pretty much all but it requires some hack jobs, like San Andreas you need something called a dll hook, it's also buggy. It is possible but it requires clever codey people.

[Evilpig]

Mind sharing the games yuo play?

[Buttus]

Some games are even anti windowed mode, for instance Everquest used to not allow it, but a group released a tool that let you do it. Sony even went so far as to call it cheating...

but now it's even an option you can choose....

it would be nice to switch quite a few games into windowed mode, especially when they try to connect to the net and the firewall pops up the confirmation box and you can't get to it to allow access.

I hope someone knows a way....

[Qumahlin]

Some games are even anti windowed mode, for instance Everquest used to not allow it, but a group released a tool that let you do it. Sony even went so far as to call it cheating...

but now it's even an option you can choose....

it would be nice to switch quite a few games into windowed mode, especially when they try to connect to the net and the firewall pops up the confirmation box and you can't get to it to allow access.

I hope someone knows a way....

Try running the came from the run dialog and adding in -w

Most modern games support the -w function call and will run the game windowed