Ron Schenone

Microsoft Windows Vista Business Edition – Where Are The Games?

Posted by on Feb 18, 2007 | 100 Comments

Your boss decides to upgrade the office computers to Windows Vista Business Edition. The first thing you notice, since you are a hard working, dedicated employee is that there are no games. Now what?

Well the games are there, but just hidden. Here’s how to get the games back:

Click on the Start button, then go to Control Panel. Click on the icon Programs and Features. Look to the left of the screen for Turn Windows Features On or Off. Select this option and then accept the Users Account Control. Look through the listing and and find Games. Place a check mark next to Games and click OK. Don’t tell the boss!

You will also notice additional features that may be turned off by default. If you don’t know what they are, leave them alone. They could have a undesirable affect on your computer system. :-)

Enjoy.
[tags]microsoft, windows, vista, business, games [/tags]

  • matt

    won’t this only work if you have admin rights?

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hello Matt,
    Yes, you must have admin rights to make the change.

  • Matt Sutterlin

    Thanks for this article, i was wondering what happened to the games, in Business edition, that keep me entertained. Solitaire, aka the real success of windows imo…

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Matt,
    Your welcome. Glad it worked. :-)

  • ver

    FINALLY – thank you so much for the info. I didn’t believe windows could be launched without the classics :)

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Ver,
    You are welcome. Glad this info. helped.
    All the best, Ron

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  • ver

    one more quick question – is windows dvd maker also hidden the same way the games were???

    thx

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi ver,
    It is only be available for the Home Premium and Ultimate Vista’s editions, and not for Home Basic, Business and Enterprise versions of the operating system. :-(
    Hope this answers your question. Ron

  • Peter

    Thanks a lot. I knew the games had to be somewhere. Way to be on the spot for the real business needs.

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Peter,
    Enjoy! Ron

  • Matt P

    Hi there Ron,

    Thanks for the write up, this was driving me crazy!

    Solitaire in Vista looks a lot nicer :)

    – Matt P

  • Cary

    Oh my god! I love this article. When I bought my new laptop it came automatically with Vista professional. I can’t make it through my classes at law school without spider solitaire. Thank you so much!

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Cary,
    Glad it helped. Ron

  • http://www.boulwareinc.com Ed

    Thanks Ron, my boss quit smoking several years ago and Spider is her replacement! Installed Vista for her yesterday while she was out of town and she was in immediate withdrawal this morning. Your help saved the day!!
    Ed

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Ed,
    You’re welcome.
    Ron

  • Michael Massey

    I ran Vista Ultimate for awhile at home and had Hold’em poker game. I understand Vista business is not to get that. Anyway of getting Hold’em on my Vista Business????

    Anyone?????

  • http://www.kushari.org Ahmed

    haha, and i was just complaining about how i got no games with business!

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Ahmed,
    Enjoy! Ron

  • Eddie

    Is Media Center hidden too? if so, any idea how to reveal it?

    Thanks for the gaming tip – was beginning to get withdrawal symptons!

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Eddie,
    I haven’t heard anything about MC being hidden. :-) But if I do, I’ll let you know.
    Ron

  • Rob

    Excellant tutorial thanks for that

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Rob,
    You’re welcome. Ron

  • tommy

    thank you for posting this i was wondering where they went i was like whats the point of upgrading if i dont have my solitaire to play lol

  • Wilba

    I was just about to stab my Bill Gates voodoo doll and luckily came across this tip. I might stab it anyway. WTF is the problem with having games enabled by default Thanks Ron!

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hello tommy and Wilba,
    I’m glad this tip helped. No clue why games are not enabled.
    Regards, Ron

  • Jessica

    thanks so much! I have been trying to figure this out for a long time, even tried to download them!

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Jessica,
    Enjoy, Ron

  • Jo

    Thankyou, thankyou, I was heartbroken when I found this laptop was pre-loaded with Vista Business and there seemed to be no games…I’ve got Vista Home Premium on a desktop replacement..the kids and I love Spider Solitaire..you are a total sanity saver!

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Jo,
    You are welcome.
    Thanks for the comment.
    Ron

  • pyisoeyz

    Wahhhh.. thanks!!!

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Your welcome,
    Ron

  • chuck

    Thanks, my wife is happy again! On the computer, that is.

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Chuck,
    You are welcome. :-)
    Ron

  • Hanna

    hello! doesn’t seem to work on my vaio sz that’s preloaded with vista business. any ideas?? for awhile i had the games explorer with 0 items. and now its disappeared (after the tinkering of one of the countless shops i went back to)

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Hanna,
    Hopefully someone else who is using business will have a thought to hare. What I posted is the only workaround I know of.
    Makes me wonder if the ‘tinkering’ has caused a problem.
    Ron

  • Chris

    Same problem, Sony VAIO Vgnsz483nc straight out of the box with no tinkering. Followed the advice and Games appeared toi install but when looking in the Games explorer – no luck!.

    Windows may be looking for the CD to install games but there is no CD with the Sony.

  • freelancer

    please look at this URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flFegmgWM3c
    and you can see that games in windows vista are hidden

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hello freeelancer,
    Thanks for the link.
    Ron

  • CountessZHM

    thanks, you just made my day … i’ve just installed vista business & was wondering where are the game :D

  • Therese

    Thank you! This makes my day =)

  • rik

    Thanks for geezer, much appreciated.

  • Steven Cohen

    That worked–thanks! I was confused and frustrated to find a button called Games, but then no Games. Your article was clear, simple, and solved the problem.

    Much appreciated.

    Steven

  • http://www.firetide.com George

    I got the same question as Chris, the Sony VAIO SZ483N can’t use this solution to fix this issue. I followe this instruciton tried many time and got the saem result – doesn’t work. Can anyone help me out? thanks.

  • http://donthaveone.com Arian

    THANK YOU VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY much

  • Joseph

    I try to install games on my window vista business edition, after I go through this proceduce “Click on the Start button, then go to Control Panel. Click on the icon Programs and Features. Look to the left of the screen for Turn Windows Features On or Off. Select this option and then accept the Users Account Control. Look through the listing and and find Games. Place a check mark next to Games and click OK… After I finish this proceduces, if i go to games folder, they won’t be any games there and when I go back to control panel, programs and features, Turn Windows Features On or Off, it will be unchecked, please help me on this….

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hello Joseph,
    I’m not sure if this will help or not, but next to the Games box is a PLUS sig. Click on that to expand the list of games and place a check mark in each one. Click OK and see what happens.

    Second thought, if this is a company box your admin may have disabled changes from being made. Just a guess.

    Hope this helps.

  • Joseph

    I’ve tried what you ask me to do, same thing… I am using Ibm lenovo 3000 N100… Maybe this will help… My computer is a standalone, I enter as a guest, it was just bringing error.. Is there anything I can do, please help…

  • Joseph

    after going through that same procedure, when i checked all or select it one by one and click ok, is going to give me an error, but when i enter as admin, it wouldn’t give an error, it will do as if, it was installing, after finish if i went to go and check the game directories, there’s nothing will be there…

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hello Joseph,
    I have heard that some of the Vista Business Editions for Sony systems have a ‘bug’ in them from the factory install. I am just wondering if this could be your case as well.

    I would check on Lenovo’s site for assistance.

    Regards, Ron

  • Joseph

    Hello Ron,

    Thank you so much for your concern, I really appreciate it… I will be looking forward to hear from you after you check on Lenovo’s site…

    Thanks…

    Regards

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hello Joseph,
    There is nothing I could find on Lenovo’s site.
    Sorry. But it does appear to be a glitch of some type.

  • Joseph

    If I restore it to factory default, with my recovery disc.. Do you know maybe the error will be corrected…

    Thanks…

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hello Joseph,
    It may fix the problem. Make sure you backup your stuff. Also any software you have installed may need to be reinstalled again as well.

    Two other things:
    First try the install Games with the DVD in the drive.

    Also check out this video from UTube and confirm you are doing the procedure correctly as well.

    Hope this helps, Ron

  • Steve

    Thank You!!! I thought Windows Vista did away with all the games since the Business version is all I have! Now it’s all good again!!!!!!!

  • http://eb72740comcast.net Ernie

    This fix worked great. I got all of my lost games back i.e. Spider Solitaire.
    Thanks!

  • Pasha

    Thanks alot :-) Just what I was looking for.

  • Billy Bob

    You rock man! I bought a laptop from the HP Small Business site, and it came with Vista Business installed. I thought the games were not installed. Now I can play my games again! Thanks!

  • sareena

    Hi, Thanks for the tip but I’m stilling having probelms. I put a check next to the games and click ok but when i go back to check it, the tick is not there. What should I do?

  • Bobby

    Is this workaround only for the classic windows games or will it get you the new “premium” games (Mahjong Titans, Inkball, etc) as well? I don’t have Vista yet, but I’m trying to decide if I want Vista Business or Vista Home Premium. The only thing I want from Home Premium that isn’t in Business are the new games…and I don’t need all that extra media center junk in Home Premium.

  • Nick

    Thank you, worked like a charm!

  • Bruce

    Thank you so much! Your entry is #1 at Google for the search “Microsoft games for Vista Business”! Good job!

  • Mahendra Chavan

    You are great RON! Thanks a lot and God bless you. Freecell and solitaire are simplest games I always wanted in Windows though this is my main business desktop.

    At the same time it added one more reason why we should hate Microsoft at the same time. How mean idiots are there. Whats the point in hiding previous programs and games, as we are mostly used to them?

  • dianne

    thanx for this about the games was wondering where they were lolx

  • kyle john

    thanks a bunch I was the laughing stock of vista home users at university. now whos laughing…. I have mahjong on my laptop!!!!

  • Zulqadar ahmad

    Very very thanks for tip I am very happy from your tips .Plz you ‘ll do this things in future.
    Zulqadar Ahmad(IT SUPPORT)
    New Delhi

  • Puneet Khandelwal

    Thanku Ron Schenone
    By using this article of ur i could recover my games

  • http://megcampbell77@gmail.com meg

    hey, i have tried the windows turn features on or off for the games many many times and it doesn’t work. is there a reasion for this. and how can i make this work?

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi meg,
    If this is a company system it could be blocked by IT. Just a thought.

  • Mohammed Bouji

    Thanks Ron, It works :-)

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hello Mohammed,
    You are welcome. Glad it worked for you.

  • Rob

    Nice work, Ron. My gf can now relax with solitaire and she’s learning the finer points of hearts. :-)

  • Doda Panda

    Thank you, thank you, thank you… starting to worry why I did not have such a wonderful game as shangai…!!!! Hehehe, now I found out.

    Thanks again!!!

  • Rajasree Banerjee

    Thanks Ron, you definitely made me feel less miserable about upgrading.

  • Connie

    Hi Ron,

    I was able to get the games but when I click on a certain game, this message appears “Hardware acceleration is either disabled or not supported by your video card driver, which could slow game performance. Make sure you have the latest video card driver installed and that hardware accerleration is turned on.” I had Vista Home before I upgraded to Vista Business and it was working perfectly fine when I had Vista Home so how could it be a hardware problem?? Please HELP!! ;o(

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hello Connie,
    It could be a hardware issue or it could be that Windows Update may have tried to update your video driver and for some reason it may have hosed the driver.

    I would first update your video driver and see what happens.

    Go to your OEM’s site and check for a new driver. Also you can try using Belarc Advisor to see if the driver is out of date.

    Hope this helps. Let us know if you get the problem fixed or not.

  • kinglacho

    Thanks! I didn’t know they were there! I really, really missed them! x)

  • JP

    Thank you so so so much Ron, really wonder for a long time what happened to them… Best help I’ve recieved to help me finnish my posgrad… We all need our few hours of relaxing

  • chessfield

    Bobby asked a question which I also wanted to ask. But I doubt if he has been answered. The question was about whether this remedy brings out all the games including the new ones like Titan Chess. Below i s pasted Bobby’s concern:

    “Is this workaround only for the classic windows games or will it get you the new “premium” games (Mahjong Titans, Inkball, etc) as well? I don’t have Vista yet, but I’m trying to decide if I want Vista Business or Vista Home Premium. The only thing I want from Home Premium that isn’t in Business are the new games…and I don’t need all that extra media center junk in Home Premium.”

  • http://sirbenkingsley.forumotion.com Stacey

    I knew the games had to be there somewhere!

    Thanks a lot!

  • Dennis K

    Hi Ron,
    I just bought a Sony Z17GN yesterday, and it came with Vista Business. COnsidering I have ultimate on desktop, It sort of wrecked my experience a bit wih my new Sony.. till i found this. You are the man champion!

  • laura

    legend ron!

  • miguel

    thanks,
    i did try copy the games from other computer and didn’t work

  • Ben

    Yeah, but you have to restart, just to turn games on? Supid, stupid monolithic kernel.

  • Blake

    You are a god send dude, i’ve been pulling my hair out for months now trying to find out how to get the games working.

  • Saad Hussain

    Thanks Alot Dude. I bought a new Laptop and it came with Vista Buissiness and no games were there thanks alot dude.
    You are the BEST!

    Best Regards,
    Saad Hussain

  • Rudy

    I just bought a new PC for my wife – with Vista business – and one of the first questions I got was “Where’s solitaire?”. Your article saved my bacon – thanks!

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    I’m glad everyone has found this article useful.

  • Ruhy

    hey thnx a lot for yr help. i really wondered why no games for the business edition but never thought they’d b hidden,
    anyways now found it finally
    thanks a ton

  • Ashley Moore

    thanks sooooo much!!! i have been without games for a year! i missed them. this made my day. lol

  • robin

    AHH.!!! Thank you, you’re amazing.

  • ANDREW TINSLEY

    it worked on windows 7 pro……….thanks very much

  • Anand

    Thanks Man it’s really helpful to me

  • VVN

    Desperately needed the stuff, thanks a lot.

  • aki

    nice knowledge man……..gr8 work…….thanks and keep going…….

  • Cami

    Hi,
    I managed to get through Control Panel and all that easily, but once I’ve selected which games I want (my laptop’s got 2gb of ram and has been overheating quite a bit lately, and it’s not got much space on it anymore) and clicked ok, when it’s configuring the changes, the progress bar doesn’t move. I waited 8 minutes for it to do something, but it didn’t change. Left it overnight, and it was still at 0% progress. Tried it a few times, selecting all, or just a few games, but it’s having none of it. Any ideas? My laptop’s an ASUS X50RL. (Apparently.)

  • http://skinseninfo.webs.com Just a kid

    Hi, im just a kid and i cant find that Features thing i got a own laptop vista but i cant see that in my program files window

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Just A Kid – are you sure you are running Vista BUSINESS edition?

  • chelle

    FINALLY!! Now I can get to work.

  • Parth

    thank u ron
    thank u very much…