No games installed in Windows 7 Professional?

For those people installing Windows 7 Professional you might notice that the Games Explorer and Start Menu look a bit sparse game wise. By default the games aren't installed in the Professional version.

You can of course quickly add them back.

Press Start
-> Control Panel
--> Programs
---> Turn Windows features on or off

Up the top of the list of components you should see Games. Check that box, or drill into it and specify individual games. And press OK. Within a few moments the games should be installed.

You can also add the Games Explorer on the Start Menu by right-clicking on the Start Menu -> Clicking customize and adding it in the new dialog box and OKing out.

For those still not sure, here's the video tutorial:

32 comments

Comment from: no games? [Visitor]
Thanks!
29th October 2009 @ 22:58
Comment from: Jay Cee [Visitor]
****-
Yes, thanks - they will keep my young daughter occupied!
8th November 2009 @ 20:27
Comment from: Drake [Visitor] · http://drakenscripts.co.cc
*****
Yay! Was wondering where they were!
9th November 2009 @ 07:01
Comment from: Brixdan [Visitor]
*****
Thanks. I was getting kind of disappointed that I had no games. I was SO looking forward to playing mahjong!
17th November 2009 @ 20:31
Comment from: Nikhil [Visitor]
*****
Hi this seems really helpful but when i go to turn windows feature on and off i dont get anything showing.

is there something i have to do to turn this on.
27th November 2009 @ 12:06
Comment from: rube [Visitor]
thanks!!!
11th December 2009 @ 20:33
Comment from: Glad [Visitor] · http://www.google.com
YAY!!!!!! Thank you very much! Glad to play on Spider Solitaire, Mahjong Titans, and Solitaire. :D
12th December 2009 @ 03:01
Comment from: Hooray [Visitor]
*****
Thanks! My grandmother wasn't gonna be happy without her Mahjong and Soltiaire on her new laptop.
26th December 2009 @ 21:41
Comment from: jlmagee [Visitor]
*****
Excellent tip! Thanks so much; I was starting to get really frustrated trying to figure out how to get the games in 7.
27th December 2009 @ 01:21
Comment from: Chris [Visitor]
*****
Triple thumbs up.
23rd January 2010 @ 15:15
Comment from: billybob [Visitor]
thanks man needed a chess titans fix bad
24th January 2010 @ 22:24
Comment from: Guddu [Visitor]
*****
Thanks. you saved me some googling time ;-)
7th February 2010 @ 15:03
Comment from: Au [Visitor]
*****
That was helpful. Thanks!
19th February 2010 @ 16:04
Comment from: Noel [Visitor]
****-
Followed your instructions re no games in windows7 professional but got the following message -
An error has occurred. Not all the features were successfully changed.

Have tried many times but always the same result and of course no games.
Can anyone offer further advice?
1st March 2010 @ 06:02
Comment from: Kim [Visitor]
*****
thanks!
12th March 2010 @ 10:24
Comment from: kevin [Visitor]
****-
thank you
15th March 2010 @ 20:11
Comment from: paul fisher [Visitor]
*****
Great I was about to re-install!!
16th April 2010 @ 12:38
Comment from: dragos [Visitor]
hy! i checked the box as nothing. how do i get the games??
2nd May 2010 @ 05:56
Comment from: sasha [Visitor]
*****
Thanks this is gr8 :)
4th May 2010 @ 03:19
Comment from: Ash [Visitor]
*****
thank you
9th May 2010 @ 07:49
Comment from: Tanya [Visitor]
Thanks
11th May 2010 @ 21:10
Comment from: Maloud [Visitor]
*****
Thank you very much. It was very helpful.
15th May 2010 @ 21:02
Comment from: judy [Visitor]
when I go to windows feature on or off there is nothing there
13th June 2010 @ 11:47
Comment from: swetha [Visitor]
***--
oh Thanks... was really surprised and shocked to see win7 has no games. but this helped out very well...
19th June 2010 @ 00:50
Comment from: Jamie [Visitor]
*****
Thanks!
19th June 2010 @ 02:51
Comment from: krs10a [Visitor]
*****
Thanks Paul! Your post was very helpful.
17th July 2010 @ 00:55
Comment from: Lucky [Visitor]
***--
Found it!!

Click Start > Right Click > Properties > Start Menu tab > Customize > Select Games > Display as a link or Display as a menu > OK > Apply > OK

You can also type "Shell:Games" in Windows start menu search bar and hit enter to open the Games folder.

But if the Games Explorer folder does not open in your Windows, then do this:


Type cmd in Windows 7 start menu search. When cmd appears as a result, right click on it and select Run as administrator.

In the elevated command prompt, type

regsvr32.exe gameux.dll

and hit Enter. This will re-register the gameux dll file.

Now if on running a game from the Games Explorer, you get an error message :

This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the set associations ControlPanel then, open regedit and navigate to following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile

If it doesnt exist, then in the RHS, create a new String value (REG_SZ) Call it IsShortcut . Click OK > Close Regedit > Reboot.

26th July 2010 @ 12:08
Comment from: Bala.P [Visitor]
****-
Thanks a lot.
11th August 2010 @ 05:10
Comment from: azhar [Visitor]
*****
thank s for teh help ..
24th August 2010 @ 19:13
Comment from: Steve [Visitor]
*****
Thanks for the ease of solution and sharing your knowledge. I like to learn something new everyday and I did.
24th August 2010 @ 23:50
Comment from: Jamil Ahmed [Visitor]
*****
Thanks!!:)
26th August 2010 @ 06:25
Comment from: amy [Visitor]
*****
Thank you. I have been on the phone with Dell for 2 freaken hours. They had me send the games from my sons computer to my EHD, then couldnt get them to load. Transferred me to software dept where the guy got nasty with me saying that PRO doesnt come with games. I did a search after ripping him a new u- know- what and found your post. IT WORKED. Thank you so much. I owe ya =)
2nd September 2010 @ 15:42

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