Have you tried updating your graphics card drivers for more compatibility and windows patches.

For Nvidia Geforce Graphics Cards, use nvidia.com, it has both the latest graphics drivers and the PhysX software should come with the graphics drivers.

For Radeon users, download the latest drivers from the AMD website, and find PhysX from nvidia.com, sometimes they don't have the latest versions of PhysX separated from the graphics drivers, check to make sure.

For Radeon users, after you do the stuff above, go to this link below.
Look for a comment from darkriderapt89 in the link below, very helpful.
Look for my comment. =)
http://cs2bus.com/app/42650/discussions/0/810919056980291922/

To find out what graphics card you have in windows 8, go to your start menu.
Find search, and type in run, and a window will pop up, type dxdiag and click ok.
Click Yes when it asks to search for verified WHQL Certified Drivers.
Click the tab that is called Display at the top for video output on your pc.
Find the word Device on the top left and look at the word name, that should show your video card name.

This link shows you how to find dxdiag in windows 8, this can work on windows 7 as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzZ9KFUFgnI

I wish that link wasn't showing a picture from youtube lol, but no that wasn't from me.

This link below should work in windows 7 as well.
http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/e83792/how-to-check-your-graphic-card-on-windows-8/

The link below shows how to find the Device Manager in windows 8.
This should also work for windows 7.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWuoZuKoJPU

I go to the start menu and then right click on the computer icon and click properties, to get to the device manager, which will show up in the top left corner of the next window.
This link below will show you some ways to do that in windows 7.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy3xoTjQwPE

After you update your video card drivers and restart the pc, right click on the desktop and click on the nvidia control panel, I think the radeon control panel should be there as well, another way to find both the nvidia control panel and the radeon control panel, check for the icons near the clock on the bottom right corner of the desktop, click on the little arrow if you don't see them for hidden icons, and right click the nvidia control panel icon to select update or to find the options for the automatic update, and for the nvidia control panel to open.
If you can't get your game to load up, maybe it doesn't understand SLI multiple video cards. Try the nvidia control panel and set to "let the 3d application decide" and see if that works.
Also, "let the 3d application decide" can fix some other issues such as if you have anti - aliasing issues with quad sli multiple video cards, or higher resolution issues.
Don't forget what you set under the Nvidia Control Panel or the Radeon Control Panel!

The links below are for the nvidia control panel. Radeon video cards can get there the same way to the Radeon Control Panel. There are 3 tutorial videos for this in the links below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxfzmsaFlG4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gt3apQPECc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7py3D0iAu8

The 3d settings tab on the top of the Nvidia Control Panel, says under it "show physx visual indicator", allows you to see what PhysX uses when you start up a game, such as it uses either the CPU or GPU for acceleration on particle effects "physics" in the game. If it uses the CPU, it usually only uses software rendering, it would be really nice if some game creators would update their software to use the GPU with PhysX. But to have it optional, although remember you can set it to auto select for CPU or GPU in the Nvidia Control Panel, I use Auto Select for that setting.

Note that if you have overclock settings in your pc bios or in windows for your processor cpu, set it to default and don't overclock, and if you have your video card overclocked, set it to default and dont overclock that as well, meaning don't make it try to perform faster, this becomes unstable for games and programs, and overheating your system isn't necessary as well as you could burn up your cpu or gpu.
Unless you're a professional pc user that does it all the time and can keep your pc cool, but then some games don't work with it overclocked from instability.

If you find out it is a built in video card such as an intel HD graphics card. -
You might want to consider buying a video card later if your pc has the ports, built in video cards rely on the processor for performance and they are no where as good as a graphics accelerator card.
Built in graphics cards also miss alot of graphics features, that is why it is a good idea to update also because some features might be added as a software mode for those features instead of a hardware mode, but very little features are added, for reasons of performance or what the built in video card chipset is limited on, and they are picky with new video card drivers no matter what source, even from the official web site for them, but they must be updated, make sure to update your built in video card drivers to understand newer games and software. Keep track of where your old drivers came from, and new ones for backup and restore issues, but you have to update your built in video card drivers to understand new games and some new games better, some video cards built in can be difficult to find the exact right drivers, sometimes a source might say it is but might not be the right ones.
Be careful when chosing these so that you don't have video issues, just uninstall and install other drivers if you run into issues, check for another source and make sure you typed it in correctly on the official website, usually for built in video cards, the motherboard drivers will come with them. Dell and other types of computers can be easy to find them in some cases.

The built in Intel HD Graphics Card drivers can be found from intel, but depends, I would download from your pc's creator official website before going to intel.
If there are no new graphics drivers found on the official website, try Intel's website.

The 2 links below are for the built in Intel Graphics Card Control Panel.
There are 2 video tutorials for this in the links below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuG4XQ986UA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAgQ_0rdRRc

For Built in Intel Graphics Cards, I don't know if the PhysX option applies in the same way as it might for Radeon Graphics Card users that might need PhysX for some games to work, check one of my links above for the radeon graphics card link to find out if it might work.
You can find that at the top of this comment post, the first link you can click on.

Check to see if your latest downloaded built in intel graphics card drivers came with physx, and also make sure to update physx by going to the nvidia.com website, check back to update it some more when there are new nvidia graphics card drivers. And check for new built in intel graphics card drivers once a month, also if the built in intel graphics card drivers do come with physx, check every time you update so that you can install the latest physx with them.
Try this link below for the built in intel graphics card, for some more info.
http://cs2bus.com/discussions/forum/1/882964117942016328/

For steam users, click on the top of steam.
And go to "check for video driver updates".
This will launch I think the nvidia.com website. You can find PhysX there.

The Nvidia Control Panel software will allow you to choose software emulation for PhysX post processes, I don't know if you can install it with a built in intel hd graphics card.

The dxdiag is the Direct X Diagnostics I have used for around 20 years as of this message.
It used to have a tab on the top for directx files to show you, but new windows versions don't show it.

Make sure you have the latest motherboard drivers as well, and sound card drivers.
The motherboard drivers will need to be the official drivers from the creators of the board located inside your pc, the main board, it's very important they are up to date drivers and also make sure they are official drivers from the creators of the board's website.
Find your pc manual and make sure you know exactly your motherboard model number, don't mess up on typing in the numbers on the official website!
Because the model number has to be exactly what you have for the right drivers.
Usually if you get a pc from somewhere like Dell as an example or some other type, the model number on the pc itself will lead you right to the drivers page for the motherboard.

Have you tried compatibility mode?

Try going to the .exe file of the game, by right clicking on the game title in steam, click properties and go to browse local files, right click on the .exe file and click properties, set compatibility as well as admin rights, or just compatibility, tinker with it a bit, set it to work with windows 7, if not, try win xp sp2/3.

Also for networking or internet, check other threads I have posted in the past, by going pages back on this forum.

Nvidia graphics card owners should download a program called Geforce Experience from the nvidia.com website along with the video card drivers.

For checking the heat and voltage of your video card, it is good for knowing how hot your video card can get during a game, very handy on hot days! But I don't use it all the time during a game so that it doesn't slow down a server or my pc or other issues, even know it really doesn't, it's best to keep as minimal as possible going at once for games and compatibility.
http://www.evga.com/precision/

Windows 8 users should update to windows 8.1, as it is a free to download update from the windows store, if you have windows 8 already.
Windows 8.1 has the start menu button, which was added just like other windows before it, and some other features, as well as side by side programs features were added, and some other updates. If you want the windows 7 start menu button, try to find an official windows 7 theme for download, make sure it will be compatible with your windows.

Also update the unreal engine 3 files, and motherboard drivers for your pc.
Download microsoft visual c++ redist files, official versions. 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012 or new versions above that, 2013 and above that version as well, they are small downloads around 6 - 20 megs each, check for 32 Bit and 64 Bit versions.
Your windows 7 or 8 - 64 Bit versions might need both types 32 Bit and 64 Bit versions of visual c++ redist files, I don't know, but it might understand the game on the 32 bit files, but I don't know for the 64 bit versions of windows, just make sure you get the 64 Bit versions installed for your windows 64 Bit, and your windows 7 or 8 - 32 Bit should use the 32 Bit versions, don't ever try to install the 64 Bit c++ versions on a windows 32 Bit, most of the time it won't let it anyways.
Also download the .net framework latest version only.
I think .net framework 4.5 is the latest as of this message for windows 7.
Windows 8 might have a new .net framework version, but might need 4.5 for older games.
Try the dxwebsetup for older directx, see if it downloads anything that might be useful for directx 9 and beta direct3d files for directx 11 and more. Make sure it is the latest version of dxwebsetup. Note that when I said beta direct3d files for directx 11, I ment newer versions of directx 11 files.
And install the directx full download, make sure they are latest versions, when you download from the site first.

After you install the programs above, restart your pc. And do a windows update for updates to the programs of the visual c++ and the .net framework.

As I mentioned, check pages back for threads I typed in on this forum that might be helpful on router, internet, and graphics issues, or game issues.

Make sure you have no virus, download avast free version and update its definitions, do a full scan on all drives, memory, registry, everything, and then right click the game in steam and click properties, go to validate game files, this will download defaults for corrupted files it finds while validating. And remember that files can get corrupted from game crashes or other issues, make sure to check it sometimes, then check your game video options in game to optimize appropriately for your pc.

Also don't forget to check your antivirus software options for more in depth settings such as thorough scans and scan big files, which might make the scan slower, but it is worth it to have it check all files and find viruses, the chances of finding them goes up, also don't forget to have it select all file types to be scanned for viruses.

Remember to check the quarantine of your antivirus software for stored viruses!

When removing a virus from your quarantine or anywhere, unplug your internet from your pc first, so that it doesn't re-download to your pc, but make sure to keep it plugged in while doing a full scan, always do a full scan before removing viruses, don't just remove one file, and have it plugged in to track all active viruses connected possibly to the internet, unplug your internet from your pc after a full scan is done, and remove all viruses, keep your auto protect on silent so that it doesn't pop up while doing either a full scan or while removing the viruses, but have it active to keep the viruses from jumping around during being removed. Restart the pc after removing all viruses, but don't plug your internet back into your pc until after a full restart and it reaches the desktop! After that then you can plug it back in and restart at any time, just make sure your auto protect is on and set to alert you again, some programs won't bother you these days during either a full scan or while removing all viruses at the same time.

You might want your auto protect sensitivity set to default so that it doesn't find false positives and asume them as a virus, but keep your full scan at max sensitivity, with the extra settings I explained above.

If you have an antivirus program, and you know for sure you don't have a virus, try disabling the auto protect before starting the game and seeing if that was causing it not to startup this game, then test to see if you can enable it during the game, also re-enable it after you use the game, just don't forget to re-enable your antivirus auto protect.

And maybe you have other programs that might keep the game from starting up, some type of security software running in the background such as those by the windows clock down on the right hand side of the screen.

Try all the stuff I have above, and then try this link last if all else fails.

For windows 7 and 8 compatibility settings, try the link below -
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-run-older-programs-under-windows-8.html

If you can't see the compatibility tab, try the link below, but only if you can't find it.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/open-the-program-compatibility-troubleshooter

The link below is for some info on routers/internet issues and port forwarding.
http://cs2bus.com/app/42650/discussions/0/828925849450777624/

One last thread to check for some other info. That can be done last.
http://cs2bus.com/app/42650/discussions/0/828925849452149662/

I hope this was helpful. =)

Having blank screen issues during games or when they startup?
This could be do to sli or multiple video cards.

Check your Nvidia Control Panel, and set it to let the program or game decide on the settings.

Also when surfing the web, make sure to delete all cookies, history and temporary internet files after and every time, and before playing a game.
Don't forget to manually go into your cookies folder to delete high and low level cookies, keep the .dat files, don't delete those, even when you delete cookies through the browser, it doesn't mean they are fully deleted, remember that, because sometimes there are cookies more than common in there after you do something online these days, even after deleting the cookies through the browser, and so I suggest going to the cookies folder to find them after deleting them through the browser, and make sure to delete cookies, history, and temporary internet files from all browsers that you use.

Alot of this will help remove lag as well for everyone in a game or any other issues you might have, cookies and temporary internet files can cause slowdowns and lag, some spyware/adware and malware can get into either one and there are malicious cookies, also having passwords in cookies while sites keep you logged in, can lag your connection as well, and lots of cookies with temporary internet files can lag everyone, don't think you have removed all cookies just by removing them in the browser.

Make sure you exit steam or any program before you delete cookies, don't delete cookies while you have an active program going, some games might not find all servers that need cookies or that depend on steam, or steam might act funny, just restart steam after deleting cookies.

This goes for any program, always delete cookies after exiting.


Take these steps. -

To delete cookies in windows 7 with internet explorer, just go to the circle on the top right corner, find "about" and that will show you the version of internet explorer, uncheck the auto update so that you can manually check, this keeps it from interupting your game with downloads, just don't forget to check sometimes, next to "about" check for internet options.

Step 1. -
In internet options, click delete, select all and delete them, "make sure you know any passwords from websites that you log into, email, other". etc

Step 2. -
Click ok to delete browsing history, temporary internet files and cookies.
Click apply and then click ok. Quickly close your browser.

Step 3. - skip this step if you don't have firefox

In firefox, check the top left tab, click on it and click about - check for updates, download any from there, if there was an update, install it, if not, click ok.
Click on the top left tab again, click on the browser's history setting, you should find ways to clear all cookies under it and make sure to select the setting for everything before deleting cookies, so that it deletes cookies and past history of everything, and select all features to delete where the cookies are, such as temporary internet files or browsing history, click ok and close the browser.

Step 4. -
Last step, finnaly go into your cookies folder manually and find any high and low cookies to delete, never delete the .dat files.
The path is located under your computer icon, click start menu button in windows 7, click "computer" or what ever you might have named it.

The cookies folder is usually located under your c:user accounts, check all accounts if you have or have "had" more than one person on the pc before, just to be sure, and go to each sub folder, find your user account name, and go to this path C:UsersnameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindows.
The cookies folder is hidden, find it by doing this.
Click organize in the folder you are at, click folder and search options.
Then click on the view tab, and under hidden files and folders, select it to show hidden files, folders and drives, now click the hide empty drives and hide protected operating system files.

Your cookies folder should now show up, just go into it, delete any cookies high and low, make sure any programs are closed before doing so, and then go into it and delete them, remember not to delete the .dat files.

Once this is done, click the back button on the top left of the folder, right at the point of C:UsersnameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindows again.
After that, go back into organize - folder and search options, and then the view tab, set hide empty drives and hide protected operating system files, after those 2 things are selected, click apply and press ok.
Just leave the hidden files unhidden unless you want that set back, you know now where to set it or you can return to this guide to find out how.

Close the folder and you're done. =)

Remember that all of this makes it sound like alot, but when you do it, it's actually quick, and you get faster at it every time, you can also return to this guide to find out where if you forget.

Here are the links to the visual c++ redist files.
Make sure to try and install them all.
Never from anywhere else, always download from the official source.

Visual c++ 2005 sp1 x86 and x64 redist., make sure to get them both if you have windows 64bit.
If not, just get the x86 for 32 bit.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26347

Visual c++ 2008 redist. sp1 x86 -
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5582

Visual c++ 2008 redist. sp1 x64 -
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=2092

Visual c++ 2010 sp1 x86 redist. -
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8328

Visual c++ 2010 sp1 x64 redist. -
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=13523

Visual c++ 2012 x86 and x64 redist. -
Again select 2 of the 3, click next and the download should begin.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679

Visual c++ 2013 x86 and x64 redist. -
Select the 2 out of 3, click next and the download should begin.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40784

Download this directx web setup which will help with some older games in dx9 and latest dx 11 drivers.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35

When you go to install these, make sure to disable your antivirus auto protect first, and any other that would block the install.
Right click on each one of the install files for the visual c++ redist, and the directx web setup, click properties, on the first tab, click unblock, click apply and press the ok button.

Now install them after the unblock, by right clicking each one and clicking run as an admin, in windows vista, 7 or 8, 8 might have some of these, but make sure you get all that it doesn't have.
Always wait a moment after install for the harddrive to catch up and store all drivers, registry and data. Restart the pc, once at the desktop again, do a windows update for updates to the visual c++ and restart the pc after it is done, check for more updates in windows updates after a pc restart, shut down the pc, make sure everything old is out of ram, start it up.

Now that part is done. =)

For Nvidia drivers, go to http://www.nvidia.com
Make sure to uncheck the check mark box, so that it doesn't remember, no need for cookies that will just keep track and cause lag.
After you go to the site, find drivers there to download for your nvidia video card and version of windows, make sure you get the right type.

And then go here for the geforce experience program for your nvidia video card.
Download the geforce experience program.
http://www.geforce.com/geforce-experience/download

For amd radeon video card users, download these video card drivers.
http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/downloads.aspx
Also don't forget to download the amd chipset drivers, which can be located right next to the auto detect option in the link above to the right of it, unless your motherboard's official website comes with a better version, although you should still download it and install the castalyst control panel update with some other installations, just don't install the usb driver update if the maker of the motherboard in your pc on the official website has newer or better drivers, if it doesn't have newer on the official website of your motherboard, then download and install the usb driver updates and all other types, just don't forget to check your motherboard's official website later to see if they got updated.
There is a difference between the graphics drivers and the chipset drivers, the chipset drivers are for the motherboard as amd calls them just "chipset drivers", but the chipset drivers might come with some video drivers, just be sure to use the auto detect first on that link above, before installing video card drivers from the chipset drivers installer, and use the chipset drivers installer for your motherboard drivers, that way you get both the video card drivers and motherboard drivers.

And for amd radeon video card users, download this to help improve your gaming.
http://raptr.com/amd

Download Flash Player latest version for windows 32 bit systems, such as windows xp, vista, win 7, win 8, and windows 8.1, uncheck the optional item before clicking the install now or download button -
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/?no_redirect

Flash Player for windows 7 or 8, and or 8.1 - 64 Bit versions.
Download from here.
Choose the options on the left of the page. -
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/otherversions/

Download the latest Java versions from here. -
http://www.java.com/en/download/chrome.jsp?locale=en

Offline Java installer, only necessary if you can't get internet on another pc. -
http://www.java.com/en/download/windows_offline.jsp

Java for windows 64 bit and a 64 bit internet explorer or browser?
Try to find the 64 bit version for download here.
http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/java_win64bit.xml#verify browser

For windows vista sp2 or windows 7 sp1, download microsoft .net framework 4.5 -
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30653

Windows Vista sp2, windows 7 sp1, windows 8 microsoft .net framework 4.5.1 download -
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40773

Note for many of these downloads, you will need to use your browser instead of through the steam window, click "save as" every time.

The following DirectX Versions of each windows, games look better with directx, and all games use directx.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/179113

Note: -
Be sure to use several antivirus programs, just to find all viruses, spyware, adware, and malware on your pc, one won't always find everything, use avast free antivirus and keep it up to date on definitions and the program version.
Also spy hunter 4 "only when necessary and be sure to modify the settings" so that it doesn't startup with windows unless you need it to or it can be slow, and other startup stuff to disable when only necessary to use it, and also ad-aware antivirus the free version, I use that on windows xp to do final scans for anything not found by other antivirus programs on my pc, this is a good trick to find them all, and I use 2 operating systems on the same pc, and I go into my bios to switch harddrives, then I select it on windows startup as to what operating system to choose, and I choose windows xp to get to that part where I can scan with ad-aware antivirus, then I go back into the bios to switch back to windows 7 ultimate and I let it load, and do scans if I have to for that as well.
Don't forget what I was showing you about avast free antivirus up a ways in the guide, for how to remove a virus properly, this is very important, as you don't want other issues during virus removal, be sure to read through that before doing a scan or removing a virus, or before you think it has been deleted. Also don't forget that your auto protect won't always find everything, you must do full scans to find everything, and make sure to check all the scan's settings under the options to make sure everything is as deep of a scan as possible, and for all files, check for an update to the program and definitions before you do a scan as well.

Also don't use several antiviruses running at the same time with auto protect, only use one.
And don't have auto protect running when you install anything, as it will cause install issues.
Sometimes those issues won't show until after installed, others will be during install.

Although during a game, you should disable your auto protect on your antivirus, and firewall programs, but not on windows firewall, just disable your auto protect so that it doesn't block scripts or other settings from the game, auto protect also scans files every time you go back to the lobby or start a game match while in transformers: war for cybertron, or any menu/game you go to, if you know your pc is totally clean, disable auto protect for the game, then re-enable it after you close the game, provided you have no other program using the internet, and disable any firewall program or protection program before starting a game as well, then re-enable it after exiting.

If you notice your router/modem is constantly blinking, delete all cookies, as they will cause this from being logged into sites and also cookies can connect ip addresses, or even cookies that don't do that can cause lag, and other issues.
Then unplug your router/modem to remove the constant blinking, wait a few minutes and plug it in again, or if you can't wait, plug it back in, if you see it blinking again for a while or sometimes after plugged back in for minutes, turn off your pc, press the switch button on your surge protector, press the power button several times on your computer to drain all power on the pc, including the power going to the lan port where the blinking will occur, unplug the router for a few minutes, then press the switch on the surge protector again and plug your router back in, quickly turn your pc back on and let it get into windows, or to be safer... unplug the back of the lan on the pc while loading into windows, let the desktop fully load, and antivirus, then plug it back in, if you have connection issues, restart the pc with your auto protect on as well as antivirus and definitions fully updated with it plugged in if you want.

Click on this after you restart the pc to open your microsoft update from windows update and to download any updates to the programs you installed, make sure to restart first before clicking on this link.
Note: you might need to open this link in your browser, steam only shows a picture of what to click on, from what I have seen, if you are in a game and viewing this, it won't open, just a picture.
Make sure to check the options for windows update after you click this link, before you start to check for windows updates, make sure all of the boxes are checked in the options, click ok and check for updates. Make sure to set windows update to notify you of updates but not to automaticly download so that it doesn't interupt your bandwidth while in games or surfing the web, or other things you do, so that it can notify you of an update and you can download it when you have time, just don't forget to update asap, it's important to do before you start any games or surfing the web, and then let it notify you later of updates so that you don't have to check every time after the first, sometimes you need to manually check for updates after installing programs, but let it notify you without auto downloading for any other time.
http://update.microsoft.com/

For windows xp users that want to find their cookies, do the same thing except it will be under "documents and settings" on the c: drive, check under your user account name.
Example -
C:\Documents and settings\"name"\

When you are in here, you can find the temporary internet files folder and temp folder for installation.

If you can't see the cookies folder under your user account folder, do the same steps as I mentioned, except in windows xp, at the top of the folder, click tools, and then select folder options, once under folder options, find the view tab at the top, select that and do the same steps, unhide files and folders, and hidden operating system folders etc.
Next just click apply and then the ok button.
Once this is done, you should now be able to see the cookies folder that was hidden, don't delete the index.dat files, just the cookies, remember to check back before any game you open, after doing updates or surfing the web.

There is a difference between the temp folder and temporary internet files folder.
The temp folder just places files in it for during installing a program.
It then leaves alot of junk files, but do not delete these files until after you restart your computer.
Even sometimes when you think that you haven't installed a program recently, or maybe a program auto updated something, you still shouldn't delete anything in there, until after you restart the computer first, as the temp folder could have files there for placing registry settings after restarting the computer, as it already places some but programs need to place others in registry after a restart of the pc, also some programs install drivers as well and need a restart first before you delete the files in the temp folder, don't delete the temp folder itself, just what is in it after a restart of the pc.

Note: it is safe to delete all the files in the temp folder "after" you restart the pc.

This is good, as it removes alot of junk that takes up space on your computer.

But if you plan to do more updates or installs right after the restart, you can then delete the files in the temp folder, after restarting the pc.

The temporary internet files folder, stores all pictures from websites you had from visiting web pages, by using a browser such as internet explorer, all music, pictures and other things from a site, all go into your temporary internet files folder, and cookies as well are created, all of this should be deleted from the temporary internet files folder that you got from sites while visiting them, and every time, just like with cookies, always delete them after every time you use a browser.

Keep in mind, windows 7 and 10 have alot of cookies folders that you can find and delete cookies from within them. What I mean is, you can find other folders under local instead of roaming, that have cookies in them, especially for windows 10. Find these and you can get rid of alot more lag.
Especially if you use multiple harddrives. Check all the drives under the user accounts, for cookies.
And for windows xp, it would be the documents and settings first, then the user account name, be sure you don't have hidden files and folders selected, as well as hidden system files, for windows xp, vista, windows 7, 8, 8.1, and windows 10.
Windows 10 users can find the hidden files and folders, and the hidden system files option, when you have a folder open, click on view, then click on "options" to the far right.
Click "change folder and search options", and then click on view again. There are your options for hidden files and folders, as well as hidden system files. Don't forget where that is and you can come back here to find out, and don't forget to set it back. But you need to do this with cookies every time you use specific programs or especially the web. To get rid of all cookies.
Also be sure to look through old harddrives for other user accounts that have cookies, if you have more connected.

There wasn't enough space above in the other areas, here is more.
Windows Vista sp2, windows 7 sp1, windows 8 microsoft .net framework 4.5.2 download -
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42643

Have a laptop with a built in graphics adapter and a geforce or radeon graphics card?
The button isn't working on the laptop?

Be sure to install new graphics drivers that you can find a link for in my guide, motherboard drivers latest versions, all the visual c++ redist, .net framework, and the dxwebsetup in there as well.

After that do these steps, there are other ways but try this also after everything in the guide.

Ok so you have a laptop with a built in video card and a geforce or radeon graphics card. -
Only do this after the downloads and solutions in the guide.

If you get "a graphics card supporting directX 11 was not detected" and a game crash as well or other game problems.

Or you would like to find out how well your better graphics card works. Keep in mind this one solution below, is again for a laptop with both a built in video card and a graphics card.
Which is the best solution, unless you try other ways that are better from my guide or from others first.

Follow these steps

1. Right click on your game in your steam games list, select properties.

2. Then select Set Launch Options on the General tab.

3. Add the line into the text box and click on ok, -adapter=1 and then try the game again.

If this doesn't work, remove the command line and click on ok.

Be sure to clean your laptop from dust, don't have any static on you or an item you use to clean it with.
Also if the solution works, test it in a cool room, don't let your laptop get really hot, but dust will also build heat on different hardware such as the cpu, gpu, or within the laptop, and static on dust or anywhere, will destroy it also.

Windows 7 64 bit users, this is for all Win 7 versions in 64 bit, download this to fix an issue that could cause some updates not to work in windows 7 64 bit all versions.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20858

If you own a creative sound blaster sound card and need drivers, click this link.
http://support.creative.com/Products/Products.aspx?catid=1

Sound card drivers for x-fi and other types, download drivers here for older sound cards.
http://support.creative.com/Products/product_list.aspx?catID=1&CatName=Sound+Blaster

Sound blaster x-fi in windows 10, download this custom pack, not official drivers but they work.
Check back here for new drivers once a month.
Also, every time you uninstall the sound drivers or update the windows 10 build through windows update, you will need to uninstall and reinstall all the creative apps and drivers for them to work again with each windows 10 build installed.
Don't forget to restart the pc right away after installing the sound card drivers.
And then check for windows updates after.
For digital sound cards, if you don't hear any sound when the drivers are installed, this can be found in several places, in the windows sound controls for playback and recording of sound devices, under playback usually for the speaker setup, find the tab that will have digital to select, you can then close it, but you might need to restart the pc, some might need that and might not.
For selecting your default sound card device, for those that have realtek and another sound card, use the windows sound controls to set the speakers to default. Also this might fix some other issues with games and programs.

To find Directx 12 info for Windows 10, hold the Windows key and press R, then type in the box, dxdiag and click the ok button. You can also go into the nvidia control panel to find this info, right click on the desktop or on the hidden icons to find it. But that doesn't mean your directx 11 graphics card is going to use directx 12, you will need to upgrade to a geforce 900 series or higher graphics card.

These are not official sound card drivers.
For Windows 10, and these should work with Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 as well.
Be sure to use the Sound Blaster X-Fi custom pack 3.7 before the custom pack 3.8 version.
This should work with many Sound Blaster X-FI sound cards.


Make sure you have checked that the "digital" option is selected under the Windows playback and recording, restart the PC and then see if you have sound.

Go into your Creative Console Launcher
Select

• X-FI Crystalizer and enable it.
  
• EQ and set it to EQ Classical.
  
• Restart the PC right after you set these settings. Then check if they are still enabled.
  
• Test your games sound and music.

For some other Sound Blaster X-Fi sound cards.
If the link above doesn't have the proper sound card drivers for your Sound Blaster X-FI sound card.
You will need to go back to the other drivers most likely because these drivers have a smaller download, which can also mean that they are missing features.


Here are some -

Internet Explorer

• Go to About in Internet Explorer, and disable the auto update, click on ok.

Settings

Go into Settings for Windows 10, click on Update and Security, click on Advanced options, then find the options you want to set so that you don't get some things right away.
What I have set for now. -

• Notify to Schedule a restart.
  
• I have set - Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows.
  
• Fast builds.
  
• I don't have defer upgrades selected - for reasons.
  
• Choose how updates are delivered - select PCs on my local network - and select Off.

You will need to check manually for updates, once or twice a day.
Just go into your Settings - Update and Security, to manually check for updates.
This also helps to keep most of your lag issues down in Windows 10, unless a large download just happens to come up on a specific day from Windows Update.


Follow these steps. -
For Windows 10

• Right click on the desktop.
  
• Select Display settings.
  
• Select Advanced Display settings.
  
• Scroll down and click on Display adapter properties. Can't see it? Look behind some windows.
  
• Select the Monitor tab.
  
• Select the Screen refresh rate. - 144 Hertz or Highest.
  
• Select Ok.
  
• 
  
• Go into your games and set the video settings of each game to your best resolution, or the resolution best for your PC at 144 Hertz or Highest, now check out your games frame rate settings, be sure the games are set to the same frame rate as the Hertz in the video options of the game.
  
• Disable v-sync known as vertical sync in the game options.
  
• Select apply and ok, then play the game with smooth frame rates.

Setting your Monitor to the proper Hertz, especially for videos and gaming.
This will look ultra smooth with high frame rates, and it lowers vertical screen tearing.
Hopefully you get a high enough frame rate and you have at least a 144 Hz Monitor.
Be sure your room temp. is no higher than 70 - 75 degrees, and that your monitor doesn't get too warm, especially with higher Hertz.
Though.. once you have seen 144 Hertz with your games frame rates set to 144 fps, you won't want to go back to anything lower than that.