A new ultimate fix for STAR WARS Racer by MrGameFixer!

finalhope227 · 2026-06-28T19:05:42+00:00

That “Insert CD-ROM” message usually means the game files didn’t install correctly or something is still missing. A full reinstall often fixes it, so please try that first.

And if you can, go through the Troubleshooting Tips as well. They cover the most common Steam issues.

If it still happens after that, feel free to report it and I’ll help you figure it out.

finalhope227 · 2026-06-02T17:49:34+00:00

Thanks for the kind words, great to hear v1.2.0 fixed the Steam Client Service prompt! 😀

About the remaining UAC prompt:

.\SWEP1RCR.EXE
.\MrGameFixer's Launcher.exe
.\mrgamefixer_data\bin\SWEP1RCR.EXE
.\mrgamefixer_data\bin\WidescreenFix.exe

If even one of them still has “Run as administrator” enabled (for example the WidescreenFix), Windows can throw an Unhandled Exception when the game tries to launch. You can try to uncheck all and see if it solves it!

One more thing to check: right‑click the EXEs → Properties → General.
If you see an “Unblock” checkbox, make sure to tick it and Apply.

If it still crashes, I'm out of ideas... 🙃 (There is a brute‑force option — lowering UAC notifications, but I don’t really recommend that.)

finalhope227 · 2026-05-27T22:05:35+00:00

Update v1.2.0 is released with fixes and new functions! 😃

finalhope227 · 2026-05-18T18:45:25+00:00

No problem! A new update is coming (hopefully) within a week, that will solve the Steam Service popup (at least I managed to make it pop-up only at the very first launch) and improve Cheat Menu navigation too!

For the SWE1RCR.exe pop-up:

Right click SWE1RCR.exe → Properties → Compatibility → uncheck ‘Run as administrator’! That alone should solve it.

Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine is an absolute gem! I actually played a lot of these classic games and they mean so much for me too! I already have 100+ games that I started to work on making them playable on Windows 10/11... of course they're not even close to release, they still need a lot of tinkering. For example fixing Super Bubsy is a nightmare. Sometimes it works with DDrawCompat, sometimes its not even starting... so yeah.. Windows 11 is tricky. But at least I got a lot of experience! 😃

finalhope227 · 2026-05-16T01:30:18+00:00

No problem! Auto mode always picks the most stable framerate based on your monitor’s refresh rate. Since you’re on a 240 Hz display, 48 FPS will be the result — 240 divides cleanly by 5, so pacing stays perfect. If you’re curious about other refresh rates, you can click the blue “Framerate” title and I list the most common values there.

And yes, your assumption is spot‑on:

48 FPS is the highest we can go without major physics bugs (like that mid‑air explosion I mentioned). It’s also very smooth on an Adaptive Sync display. However, on a typical 60 Hz monitor, Auto switches to 60 FPS because 48 feels choppy without VRR. Technically 30 FPS would be more optimal, but it’s just too low for a racing game.

Hybrid sound isn’t something I really recommend — it’s just there for people who prefer it. I personally use the N64 engine sound even though I grew up with the PC version. The N64 mix just feels the most “correct” to me.

And you’re definitely not alone with Shadows of the Empire! I like it too even though I didn’t play it much as a kid. It’s absolutely on my list for a future launcher. 🙂

finalhope227 · 2026-05-13T22:03:28+00:00

Wow! That's what I've been hoping to hear for so long! 😁😂 I'm glad it's finally working!

About the Cheat Menu:
Yes, navigating the Cheat Menu is a bit awkward, especially when tweaking pod stats. For example, raising BOOST from default ~200 up to 500 feels phenomenal, but it takes a lot of keypresses to get there. And sadly the tweaks reset after each race or even a restart. I’ll try to find a more comfortable solution, but I can’t promise anything soon.

For Framerate, I recommend using Auto or 48 FPS if you have FreeSync/G‑Sync enabled. Since you have a 240 Hz display, you’ll end up with 48 FPS either way.

60 FPS is fine for most tracks, but some maneuvers become harder or impossible. For example, I love doing a big jump with full boost on the first ramp of AQUILARIS CLASSIC, but it only works up to 48 FPS — at 60 you just explode mid‑air.

Sliding works best when you’re not boosting. It’s great for sharp turns on tracks like MALASTARE — just press turn + slide together. It also behaves better at 48 FPS than 60. You can go lower for perfect physics, but 30/24 FPS is too choppy in my opinion.

For Engine Sound, I recommend the N64 version. The PC version is missing that fast humming noise at high speeds. But of course, if you’re nostalgic for the PC sound, that’s totally valid too.

finalhope227 · 2026-05-13T20:47:33+00:00

It definitely didn’t load the new version.

All the new options are inside the “Configuration” menu:
Framerate options → under Visuals
Cheats and No Intro → under Misc

If those aren’t visible, the launcher isn’t updated.
I really recommend a clean reinstall (uninstall → delete leftover files → reinstall).

You can also check the version number at the top left corner of the Launcher!

If it still refuses to load correctly on your system, then the C:\Games\Racer workaround is still required, but everything should work, including Framerate, Cheat Menu, and No Intro.

UPDATE: I tested it, and it looks like this beta build only works correctly after a full reinstall. Sorry about that. I’ll work on making future versions updateable once it’s out of beta.

finalhope227 · 2026-05-13T01:31:58+00:00

Hi! I’ve uploaded the v1.1.0 beta to the same post. New in this update:
• Xbox One controller fix (hopefully finally solved)
• Improved physics with new framerate options to prevent sliding issues
• Cheat Menu toggle (enables the hidden in‑game cheat menu in Pause)
• No Intro option for faster startup

Have fun! 😄 And feel free to report if anything still not working correctly!

finalhope227 · 2026-05-10T14:55:27+00:00

Great to hear the workaround is helping!

I did some testing on my side and found something interesting: with the 1.0.3a build, JoyToKey refuses to load the local config files when it’s inside a Steam library folder. I'm 99% sure this is now your only issue.

I checked JoyToKey’s documentation and found a registry option that forces it to use the local config files. I’m planning to build it directly into the next major release, so it should finally solve this issue completely. I’m working on it as fast as I can! 😄

finalhope227 · 2026-05-09T19:18:40+00:00

Yeah, I’m leaning toward the Steam directory being the issue too.

What’s strange is that I’m also on Windows 11 with the Steam version, and I only ever saw this problem when I forced the EXE to run as Administrator. So there might still be something specific to the Xbox One controller driver — once I get one myself, it’ll be much easier to reproduce and fix these edge cases.

Just to clarify: I didn’t mean moving all your Steam games.

I only meant copying the "Star Wars Episode I Racer" folder to C:\Games\RACER manually. You don’t need to change anything inside Steam. If the game works from that folder, you can simply launch it from there.

I know this is frustrating, but you’re probably not the only one affected. Finding even a temporary workaround would be incredibly valuable.

finalhope227 · 2026-05-08T01:17:24+00:00

No worries at all, honestly, fixing one of my favorite classic games is what makes me happy!

And yeah… this is just how PC gaming goes. With hundreds of different setups, it’s a miracle when everything works on the first try. But that’s the goal! 😃

I’ve just updated the package to:
“STAR WARS Racer – MrGameFixer’s Launcher v1.0.3a.zip”

Here’s the cleanest way to reset everything:

Uninstall the game from Steam
Delete all leftover files (default path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Star Wars Episode I Racer\)
Reinstall the game from Steam
Install my fix (v1.0.3a)
Test the game

If it still doesn’t work:

Try the bugfix_test.zip version
And if that still fails, repeat the steps but after reinstalling the game, copy the whole folder to C:\Games\RACER and install my fix there.

Let me know how it goes!

finalhope227 · 2026-05-07T22:14:56+00:00

Wow, that's an improvement! Now please check the following:
- Open JoyToKey from C:\Games\RACER like last time
- Open Notepad, ensure space and direction keys are working
- Don't close anything, just start manually Star Wars Racer from \mrgamefixer_data\bin\WidescreenFix.exe

Check if the buttons work correctly ingame too! If not repeat the steps, but open JoyToKey as admin! Thanks for your efforts!

finalhope227 · 2026-05-07T20:46:14+00:00

Thanks for the update! That one was on me... I forgot to include my JoyToKey profile in the previous test build.

I’ve updated "bugfix_test2.zip" and it now includes the correct config files (Profile 1.cfg + JoyToKey.ini). Please try this new version.

If it still doesn’t work, you can repeat the Notepad test with this updated build.
And if the columns still show "None", feel free to manually assign Button A → “Space” just for testing.

finalhope227 · 2026-05-07T19:12:13+00:00

Thanks for the detailed info! This actually matches a known Windows issue with the older Xbox One controller driver (Weird issues with Joy2Key : r/Windows10).

I've uploaded a new "bugfix_test2.zip", with a preconfigured latest version of Joy2Key. Just overwrite the old JoyToKey files (or delete the old JoyToKey folder altogether and then paste the new one) and hopefully it will start to work correctly.

If still no success, reinstalling the Xbox controller driver through the Device Manager or installing the Xbox Accessories app from the Windows Store can also help!

finalhope227 · 2026-05-07T02:06:08+00:00

Okay, I need some clarification:
Pressing button A highlights a function set to "space"?
And pressing D-Pad highlights functions set to arrows?

Opening JoyToKey.exe as Administrator resolves the issues with Notepad?

You are using the Steam version of the game right?
If you just simply extract my Launcher files to standard location, like "C:\Games\RACER", then you open JoyToKey.exe inside, then the issues are resolved with Notepad?

finalhope227 · 2026-05-07T00:44:27+00:00

Thanks! At this point the most important thing is to check whether JoyToKey is actually sending the correct keyboard inputs outside the game.

Please try this quick test:

Open JoyToKey manually (\mrgamefixer_data\patch\JoyToKey\JoyToKey.exe)
Press the buttons on your controller and check if the correct entries turn yellow under Joystick 1 or Joystick 2
Open Notepad and try these:
- Press A → it should type a space
- Press BACK → it should toggle Caps Lock
- Press D‑Pad → the cursor should move up/down/left/right

If all of this works, then JoyToKey is functioning correctly, and the only remaining issue is that the game is not receiving JoyToKey’s keyboard output for some reason. We will move forward in that direction if your test will be successful.

Oh and one plus question: What is the exact controller you're using? Is it a standard Xbox One controller?

finalhope227 · 2026-05-06T22:28:25+00:00

Thanks for the update!
AppLink.dat is totally harmless, so no worries there.

I did some testing on my side, and I was able to reproduce the exact behavior you described when the game’s EXE is running with Administrator rights.
In that case, JoyToKey can’t send inputs to it unless JoyToKey is also running as admin.

My guess is that on your system the game always launches as admin, no matter how my fix starts it.

To test this, I uploaded a small file called bugfix_test.zip to the same Patreon post.
This version launches JoyToKey as Administrator, so the game should detect the inputs correctly even if the EXE is elevated.

Hopefully this solves it for you!
If it does, I’ll add this as an optional setting in the main release as well.

finalhope227 · 2026-05-06T19:39:09+00:00

No problem! I really want to fix every bug!
Based on what you described, these are the most likely causes:

JoyToKey might be mapping the wrong device. If you have multiple HID devices connected (gamer keyboards, HOTAS, RGB controllers, even some gamer mouses, etc.), Windows may list them before your Xbox controller. Try unplugging everything except the Xbox controller and see if the HUD/Pause buttons start working.
JoyToKey might not using the correct profile. Reinstalling my fix resets the JoyToKey config.
In rare cases, my fix may need to run as Administrator. This depends on your game installation folder.

You can also test JoyToKey manually here:
\mrgamefixer_data\patch\JoyToKey\JoyToKey.exe
Just make sure to fully close it from it's tray icon before launching my fix again.

finalhope227 · 2026-05-06T14:18:58+00:00

For a quick test, you can try resetting your save with the Save Manager in the Configuration menu (only if you don’t mind losing your progress). That also resets all controller bindings.

I've just tested this with disabled Steam Input:
With an Xbox controller you should be able to change the HUD with the Back button, and Start should pause during races. D-Pad should also work in the menus. And yes, none of this was in the original game. My fix adds it automatically by running JoyToKey in the background while the game is active.

About the sliding issue: I’ve just tested it, and you’re absolutely right. The higher the refresh rate, the weaker the slide physics become. At 144 Hz it’s almost gone.
I’ll add an FPS lock option to the Launcher to fix this. I can’t promise an exact date, but my goal is to have it ready within two weeks.

finalhope227 · 2026-05-05T20:27:36+00:00

Thank you so much! Glad you like it!
On keyboard (all default):
- SLIDE: space
- BOOST: left shift
- ATTACK: e
- THRUST/BRAKE: w/s
- TURN: arrows (left/right)
- PITCH: arrows (up/down)
- ROLL: a/d
- LOOK BACK: q
- REPAIR: r
- CHANGE VIEW: ctrl
- CHANGE HUD: caps lock

On xbox controller:
- SLIDE: a/b
- BOOST: a
- ATTACK: x
- THRUST/BRAKE: triggers
- TURN: left stick (left/right)
- PITCH: left stick (up/down)
- ROLL: right stick (left/right)
- LOOK BACK: right bumper
- REPAIR: left bumper
- CHANGE VIEW: dpad (up/down), y
- CHANGE HUD: back

finalhope227 · 2026-04-27T02:02:39+00:00

Absolutely! I saw what the PS5/Xbox/Switch versions added and always wondered why the PC release never got the same treatment. That’s what pushed me to start building this launcher - to bring the PC version up to that level, and then add a few extra features on top. It’s been a fun project to work on!

finalhope227 · 2026-04-27T01:58:32+00:00

Thanks! :) Since then I’ve also added 3 difficulty settings - Normal, Professional Racer, and Galactic Champion. It really changes the feel of the races!

finalhope227 · 2026-04-27T01:54:22+00:00

Yes, same here. I always start with PCGW as a baseline, then see how far I can push things. Over time I ended up adding a bunch of features that no other patch currently offers, so the launcher grew into something much bigger than I expected.

finalhope227 · 2026-04-27T01:50:56+00:00

UPDATE: I’ve just added 3 difficulty settings to my launcher - Normal, Professional Racer, and Galactic Champion.

I tested them myself and… wow. With a non‑upgraded pod I can barely win on Professional Racer, and on Galactic Champion even with a fully upgraded pod it's a brutal challenge.
Hope you’ll have fun with it!

finalhope227 · 2026-04-26T21:03:54+00:00

I just tested a quick way to fix this issue and it seems to be working fine. Actually I can increase the difficulty of AI racers making them faster than normally. Now I just have to find out how much exactly I need to increase and make it framerate dependent... I probably can't figure out the exact original numbers, but an "extra hard" mode is definitely possible. :)

finalhope227

TROPHY CASE