Alex Ruben
How To Resolve Incompatible Software Issues Detected by Vanguard
If you’re dealing with Vanguard throwing up false positives or refusing to launch because it thinks there’s problematic software, you’ve probably already cursed at your screen a bit. That anti-cheat system isn’t playing nice sometimes, especially if you have other apps or drivers that clash with it. The goal here is to clear out anything that might be messing with Vanguard’s detection, so you can load up your game without hassle. These steps cover a few common culprits—whether it’s a service that’s acting wonky or goofy drivers lurking in the background. Expect some driver folder digging, service tweaks, and maybe a few uninstallations. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
How to Fix Vanguard Has Detected Incompatible Software on Your System
In this mess, starting with the Vanguard service is often a good move
This is because sometimes the Vanguard service itself needs a quick restart or a tweak to run smoothly. If it’s not running or stuck, nothing else works right. Restarting the service can clear up some of these hiccups. Also, sometimes a reboot is all it takes — but doing these steps first gives you a better shot at fixing the issue without reboot frenzy.
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Type
services.mscand hit Enter. - In the Services window, scroll down and find VGC. It might be called Vanguard Service or similar.
- Double-click on it, then set the Startup type to Automatic — if it isn’t already.
- Click Start to fire it up. If it’s already running, just restart it by stopping then starting again.
- Click OK, then restart your PC. Trust me, doing the reboot afterward helps ensure everything resets properly.
Why do this? Well, sometimes the service just gets stuck or doesn’t start automatically, throwing a wrench into Vanguard’s detection. This fixes that hiccup, at least temporarily. On some setups, it fails the first time, then works after forcing a reboot. Weird, but hey—worth a shot.
Method 1: Uninstall known problematic software that conflicts with Vanguard
This is the part where you look for apps that are known to cause trouble—especially those from third-party companies like EasyUS or any VPN, hacking tools, or system utilities that hook into drivers. These often get flagged by Vanguard and prevent it from launching or functioning correctly.
- Hit Windows + S and type Add or remove programs. Click that result to open it.
- Scroll through the list — you’re looking for anything like EasyUS, modified system tools, or obscure drivers that might be low-level or driver-related.
- If you find a suspect app, click on the three dots or the app name, then choose Uninstall.
- Follow the prompts for uninstallation. Sometimes, you’ll need to restart afterward to finalize removal.
Why bother? Because certain apps, especially ones that modify or hook into Windows drivers, can look like cheats or cause conflicts with Vanguard. Removing these can clear up false positives and allow Vanguard to do its thing properly.
Method 2: Delete troublesome driver files manually
Sometimes, leftover driver files hang around even after an uninstall, and those can continue causing trouble. It’s a bit of a messy fix, but digging into the drivers folder might be necessary. This is particularly useful if your system has had conflicts with certain antiviruses or tweak tools that install custom drivers.
- Press Windows + R, type
explorer, then press Enter. This opens File Explorer. - Navigate to your Windows system drive—likely This PC > C:\ > Windows > System32 > drivers.
- You might need to show hidden files if they’re not visible. To do that, go to the View tab and check Hidden items.
- Look for suspicious or recently added files with generic names or those associated with problematic apps (like
fe, or anything similar). - Right-click and select Delete. Be careful here—don’t just delete random files expecting magic.
- Once done, restart your computer and see if Vanguard now loads properly. Not sure why it works, but maybe removing these drivers strips the conflict away.
This isn’t foolproof, but in some cases, stubborn driver conflicts are the reason Vanguard freaks out.
Extra tips & common issues to consider
After the main steps, make sure your Windows is fully up-to-date because sometimes game or driver issues are fixed via Windows updates. Also, check your game’s latest patches — developers often push fixes for anti-cheat problems. Another little hack: run Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and close any background apps that could interfere, like overlay tools or third-party security apps.
Summary
- Restart the Vanguard service and reboot if necessary.
- Uninstall any known conflicting software, especially system utilities or hacking tools.
- Manually delete suspicious driver files if ongoing conflicts persist.
- Keep Windows and your game updated, and close unnecessary background processes.
Wrap-up
Clearing out the usual suspects—whether services, incompatible apps, or leftover drivers—can fix a lot of Vanguard detection issues. It’s a bit of patience and trial-and-error, but once that pesky system/conflict is gone, everything runs smoother. Fingers crossed this helps someone save a few hours of frustration. After all, no one wants to sit around troubleshooting for hours on end.