A 20-year-old bug in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, related to how the game handles specific low-level keyboard input, resurfaced in Windows 11 24H2. This bug, originally present in the 2005 release, causes the game to minimize when certain key combinations are pressed, particularly involving the right Windows key. The issue stemmed from DirectInput, a now-deprecated API used for game controllers, and wasn't previously problematic because older versions of Windows handled the spurious messages differently. Windows 11's updated input stack now surfaces these messages to the game, triggering the minimize behavior. A workaround exists by using a third-party DirectInput wrapper or running the game in compatibility mode for Windows 7.
A curious and rather amusing bug recently emerged, affecting users of Windows 11 24H2 who also happen to be fans of the classic video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This bug, dormant for two decades, resurfaced due to a specific interaction between the game and the operating system's new memory manager. The issue manifested as distorted visuals within the game, specifically corrupt textures and graphical artifacts, rendering San Andreas virtually unplayable.
The root cause can be traced back to a memory allocation technique used by the game dating back to its original 2004 release. San Andreas, optimized for older hardware and operating systems, employed a method of directly writing to specific memory addresses within the game's address space. This practice, while functional in the past, clashes with the modern memory management strategies implemented in Windows 11 24H2. The new memory manager, designed for enhanced security and efficiency, employs stricter controls over how applications access and modify memory. This stricter control inadvertently interferes with San Andreas's legacy memory access patterns.
More specifically, Windows 11 24H2's memory manager seems to misinterpret San Andreas's direct memory writes. Instead of allowing the game to modify the intended texture data, the operating system prevents or redirects these writes, leading to the corrupted visuals observed by players. The author highlights that this issue is not unique to San Andreas; other older games employing similar memory manipulation techniques could potentially exhibit similar compatibility problems on Windows 11 24H2. This underscores the challenges faced when maintaining backward compatibility with legacy software on constantly evolving operating systems.
Interestingly, the bug's manifestation isn't consistent across all hardware configurations. Some users reported no issues, while others experienced severe graphical glitches. This variability suggests that factors like specific graphics drivers or system configurations might play a role in whether the bug is triggered. The blog post meticulously details the author's investigation process, showcasing their use of debugging tools and memory analysis to pinpoint the problem's origin. Through careful observation and experimentation, they demonstrated how specific memory addresses accessed by San Andreas were being handled differently by the updated memory manager. The author concluded by suggesting potential workarounds, including running the game in compatibility mode for older Windows versions, although the effectiveness of these workarounds seemed to vary. The post serves as a fascinating example of how legacy software can unexpectedly interact with modern operating systems, highlighting the complexities of maintaining backward compatibility in the ever-evolving landscape of computer technology.
Summary of Comments ( 48 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43772311
Commenters on Hacker News discuss the GTA San Andreas bug triggered by Windows 11 24H2, mostly focusing on the technical aspects. Several highlight the likely culprit: a change in how Windows handles thread local storage (TLS) callbacks, specifically the order of execution. One compelling comment notes the difficulty in debugging such issues, as the problem might not lie within the game's code itself, but rather in the interaction with the OS, making it hard to pinpoint and fix. Others mention the impressive longevity of the game and express surprise that such a bug could remain hidden for so long, while some jokingly lament the "progress" of Windows updates. A few commenters share their own experiences with similar obscure bugs and the challenges they posed.
The Hacker News post discussing a 20-year-old bug in GTA San Andreas surfacing in Windows 11 24H2 has several comments exploring the technical aspects and implications of the issue.
One commenter highlights the complexity of software interactions, pointing out how a seemingly unrelated change in the operating system can unexpectedly trigger dormant bugs in older applications. They emphasize the difficulty in predicting such issues, especially in large and intricate systems like Windows and a game as complex as GTA San Andreas.
Another comment delves into the specifics of the bug, explaining how the change in Windows 11's handling of specific instructions, particularly related to floating-point operations and denormalized numbers, led to the game's malfunction. This explanation provides a technical understanding of why the bug only surfaced after the Windows update.
Several commenters discuss the challenges faced by developers in maintaining backward compatibility, especially over such long periods. They note that anticipating all possible interactions between a game and future operating system updates is practically impossible. The idea of "bit rot," where software gradually degrades over time due to changes in the surrounding technological environment, is also mentioned.
One commenter mentions a similar experience with another older game, illustrating that this kind of issue isn't unique to GTA San Andreas and highlighting the broader challenge of preserving software functionality across evolving platforms.
There's a discussion about the nature of denormalized numbers and their impact on performance. One commenter questions the practical necessity of handling denormalized numbers in modern hardware and software, suggesting that their support might be more trouble than it's worth in some contexts.
Finally, a few commenters offer potential workarounds for the issue, such as disabling hardware acceleration or using compatibility modes in Windows 11. These suggestions provide practical solutions for users affected by the bug while waiting for a permanent fix.