How to enable GFWL overlay on Windows 8 / Windows Server 2012?

I have Batman: Arkham City through Steam on Windows Server 2012, but unfortunately I cannot get the GWFL overlay when playing. That means that although the game works perfectly, it does not save my progress (and unbelievably, it doesn't even notify about this).

From searching online I understand it's a common problem that also applies to Windows 8, for example see:

• http://community.batmanarkhamcity.com/forums/showthread.php/18955-Games-for-Windows-Live-doesn-t-appear-upon-game-launch-and-I-cannot-save-my-progress
• http://community.batmanarkhamcity.com/forums/showthread.php/21141-Games-for-Windows-Live-and-Windows-8-PRO
• http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2318449

How can I solve it?

Solution 1:

I ended up finding a solution here:

http://forums.xbox.com/gfw/technical_support/f/268/p/371300/1948803.aspx

Basically, download a GFWL client, change it in the properties to behave in Windows 7 compatibility mode, and only then install it. I then got the overlay when I launched the game and could log in; it now saves my progress.

Didn't need to turn off PhysX or any other hack mentioned in other places.

Solution 2:

Go to the directory of game, \Batman Arkham City\Binaries\Win32.

Right-click on BATMANAC and go to Properties. Click on the Compatibility tab and check Run this program as an administrator. Then, delete xlive.dll from the folder.

Now, go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games for Windows - LIVE\Client or the appropriate path for your computer, and right click on GFWLIVE. Make sure that program runs as an administrator as well.

Finally, start Batman and press the Home button.