Installation Guide
Prerequisites
Before installing IW4x, you need:
- A legitimate copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) from Steam
- At least 16GB of free disk space
Launcher installation
Recommended automatic installation
1. Download Modern Warfare 2 from Steam
2. Locate your game folder
Open Steam, right-click Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) in your games library and select Properties
On the left side select “Installed Files” and click “Browse” in the top right, your game folder should now open
3. Install the AlterWare Launcher
-
Download the AlterWare Launcher
Windows 10/11 64-bit
Windows 10/11 32-bit
Windows 7/8 64-bit*
Windows 7/8 32-bit*
Linux
- Move the Launcher file to the game directory you located in step 2
- Run the launcher and follow the instructions in the console window
- In the future use the IW4x desktop shortcut, launch-iw4x or alterware-launcher located in the game folder to open IW4x
Windows 7 and 8 support is provided through an older launcher version, you have to additionally download the following config file and place it in the game directory next to the alterware-launcher.exe.
Why?
This config file has the skip_self_update key set to true so the launcher will stay on the older version that still runs on Windows 7/8.
We generally recommend against running an operating system this old that isn't receiving security updates anymore, thus there are no efforts being made to keep current launcher versions compatible.
But rest assured that IW4x is still safe to play this way, only the software that installs and updates IW4x will stay behind, your IW4x install will still receive all updates.
1. Download Modern Warfare 2 from Steam
2. Locate your game folder
Open Steam, right-click Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) in your games library and select Properties
On the left side select “Installed Files” and click “Browse” in the top right, your game folder should now open
3. Install the AlterWare Launcher
-
Download the AlterWare Launcher
Windows 10/11 64-bit Windows 10/11 32-bit Windows 7/8 64-bit* Windows 7/8 32-bit* Linux - Move the Launcher file to the game directory you located in step 2
- Run the launcher and follow the instructions in the console window
- In the future use the IW4x desktop shortcut, launch-iw4x or alterware-launcher located in the game folder to open IW4x
Windows 7 and 8 support is provided through an older launcher version, you have to additionally download the following config file and place it in the game directory next to the alterware-launcher.exe.
Why?
This config file has the skip_self_update key set to true so the launcher will stay on the older version that still runs on Windows 7/8.
We generally recommend against running an operating system this old that isn't receiving security updates anymore, thus there are no efforts being made to keep current launcher versions compatible.
But rest assured that IW4x is still safe to play this way, only the software that installs and updates IW4x will stay behind, your IW4x install will still receive all updates.
Need Help?
If you're having trouble with the installation, you can:
Manual installation
Only follow this if you run into issues with the above steps
You will not receive updates when installing IW4x manually. Please ask for help if you run into issues with the launcher installation and only manually install IW4x if you know what you are doing.
1. Follows steps 1 & 2 of the Launcher install guide
2. Download the IW4x client and rawfiles
3. Install IW4x
- Move the iw4x.dll to your game folder
- Extract the content of release.zip to your game folder
- Run iw4x.exe
You will not receive updates when installing IW4x manually. Please ask for help if you run into issues with the launcher installation and only manually install IW4x if you know what you are doing.
1. Follows steps 1 & 2 of the Launcher install guide
2. Download the IW4x client and rawfiles
3. Install IW4x
- Move the iw4x.dll to your game folder
- Extract the content of release.zip to your game folder
- Run iw4x.exe
Need Help?
If you're having trouble with the installation, you can: