Of course! Here is a lengthy and detailed guide on how to check and troubleshoot Riot Vanguard, the anti-cheat system for Riot Games' titles like VALORANT and League of Legends.
How to Check and Troubleshoot Riot Vanguard: A Comprehensive Guide
Have you ever tried to jump into a game of VALORANT or League of Legends, only to be met with a pesky error message about Riot Vanguard not running? It can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you're all set for a competitive match. Don't worry, you're not alone! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about checking if Riot Vanguard is running correctly and what to do if it's not. Let's get your game back on track!
Step 1: Engage with Your PC's System Tray
Let's start with the most basic and important check. Look at the bottom-right corner of your screen, near the clock. You should see a small set of icons, and if you click the upward arrow to "Show hidden icons," you'll reveal even more. This area is called the System Tray.
Do you see a small, red or gray shield-like icon with a 'V' on it? That's the Riot Vanguard icon!
If you see it, congratulations, Vanguard is running. You can right-click it to see a few options, including "Exit Vanguard."
If you don't see the icon, don't panic! It's not running, and that's exactly what we're here to fix.
This little icon is your first line of defense and the easiest way to know the status of the anti-cheat system. It's the visual confirmation you need before diving into more complex steps.
Step 2: Checking the VGC Service
Riot Vanguard consists of two main parts: a client that runs in your system tray and a kernel-mode driver, which is a low-level program that runs in the core of your operating system. For Vanguard to work, a service called 'vgc' must be running. Let's check its status.
Sub-heading: Checking the Service Status
Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the 'Run' dialog box.
In the box, type services.msc and press Enter. This will open the Services window.
In the Services window, look for a service named "vgc". The list is alphabetical, so it should be easy to find.
Once you find "vgc," look at the "Status" column. It should say "Running."
Now, look at the "Startup Type" column. It should be set to "Automatic."
Sub-heading: Troubleshooting the VGC Service
If the status is not "Running": Right-click on "vgc" and select "Start." This will manually start the service.
If the startup type is not "Automatic": Right-click on "vgc," select "Properties," and from the "Startup type" dropdown menu, choose "Automatic." Click "Apply" and then "OK." You may need to restart your computer for the change to take full effect.
Pro-tip: Sometimes, simply starting the service manually is enough to fix the issue.
Step 3: A Deeper Dive - Reinstallation and Repair
If checking the VGC service didn't work, it's time to consider a fresh start. This step involves completely uninstalling and then reinstalling Riot Vanguard. This is a highly effective method to resolve corrupted files or configuration issues.
Sub-heading: Uninstalling Riot Vanguard
Open the Windows Start Menu and type "Add or remove programs" and press Enter.
In the list of installed apps, find "Riot Vanguard." You can use the search bar to find it quickly.
Click on the three dots next to it and select "Uninstall."
Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm the uninstallation. You will be asked to grant permission for the app to make changes to your device.
Important: Restart your computer. This step is absolutely crucial to ensure all components of Vanguard are completely removed.
Sub-heading: Reinstalling Riot Vanguard
Reinstallation is easy! Once your computer has rebooted, simply open the Riot Games client (e.g., VALORANT or League of Legends).
The client will detect that Riot Vanguard is missing and automatically begin the installation process.
Follow any on-screen prompts. Once the installation is complete, you will be prompted to restart your computer again.
After the second restart, check your System Tray. The Riot Vanguard icon should now be there, indicating that it's running correctly.
Remember: Uninstalling a Riot Game will not automatically uninstall Riot Vanguard if you have other Riot titles installed. Vanguard is a shared anti-cheat system.
Step 4: Checking System and Security Settings
In some cases, Vanguard might be blocked by your computer's security settings. This is especially true for newer systems that require certain security features like TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Riot Vanguard will restrict access to games if your PC is deemed "too cheat-capable."
Sub-heading: Key Security Settings to Check
TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module): This is a security technology that provides hardware-based security functions. To check if it's enabled, press Windows Key + R, type tpm.msc, and press Enter. A window will appear showing the status. If it's disabled, you will need to enable it in your computer's BIOS/UEFI settings.
Secure Boot: This is another security feature that ensures your computer only boots up with software trusted by the PC manufacturer. To check its status, press Windows Key + R, type msinfo32, and press Enter to open System Information. Look for "BIOS Mode" (should be UEFI) and "Secure Boot State" (should be On). If it's not, you'll need to enable it in your BIOS/UEFI.
Core Isolation / Memory Integrity: In Windows Security, this feature helps protect against malware. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Device Security > Core isolation and ensure Memory Integrity is toggled On.
Enabling these settings usually requires entering your computer's BIOS/UEFI and can be a bit technical. If you're unsure, it's best to look up a guide for your specific motherboard or laptop model on how to enable TPM and Secure Boot.
Step 5: When All Else Fails - Contact Riot Support
If you've followed all the steps above and are still facing issues, it's time to reach out to the experts. Riot Games has a dedicated support team to help with technical issues like this.
Gather Information: Note down the exact error message you are receiving, any troubleshooting steps you've already taken, and your system specifications (Windows version, CPU, GPU, RAM). This will help them diagnose the issue faster.
Submit a Ticket: Visit the official Riot Games Support website and submit a ticket. Be as detailed as possible in your description of the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are 10 common questions related to Riot Vanguard, starting with 'How to':
1. How to know if Riot Vanguard is active on my PC? You can check for the small, shield-like 'V' icon in your System Tray, which is located in the bottom-right corner of your screen, next to the clock.
2. How to uninstall Riot Vanguard? Go to 'Add or remove programs' in Windows Settings, find 'Riot Vanguard,' and click uninstall. After the uninstallation is complete, you must restart your computer to finish the process.
3. How to fix a "Vanguard Not Initialized" error? First, check if the 'vgc' service is running in the Windows Services manager. If not, set its startup type to 'Automatic' and start it. If that doesn't work, a full reinstallation of Riot Vanguard is the next best step.
4. How to re-enable Riot Vanguard after disabling it? If you exited Vanguard from the System Tray, you simply need to restart your computer. Vanguard is an on-boot application and will automatically start with Windows.
5. How to check if my PC meets the requirements for Riot Vanguard? Riot Vanguard's requirements are tied to the games it supports. For games like VALORANT and League of Legends, ensure your system meets their minimum requirements, especially having a 64-bit version of Windows 10/11 and the necessary security settings enabled (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot).
6. How to check my Secure Boot and TPM status? You can check your Secure Boot status in the System Information window by typing 'msinfo32' in the 'Run' dialog box. For TPM, use 'tpm.msc' in the 'Run' dialog box.
7. How to manually start the 'vgc' service? Open the Services window by typing 'services.msc' in the 'Run' dialog box, find 'vgc', right-click it, and select 'Start'.
8. How to fix error codes related to Riot Vanguard? Many Vanguard error codes have specific solutions. The most common fix is to restart your PC and the Riot Client. If the issue persists, a clean reinstallation is often recommended. For specific codes, check the official Riot Games Support website.
9. How to prevent Riot Vanguard from interfering with other programs? Riot Games has updated Vanguard to be less intrusive. You can temporarily exit Vanguard from the System Tray if it's interfering with another program, but you will need to restart your PC to play any Riot title.
10. How to report a problem with Riot Vanguard? If you encounter a persistent issue, you should gather details about the error and your system and then submit a support ticket on the official Riot Games Support website.