Mass Effect 1 won't launch on Windows 8 Pro 64 bit

Since I am currently playing Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age: Origins, and Dragon Age 2

on my Win 8.1 Pro/64-bit rig using EA/Origin download installs exclusively, it is patently false that the games "aren't compatible".

(I also have the retail disc installs on my Win7 machine, but not everybody has a multi-boot, mutli-HDD environment.)

So we need more information about your install mechanism (retail disc, Stream, EA/Origin, Trilogy, other?)

The basics troubleshooting steps are:

0.  Disable "Sync with cloud" (at least until everything else is working.)

1.  Apply the 1.02 patch (absolutely required to run ME1 under Win7 or Win8.)

2.  Set EA/Origin to "Run as Administrator".

3.  Set the game executable to run in "WinXP (SP3) Compatibility Mode".

4.  Complete un-/re-install.

Since you appear to have already executed 0-3, that leaves Step 4.

[EDIT:]  I almost forgot to ask;  you're not running on some weird hybrid SSD rig, are you?  Non-standard install locations take very special handling.

I would only add, when you ran the 1.02 patch, did it actually work, or did you receive an error message?

(Where does OP mention 8.1?)

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@maxexter wrote:

<snip>

 (Where does OP mention 8.1?)

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OP doesn't mention Win8.1, but  does say "Win 8 Pro 64-bit" in the topic title and body of the post.  

I said my rig is Win8.1 Pro/64-bit".  😕mileytongue:

I have uninstalled the game that I downloaded via gamersgate and am reinstalling it through Origin through a code I got from EA. I'll let you know how that turns out.

I currently have Windows 8, but would you recommend trying 8.1 instead?

Update, I did a total reinstall using Origin, then installed patch 1.02. The patch installed properly, and then I ran Origin as an administrator, and the launcher and exe as administrator/Windows XP compatability mode. The game still won't load...

What happens when you attempt to run it now?  Have you rebooted since doing the above?  

I do not recommend Windows 8.1.  But I'm biased in against companies using their OS dominance to force their cloud services down my throat.  But more importantly, the further you get from XP (The OS that ME was written for) the less likely it is to work.  Not that you're having a lot of luck at the moment, but each successive OS version will likely make it harder, or even impossible at some future point.  

I have attempted it since doing the above, and still have the same problem. I have reinstalled the game using a new install code from Origin, and still no change. I also have disabled "sync with cloud" in Origin. Still no change. 

Well, this is certainly getting harder.  

What antivirus do you use?  Have you tried disabling UAC?  (I don't generally encourage that, but it would be good to see if it made a difference)

I use Bit Defender antivirus, and I have tried disabling it while installing and playing, and that doesn't change anything. I have UAC disabled, and have reinstalled with that off, adn still no change.