[FIX] Dark Souls Update Error 0x80072751

The 0x80072751 error appears when some PC users attempt to play Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition on PC. In every case, the error message appears when the Game for Windows Live component attempts to update the game to the latest version.

As it turns out, this issue is only occurring with the legacy version of the game – The Remastered Edition doesn’t have the same problem since it no longer relies on the deprecated Games for Windows architecture.

Here are a few potential culprits that might end up causing the 0x80072751 error on a Windows computer:

Method 1: Force starting the Windows Time service

As it turns out, one of the most common causes that might end up causing the 0x80072751 error when the Games for Windows utility attempts to update Dark Souls is a disabled Windows Time service.

But keep in mind that in some cases, this problem will occur even though the service is opened/It’s possible that it’s stuck in a limbo state (it’s neither opened nor closed) – In this case, you should be able to fix the issue by restarting this service before attempting to launch the game again.

Here’s a quick guide on force starting/restarting the Windows Time service in order to fix the Dark Souls 0x80072751 error on a Windows PC:

1. Close Dark Souls completely along with the Game for Windows utility.
2. Open up a Run dialog box by pressing Windows key + R. Next, type ‘services.msc’ inside the text box, then press Enter to open up the Services screen. When you are prompted by the UAC (User Account Control), click Yes to grant administrative privileges.

   

3. Once you’re inside the Services screen, move down to the right section of the screen and scroll down through the list of services until you locate the Windows Time service. When you manage to locate this service, right-click on it and choose Properties from the newly appeared context menu.

   

4. After you’re inside the Properties menu of Windows time, go ahead and select the General tab using the menu at the top of the screen, then change the Startup type to Automatic.

   

5. Once the startup type is modified, click on the Stop button, wait for a couple of settings then click on Start to restart the Windows Time service.
6. After you do this modification, click on Apply to save the changes, then open Dark Souls again and allow it to update normally to see if the problem is still occurring.

If you still end up seeing the 0x80072751 error, move down to the next potential fix below.

Method 2: Rebooting / Resetting your router

If you previously ensured that the Time service is running, your next step should be to make sure that you’re not actually dealing with a router inconsistency (TCP / IP issue). If you’re using a router with limited bandwidth and you have several different devices, it’s possible that you’re facing the 0x80072751 error while updating due to the fact that your network device is being flooded with data.

In this case, you should restart or reset your router and see if this will end up fixing the issue. We recommend that you start with a simple router reset (sub guide A) since it’s a less intrusive procedure that will not clear any custom credentials and settings.

If this doesn’t work, you should go for a router reset (sub guide B) to perform a complete router reset.

A. Performing a Router Reboot

1. Look on the back of your router and press the On/Off button once to turn it the networking device off and wait for a full minute.

   

2. While you wait, you should also unplug the power cable from your power outlet in order to ensure that the power capacitors are completely drained.
3. Press the On/Off button once again to start your router once again and wait for the Internet access to be re-established.
4. Open the GFW utility and attempt to update Dark Souls once again to see if the problem has been fixed.

In case the same problem is still occurring, move down to sub-guide B.

B. Performing a Router Reset

Warning: Depending on your router model, this operation might end up clearing any personalized settings that you previously established including ISP credentials, forwarded ports, whitelisted and blocked IPs, and addresses. Before starting this procedure, ensure that you have the ISP login credentials on hand.

1. Take a look at the rear of your router to find the reset button. With most models, you will not be able to access it unless you use a screwdriver or toothpick. This is standard practice to ensure that there aren’t any accidental presses.
2. Use a screwdriver or a toothpick to press and hold the Reset button for 10 seconds or until you see all the front LEDs flashing all at once.

   

3. After the reset is successfully performed, re-establish the Internet connection by inserting the ISP credentials (if necessary), then see if the problem is now fixed.

In case the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.

Method 3: Enabling UPnP

If you previously made sure that the Windows Time service is running and you’re not dealing with a router inconsistency, the next potential culprit that you should troubleshoot for is a port issue. Keep in mind Games for Windows needs your NAT (Network Address Translation) to be open in order to establish a connection with an external server in order to install the update for Dark Souls.

In case your NAT is closed, the exchange of data between peers using certain ports might contribute to the apparition 0x80072751 error.

If your router is fairly new, chances are it’s capable of taking care of this issue automatically – All you need to do is enable Universal Plug and Play. This feature will ensure that any required port is opened automatically by your router.

After you enable UPnP, restart both your PC and your router and launch the game again to see if the problem is now fixed.

In case you enabled UPnP and the issue is still persisting, you might also want to check the Services window to see if the Universal Plug and Play Device Host service is enabled:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Next, type ‘services.msc’ inside the text box and press Enter to open up the Services screen.

   

2. Once you’re inside the Services screen, scroll down through the list of active services and locate the UPnP Device Host entry. When you see it, right-click on it and choose Properties from the newly appeared context menu.

   

3. Inside the UPnP Device Host Properties screen, select the General tab, change the Startup Type to Automatic, then click on the Start button to force start the service.

   

4. Click Apply to start the service, then open GFW and force the Dark Souls to update itself and see if the problem is now resolved.

In case you haven’t found a way to enable UPnP on your router model or it doesn’t support UPnP, move down to the next potential fix below.

Method 4: Forward the Required Ports Manually

In case your router doesn’t support UPnP, there is also the manual approach. As some affected users have reported, you might also be able to fix the 0x80072751 error by forwarding the ports used by Dark Souls and the GFW utility manually in order to ensure that the Internet connection can be established.

Keep in mind that the exact procedure that will allow you to forward the ports required by Dark souls will be different depending on your router model, but the ports that need to be forwarded will remain the same.

Follow the instructions below to access your router settings and forward the ports required by Dark Souls in order to fix the 0x80072751 error:

1. Ensure that your PC is connected to your router, then open your default browser and type one of the following addresses inside the navigation bar and press Enter:

   192.168.0.1
   192.168.1.1

   Note: One of these generic addresses should take you to your router settings menu. In case none of these work, search online for specific steps on access to your Router settings menu.

2. At the login screen of your router settings, type your custom login credentials if you changed them before. If you didn’t, try the generic credentials (admin for user and 1234 for password)

   

   Note: The Default credentials will differ from manufacturer to manufacturers. If these default credentials don’t work and you haven’t previously set custom equivalents, search online for the default credentials according to your router model.

3. Once you’re inside your router settings, look for the Advanced Menu / NAT Forwarding (depending on your router model) and for the Port Forwarding menu. The exact name of this option might be a little different depending on your router model.
4. Inside the Port Forwarding menu, manually forward the following ports in order to ensure that the required ports are opened for your PC and the game is allowed to communicate with the game’s server:

   TCP + UDP 53
   UDP 88
   TCP 80
   TCP 443
   TCP + UDP 3074
   TCP 5223
   UDP 3478
   UDP 3479
   UDP 3658

5. After you manage to manually forward each of these ports, save the changes and restart both your router and your PC and see if the problem is now fixed.

In case the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.

Method 5: Disabling Network Sharing

If none of the potential fixes have worked for you and you hare sharing your Internet connection via a wireless card and then bridging a device through your LAN port, keep in mind that the old Games for Windows infrastructure is notoriously unreliable when working with network sharing.

In case this scenario is applicable, you should be able to fix the problem by disabling the network sharing your Network Connections menu. Several affected users have confirmed that after they did this, they were finally able to update their current version of Dark Souls via GFW.

Here’s a quick guide that will show you how to disable Network Sharing from the Network and Sharing Center:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Next, type ‘control.exe /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter‘ inside the text box and press Enter to open up the Network and Sharing Center of the classic Control Panel interface.
2. Once you’re inside the Network and Sharing Center, click on Change adapter settings from the vertical menu on the left.
3. Inside the Network connection menu, right-click on the network adapter that you’re actively using and click on Properties from the newly appeared context menu.
4. From the Properties menu of your network adapter, select the Sharing tab, then uncheck the box associated with Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection and click Ok to save the changes.