Old Games (DX9, DX8) do not run when offline

Hello. I got my Windows 7 Pro x64 from MSDN AA and I'm very happy with it. But last month or two I cannot run older games which run on DirectX 9 or 8 when not connected to the internet. I'm using Win 7 Pro 64-bit with all the updates from Windows Update. When my laptop is connected to the internet I have no problems with any game, but when the laptop is without internet connection for like 4 or 5 days, the DX9 and DX8 games don't start and I see in task manager that Rundll32.exe from windows/syswow64 folder is using up to 50% of the CPU. My friend who's got Windows 7 Pro 32-bit from MSDN AA has the same problem. After connecting to internet and running a DX9 or 8 game, all the games run fine without the need for internet connection for maybe 3 days. When I run the game's executable twice in a short time (when not connected to the internet), the game starts, but rundll32.exe is taking half of the cpu (unless I end the process), so some games stutter. One last thing: DX 10 games (like Crysis) run without problems always.

Is this common problem? Is there any fix? Because I like to take the laptop to places without internet connection and then I can't play most of my games.

Thanx for your help.

Sorry I didn't notice the "Gaming" section, so maybe this belngs there...

I have installed the latest DirectX, drivers, updates and patches. The games that don't run are: Source engine games (Orange box, CounterStrike Source), Doom 3, FarCry, StarTrek Armada 2, Oblivion, Heroes of Might and Magic IV, ... Games that do run always are Crysis (and Warhead), Metro 2033. Maybe it has something to do with some updates for Windows? Because it is happening only last month or two, before that, everything was OK. I install updates from Windows update regularly (have set them to the recommended option - auto). To be more specific, this is the behaviour of the games: I run the game, nothing happens, rundll32.exe is eating 40-50% CPU. Then I run the game again and it starts, but the rundll32 is still eating the CPU. When I end the rundll32 in task manager and run the game again, it does not run and the rundll32 is back, eating CPU. Look, I'm a computer enthusiast and I study IT on a university. I'm not stupid, I have tried everything (installing all sorts of DX runtimes from microsoft.com, running the games in compatibility modes, disabling / enabling antivirus, Windows Defender and Windows firewall). All except re-installing windows. I'm just curious if anybody else ever had this problem, otherwise I will reinstall the Windows on my laptop and see what that does...
Thanx in advance for your help :)

I'm getting annoyed by this, I will have to get a mobile internet to my laptop so I can play when not home.
I would like to aks anyone here on this forum, if he please could try this on his (her) laptop or computer. If anyone who has Windows 7 RTM on his (her) laptop or computer could install all the updates from Windows update, then leave the comp or laptop without internet connection for 5 days and then (when still offline) try to run something like Doom 3, Half Life 2 (or any episode), Counter-Strike Source, Team Fortress 2, Portal, anything that runs on Unreal engine 3 or any of the games I listed above as problematic (anything that runs on DirectX 9) and check the task manager for rundll32.exe, I would be very grateful.
Thanks in advance...

I found some people having the same problems on the internet. Apparently the problem is caused by the game ux. When windows runs a game which is not in Games explorer, it tries to download info and box art etc. from the internet. But when the internet is not available, it just tries and tries and game doesn't start. That's what I think is the cause. I will try a solution some day soon - to disable any information downloading and such things in the Games explorer and write if it was solved or not.
And the cause why the newer games run always is clear - new games add themselves to the Games explorer automatically during the setup.

I've had the same problem as you did, Tom, but so far running the game for the 1st time with the net on alleviates the problem on all successive runs of the game. Kinda lame for those without net access for the 1st run though.

Apparently changing the settings in Game Explorer does nothing to solve the problem (i.e. Never checking online for updates and news and clearing the Download art and info about installed games)