Grand Theft Auto 4 (PC): Fixing "Escuela of the Streets" Mission by Skipping it and Allowing the Backup of Game Saves That Will Work When you Replace Them

This article has been updated, feel free to look at the new article here:

http://computersoftwareisyourfriend.blogspot.com/2011/05/fixing-roadblocks-in-grand-theft-auto-4.html


For those of you - like me - who played Grand Theft Auto 4 and sailed through it until the mission: Escuella of the Streets decided to bug - even after reinstalling the game several times and starting over - here is the solution which won't require waiting for hours for the cut scene to let you bust the drug dealer... However, it will require you to sacrifice Games for Windows Live... If you use STEAM, you shouldn't be affected.

Step 1

You will need a game save past "Escuela of the Streets" which you can attempt to find online, but i found 2...
To know which missions are applicable, here is a Guide of all the GTA 4 Missions
If you want to keep playing from close to where you left off, there's the one that brings you to 37% complete and loads you to the "Three Leaf Clover" mission but you can go and load the "Paper Trail" in there also... If you want to go to the end of the game where you can choose an ending in the "Deal or Revenge" mission, there is a link for that too.
Remember that when you download files from the internet, you should always Save first and then you should scan it with your antivirus and then if it’s virus and worm free, you may use it - or risk the consequences.
To get the 37% complete game save, go to:
37% Game save
To get the Deal or Revenge one, go to:
Deal or Revenge Game Save

Step 2

When you copy those to the current game save target, you will notice that the game will load and say: Error: Check hard drive or something similar to that. We can disable GFWL and be rid of the hassle at hand with a simple copy/paste which will save you time and energy.
Go to xliveless and click save seeing as how its good for the security of your computer, and it will probably make life easier when it comes time to copy/pasting the file.
Open the .rar file you just downloaded.
Note: Windows might have a built-in compressed folder viewer built in, but if not, just get winrar.

Then you copy the xlive.dll file (Ctrl C)
Once that is done, go to (in your computer):
C:\Program Files (x86)\Rockstar Games\Grand Theft Auto IV
and paste it right there... (Ctrl V)
The game save directory will be changed by doing this. To access this folder:

From the Start menu...

Windows XP: Go to My Documents, then to Rockstar Games, then to GTA 4 and then savegames
Windows Vista and Windows 7: Documents, then to Rockstar Games, then to GTA 4 and then savegames
If there isn't a savegames folder, create one named exactly:
savegames
In that folder, you copy the contents of what you downloaded. this can also be used if you've installed GTA 4 on another PC and wish to not lose your progress, in that case you would go to the default directory:
C:\Users\[the user name]\AppData\Local\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\savegames\user_e00000716920f330
Then you would copy the files, and on the newly installed GTA 4, use the method I described above starting from Step 2.
Now that it is possible to back up and use GTA 4 save game files and now that your GTA 4 won't be paused at this warehouse waiting for a cut scene, you can continue playing GTA 4 to its completion, or to the other computer in your house.