dragonbird: That's also the error message you would get under certain circumstances if you try to run the launcher when you don't have an internet connection. Are you using a firewall to block access?
The suggestion from Taruni would resolve the problem if this is the cause too.
I spent an incredibly long time removing services from the boot after discovering that it runs in Safe Mode, but I figured out if you just disable the internet adapter, then it will run. I think potentially my problem is that I am on university internet which requires a proxy, and so The Witcher cannot access the web - however im unsure why disabling the network would fix this. Thanks for your help anyway