Potential Difficulties with the New Updater

Zloth · 02-28-2010 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantom Patriot

And NOW it is making my PC reset completely, I have run a number of checks and it is definately not my PC in any way I can honestly figure.

It's your PC. Your PC is trying to give you a blue screen to tell you what is wrong but, by default, Windows will just restart instead. You need to check your computer properties and tell Windows NOT to restart when it gets an error. The blue screen of death will tell you what file (most likely a driver) is causing the problem. You might also want to check your event log (configuration panel, admin tools, event log) to see if it has anything interesting to say after a crash.

Stofil · 02-28-2010 01:54 PM

I am an EU player of the game.

I got the error message "failed to rename C:\Program Files\City of Heroes\cohupdater.exe to C:\Program Files\City of Heroes\cohupdater.prv" when I tried to start the game. Then I realised that there simply is no file called 'cohupdater.exe' to rename in a pure EU installation of the game.

My solution was simply to add a dummy file called 'cohupdater.exe' of size 0 MB to my installation directory in order to make the rename possible. After running cohupdater.eu.exe, the game started. I hope that this could solve the problem for other people here as well.

Zloth · 02-28-2010 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theOcho

It's a pretty easy fix once you know the problem. This is only for folks with Vista+ who have renamed the updater to avoid the Admin prompt.

1. Open your game directory. (Just right click on your shortcut and pick 'open file location.')
2. Rename your file back to CohUpdater.exe.
3. There will be a .prv file in the directory with the name you used for CohUpdater. Delete it.
4. Run CohUpdater.exe directly. Enter your admin password and let the updater start up.
5. Don't bother starting the game, just quit.
6. Rename your CohUpdater.exe back to something else, like CohStarter.exe.

That's it.

Not so, Ocho. The updater itself is now set up so it requires you to run it as an administrator so renaming it back to CohStarter now pointless. (The new updater also forces Areo to turn off while CoH is running and - thank the maker - is finally being signed by NCSoft.)

Because we are now forced to run as administrators, we now have to re-do all the settings that are saved in the registry. That's not as bad as it once was now that we can load from settings files but it is still a pain.

We could also bypass the updater by using the -project coh trick, just running the updater when the game complains about being the wrong version. That could cause problems if the game itself really IS going to need to be run as an admin, though. Since nobody seems to have told the community reps that this even happened, I guess we are on our own to guess the reasons why it happened.

fatalnova · 02-28-2010 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stofil

I am an EU player of the game.

I got the error message "failed to rename C:\Program Files\City of Heroes\cohupdater.exe to C:\Program Files\City of Heroes\cohupdater.prv" when I tried to start the game. Then I realised that there simply is no file called 'cohupdater.exe' to rename in a pure EU installation of the game.

My solution was simply to add a dummy file called 'cohupdater.exe' of size 0 MB to my installation directory in order to make the rename possible. After running cohupdater.eu.exe, the game started. I hope that this could solve the problem for other people here as well.

how do i create dummy file? this minght be the answer im looking for!... i can hope!!!!!!!!!!

Ultima Shadow · 02-28-2010 03:49 PM

Hey,
I got the error message "failed to rename C:\Program Files\City of Heroes\cohupdater.exe to C:\Program Files\City of Heroes\cohupdater.prv" when I tried to start the game today again.

I deleted the desktopshortcut for CoH and made a new 1 from CohUpdater.EU.exe to the desktop, started it, now it works again.

cya at union

Rent_ · 02-28-2010 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stofil

I am an EU player of the game.

I got the error message "failed to rename C:\Program Files\City of Heroes\cohupdater.exe to C:\Program Files\City of Heroes\cohupdater.prv" when I tried to start the game. Then I realised that there simply is no file called 'cohupdater.exe' to rename in a pure EU installation of the game.

My solution was simply to add a dummy file called 'cohupdater.exe' of size 0 MB to my installation directory in order to make the rename possible. After running cohupdater.eu.exe, the game started. I hope that this could solve the problem for other people here as well.

Everyone still with this exact issue do this.

Go to notepad or any other basic text input program. Don't enter anything into the file, just save as "cohupdater.exe" (without the quotations) and put it in the folder with your updater.

Run the updater that was causing you the problem and it will rename the text file and change it to another updater. Should be problem solved.

CoH PvP SG = SuperUnion - Co-Leader - Union/Freedom
CoV PvP VG = Disruption - Co-Leader - Union/Freedom
Global = @Rent & @Rent.

Playgroup are all **** - Global Handle

nosatufer · 03-01-2010 01:08 AM

rent i've tried everything and nothing worked, For some reason though it is running now when I did absolutely nothing. It just doesn't make sense anymore. Should this problem reoccur then I am at a loss what to do.

Arctic_Princess · 03-01-2010 02:41 AM

Can this annoying glitchy patch be taken off, servers restored and some more quality testing done by NCSoft please?

The fact that the quirk isn't even persistent just smacks of poor implementation.

I really do not like having to go and do the same thing every other log in (well, it's not even that consistent) just to play a game.

Also if you'd like to offer some screenshots for the 'new and updated updater' just to know that if i do happen to stumble on it, I'll be filled with a sense of relief and joy, then knock yourself out.

UPDATE: I decided to copy my MA folders to a backup drive and reinstall, thinking that the new updater would be available from the NCSoft website. I was wrong. The updater (for EU) is currently hanging at Connecting #10. This is a warning to others who may decide to follow suit.

Scene_EU · 03-01-2010 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rent_

Everyone still with this exact issue do this.

Go to notepad or any other basic text input program. Don't enter anything into the file, just save as "cohupdater.exe" (without the quotations) and put it in the folder with your updater.

Run the updater that was causing you the problem and it will rename the text file and change it to another updater. Should be problem solved.

What I did is create a duplicate of the cohupdater.eu.exe and rename it to cohupdater.exe, and have it in the same folder. No problems here at all - Still need to keep and run the EU.exe version, or else it tries to d/l the US game client

http://www.scene-and-heard.com/cov/covsig.jpg

Defcon_Kid · 03-01-2010 04:37 AM

As mereman posted, there's a certain amount of people I know that has had this weird bug or whatever it is, and have tried almost everything already proposed in order to solve it, while a few of us haven't had any problem at all (crossing fingers not having d000000med it this evening ).

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BeyondReach · 03-01-2010 09:54 AM

The problem isn't fixing it anymore. I have fixed it multiple times but it persists in breaking itself over and over.

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Shadow_Kitty · 03-01-2010 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Niviene

As an FYI if you updated before the EU update server was restarted, you may need to follow the below directions posted by Rent_. (tested and they do work)

Translated version of the instructions are on the way however feel free to translate for your fellow players.

My problem is that it works once.

Once the computer is turned off (I do that every night), the cohupdater.eu.exe file magically reverts to its unworking state, at which I have to copy the downloaded file to the CoH folder again.

Still @Shadow Kitty

"I became Archvillain before Statesman nerfed himself!"

ServerGuy · 03-01-2010 03:05 PM

After trying Rent's steps above, which downloaded the latest cohupdater.eu.exe and cohhpdater_ui_win.dll to my desktop. I then had to copy the executables from my desktop to the City of Heroes folder. After doing that, using my existing icon would work and I no longer had to repeat the process each time. Does that work for you as well?

Shadow_Kitty · 03-01-2010 04:02 PM

I got it to work for at least two restarts in a row by turning off UAC and then turning it back on. We'll see if it remains like that for some time.

It still feels a bit unsafe. I don't like turning off security measures like UAC, firewalls and antivirus, and every time customer support tells me that I should, I feel like they're telling me this:

"We're sorry to hear that your car won't start. Please try to drive your car sitting naked on the hood without seatbelt, and come back to us if it doesn't work."

Security measures are there for a reason. If someone can't make a program to work with them, they better learn how. Microsoft have pretty comprehensive guidelines on how to do it.

Still @Shadow Kitty

"I became Archvillain before Statesman nerfed himself!"

Tired Angel · 03-02-2010 11:28 AM

For **** sake! I fixed this when it happened the other day and now its happened again.

From the looks of it - because of the message - it hasn't been set up for EU people because its looking for cohupdater.exe rather than cohupdater.eu.exe

*grumble grumble*

Edit - to fix it I did the same thing I did previously to, but its just annoying I had to do it manually again

Member of GGRRR, a SG on Defiant - check out our website - GGRRR

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwillinger

Quote:

16. Has Paragon Studios redefined "player" to require your mouse to subscribe separately from your keyboard?

If your mouse has greater processing power than your gfx card, the answer is yes.

nosatufer · 03-02-2010 11:56 AM

I got it back too. I just want to know what to do about it. Last time I did nothing and it fixed itself.

I don't want to keep fixing this, it is a problem caused by the devs so they should come up with a solution that will end this problem. I was considering pre-purchasing GR. But now I have sincere doubts about it.

Shady Sam · 03-02-2010 02:54 PM

PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

Im frankly f***ed ...

I logged out to check if my 12month vet badge had come through only to find i had to purchase additional time ... so i did then i couldn't log back in!!!

with the problem of cohupdater.prv thing ....

after following all sorts of BS advice from the forum i was left like this ...
unable to remember if the original file was a cohupdater.eu.exe or cohudater.exe ((i play on EU btw)) and i had a copy of it i couldnt delete despite being the admin :S!!!

i figured i had probably completely naffed it ... when i tried to run it nothing happened but my CPU went to 100% and stayed there! o.O'

I am now left like this ... i removed every trace of CoX from my comp ... i think and hope ....

and am currently downloading it again ... but it started with the .prv thing which i was concerned about! and now it says fixing files: blah blah

fixing? does that mean it is updating files still on the comp? shouldn't it say installing/downloading?

i just need my mind put at rest ... im so confused and scared i may have broken it forever ...

Will it be ok after i download the game again?

Thanks

Phantom Patriot · 03-02-2010 02:58 PM

Everytime I have fixed it, after a while it kicks me from the game, crashing my computer in the process. I am sick and pissed off with this crap! I pay for a service that I am unable to use.

Sort your ******* **** out NCSoft!

EDIT: Deleting everything but the logs and CohUpdater.EU.exe and then renaming the file fixes it, then it will happen again next time. we/I shouldn't have to do this!

Rent_ · 03-02-2010 03:02 PM

Quote:

after following all sorts of BS advice from the forum i was left like this ...

Calling previous advice BS isn't going to encourage people to give you new advice to your questions, is it?

CoH PvP SG = SuperUnion - Co-Leader - Union/Freedom
CoV PvP VG = Disruption - Co-Leader - Union/Freedom
Global = @Rent & @Rent.

Playgroup are all **** - Global Handle

Shady Sam · 03-02-2010 03:14 PM

My sincerest apologies

I was very angry at the time after just starting the lengthy download process again.

I was rash and rather stupid for wading in and following advice i did not understand... i cannot remember who/where the advice i followed was located in the post but i basically nerfed me ....

Upon review of the post i have found many other different pieces of advice that sound like they would have worked perfectly

Let us not distract from the issue that this problem should never had arisen in the first place mind!

Once again I sincerely apologize to anyone who found this rude and or offensive I was angry, tired and hungry at the time so please forgive my rudeness.

I hope that if I still need help from the forum after the game finishes downloading (some time in the wee small hours me thinks ) that this will not deter anyone from posting a reply.

Many Thanks

@Shady Sam ,12 month Vet and faithful (so far ) to Union

hazey · 03-03-2010 01:22 AM

Is anyone working on fixing this issue, or are a few of us doomed to spend eternity renaming our updater file when it decides to throw a wobbler?

A progress update would be most welcome.

Father Xmas · 03-03-2010 03:02 AM

I would suggest you PM The Ocho, Niviene or Avatea and point them back to this thread and tell them that a lot of you EU players are still having problems.

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Tempus unum hominem manet

Arctic_Princess · 03-03-2010 05:19 AM

Yesterday's patch to introduce Dual Pistols to the Live Server appears to have resolved the updater problem for me in as much as the Updater for EU launches without quitting (obviously trying to find the 'correct' version) and reopening.

Kudos to Sam for admitting why he posted like that. Very few people do. It is very frustrating, especially as (again for me) the game is very enjoyable.

Blue_Peter · 03-03-2010 06:33 AM

I am afraid it has done the complete opposite to me Arctic_princess, I have had none of these issues, until today. Was playing fine on monday, and now getting the .prv problem.
Cant get on either live or test.

If I download the 'new' eu updater and try to run it I get told it is not a valid win32 application.

Think i'll just head off to Fallen Earth and kill a few mutants until this is properly sorted out, by the owning company not by gifted and enthusiatic players having to come up with innovative work arounds.

this body is merely a shell
you can not touch me
you can not harm me
I am not afraid

@biomass341d

blindwookie · 03-03-2010 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzsaw

fixed mine ..in the coh folder there was a file called cohupdater.new renamed that to cohupdater.eu.exe and make sure its not set to read only. worked for me

found the anwer in another thread

I just tried this after all else failing. It worked straight away. Thanks.