ToMI 2 crashes after clicking "Launch game"

[ariy]

I tried EVERYTHING!!!

I get to the point in the launcher where I click "Launch game", and after clicking it I get: "Telltale games has encountered a problem and has to be closed" message.
In "Additional data":
AppName: monkeyisland102.exe AppVer: 2009.8.19.32126 ModName: unknown
ModVer: 0.0.0.0 Offset: 00000000

I have a rather new system with Win XP SP3, and nVidia 9800GT. All other stuff (games) works great, including ToMI chapter 1.
I tried the following:
*Adding chapter 2 to the DEP exception list.
*Updated DirextX to the newest.
*Updated video drivers.
*Temporarily disabled all startup services.
*Temporarily disabled firewall.
*Re-downloaded and re-installed game, both from the email link and from the "My games" link.

*I even tried to un-install, disconnect from the internet, and re-install. I was hoping it's a network problem in the unlocking mechanism, and maybe a manual unlock will do the trick. It didn't... I looked at "regedit" after un-installing, and it's all still riddled with ToMI 2 entries!! May explain why un-installing doesn't really help...

Nothing helped, and ToMI 1 still works by the way.

I emailed support a few days ago, no response.

Is there a patch/fix coming soon? From looking at the forum, this game has massive problems, and by how it looks now, it's not going to change!! At least TellTale doesn't announce otherwise. I believe that paying customers deserve as little as knowing what is going on, and what is going to happen!

Please just say something.

Thanks.

[hansschmucker]

Is your desktop set to 32 bit? That's the most common problem/solution.

[DjNDB]

You really tried a lot already, so the chances are slim that i find anything, but if you want i can take a look at your system configuration.


Please start dxdiag:
Windows XP: Go to your start menu and click on run. Type in "dxdiag" and hit enter
Windows Vista: Press the windows key on your keyboard or click on the start menu. Type in "dxdiag" and hit enter.

Now click on the button that says "save all information".
It will prompt you to save a file. Save it where you can find it.


Now you have two options to make it accessible to us. Pick the one that works best for you:

1. If you know how, you can zip the file and attach it to a message.
   
2. You can upload it to Rapidshare and copy the link to the file into a new message.

[ariy]

Just so you know, I downloaded the newly posted install file.
Now I don't even see the launcher window!!!

I checked again - I am on 32 bit video.

I also tried this: I un-installed ToMI, and used registry cleaner to get rid of any residues. I disconnected from the internet, hoping to get to a manual unlock screen like other guys here. Didn't work. As I said, I don't even get to the launcher screen.

I have attached the dxdiag dump.

Thanks.

[DjNDB]

Originally Posted by ariy

I have attached the dxdiag dump.

Your audio drivers are really old.

Description: SB Audigy Audio [D000]
Date and Size: 8/12/2002 11:03:30, 837548 bytes


Description: Realtek HD Audio output
Date and Size: 9/19/2007 11:16:32, 4617728 bytes

Download and Install the latest drivers from here:
SB Audigy

Realtek HDA


If you don't use the Realtek one you might also consider deactivating it.

[hansschmucker]

ariy, you could try deleting your config file... maybe it got corrupted somehow. That would at least explain any crashes for the launcher.

Under Windows7 it's under My Documents/Telltale Games/Name of the Directory where you keep the game/prefs.prop . I imagine the path is similar for other Windows versions.

Just move the directory somewhere else and try again.

Other than that I can really only imagine the copy protection acting up somehow, because the launcher itself basically consists of an Internet Explorer instance and the Securom libraries and I imagine it's pretty hard to mess up a system badly enough that Internet Explorer won't load anymore.

[ariy]

Originally Posted by DjNDB

Your audio drivers are really old.

Description: SB Audigy Audio [D000]
Date and Size: 8/12/2002 11:03:30, 837548 bytes


Description: Realtek HD Audio output
Date and Size: 9/19/2007 11:16:32, 4617728 bytes

Download and Install the latest drivers from here:
SB Audigy

Realtek HDA


If you don't use the Realtek one you might also consider deactivating it.

OK, I did this: since the Audigy is REALLY old, I set all audio stuff in "control panel" to the Realtek. I went to the motherboard's manufacturer's site and renewed all audio-related drivers, Realtek included.
Unfortunately, it didn't change anything.

My intuition also (like hansschmucker) say the problem is in the copy protection mechanism. An alternative is improper use of the DirectX API. Both seems out of my control right now.

Only Telltale can solve this, with ToMI 1 as a reference of how things are done to work better...

If you have any more ideas, I will thank you.

[ariy]

Originally Posted by hansschmucker

ariy, you could try deleting your config file... maybe it got corrupted somehow. That would at least explain any crashes for the launcher.

Under Windows7 it's under My Documents/Telltale Games/Name of the Directory where you keep the game/prefs.prop . I imagine the path is similar for other Windows versions.

Just move the directory somewhere else and try again.

Other than that I can really only imagine the copy protection acting up somehow, because the launcher itself basically consists of an Internet Explorer instance and the Securom libraries and I imagine it's pretty hard to mess up a system badly enough that Internet Explorer won't load anymore.

Tried it. Didn't work.
Thanks.

[DjNDB]

Originally Posted by ariy

OK, I did this: since the Audigy is REALLY old, I set all audio stuff in "control panel" to the Realtek. I went to the motherboard's manufacturer's site and renewed all audio-related drivers, Realtek included.
Unfortunately, it didn't change anything.

My intuition also (like hansschmucker) say the problem is in the copy protection mechanism. An alternative is improper use of the DirectX API. Both seems out of my control right now.

Only Telltale can solve this, with ToMI 1 as a reference of how things are done to work better...

If you have any more ideas, I will thank you.

At least your drivers are fresh now

Lacking reasonable ideas I'll keep stupid guessing mode on:

What is your Internet Explorer Version?

Have you tried the clean boot again since you updated episode and drivers?

Could you make a MD5 Checksum of your installer?

[ariy]

I rebooted after the drivers' installation, which was after the game re-installation.

However, you might got onto something with the md5 sums. Here:
f7881954e637407ce0560e3ddaf3f6fb *ToMI_SiegeOfSpinnerCay_Setup.exe (-new from today)


15fa62de4f5583bbaae96bddca5c9ed4 *SiegeOfSpinnerCay_Setup.exe

None is like yours!

What is going on?

[DjNDB]

Originally Posted by ariy

I rebooted after the drivers' installation, which was after the game re-installation.

However, you might got onto something with the md5 sums. Here:
f7881954e637407ce0560e3ddaf3f6fb *ToMI_SiegeOfSpinnerCay_Setup.exe (-new from today)


15fa62de4f5583bbaae96bddca5c9ed4 *SiegeOfSpinnerCay_Setup.exe

None is like yours!

What is going on?

It was not about rebooting, but about booting without background applications running.

The Checksum issue is more interesting though. Even my old version has a different one and i don't expect telltale to craft individual files for each account.

593507aba0d37a13bcab3d5f327c509f *SiegeOfSpinnerCay_Setup_old.exe
ad3f461222ae16278a92e823b77ce6b9 *ToMI_SiegeOfSpinnerCay_Setup.exe

I have an Idea. Make a clean download after deleting the browsers cache and make another MD5 checksum. It is very unlikely that you get the same one as the first time if the file was corrupted during download.

What browser are you using for downloads and are you using any download manager?


Deleting temporary internet files:

Internet Explorer 7: In the menu choose "Extras/Delete Browsing History...". In the resulting Window select "Delete files..." for "Temporary Internet Files".

In recent Firefox and Internet Explorer 8 you can delete the cache/temporary internet files with CTRL-Shift-Del.

In Firefox you would only select "Cache".

In Internet Explorer only select "Temporary Internet Files".
Uncheck all other boxes in each case.

[hansschmucker]

DjNDB, just checked your MD5 for the updated version against mine. Your MD5 is correct.

[DjNDB]

Originally Posted by hansschmucker

DjNDB, just checked your MD5 for the updated version against mine. Your MD5 is correct.

Thanks, that's good news. Now it feels much less like a mystery bug.

I wish there was some integrity check in the installers themselves. That would sure be worth it, distributing downloadable episodes.

[hansschmucker]

I always thought NSIS had those... but maybe it's only checking the installer section and not the data part of the file to speed things up. Still, they could simply calculate checksums during decompression.

[ariy]

Originally Posted by DjNDB

It was not about rebooting, but about booting without background applications running.

The Checksum issue is more interesting though. Even my old version has a different one and i don't expect telltale to craft individual files for each account.

593507aba0d37a13bcab3d5f327c509f *SiegeOfSpinnerCay_Setup_old.exe
ad3f461222ae16278a92e823b77ce6b9 *ToMI_SiegeOfSpinnerCay_Setup.exe

I have an Idea. Make a clean download after deleting the browsers cache and make another MD5 checksum. It is very unlikely that you get the same one as the first time if the file was corrupted during download.

What browser are you using for downloads and are you using any download manager?


B]Deleting temporary internet files:[/B]

Internet Explorer 7: In the menu choose "Extras/Delete Browsing History...". In the resulting Window select "Delete files..." for "Temporary Internet Files".

In recent Firefox and Internet Explorer 8 you can delete the cache/temporary internet files with CTRL-Shift-Del.

In Firefox you would only select "Cache".

In Internet Explorer only select "Temporary Internet Files".
Uncheck all other boxes in each case.

OK, did all that.
I get a different sum on each of the downloads I do!!!
I tried about 4-5 different downloads, on 2 different computers.
And none is like yours!
I even used a Diff tool and verified that the files are indeed different, even if in the exact same size.

A probable cause: TellTale automatically embed different codes into the download files, for copy protection reasons. This is very unlikely since hansschmucker gets the same sum as yours.

Another possibility - a problem in the download system. I tried both in FireFox 3+, and in Explorer 6 and 8.

I tried re-installing from one of those newly downloaded files. Now I again see the launch window! but the game crashes still. Maybe I should download again and again until I get good results...

I am so tired of this...

Any ideas?

[hansschmucker]

ariy, I'll upload the latest version to my servers, so you can try from another source.

In the meantime, try to download using a downloadmanager like FDM.

[DjNDB]

Originally Posted by ariy

OK, did all that.
I get a different sum on each of the downloads I do!!!
I tried about 4-5 different downloads, on 2 different computers.
And none is like yours!

At least we are onto something. I'll give you some stuff you can try.

Lets theorize a bit, not excluding implausible causes.

- Internet connection
Some network component could corrupt your downloads.

Download all FileZilla files here. You'll find a MD5 file as well, which enables you to test the files integrity. Did they all get downloaded properly?

What kind of Internet connection do you have?
Do both computers use the same Internet connection?
Have you tried reseting all Network Hardware (Modem, Router, ...)?
Have you tried downloading at a friends place?



- Malware
Certain kinds of malware could modify your executable files.
You should check your systems for malware with a scanner independent of your operating system.
You could download the Avira AntiVir Rescue System. When you start it, it asks for a cd to burn itself to. Then you boot from that cd to scan your system for malware.



- Bad Memory
Bad memory could result in broken files, although it is unlikely to affect both of your systems.
You can test your memory this way.

Testing your memory:
Bad memory is often the reason for random crashes. In order to test your memory download http://www.memtest86.com/ and make a bootable cd or disk. Start your system from that medium to run the memory test.

It is probably enough to run it for one pass. Look at the lower table that looks like this after one pass is finished:

Test Pass Errors
---- ---- ------
Std     1      0

If there are errors they are showed in red as in this example:

[hansschmucker]

I've uploaded the current version now, if anybody else needs it, just ask. I can't post it publicly because that would cost too much bandwidth.

Edit: DjNDB, malware sounds a bit less likely to me, because usually infected files are modified the same way, so he should at least end up with a consistent checksum.

[DjNDB]

Originally Posted by hansschmucker

Edit: DjNDB, malware sounds a bit less likely to me, because usually infected files are modified the same way, so he should at least end up with a consistent checksum.

I had that thought too first, but than i took into account that there could be multiple kinds of malware interfering or polymorphism leading to non deterministic results.

All of it is unlikely, but i don't want to exclude anything. At least it is something that can easily be tested and can bring some kind of result.

If there is no logical explanation left i tend to try improbable solutions as well. It's better than giving up and waiting for a miracle and sometimes leads to success.

[hansschmucker]

Definitely. With download problems I just usually blame routing/provider/server/connection problems first.