Stellaris can't find bootstrapper or launcherpath

[Periel]

For the past week or so, I've been unable to launch Stellaris from Steam. When I try, it says that it's preparing to launch, then pops up with a window saying that it can't find a valid bootstrapper. I try to direct it to the appropriate folder, which holds bootstrapper-v2, but then it says that nothing there is valid. If I try letting it create a valid path or something, it simply says 'preparing to launch' and then stops, going back to the state it was in before I hit Play.

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling literally everything aside from Steam itself, tried restarting my computer, tried verifying my local files, tried all the guides I could find on the internet, tried replacing my launcherpath file even though both launcherpath and my custom launcherpath were identical, tried repairing my bootstrapper, nothing has worked. I have attached my dowser log from C:\Users\[USER]\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs. Please help, and thank you for taking the time to read this.

Please let me know if there are other files or logs I could send to give helpful information so that this issue can be resolved.

 

[AndrewT]

2021-10-18 16:38:27 [main] [CRITICAL] Could not start the Paradox Launcher at C:\Users\dw123\AppData\Local\Programs\Paradox Interactive\launcher:
open NUL: The system cannot find the file specified.

Ah, the infamous Open NUL issue!

If you are okay with using the registry editor.

Run regedit.exe and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/ControlSet001/Services/Null . Check the Start key there. If that has a value of anything but 2 (usually 4), please change it to 2. Exit regedit and reboot, then Please try this:

- exit the Steam app entirely
- uninstall Paradox Launcher v2 from the Windows "Apps and features" utility, if still present.

Delete the following folders if still present:

- C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/
- C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Paradox Interactive/
- C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Roaming/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2/
To see the AppData folder you'll need to enable View Hidden Items in File Explorer.

- run steam.exe as the Windows Admin user

- run the game from the PLAY button in Steam

IF that doesn't help, in this folder are some .log files:
C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2/
Please attach them here.


Good luck with that!

 

[Periel]

Hi, thank you for replying. I tried that just now, but it isn't quite working. Now, when I hit the Play button, it pops up the 'Preparing to launch...' window, then closes that window and sets the Play button back to normal, with no sign that it ever tried to start. Here is my dowser log.

 

[AndrewT]

That looks exactly like before. The registry process I gave is known to fix that!

Are you confident you found the right key in the registry? What was it set to?

 

[Periel]

That looks exactly like before. The registry process I gave is known to fix that!

Are you confident you found the right key in the registry? What was it set to?

I am confident that I changed the correct entry, as shown here.

 

[AndrewT]

What was it set to?

Have you rebooted since changing it?

 

[Periel]

What was it set to?

Have you rebooted since changing it?

It was previously set to 4

Yes.

Thank you, once again, for continuing to help.

 

[AndrewT]

Given it was 4, that was certainly the problem. I don't think I've ever seen a case where changing it to 2 did not fix that error.

Try changing it to 1 instead I guess?

 

[Periel]

Given it was 4, that was certainly the problem. I don't think I've ever seen a case where changing it to 2 did not fix that error.

Try changing it to 1 instead I guess?

I tried that, and I'm sorry to say that it's still not cooperating. I'm not sure what to do. Dowser still gives off the Open NUL error, too, and its log is even shorter than it used to be. Sorry for not getting back to you earlier, life got in the way.


2021-10-21 23:41:34 [main] [INFO] Dowser version: 2021.1
2021-10-21 23:41:34 [main] [INFO] Dowser TargetEnv: prod
2021-10-21 23:41:34 [main] [INFO] The `launcherpath` file does not exists:
C:\Users\dw123\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcherpath
2021-10-21 23:41:34 [main] [INFO] Trying to fix existing installation in "/passive" mode
2021-10-21 23:41:34 [main] [ERROR] Fixing existing installation failed:
open NUL: The system cannot find the file specified.
2021-10-21 23:41:34 [main] [INFO] Running regular installation in "/passive" mode
2021-10-21 23:41:34 [main] [ERROR] Encountered installation error: open NUL: The system cannot find the file specified.
2021-10-21 23:41:34 [main] [INFO] Retrying installation on non-passive mode
2021-10-21 23:41:35 [main] [CRITICAL] Failed to install Paradox Launcher:
open NUL: The system cannot find the file specified.

 

[AndrewT]

Let's try forcing an update of the launcher.

Download the installer package: https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/emailsignatures/2021.8-win-prod.zip

Unpack the file you just downloaded and place the three files in the Steam folder for the game you're having issues with. If asked if you want to replace already existing files click "yes" - that's a sign you are in the right place!

Then please repeat the launcher reinstall procedure from before.

Good luck with that!

 

[Periel]

It worked like a charm, thank you!