All Paradox games failing to launch, Steam error code 3221226505.

[WesW69]

None of my Paradox games will launch now. I tried both on Steam, and directly clicking on the app in the c drive. When I tried to start Stellaris, I keep getting the eula agreement pop-up.
Steam gives me the error code, for all games, 3221226505. I have had all games for several years now.

 

[WesW69]

Tried using the v2 launcher, and it won't even pick up the exe files in the games' folders.

 

[AndrewT]

Under your name here I see Stellaris, EU4, HOI4, CK3 ; all of those use the same installation of the same launcher, so yes if one has a launcher problem they all will.

What launcher version do you see? Current is 2023.2.1

What happens when you run each of their .exe files directly from File Explorer, bypassing the launcher?

 

[WesW69]

Under your name here I see Stellaris, EU4, HOI4, CK3 ; all of those use the same installation of the same launcher, so yes if one has a launcher problem they all will.

What launcher version do you see? Current is 2023.2.1

What happens when you run each of their .exe files directly from File Explorer, bypassing the launcher?

When I click on the exe, the game icon will appear in the task bar for 2 seconds, then disappear. The program just shuts down.
The launcher version I have is 2023.4.1.
Could this be related to onedrive in any way?

 

[WesW69]

I think the problem is related to onedrive. An idiot at the 2k help section told me to shut down onedrive, trying to fix a problem I had with Civ VI, and any game that I tried to run while onedrive was closed now has issues. When I try to run a paradox game now, onedrive has an error, pasted below.

[virtualfilesystem_physfs.cpp:1252]: Could not open file: pops_filestorage.index, error: permission denied

I don't know how to do anything with onedrive, so please tell me how to re-enable the permission.

 

[AndrewT]

Permissions and OneDrive are unrelated matters, either or both may be the problem here.

First OD: did you actually want your Windows User Documents held on MS's cloud? if not, best to change your Windows settings so it's in the default place C:/users/{userName}/Documents

If you do, you need to make sure OD is running and syncing okay at all times, or indeed the games will not run.


For permissions, that is usually an antivirus app getting in the way. What antivirus app do you use? You need to make sure all these apps are in its exceptions lists:

stellaris.exe and dowser.exe (in the Steam Stellaris folder)
C:/users/{username}/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2.2023.4.1/paradox launcher.exe
C:/users/{username}/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/bootstrapper-v2.exe

IF that doesn't help, also set each of those .exe files (EXCEPT stellaris.exe !) to run as the Windows Admin user.

 

[WesW69]

I set the stellaris files as exceptions in my McAfee program, but it made no difference. I don't seem to be getting the notifiations about the one drive error.
I just re-installed Stellaris, and nothing changed. I tried clicking on the dowser program, and received a message that there was a steam runtime error. I had a problem with dx11 with my civ 6, and reverting back to dx 10 solved that. How do I do this for Steam?
I ran dx diag, and no problems were found.

 

[AndrewT]

I tried clicking on the dowser program, and received a message that there was a steam runtime error.

You mean single click, double click or right click? It's the latter that you need to do to set it to run as Admin.

had a problem with dx11 with my civ 6, and reverting back to dx 10 solved that. How do I do this for Steam?

I don't know how to tell Steam what DirectX version to use, you'd need to ask Valve that. But I doubt that has anything to do with your launcher or game problems.

Stellaris by default uses DirectX 9.0c but can be set in the game's video settings to use 11 (but not 10). Which one are you set to, do you know? It should say in your Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris/settings.txt file.

 

[WesW69]

Here is my settings file. I didn't see anything that seemed to pertain to direct x.

force_pow2_textures=no
language="l_english"
graphics={
size={
x=1920
y=1200
}

gui_scale=1.000000
gui_safe_ratio=1.000000
refreshRate=60
fullScreen=yes
borderless=no
display_index=0
renderer=0
shadowSize=2048
multi_sampling=8
multi_sampling_quality=0
maxanisotropy=16
gamma=50.000000
vsync=yes
}
sound_fx_volume=50.000000
music_volume=50.000000
scroll_speed=50.000000
camera_rotation_speed=50.000000
zoom_speed=50.000000
mouse_speed=50.000000
soundgroup="l_english"
master_volume=76.000000
ambient_volume=36.000000
dev_master_volume=75.000000
input_type=0
voice_volume=50.000000
camera_look_sensitivity=1.000000
camera_speed=50.000000
autosave=3
tutorial=0
completed_tutorial_missions=0
gfx_quality=2
bloom={
quality=2
lens_flare=yes
}
cvaa_settings={
cvaa_tts_enabled=no
cvaa_stt_enabled=no
cvaa_chat_visual_alerts=no
cvaa_stt_hotkey_enabled=no
cvaa_chat_large_fonts=no
cvaa_stt_hotkey=""
}
mp_max_ticks_ahead=30
mapmode_sectors=yes
show_startup_game_info="Cepheus v3.4"
hyperlane_opacity=0.300000
disabled_alerts={
"alert_can_modify_species"
}
outliner={
"situations"={
}
"sectors"={
}
"planet"={
}
"civilian_ship"={
}
"fleet"={
}
"shipyards"={
}
"overlord_holding_planets"={
}
"army"={
}
"leased_fleet"={
}
"starbases"={
}
"terraforming"={
}
"observation_post"={
}
"special_planets"={
}
"disabled_alerts"={
disabled=yes
}
"integrations"={
}
"pop_factions"={
disabled=yes
}
"player_countries"={
}
"ai_countries"={
}
"fallen_empires"={
}
"minors"={
}
}
galaxy_config_sp={
template="large"
num_advanced_empires=6
technology=1.25
logistic_ceiling=1.6
end_game_start=175
difficulty=grand_admiral
scaling=yes
num_gateways=1.25
num_hyperlanes=1.5
clustered=no
}
hotkey_activation_delay=0.100000
hotkey_actualization_delay=0.100000
hide_unowned_content=yes

 

[WesW69]

I set those three files to run as admin, but nothing changed. I still keep getting the message about not being able to communicate with steam.
Everytime I try to run the program, I keep getting the sign user agreement pop-up, if that tells you anything.
Also, when I run the launcher program, the only 2 games that show up are stellaris and ck3. Ck3 isn't even installed on this computer, btw.

 

[AndrewT]

when I run the launcher program, the only 2 games that show up are stellaris and ck3.

You must have run the launcher from the desktop shortcut or Paradox launcher.exe, which is a standalone mode for users who do not want to run Steam. It does need a separate game installation if used that way, but those games are no longer supported from that platform. You'll need to run them from the PLAY button in your Steam Library instead.

Your other games like EU4 and HOI4 were never ported to that platform.

 

[AndrewT]

Here is my settings file. I didn't see anything that seemed to pertain to direct x.

renderer=0 means DX9, =1 means DX11.

I still keep getting the message about not being able to communicate with steam.
Everytime I try to run the program, I keep getting the sign user agreement pop-up, if that tells you anything.

That seems to mean the game and/or launcher are not able to update the settings. Which would again point to McAfee - are you sure all 4 of those .exe files are in all its exceptions lists?

From your Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris/logs/ folder, attach here system.log , error.log .

 

[WesW69]

Setting breakpad minidump AppID = 236850
SteamInternal_SetMinidumpSteamID: Caching Steam ID: 76561198013903414 [API loaded no]

These are the details from the crash I get trying to run EU IV.

I checked McAfee, and it is now working with Windows Defender. McAfee has no blocked programs, and all the games were listed in the Defender exceptions list except Stellaris. I added Stellaris, but it made no difference. None of the games will load.
As for McAfee, I have had McAfee and the games both installed for years now. Why would there suddenly be a problem?

I have attached the log files. I believe that they are contained in the OneDrive folder. They have not been updated since last September, which is the last time I played the game, I guess.

(Sorry for the time in between posts. I had surgery last month, and had severe post-op pain. I'm just now getting back on my feet.)

 

[WesW69]

It turned out that copying and pasting the documents folder from onedrive to my user folder solved the problem. Before all this, I didn't even know I was using onedrive, but it turns out that the damned program dominates windows 11. I don't know yet if the game will make and retrieve saves properly, but at least they are starting now.

 

[WesW69]

Thanks to Andrew for his help. I wouldn't have known to try the pasting if he hadn't gone above and beyond in typing in the full folder path.
This stands in stark contrast to my experience with 2K, who were of no help with my Civ 6 problems.

 

[AndrewT]

Hello.
I have same problem. EU4 and Stellaris can't be launched. Error 3221226505.
I completely reinstalled games, installed latest versions of Framework and C++. Closed antivirus. Nothing helps me.
What is the solution?
Thank you.

If you've tried what helped the above user but it didn't help you, you clearly have a different cause to the problem. Please make a new thread in the Tech Support forum of one of the affected games.