BATTLETECH - Stuck at "Refreshing Save Games 100%"

[snphillips0]

One line summary of your issue
Stuck at "Refreshing Save Games 100%"

What platform are you running the game on?

Steam

What operating system do you use?
Windows 10
Which version of the game are you running?
1.8.1
What DLC do you have installed?
Flashpoint,
Urban Warfare,
Shadowhawk Pack,
Heavy Metal

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
I haven't played the game since shortly after the original release. Today I redownloaded the game and, for the first time, all four dlcs. After the opening cinematic plays and I say not now to registering a paradox account, I get to what I think should be the main menu, but in place of any options to start or continue or play multiplayer or what have you I just have a dialogue box with a spinning load indicator and the words "Refreshing Game Saves 100%". Worth noting, according to the box at the top right I am in fact logged into my paradox account after all. I can view credits, check mods (of which it confirms I have none), and I can open up the options menu but not exit out of it. Clicking the season pass button gives me a box that says "PLEASE WAIT" and "Data Loading" and a confirm but that just makes it go away. As long as I haven't opened the options menu, I can use the quit button; otherwise I have to quit via alt+tab, but that works with no problems.

I am also able to click "manage" under my profile in the upper right. Clicking "update profile" here creates a dialogue box with another infinite load that says "LOADING HERALDRY OPTIONS". Similarly, when I clicked "switch profiles" and tried to register a new account, and now when I try to log into that account, the box where crests should be says "LOADING CRESTS" with an infinite load.

I have since tried a clean uninstall based on the instructions on this forum, including deleting the registry, with no effect on any of the above. However, since then, there no longer seems to be an output log in the BattleTech_Data folder. I have attached the one I got prior to the clean install (though after an attempt at a regular uninstall), which I was able to download from my open support ticket. It does apparently still exist in AppData.
Have you tried verifying your files?
Yes

Steps to reproduce the issue


Attach DxDiag (PC), System Info log (Mac), or run sudo lshw -html > specs.html and uploaded specs.html (Linux)

Attach Output Log
Windows: \Users\YourUserName\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH\output_log.txt
Mac OS: Users >{name} > Library > Logs > Unity > Player.log
Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/Player.log

If the game crashed, please attach the crash file with the time stamp closest to the crash.
Windows: [Steam library folder]\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\DumpBox
For v.17 and beyond try here: C:\Users\[YourUserName]\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH
OSX: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > steamapps > common > BattleTech > DumpBox
Linux: [Steam library folder]/steamapps/common/BATTLETECH/DumpBox

If a save game was loaded at the start of the game session, upload it. Please make sure to upload the save game with the timestamp closest to when you loaded it.
Windows:
Steam: [Steam installation folder]\userdata[SteamID]\637090\remote\C0\SGS1
GOG: 'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\Local\GOG.com\Galaxy\Applications\50593543263669699\Storage\Shared\Files\C#\SGS#'
Vanilla:'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BattleTech\C#\SGS#'
OSX:
Steam: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > userdata > [SteamID] > 637090 > remote > C#> SGS#
GOG: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > GOG.com > Galaxy > Applications > 50593543263669699 > Storage > Shared > Files > C# > SGS#
Vanilla: Macintosh HD > Users > [username]> Library > Application Support > unity.Harebrained Schemes.BattleTech > C# > SGG#
Linux:
Steam: /home/.steam/steam/userdata/[steamID]/637090/remote/C#/SGS#
GOG: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
Vanilla: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/

Attach screenshot / video

 

[snphillips0]

I got a reply from my support ticket with an incredibly easy fix. I'm gonna repost it here in case anyone else gets this problem, hope that's ok! For how simple the fix was, it was absurdly frustrating and difficult to figure out as someone who doesn't know how to read those output logs.

"This is caused by an antivirus app getting in the way of the game:

UnauthorizedAccessException: Access to the path "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data\StreamingAssets\data\mods\HBS\0Harmony.dll" or "C:\Users\snphi\OneDrive\Documents\My Games\BattleTech\mods\HBS\0Harmony.dll" is denied.
​

The most common offender is BitDefender, but we've also seen reports with ESET, Kaspersky, and Nortons. Whichever one you have you need to tell it to let BattleTech.exe read and write what it wants, where it wants."

Credit to Andrew T from the support team!

 

[AndrewT]

I actually learned that fix in this very forum, so what comes around goes around!