CK2 launcher crashes on launch

[AndrewT]

I do not have any anti virus except windows defender.

If WD has the Controlled Folder Access feature enabled, you need to add ck2game.exe to the "Apps Allowed through" list of that feature.

There used to be demos of CK2 and EU4 available in Steam, but I believe they have been withdrawn.

 

[ronzabor]

I do not have the controlled folder access feature activated.

I once more deactivated Windows Defender and this did not change anything.

Is there any hope left?

 

[AndrewT]

Well, something on your computer is stopping the game from getting going, we just haven't found what yet.

Install and run the free utility Speccy. Export its output to a text file and attach that here please.

 

[ronzabor]

Ok (but a small reminder: moving the files from a different computer also does not work)

I attached the Speccy output (I replaced my username with USERXXX in the text file)

 

[AndrewT]

I don't really see any smoking guns in there, although you might try unloading as much as you can, like Everything, Team Viewer, etc etc.

This one may have beaten me!

 

[Narwhal262]

I'd just like to mention that reinstalling the OS fixed the issue. Previously I'd been using the OEM OS image for my system, now I'm using the vanilla OS from the microsoft website. The game starts normally and runs as expected

 

[MostLoyalOrange]

Hello, i got the same thing: crash at launch, the launcher open (stay white) then close without any error message.(The launcher stay open between 1s to a bit longer iike 5s)

I tried :
-Steam local file check
-Unistal/reinstal
-Clean new instal
-Nvidia update
-directx instal
-vcredist 86 instal
-microsoft visual C++update (2017 64 and 86, 14.12.25810)
-Fullscreen / windowed
-Run as admin

In the logs, besides the 3 file attached all are empty
Watching closely the task manager the CK2 task always do the following :
-CK2 task appear
-under CK2 there's only "CK2 (32 bits)"
-then "Windows error report(..." is added
-CK2 disappear
but not error message from widows appear

After finding this thread I tried :
-Without avast
-Launching from outside steam
-There is indeed no .tga files in C:/Documents/Paradox_Interactive/Crusader_Kings_II/gfx, there is only test.dds inside
-I don't have the game installed on any other cumputer so I can't get them
-I tried the dot in "userdir.txt" in the same file as CK2game.exe
And I am attaching the DxDiag file

I haven't played since about a month and I have change computer (keeping only my hard drive), I don't own any other Paradox game but all my other games (steam or not) works.

Sorry if my english is faulty.

 

[AndrewT]

You should update that old nVidia driver:
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

There is indeed no .tga files in C:/Documents/Paradox_Interactive/Crusader_Kings_II/gfx, there is only test.dds inside

Wrong folder: it is the /flags/ folder under there that the .tga files should be in.

 

[MostLoyalOrange]

Updateting the driver worked thanks. Still from the Nvidia interface it was telling me that there was no update.

And the /flags/ folder didn't exist there was only test.dds in the folder no other files or folders.

 

[Paillan]

if you delete the Documents/paradox/ck2/ folders does the game recreate them? If so are there .tga files in the /gfx/flags/ folder under there?

No, no matter how many times I reinstall the game or delete the files, no tga is created.

 

[AndrewT]

No, no matter how many times I reinstall the game or delete the files, no tga is created.

That is caused by antivirus apps, commonly Avast or AVG.

 

[Paillan]

I added all of steam to exceptions, installed the game without the antivirus active, still nothing.

 

[AndrewT]

I added all of steam to exceptions, installed the game without the antivirus active, still nothing.

You specifically added ck2game.exe (not Steam) to the whitelist/exceptions list? That really should work.

Use Notepad to make a new text file called userdir.txt in the Steam CK2 folder where ck2game.exe is. In that file place a single dot, save and exit. This tells the game to write the user files right there instead of under Documents. If that works and the game now runs, you can replace that dot with any file path you like.

 

[Paillan]

Okay so this is how I fixed it. I disabled my antivirus, deleted ParadoxGames/CrusaderKings2 and run the game. After a Looong load I was greeted with the menu. Closed, reactivated my antivirus, no deletion of the files happened, ran the game again and it worked just fine.
Thanks for all the imput.

 

[wepx]

I have the same problem, it worked fine the day before yesterday. Tried to play yesterday, as soon as the Paradox Logo comes it crashes. I tried everything to no avail. Currently installing it for the nth time to see if it solves itself.

 

[mspierin]

Just wanted to let you know that the userdir.txt thing worked for me.
I also just had the 2 txt files when it was in the documents folder. Tried avast exceptions and disabling it, and deleted that folder, it would recreate it again and I would have to select language again, but it would crash again on the flags. Really strange it would create other files, but not the tga.
Anyways with the userdit.txt thing it finally worked, make sure that if you have in explorer hide extensions for know file types on that you don't accidentally name it userdir.txt.txt