Crash on start...

[Magar Mourn]

The second I double click the icon or steam name the it comes up telling me the game has "stopped working"

This started happening after my computer crashed during a game - have recently bought more DLC if it matters.

Help appreciated.

 

[Magar Mourn]

btw.. reinstall and checking file integrity haven't worked. imo something to do with an external file the game needs in order to run.

 

[AndrewT]

Please do a full **clean** re-install:

- move any valued save games elsewhere
- "uninstall" in Steam-CK2
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/CK2 AND Documents/Paradox/CK2 folders
In particular make sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam CK2 or Documents CK2 locations, before installing again.

- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- add steam.exe and ck2game.exe to the Exceptions list of your antivirus app

THEN:
Please go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Crusader Kings II\ _CommonRedist\DirectX\Jun2010\ and run dxsetup.exe
Please go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Crusader Kings II\ _CommonRedist\vcredist\2010\ and run vcredist_x86.exe and vcredist_x64.exe

Also if you have installed a gaming VPN app called Evolve, or the MSI Gaming App, disable it as it clashes with this game.

 

[Magar Mourn]

This has all been done before. To make matters even worse, I tried the game yesterday - and it worked - also I had been having the exact same issue with M&B Warband - EXACT same issue. Well yesterday BOTH programs were working, now they are not again.

M&B hadn't been working for MONTHS.

At a guess it has something to do with steam and connecting to your website. Only after connecting here did these games start working again. The intermittent nature of the problem shows it's not a problem with the files themselves. (I had no issues at all with saved games yesterday - corrupt save isn't the issue).

This is why people hate drm

It is reinstalling atm.... :\

 

[Magar Mourn]

Yup same problem. Re-installing, deleting directories isn't the fix. This is usually the first thing most of us try.

 

[AndrewT]

This is why people hate drm

It's lucky we don't use any DRM then.

This is nothing to do with Steam. Exit Steam entirely and run ck2game.exe by itself - is it any better?

Assuming not, we have a Windows or game problem. I know nothing about M&B, that may or may not have the same cause.

To make matters even worse, I tried the game yesterday - and it worked - also I had been having the exact same issue with M&B Warband - EXACT same issue. Well yesterday BOTH programs were working, now they are not again.

That however is weird. What antivirus do you use?

 

[Magar Mourn]

True but steam itself is a form of DRM.

Avast Antivirus.

 

[AndrewT]

True but steam itself is a form of DRM.

Not for us, it's not. It's simply a distribution, patching, MP and mod platform. We use none of the Steam DRM features.

I have no explanation how the game can fail one day, work the next, and fail the day after. Avast! however has been an issue with this game historically. Certainly add ck2game.exe into the Exceptions list, plus the whole Steam-CK2 and Documents-CK2 folder structures.

 

[Magar Mourn]

I think I worked it out - pretty sure it's the antivirus.

I turned it to passive mode and suddenly M&B works fine. (I have to reboot each time, so am unsure if this is what's doing it or something else).

I have already excluded all of the E:\STEAM directory (where I have it) for their "File Shield" however, I just found another part of Avast called the "Behaviour shield" which also has an exclusion list.

Will try it out and get back to you.

 

[Magar Mourn]

Ok seems it WAS that...

So here's my summary... my computer shut down because it was overheating - I live in Australia and this is a pretty common issue.

Entirely possible for a virus to do this I suppose, so the A/V decided to blame the game I had opened at the time? (I have no idea if this is true). And this was done under virus behaviour and not the file virus detection part of the A/V.

It did this without alerting me, and so it just for no apparent reason stopped working.

Thanks a lot for the help. Both games are now working btw lol.

 

[Magar Mourn]

One slight issue now happens, none of my mods are appearing at all. The entire mod tab in the launcher is greyed out and won't allow clicking on it...any idea how to fix this?

 

[AndrewT]

You should look into that overheating as it can damage your hardware. If you are seeing temps approaching 80c, I'd seek professional help on that.

none of my mods are appearing at all. The entire mod tab in the launcher is greyed out and won't allow clicking on it.

That too can be caused by AV apps, although I've only really seen that with Stellaris and HOI4. I take it the mod files do not appear in Documents/paradox/ck2/mod/ folder?

 

[Magar Mourn]

Ah it's all good, I replaced one fan - which is now working well, but summer is coming on fast. Was just talking to a mate about it on steam actually, gonna get a new water cooler and top (main fan).

Regarding the mods - yes indeed. Do I need to make an exception for the mods directory as well? or Steam?

 

[Magar Mourn]

Hrm still doing it, not really sure how to fix this?

Where does it place the steam mods?

Reinstall fix it?

 

[AndrewT]

Mods are copied by Steam to some folder in the Steam cache, and then to the Documents/paradox/ck2/mod/ folder .


Aside from AV apps getting in the way, these are the other causes I've seen for this:

- you need to enable Steam Cloud Sync in two places, for the Steam Client overall and for this game in particular

- if you are opted in to a Steam Client beta version, you'll need to opt out into the public version

- you need to run the game at least once using the PLAY button in Steam, before using any desktop or taskbar shortcuts. This enables the game to make the documents/paradox/CK2/mod/ folder.

 

[Magar Mourn]

All fixed, I had turned off steam cloud with all the mucking around earlier.

Thanks for the help