New launcher prevents me from playing paradox games.

[Gniwii]

So it's been over 2 weeks since its launch and I am still getting the Database Error across all paradox games. I have reinstalled the launcher many times. Doesn't help. I have run the games from the .exe and they work but won't run right. I have Opt'd into the beta, does not help. Here's hoping a fix comes in week 3.

Is anyone else still having this problem or is it just me?

 

[AndrewT]

So it's been over 2 weeks since its launch and I am still getting the Database Error across all paradox games. I have reinstalled the launcher many times. Doesn't help. I have run the games from the .exe and they work but won't run right. I have Opt'd into the beta, does not help. Here's hoping a fix comes in week 3.

Is anyone else still having this problem or is it just me?

So far as I know, you are the only one who still gets it after following our advice.

I can only assume there is something that needs doing in your antivirus setup, that others have done but you have not yet. Or ether's something different about your Av app.

Did you want to continue with this here or in your other thread?

 

[Gniwii]

It felt wrong horking someone else's post if their problems have been fixed, unfortunately mine have not. Still cant play any paradox title (and Planetfall).

 

[AndrewT]

I'll interpret that as you wanting to continue here rather than there , then.

Remind me which AV app you have, Avast or AVG IIRC? Whichever one have you contacted their support for help?

 

[Gniwii]

I use Avast

 

[AndrewT]

That is the most troublesome one for our games, as I suspect I've mentioned to you before. That has to be the cause.

I don't know it personally though. I guess you feel you have added paradox launcher.exe and all the game .exe files to all its exceptions lists, without change?

Have you contacted their support for help?

 

[Gniwii]

I don't think the problem is not with my virus program. It seems to still be working fine. The problem stems from your update. Before update working, after update not. Ergo something you have done makes it stop working. Shit if I reinstall the launcher it seems to work fine until it restarts applying an update. Then I get the the Database error. This of course aggravates me.

Now having received an entirely new update the launcher gives me a blank screen saying "General Error. Loading game settings failed. ("messageId:"game.loadingLauncherdGameSettingsFailed") restart launcher. Which of course just gives me the error again. This is of course across all games.

Is this still a problem with my virus checker?

 

[AndrewT]

I don't think the problem is not with my virus program.

Nevertheless we know for 100% certain it is. That is why the measures I've suggested have helped others; if this was a bug in the launcher then everyone would get it regardless of which AV app they use. But only Avast and AVG users have had this problem.

f I reinstall the launcher it seems to work fine until it restarts applying an update. Then I get the the Database error.

That's right. Avast has no problem with older Paradox Launcher.exe versions, but does have a problem with the one in 2021.10.1 - essentially it is detecting a false positive in it, I assume. We have reports Avast does not have a problem with the one in the beta of the next launcher 2022.1; have you tried opting into that yet?

Now having received an entirely new update the launcher gives me a blank screen saying "General Error. Loading game settings failed. ("messageId:"game.loadingLauncherdGameSettingsFailed") restart launcher. Which of course just gives me the error again. This is of course across all games.

If that's the screen I'm thinking of, it is what happens when you run Paradox Launcher.exe directly from file explorer, is that what you are doing to get that? Because the launcher is designed to only be run from Steam.

But what entirely new update are you referring to here? Of the launcher?

 

[Gniwii]

I did nothing. Since you seem so earnest in your attempts to help me (and thank you so very much for that by the way) I tried to launch EU4 again using the icon on my desktop. The same ones that used to work before the update that caused them to not work. I was hoping for a new update that would allow me to enjoy Paradox's content once again. Once more I got the database error but was informed that there was indeed a new update and to restart the launcher. Which I did, thus the new error.

 

[AndrewT]

Please do not use the desktop icon for this process. I would guess that is what triggered that new error.

If you still get the database error when running the game from the PLAY button in Steam, then Avast is still in the way. If you don't want to take this up with Avast, nor to try the launcher beta version, then here is my only other suggestion:

- uninstall Avast completely
- use the free utilities Revo Uninstaller and Ccleaner to make sure it is 100% gone
- do a clean reinstall of game and launcher
- verify it all works now
- reinstall Avast

This should help because AV apps like Avast generally trust apps that are already there when they are installed. If you want to try that let ne know and I'll lay it out in more detail.

 

[Gniwii]

I ran the game from the Steam play button, it still gave me the General Error.

However after reinstalling Eu4, the launcher and Avast it seems to be working. Thank you so much for walking me through it all. I shall now go back to holding invisible oranges and chortling menacingly as I take over the world, fingers crossed everything is stable.

 

[Gniwii]

And sure enough, having closed the launcher to inform you it worked - an update was applied and now I'm back to the General Error. Both from the desktop Icon as well as launching from the play button in the steam menu.

Also when launched from the steam store what is Nakama Crossplay?

 

[AndrewT]

As I've mentioned before, Avast only seems to have this problem with one launcher version - 2021.10.1 . After a clean reinstall you will temporarily have an older version, so it is expected that it will work and not get the database migration error. Then the launcher will update itself to 2021.10.1 and the problem will recur.

We know of three ways to permanently cure this problem for you:

- tell Avast to not block our launcher, to leave it alone
- opt into the beta of the next launcher version 2022.1 which reportedly Avast has no problem with
- the uninstall/reinstall process I laid out last time

Also when launched from the steam store what is Nakama Crossplay?

That is to allow the Steam edition of the game to play MP with non-Steam editions, such as from the MS Store, Epic or GoG.

 

[Gniwii]

I am not getting a Database error any more, I receive a General Error and tells me to restart the browser. Which then tells me to restart the browser etcetc.

 

[AndrewT]

Oh you are only getting that? Sorry I missed that detail.

That's an entirely different matter then. Do all these files exist in these places?


dowser.exe (in the Steam Eu4 folder)
C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2.2021.10.1/paradox launcher.exe
C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/bootstrapper-v2.exe

 

[Pole Doctor]

I've been experiencing the exact same issues since yesterday. Launching CK3 yesterday morning went as smoothly as ever but I experienced the 'database' issue yesterday night (I noticed it upon starting to play as no mod was activated).
Reading this morning it might be related to an antivirus issue (I'm also using Avast, mind you), I'm going to investigate this a little bit further. Just a quick and dirty workaround which might help you Gniwii: temporarily disabling Avast before firing up the launcher works for me. At least you'll be (or should be) able to play while investigating the matter

 

[AndrewT]

I've been experiencing the exact same issues since yesterday. Launching CK3 yesterday morning went as smoothly as ever but I experienced the 'database' issue yesterday night (I noticed it upon starting to play as no mod was activated).
Reading this morning it might be related to an antivirus issue (I'm also using Avast, mind you), I'm going to investigate this a little bit further. Just a quick and dirty workaround which might help you Gniwii: temporarily disabling Avast before firing up the launcher works for me. At least you'll be (or should be) able to play while investigating the matter

Thanks but it seems they are not getting the database error any more, as per post #14.

This is a new one on me, whether it's related to Avast also I have no idea!

 

[Gniwii]

Oh you are only getting that? Sorry I missed that detail.

That's an entirely different matter then. Do all these files exist in these places?


dowser.exe (in the Steam Eu4 folder)
C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2.2021.10.1/paradox launcher.exe
C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/bootstrapper-v2.exe

Dowser.exe does, the other 2 do not

3 weeks in, still cant play paradox games. Really dissatisfied with this new launcher. On a side note sorta wondering why it even exists? From a design stand point what is its purpose?

 

[AndrewT]

On a side note sorta wondering why it even exists? From a design stand point what is its purpose?

The developers have explained that a few times in this forum. It is not going to go away at this point!

Really dissatisfied with this new launcher.

These issues are not caused by the launcher as such, but two particular AV apps getting in the way.

3 weeks in, still cant play paradox games.

Not even by running their .exe files? I was not aware of that issue, if so, but that would have nothing to do with the launcher.

Dowser.exe does, the other 2 do not

Okay, well there you go - Avast has deleted or quarantined those files.


Can I once again suggest we temporarily remove Avast completely, get everything working, then install it again?

 

[Gniwii]

Everything does work, until the launcher updates. Then it doesn't work. Also I missed the when/where the developers explained it all. Could you give me the nutshell or links?