Here is a brain scratcher.

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

Last week did a fresh install on a formatted HD. Put in the shortcuts to go direct to DC. At first the direct link kept kicking me, now it works other than the random kick now for having duplicate keys...wth. Another interesting problem is on the BF 42 & DC server menus EA 177 doesn't show up at all. The only way to get in is via the direct link. If I get kicked off by friggin PB there is no way to get back in unless I closeout and use the direct link again....lost in space.

Also this is the cd version I have used for years and each time I log in I get a _28 after my name. It increases each time I log in after getting kicked.

[Swanny-CG]

Another interesting problem is on the BF 42 & DC server menus EA 177 doesn't show up at all.

Not taking the piss here but maybe if you searched for EA 117 instead?

I think you can also search by IP and one you find it, you can favorite it. Our IP is 8.12.64.130, if that helps.

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

lol. Nope I pee just fine. Typing in anger. I was going to try the latter. Its just interesting.

[Trench]

Sarge, I kept looking for you to be connected so that we could verify whether the server showed you with a CD key hash or not. Finally saw you today, but there is a CD key hash shown for your connection. Did you do anything further to resolve this, like switching to an Origin-based install instead of CD-based? Because with a hash shown there, it would seem like "duplicate key" would mean someone else with your specific CD key, as opposed to "the collision of two players with blank keys" that we have been seeing a lot of recently.

Since it's been over 24 hours since you posted, just didn't want to assume your client machine was still in the same state, and wondered what additional steps you might have taken at this point. For what it's worth, I'm talking about the key and connection you were shown with at 3:00pm Central Time today, March 9.

-Trench

[Swanny-CG]

He didn't have a key last night, his was blank and he got kicked for it. I'm interested in what worked, too.

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

I was still booted earlier today for the guidkey stuff. At one time I did try the free version months ago. Went to Origin to delete it only to find the Origin will not allow that. The game does show in the library, but its not installed.

This is a random situation here. This never happen until about a month ago. I reinstalled some of our mods. It seemed to work other than my other problem,,,it can take up to 5 to 8 times to log in and play it. When loading it kicks me to desktop just to start over, even when switching to the next map cross my fingers!

Does a clean install again seemed warranted?

and none else has my key that I know of.

[Swanny-CG]

I would suggest maybe following Spec's post on updating the key in the registry to see if maybe that gets you sorted, I bet you might have some remnant of the Origin install that is superceding the CD-based config you have, like it's reading the old (blank) Origin reg key when it's looking for the CD Key value?

Then again I might be talking out of my ass, I just was thinking it might be worth a shot and wouldn't take long to rule out.

LONG LIVE EA 177!

[Nightstalker]

LONG LIVE EA 177!

Pffft, that server sucks. I get kicked all the time over there.

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

Lmao. That damn typo is going to live in infamy or haunt me to the grave.
I will look up Specs link tomorrow and see what goes then. Thanks.

[Trench]

Also this is the cd version I have used for years...

At one time I did try the free version months ago. Went to Origin to delete it only to find the Origin will not allow that. The game does show in the library, but its not installed.

I will look up Specs link tomorrow and see what goes then. Thanks.

If you are installing from CD-ROM and not from Origin, following Specialist's instructions doesn't apply here and his instructions will refer to registry locations which do not exist on your machine.

Instead of changing anything, just confirm that for your CD-based installation the "(default)" unnamed value you see in the registry under [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\ergc] (if you're on 32-bit Windows; on 64-bit Windows it's under [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Electronic Arts\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\ergc]) is set to a string that matches the legacy CD key you entered in during the CD-based installation, sans any of the dashes.

This is your real and literal CD key value, so you don't want to post it here or anything; just make sure it's set and accurate. Attached is a screen shot of what my Windows 7 SP1 x64 machine's key would look like, if the CD key printed on my CD-ROM case was 1500-1234567-8901234-5678:

cdkey.png

Verifying this key is correctly set to your CD key is the closest thing to "Specialist's instructions" that applies to a CD-based installation of Battlefield 1942.

FYI I did duplicate tonight the "EA117 server does not show up in server list after a clean CD-based installation." I had to un-check the "PunkBuster enabled" checkbox at the bottom of the screen; not the "PunkBuster required" filter to the right-side of the screen. After disabling PunkBuster, performing a new "Update" to retrieve the full list showed that EA117 was now in that list. Marking EA117 as a "Favorite", then re-enabling PunkBuster allowed the EA117 server will remain showing in the list because it's marked as a Favorite.

-Trench

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

Hey Trench, verified in the registry files, ok there. Funny thing, even though my system is a 64bit I had to use the 32bit tree to get into cd key value. Using the 64 bit there is no Wow6432node..etc...

I did get EA 117 into both of the servers they were in white letters but they went to favorites and were accepted. Next month I should be getting the Samsung SSD 250 GB and do a super clean install and see what happens. I still cant figure out the kicking to desktop during game it goes to desktop and I just have to click the icon and it goes right back in game...fun when your flying.

Thanks for all the input


except for Fagstalker.

[Trench]

Funny thing, even though my system is a 64bit I had to use the 32bit tree to get into cd key value. Using the 64 bit there is no Wow6432node..etc...

Yikes. My first suspicion would be that somehow I'm running the 32-bit RegEDIT.exe every time; i.e. when I think I'm running the default regular 64-bit RegEDIT.exe I'm actually running the 32-bit version then, too. You can definitively verify this by pressing CTRL-SHIFT-ESC to open the Windows Task Manager, and then on the "Processes" tab look for the REGEDIT.EXE process that is running. If it's the 32-bit version it will have a "*32" after the name, else it's a native 64-bit process.

Examples of "accidentally" starting a 32-bit RegEDIT.exe instead of the usual 64-bit one on a 64-bit machine include having a 32-bit Command Prompt open, and typing RegEDIT to launch RegEDIT.exe from that command prompt. The SYSTEM32 directory the 32-bit Command Prompt has access to is the SYSWOW64 directory, so it will launch the 32-bit RegEDIT.exe instead. Same if you have some kind of 32-bit "toolbar" or desktop helper application you're launching programs from, instead of the native Windows desktop or start menu.

But the "normal" ways of launching RegEDIT on a 64-bit machine should be defaulting to finding the 64-bit RegEDIT.exe. e.g. Using the Windows+R key to open the "Run" dialog happens in context of the 64-bit EXPLORER.EXE instance on your desktop, as does using the "Search" option in the Start menu, so they both should be using the "real" SYSTEM32 directory which contains the 64-bit applications.

I still cant figure out the kicking to desktop during game it goes to desktop and I just have to click the icon and it goes right back in game...fun when your flying.

Because you're also getting "_13", "_28", etc., after your name when you re-join, it sounds like it's not actually a "kick" but rather just a crash.

Because your current player connection was not terminated gracefully, the server is still waiting for your existing connection to resume sending or time out. When you reconnect quickly, your old connection has not yet been terminated, so your player name collides with the existing connection and the server appends "_28", etc., to resolve the collision. If you wait more time before reconnecting the server will have already cleared your old connection.

But it's the "non-graceful termination of your game client" which is the issue; any kind of controlled exit or server-side kick would have deterministically torn down your old connection and it wouldn't matter how fast you reconnect. The fact that there isn't a "BF1942.exe stopped working" message on your desktop when the game crashes means it will be tougher crash to investigate; I would definitely exhaust the clean rebuild options first, the try the later or more reliable drivers for my video card options first, etc.

-Trench

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

Trench, your going to love this one. In processes RegEDIT isn't even listed 32 or 64 how is that possible. System properties does state 64 bit. Its a conundrum. Egg or the chicken. It did work rather smoothly today, albeit for El Al log in with no issues or glitches.

About my toolbar, etc... I'm all stock no add on or helper crap.
My vid card is a Radeon HD 6850 all up to date.
I'll just keep plugging away and do the step by step install and the SSD later next month.

Appreciate all the help.
Sarge

[Trench]

Trench, your going to love this one. In processes RegEDIT isn't even listed 32 or 64 how is that possible. System properties does state 64 bit. Its a conundrum. Egg or the chicken.

I guess technically I omitted the confirmation of "check Task Manager while you have RegEDIT running and open", but you probably already did that. Meaning it's not like REGEDIT.EXE is constantly running in the background and can be checked "at any time"; it's only running when you can see the registry editor as an open window on your desktop.

Attached is what mine looks like when a 32-bit instance is running; a 64-bit instance would look the same except without a "*32" after the process name.

EDIT: I just remembered that another possible explanation for why it doesn't show up is that the Windows user you're logging in with is actually a "Standard user" rather than "Administrator". The "User Accounts" control panel applet will show you what your account is, but I should also be able to ask "Are you prompted to enter a username and password when you run RegEDIT, or do you just have to confirm a Yes or No prompt when running RegEDIT?" Yes or No means you're running as an Administrator account, username and password is a Standard user.

If this keeps up I might have to advise that you set the computer out in the driveway. Whatever it's possessed with might not be safe to keep inside the house while you're sleeping.

-Trench

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

Examples of "accidentally" starting a 32-bit RegEDIT.exe instead of the usual 64-bit one on a 64-bit machine include having a 32-bit Command Prompt open, and typing RegEDIT to launch RegEDIT.exe from that command prompt. The SYSTEM32 directory the 32-bit Command Prompt has access to is the SYSWOW64 directory, so it will launch the 32-bit RegEDIT.exe instead.

I redid the steps for the processes it does show the RegEdit 32. I expanded the files and found its running wow32.dll What step are you proposing to get it running 64bit.

Remember, I only have two rockers under my chevrons. Use bigger paragraphs and littler words

[Trench]

I redid the steps for the processes it does show the RegEdit 32. I expanded the files and found its running wow32.dll What step are you proposing to get it running 64bit.

Okay, that's good, since it at least makes sense for why you don't see a "Wow6432Node" branch in your registry.

What method would you describe you used to start the RegEDIT program this time, when it ended up being 32-bit? e.g. Do you have a shortcut to RegEDIT on your desktop, or do you use the "Run" dialog and type in just "RegEDIT" or some partial path to RegEDIT, or how?

To try and "definitively run the 64-bit version of RegEDIT", start the Windows Task Manager using CTRL-SHIFT-ESC (since we know Windows should spawn this as a 64-bit process), and from the "File" menu in Task Manager use "New Task (Run...)" and enter in just "REGEDIT.EXE".

Note you must CLOSE any running instances of RegEDIT before doing this, because RegEDIT does not allow running multiple instances. If you already have a 32-bit instance of RegEDIT open on your desktop, trying to run RegEDIT again, whether 64-bit or 32-bit, will simply detect RegEDIT is already open and switch you to the already running instance rather than starting any new/additional instances.

-Trench

[opus]

Ok... I've been trying to scratch my brain all day, and it's not working.
Im bleeding out of my ear though...........

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

Ok... I've been trying to scratch my brain all day, and it's not working.
Im bleeding out of my ear though...........

Tard.

This next step will require my coffee to settle in, maybe a donut too. I'll head to my command post in a bit. Keep my fingers crosssed.

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

Ok Trench, all done.
The processes show "regedit.exe" now, there is no "64" but at least the "32" is gone.

[Trench]

The processes show "regedit.exe" now, there is no "64" but at least the "32" is gone.

Correct, no "64" expected. Now, I do assume this also means you actually /can/ see a "Wow6432Node" subkey under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software in this 64-bit instance of RegEDIT, as was originally expected / was the original problem observation.

Still not sure how the 32-bit instances of RegEDIT are getting started instead of 64-bit, but at least you will be able to spawn a 64-bit instance now, whenever you need one.

-Trench

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

Forgot to mention that. I do have the WOW factor. Now I just have to remember why I started thread. I'm all foggy!

Thank you Trench. Your my newist bestist buddy. Let plan a sleepover and do a panty raid on Nighty.

Sarge

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

So far so good. Logged in and ran two games without a hitch. I did find out Father is a real unforgiving weenie in the Harrier.

[Swanny-CG]

I think it's really strange that he needed to do anything with the regedit if it was a clean wipe, I'm running 64 bit and never had to mess with any of that.

[Trench]

I think it's really strange that he needed to do anything with the regedit if it was a clean wipe, I'm running 64 bit and never had to mess with any of that.

Yeah, agreed, none of these shenanigans are "expected" for a 64-bit Windows installation. Any of the normal ways of launching RegEDIT -- Start menu "Run" dialog, Start menu "Search" field, Command Prompt, etc. -- are all expected to be happening on 64-bit processes, so should have launched the 64-bit RegEDIT.exe. Sarge probably just has some crazy "Super Dell Schanze" Utah computer.

Sarge, one question that is still outstanding is "What method would you describe you used to start the RegEDIT program when it ended up being 32-bit? For example, do you have a shortcut to RegEDIT on your desktop that you normally use to launch RegEDIT? Or do you use the "Run" dialog from the Start menu and then type in just "RegEDIT" or maybe some partial path to RegEDIT?"

Meaning we know now if you use the Task Manager method to start RegEDIT, it ends up being the 64-bit version of RegEDIT. But how did you normally launch RegEDIT before that, which was the case where it ended up being 32-bit instead of 64-bit?

-Trench

[Sarge 1/68th Armor]

Lol. Up until now, I have never messed with it. As you instructed is went in via task mgr. and found the regedit32 From then on during all this troubleshooting I used the "run" box.

If it were a Dell Super Monster I would have cut my losses and fired up my Presario 1200
I purchased this ol custom built gem from my computer guy. I'll shoot you the specs and see if any more tweaking can be done.