EA 117 Gaming Community

ok, i got a new puter a couple of days ago, and now im runnin win 7 64 bit......playin BF4 is smoother than b4 (no screen lock ups when im bout to shoot someone)
but im having issues installing PB for DC...other than the typical way to install, what else do i need to do...open ports on my firewall etc?!

im not used to win 7, so what ever help yas can give me, would be great......
as i understand PB doesnt start, im guessin my firewall is blockin it (but im not sure if theres other steps i need to take)


thanks

I think you can add the pb Services into the firewall and allow the traffic or point it at the exe files, I think it's pnkbstr.exe and pnKbstrb.exe that you need to add.

I did not have to do any of that. I do not know if the fact I am running Win 7 32 bit would be any reason for that, but I just did Tanks PB update and run the game in compatibility mode and run as administrator without any issues.

ill give that a try swanny..thanks bro
the crazy thing is, my old puter had both xp and win 7 (32 bit)....i installed DC on xp, but was still able to play DC while in win 7, without having to re install DC or punkbuster....
i havent installed all of my games on this new system, so i might go back to having a dual OS like b4

thanks fellas

Does this mean you will be playing DC again?

Did you remember to check mark the PB box at the start screen?

i wish the issue was as simple as that box...lol...but no, that isnt the problem...its either happening while im installing PB, or after its installed.....i had the compatibility set for XP while installing, and also ran it as admin...
annnddd i also cant install XP on this new system...it wont allow it
so i gotta keep workin on this prob.....

at least i got BF4 running nicely

well this dem has finally given up, trying to get DC running on this new puter...ive tried everything suggested and then some.....googled stuff about it, and found others have had similar issues with older games and PB.....only option is, to buy a cheap old system, that runs XP , and play DC on that....so for the time being, yas are safe from being sniped

I'm running it on 64 bit Win 7 with no issues at all.

As others have said, there is certianly no fundamental issue between Windows 7 SP1 x64 and Battlefield 1942 or Punkbuster. Have been running many different variations of that same configuration (Punkbuster with Origin, Punkbuster with CD-based, Punkbuster from Origin and then used CD-based Battelfield, etc.) all successfully.

For best clarity on what state you're in, what Kind of Battlefield 1942 Installation was this? You mentioned having Battlefield 4, so I could assume it's also an Origin-based Installation of Battlefield 1942, but is that true or did you install from CDs the same as you would pre-Origin?

That makes a difference because it changes where Punkbuster comes from. The 1.6 patch delivers it if you're installing from a CD, but if you're installing only from Origin then nothing delivers Punkbuster as part of Battlefield 1942 itself. You can get the core Punkbuster Services installed from Origin if you install Battlefield 3 or Battlefield 4, so that Punkbuster itself may actually still be installed successfully and correctly, or may not be if you don't have other Punkbuster games from Origin. But the Battefield 1942-specific files still have to be delivered from TanksPBUpdate.exe or similar, since Punkbuster doesn't officially suport Battlefield 1942 any more and Origin doesn't deliver the necessary Battlefield 1942-specific files.

The way the Punkbuster core services get installed affects whether or not they're registered with the Windows Firewall, too. The CD-based 1.6 patch doesn't create the rules automatically, but the Origin-based installation has always created them automatically. (Note this applies only when you've installed Battlefield 3 or Battlefield 4, since Battlefield 1942 from Origin doesn't inlucde Punkbuster.)

Specifically we're talking about PnkBstrA.exe and PnkBstrB.exe in the Windows SYSTEM32 directory (which is SYSWOW64 on 64-bit Windows machines, because they are 32-bit programs), in addition to the BF1942.EXE program itself. If you have a different or additional third-party firewall installed (McAfee, etc.) it might be necessary to enable those applications to communicate with the network using whatever administration program the third-party firewall provides.

It's never been required to run the /installers/ in Windows XP compatibility mode. Windows 7 does detect that these installers (CD-based SETUP.EXE, 1.6 patches, Desert Combat installers) require administrators rights, and will automatically prompt and run with administrative rights without you having to do anything special.

What does require special action is the game shortcut you setup. In the properties of that shortcut, the "Compatibility" tab shows settings for how BF1942.EXE itself will be run. Both "Run this program in compatibility mode for: Windows XP (Service Pack 3)" and "Run this program as an administrator" are necessary on this "Compatibility" tab, else Battlefield 1942 will have a variety of issues, more so with a CD-based Installation than the Origin-based installation.

In addition to advising what kind of install you currently have (CD-based or Origin-based), also advise what exactly you're seeing in terms of failures. i.e. The specific messages or error messages you're seeing which leads you to conclude "PunkBuster isn't even starting."

-Trench

when i try and enter the server, PB spams the' corrupt or mismatch files' message......i get the fact that something didnt install correctly (even though ive deleted and re installed it a bunch of times)...so im not sure if its something not installing during setting up the services, or if tanks update isnt installing correctly.....im using the origin version, but will try with the cd version to.....
i might uninstall it all and start again...

its ok......i will get to the bottom of it eventually.......between B4, and other games, im like a kid in a candy store atm playing games that dont lag me like they used to

Demonic wrote:im like a kid in a candy store atm playing games that dont lag me like they used to

Lord help us all, it's Demonic without a bit of lag to give the rest of us a fighting chance.

Demonic wrote:when i try and enter the server, PB spams the' corrupt or mismatch files' message......i get the fact that something didnt install correctly (even though ive deleted and re installed it a bunch of times)...so im not sure if its something not installing during setting up the services, or if tanks update isnt installing correctly.....

It is when you're trying to connect to the EA117 server, right? Opus had an MD5 checksum-related issue trying to connect with BF.MAXNET, but not here. Maybe list two or three of the errors that scroll if they're different, in case that provides any more clue to what could be off.

Demonic wrote:im using the origin version

Okay, with the Origin version of Battlefield 1942 and a premise of "I have already installed Battlefield 4 including PunkBuster", my expectations are that you would only need to do exactly what Specialist's thread already recommended:

• Install the Origin Battlefield 4 first, including the PunkBuster for Battlefield 4. The Origin Battlefield 4 installation will install core PunkBuster services that we'll need for Battlefield 1942, but not the Battlefield 1942-specific files which Origin doesn't deliver.
• Install Battlefield 1942 from Origin.
• Install "desertcombat0.7fullinstall.exe", directing the installation to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 1942" (since you are on 64-bit) instead of default "C:\Program Files\EA Games\Battlefield 1942" directory.
• Install "dc_final_client.exe", directing the installation to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 1942" (since you're on 64-bit) instead of default blank directory. Note this installer may give a warning at the end "This program might not have installed correctly". Simply select "This program installed correctly."
• Install "TanksPBupdate.exe", directing the installation to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 1942\pb" instead of the default "C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\pb" directory. Note the "pb" subdirectory added to end of game directory path. This provides the missing Battlefield 1942-specific files, and depends upon the core PunkBuster services having already been installed by something else like a Battlefield 3 or Battlefield 4 installation.
• Apply the updated BF1942.EXE as described in Specialist's post.
• Use your "real" CD-based Battlefield 1942 key to perform the ERGC registry key updates as described in Specialist's post.

So maybe if you've been specifying "XP compatibility" when running the installers, like TanksPBUpdate.exe, I would say maybe undo that and try running it again "normal". It will still prompt with the "do you want to allow this program to make changes" etc. because it detects TanksPBUpdate.exe is an installer and forces it to run as administrator regardless. But maybe running without XP compatibility set might help, since I've never run it /with/ XP compatibility set.

Towards the end of the TanksPBUpdate, it's recommended that you select the "don't create program group" option (as per the readme instructions for TanksPBUpdate), and at the very end there is a "Run Tank's PB update" checkbox which should remain checked, and briefly runs a Command Prompt window once you hit "Finish" on the install. I just take those things for granted, but mentioning them here in case it's important.

-Trench

ok..problem solved....long story short...on my old set up (win 7 32 bit / XP ) i could run the game without logging into Origin....i thought it would be the same this time around, but i guess not.....after re installing everything for PB, the mods etc, it works fine.....so long as i sign into origin to play.....

Great, glad its working to where you can play successfully.

It does seem a bit strange though, since one of the changes/fixes made in the updated BF1942.EXE provided in Specialist's post is specifically to prevent Origin from having to be run first. And I find that aspect to be successful; i.e. I don't have Origin set to start when Windows starts, and I don't have to start Origin when launching my BF1942.EXE shortcut from the desktop.

If you hadn't actually applied the updated BF1942.EXE from Specialist's post, the other advantage it provides is a true widescreen support fix which allows you to select any supported resolution right from inside the "Video" configuration in the game, keep that resolution without having to mark the video.con file read-only, etc. So it can be worthwhile.

If you HAD already applied the updated BF1942.EXE and still needed to start Origin first, 'das jus weird.

-Trench