View Full Version : Game won't load
Today I turn my computer (Vista Home Premium 32) on and try to load Battlefield 2142, but nothing (literally!) happens. I try every shortcut and the actual program files. Nothing. I've had an unbelievable amount of glitches with this game since I got it, but this is the worst. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling twice; same damn problem both times. What the heck is going on here?
I've probably reinstalled this game 40 times in the last few months for various other problems, but they all went away at least for a few days after the reinstall. I checked security settings on Windows firewall and my Norton 360- everything is the same as it was before (allow everything). I last played the game on Thursday, and everything was working fine. I haven't messed with setting for anything since, and I haven't installed/uninstalled anything since either.
Could someone please help me get this thing working again?
Ok... new patch just came out v1.50 if you have not installed this then download
it, install it and see if this helps. If not get back to us... ;)
Get the patch from here... go for the FULL one.. Although its useful to have
the incremental patch too (1.40 to 1.50 only)
http://battlefield.ea.com/battlefield/bf/battlefieldnewsdetail.aspx?site_id=B8KOM4UD-5RHY-7JEIWHPH&storyid=23431
Yeah I found out that the patch was released yesterday and I thought that might fix it. No dice. Seemed to install without a problem, but nothing happened when I tried to open BF2142. This was going from 1.40 to 1.50, by the way (incremental).
So I uninstalled everything again, and tried to clear EVERY mention of EA or Battlefield off my computer (got rid of EA download manager). I deleted every temp file associated with BF or EA, as well as any registry entries I could find. Then I restarted my computer.
Once it booted up, I installed EA download manager. From there I installed BF2142. Then I tried to run BF2142 (it always ran until it got to the login screen when it said there is a patch available, so why would it be any different this time? But NOOOO...). That is where I am right now- the game is still screwed up. It's like my computer simply refuses to run BF2142 anymore. I don't even get any black screens and then back to the desktop like I've read about similar problems. All I get once I click on a shortcut is the little "computer is busy" cursor and some hard drive action, then nothing happens.
ChaoZ[IRE]
01-06-2008, 05:33
Get rid of norton
Yes i gotta agree... but wait a min. Lets stop norton running for now.
Got to task manager and stop all processes that belong to norton.
Then try to run BF if BF works then you gotta reconfigure Norton settings.
If this also fails, then stop processes in task manager that belong to programs
that are non essential, keep trying BF until you find the culprit. Some of these
programs can be exited from the task bar, right click on any icon bottom left
of your screen by your clock and then select exit/close/end etc.
Try these steps and get back to us but i do also suspect Norton is having its way ;)
It's not possible to end Norton processes- that's the whole point. If anything could end them, Norton would be a useless security program. However, I've had Norton for months without it interfering with the game or any part of it.
I did get rid of all unnecessary processes, but BF2142 still won't run. Could it be something as simple and stupid as something is not allowing the screen resolution to be altered? Like a registry setting? What I don't understand is how this could have happened when I wasn't even using the computer. I last used BF2142 Thursday night, and it was the last thing I did. The computer was off all day Friday, and when I turned it on on Saturday, I have this problem. I never added or changed ANYTHING on my computer.
I'm going to uninstall it, defrag, and try to reinstall it, as per someone else's suggestion. However, I got into Control Panel --> Programs, and there is no icon next to BF2142. It should be the regular icon like I would see in the start menu, right? This tells me that it is somehow not properly registering with the computer, right?
Well, thats not quite true m8. You can stop Norton running so long as you are
admin. Go to task manager and end all Norton associated tasks under the
processes and services fields.
Have you tried other games and do you get similar problems?
Your problem may seem strange to you and us atm m8 but we can try to help you.
Have you or windows update, updated your graphics/sound drivers before the
last restart?
Try updating your drivers, it can't hurt... keep us posted ;)
I'm going to uninstall it, defrag, and try to reinstall it, as per someone else's suggestion. However, I got into Control Panel --> Programs, and there is no icon next to BF2142. It should be the regular icon like I would see in the start menu, right? This tells me that it is somehow not properly registering with the computer, right?
Well a defrag won't neccasarily help you unless you are very low on HDD
space, it won't hurt tho and will help performance.
Recently, i had a false BF2142 virus alert with the BF2142.exe lmao
i wonder if this has happened to you and Norton actually quarantined your
BF2142.exe file? Does this file exist here: ?
"C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\Battlefield 2142\BF2142.exe"
ChaoZ[IRE]
01-06-2008, 21:41
Dude just get rid of norton 10 mins restart and off u go :-)
Well, after having Windows defrag my hard drive ALL DAY yesterday, I re-downloaded the entire install file with EA download manager today, and I just reinstalled it. IT DOESN'T WORK!
I checked Norton's quarantine log going all the way back to February when I installed it, and it has nothing in the last week except a tracking cookie (2 days before this incident), and nothing related to BF2142 anywhere. So again, I don't think it's Norton.
However, the lack of an icon next to BF2142 in the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs list concerns me. I really think the computer lost something in the registry that won't allow the game to work on the computer no matter how many times I install it. If this is true, what could it be?
I'm actually going to install a demo version of UT3 to see if this is all because of DirectX or something to do with video functions.
As for updates to graphics cards, I don't allow Automatic Windows Update, and I never use it to install updates to graphics cards (made that mistake once). As far as I can tell, my graphics drivers are up to date, so...
Also, by BF2142.exe, you mean BF2142Pace.exe, right? I don't have a BF2142.exe. I also don't have a file called radial.cdb that I normally have there, but I think that's created once you login for the first time, right?
I tried UT3 demo (DirectX 10), and it worked fine. I also tried UT2004 (DirectX 9), and it worked fine as well. Anyone know who/where to contact EA on this matter?
I went into the registry to see the list of programs displayed in the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs section [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall] and in the subkey {ED50ECE9-EC54-4CO5-B5ED-EE4741A9F2EC}, there is a key named "DisplayIcon" with the value "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\Battlefield 2142\bf2142.exe", yet there is no such file in that folder, which is why there is no icon displayed in the Control Panel. I changed it to "C:\...\BF2142Pace.exe" and now the appropriate icon is there. The game obviously still doesn't work. Just as obvious is the fact that I should have this bf2142.exe file. Why don't I?
Sorry for all these posts.
ChaoZ[IRE]
03-06-2008, 09:22
have u got rid of norton yet?
Stop Norton for a little while, you won't lose this program.
i agree to what Horn3t and Chaoz said. But maybe its not a Problem of another Programm that BF is not running. First, when u deinstall BF then make a new Directory on ur new install. Windows has an own Dataspace of its Systemresorepoints which is not visible to nobody and to no Programm (include every Antivirusprogramm ). U can deactivate or activate this under Systemconf/System/Systemrestore. But i think best solution for u is :
1. Deinstall BF and then restart ur Comp
2. Install BF on a different Directory than u did before ( when u had /Electronic Arts/Battlefield 2142 before make now a different like /BF2142 or anything u like )
3. Install Patch
4. Optional install Northern Strike if u had downloaded it via EA Store and then Install Patch again.
Hope this works :-D
Yeah, I deactivated Norton for 15 minutes to let me try some stuff without firewall and "autoprotect," but I get the same problem. I really don't think it's Norton at this point- I think my computer hates the game for some reason.
I already tried installing to a new directory with the same result- nothing. Thanks though.
What happens when you force-restart the computer (hold power button until it's off)? Does Windows blacklist any programs that were running at the time because it thinks they might have caused the problem?
Also, this might seem ridiculous, but is there a limit to the number of times you can install/reinstall a program? Because I've reinstalled this game more than 30 times in the last 5 months. Though this wouldn't explain why it just stopped working...
I looked at task manager when I clicked on the shortcut. It loads BF2142Launcher.exe, which is normal. Then BF2142Pace.exe comes up, which is normal. BF2142Pace.exe the promptly disappears, which is not normal. What is stopping that program from running?
I also looked at Resource Monitor as I clicked on the shortcut, and for some reason BF2142Pace.exe keeps looking at index.dat in my cookies folder consistently, and at completely random files (like other programs' files) sporadically before it stops running. Any ideas what this could mean? Anyone want to check to see if that happens for them?
lol, i have to much Ideas which maybe could help u. But its a little bit to technical and to much to write here, i wish i could help u via Remote looool. I know u maybe dont want that. Do u have any Friends or somebody from ur Family who is advantage in Softwareprogramming ?
Can u post the Battlefield Runlog here , maybe i can help. The Game stop running after u clicked the exe, and then u use Taskmanager to shut it down ? Then u must have Windows Runtimelog. Look in ur Windows Runlogs and post them here pls, better would be if u have also a BF Log. And for ur question of shut down Comp by holding Powerbutton 5 secs: Yes, some Programms are permantly in restorecache by windows during their Runtime. But i think its not the Problem which wont let BF run, because if u reinstalled a complete new Version of BF under a different directory then its a new Programm for Windows and has no link to older Installations of that Game.
I m Softwareprogrammer and think i could help u, but its hard for me to solve that Prob only by hearing this not clearly Sympthoms. Pls if u can pick up ur Logs and then post it here, maybe me or someone else of Timeless Members can help quick. Never give up m8 ! :-D
I just found this on the net.... Give it a try.
Fix for BF2142 not starting
1) Go to your BF2142Pace.exe file... Right-click on it and select the compatibility tab, and run the program in compatibility mode for Windows 2000...
2) Load the game by clicking on the BF2142Pace.exe file (I presume one needs EA Link going for this, but whatever). Sure now we can load the game, right! Excellent! But then, joining a server gives a "Invalid CD Key" error, and the CD Key fixes that EA has released actually do not work (WTF?)
3) Go BACK to the BF2142Pace.exe file and now UNCHECK the "Run in Compatibility mode" box (so it runs in the normal XP mode).
Also this.. similar issue and workaround...
Re: BF2142pace.exe has stopped working
Found a solution to this problem:
Close out EA Link then log back in
Go to the folder that contains the bf2142pace.exe file, and right click and set it to run in compatibility mode for windows 2000 and do the same for bflauncher.exe.
Launch the game as you normally do. Close it, go back and disable compatibility.
Sometimes this doesn't work on the first try, so you may have to restart, its a really odd fix, found it on a forum after googling awhile ago.
Sorry guys, I haven't been messing with the game for the last 24 hours- I've been trying to update my computer to SP1. Maybe that will dislodge whatever dislike my computer has of the game. When I do get back to the game, I will take your recent suggestions under advisement. Hopefully I can get back to you soon- I've run into a few glitches that are more important than the game (though I do want to see those new maps :P). Thanks!
If worse comes to worst, I will go back to playing the game on my laptop, though it's been so long since I played on it that I don't think it even has the 1.40 patch (if 1.40 added Highway Tampa, then it doesn't).
Just had exactly the same problem on a friends laptop running Vista 32.
I tried to find the help link to the memory fix problem and struggled. Think it is a file called "Loschen 2142 memory fix". Virus software sees it as a threat although it isn't.
Even so we have managed to get it fixed.
Make a note of your login details and then uninstall the game, removing absolutely everything including profiles etc...
Reinstall and then run game before patching. Should load and then inform you it needs patching. Patch game and pray.
On every other reinstall, we had tried keeping the profiles and the problem was still there.
Worth a try if you haven't already and if someone knows the link to the fix mentioned, that is worth a try too.