Can;t run the updater :-(

[SteveL]

I'm trying to run TDM updater for the first time ever (I started with 2.0) but Windows won't let me. I've tried running in compatibility modes, as an admin, and I've tried turning off Data Execution Prevention which has seen off this error in the past, but again Windows won't let me. "You cannot turn off DEP for this program". Grrr.

 

The updater is nuked by Windows as soon as it starts to run. Windows 7 SP1. The error, in the hope that it means something to someone despite Microsoft's clear efforts to conceal the meaning:

 

 

Problem signature:

Problem Event Name: BEX

Application Name: tdm_update.exe

Application Version: 1.0.0.1

Application Timestamp: 52152fc7

Fault Module Name: tdm_update.exe

Fault Module Version: 1.0.0.1

Fault Module Timestamp: 52152fc7

Exception Offset: 001830d3

Exception Code: c0000417

Exception Data: 00000000

OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3

Locale ID: 2057

Additional Information 1: a2b8

Additional Information 2: a2b8c019bc394654c53915b9cbdbd613

Additional Information 3: e7e7

Additional Information 4: e7e7bb7131bbfbc443a54036118814cb

 

 

Edited January 30, 2014 by SteveL

[Lux]

Did you try deleting your current updater and downloading a new one? I don't even have to run mine as admin and it just works. Very odd.

[SteveL]

Yes I did, and I just did it again to double-check before replying, but no joy. Same error *cry*

 

Sorry to the mirrors, I might have to go for a full reinstall. I guess I can put the FMs to one side before deleting /darkmod. I'll wait a bit first though in case someone can offer a fix.

[Xarg]

Any chance that could be a VC error? Failing that someone could upload an archive of 2.01 for you?

[SteveL]

I don't know... BEX errors started with Vista, and every time I've encountered them in the past, they've been down to Windows' DEP. Disable the security, and the problem goes away. Now it seems they've disabled my ability to disable the security. But that's not what the error is meant to mean, so I guess it *might* not be their fault. Obviously I'd be eternally grateful for an archive but it'd be a nuisance of a job for someone to do and, to be honest, probably not justified by me getting an early look at 2.01 I can wait for it to be the new default download, especially if I'm the only one getting this error.

[taaaki]

I'm busy building a new tdm_update for you from trunk. Will PM you the details. If that works, we can probably make a plan to offer it as a workaround on the wiki.

[SteveL]

Woohoo! I hope you succeed! And huge thanks either way

 

EDIT: just noticed you already PM'd me. testing now...

Edited January 30, 2014 by SteveL

[SteveL]

I eventually succeeded, though not in the end by using your new updater taaaki.

 

That ran, but only (I realised after our IM conversation) within the shell of Windows' compatibility troubleshooter. It went on to download over 2GB of files at a slow pace (I guess lots of people are downloading), which is why it's taken me so long to reply. It finished without any error message, so unfortunately I didn't keep the log, if one was written. But when I started TDM, it was still 2.0. And there were zero changes to the files in my darkmod folder, and no sign of the 2GB+ of files anywhere on any of my hard drives (I combed through the list of all files updated in the last week).

 

After that, I got BEX again whenever I tried to restart the updater. I tried booting Windows in safe mode with only network drivers, but same problem. I eventually tried deleting config and log files from the darkmod folder, trying to start it again each time. Once I'd deleted crc_info.txt, the updater stopped BEX'ing. It went on to download a 29MB zip with the patch, then crashed (APPCRASH this time) at the end. But at least this time, I had something in the log to check. It was failing to delete files in darkmod/ -- "Access denied". When I checked the folder properties, some files were set to read-only. That was it. NB I didn't do that--I don't know how they got set to read-only. Anyway, I unchecked read only and applied it to all files and subfolders, then removed the compatibility settings and admin privs for the updater to see if that was the whole problem... and apparently it was. I got a successful update.

 

What a frustrating experience! I appreciate I'm only one of 2 people here or on moddb that's had a problem, so this is not TDM's fault.Thank you very much for your help.

[taaaki]

Thanks for the update.

[STiFU]

I guess checking for write protection or similar would be something we could handle in the updater. Bugtrackify?

[taaaki]

I guess checking for write protection or similar would be something we could handle in the updater. Bugtrackify?

 

I think this is probably the right way to go. At the very least, we should catch the issue before a not-so-helpful Windows error/exception and display a meaningful error of our own. I'll log the issue when I get home from work.

 

Edit: Issue 3668

[gangrel]

Hello everybody, I'm new to the forum but it worked the same for me. I changed the permissions to all the darkmod contains and I've been able to update to 2.01.

I was waiting for my forum account validation and following this discussion and hoping that someone found a warkaround. So thanks to SteeveL and taaaki.

[SteveL]

Welcome gangrel! And good to hear all the hours of swearing and experimentation last night ended up being of use to someone else too

[GUFF]

I had similar issues as well. The updater would download the new version of the updater 97-99% (never 100%) and say it was "complete" and I'd restart the updater to find it didn't apply the update at all. So I had to replace tdm_updater.exe with the newest one from the website and then everything was fine--downloaded and replaced the rest of the updates with no issue at all.

 

Bit off topic but on the subject of the in-game mission downloader, as a newer player of about a week I've noticed that it downloads older versions of missions first as there's immediately full-sized replacement updates/translations available after just downloading several missions that way.

[SteveL]

Welcome to you too Guff! I've not noticed your second problem, but of course the mission lists are being updated all the time and I haven't tried downloading one in the last week or so. If you tell me the names of one or two missions where that's happened for you, I'll try it too and see if I get the same behaviour.

[taaaki]

Just a question to the people who experienced the read-only issue: how did you install The Dark Mod? Using tdm_update initially or from the torrents that were created?

[GUFF]

Welcome to you too Guff! I've not noticed your second problem, but of course the mission lists are being updated all the time and I haven't tried downloading one in the last week or so. If you tell me the names of one or two missions where that's happened for you, I'll try it too and see if I get the same behaviour.

 

Unfortunately I downloaded and updated every single mission available as of today with the ingame downloader showing nothing new available. So I can't test this myself unless I delete them all.

 

Another issue I've noticed is that some missions download and then are checked as "Complete" despite never having played them... these are:

 

The Chalice of Kings

In Rememberance of Him

Pandora's Box

 

As for how I installed the game, I used the updater.

[SteveL]

Just a question to the people who experienced the read-only issue: how did you install The Dark Mod? Using tdm_update initially or from the torrents that were created?

 

The updater

[demagogue]

I noticed, at least for me, the old updater was downloading a new one with an underscore up front "_tdm_updater", which runs into an error, an old problem that was supposed to be fixed. It was easy for me to fix because I just took off the front "_", but others might run into it. I wonder if it's related to me downloading it onto an external harddrive?

[AluminumHaste]

It's part of DEP (Data Execution Prevention) as far as I know, the code means:

 

Indicates a buffer overflow (/GS) or DEP exception (BEX64 indicates a buffer overflow (/GS) or DEP exception on 64-bit versions of Windows)

 

Disable DEP for the launcher exe and see if that helps.

[gangrel]

Just a question to the people who experienced the read-only issue: how did you install The Dark Mod? Using tdm_update initially or from the torrents that were created?

 

Torrent from The Pirate Bay, blacklisted from italian ISP, but I used a proxy.

[Tzaero]

I'm busy building a new tdm_update for you from trunk. Will PM you the details. If that works, we can probably make a plan to offer it as a workaround on the wiki.

 

Could I try the updater? I only just noticed i had this problem.

[taaaki]

Could I try the updater? I only just noticed i had this problem.

In the end, I didn't need to build a new updater. Make sure that your darkmod folder and all files/sub-directories are not marked read-only.

[Tzaero]

In the end, I didn't need to build a new updater. Make sure that your darkmod folder and all files/sub-directories are not marked read-only.

 

And it works!

[Auge]

Hey, is it possible to download the update manually? Because the computer I'm runnin TDM on ain't connected to the internet:/