I keep getting a saved game failed to load error - help

[tiemanjw]

The past 2 days, whenever I try to load the replay sent by my opponent I get a "saved game failed to load" error. The orders file works fine - it is just the wpae001 file that won't load. We have been running version 1.7.11.23x8 for as long as I can remember now. I haven't updated my computer and I'm using the same download procedures I've been using for a while.

After the first time it happened, my opponent graciously resent the file - it still did not work. So he re-ran the turn, and after that it worked. Today, when I get the next turn, the same issue has returned.

I saw a thread
tm.asp?m=3606309&mpage=1&key=save%2Cgam ... d&#3606465
that seems to indicate the file is corrupted some how. I don't think it is in transmission (multiple turns, multiple sends, same issue). It recommends having the file resent - but we tried that, and still see the issue. Is there something one of us is doing wrong, and/or is there something we can do?

file attached. PM for password.

[witpqs]

Please describe how the file is being sent. Include everything you can think of: is it zipped or not, email or some hosting service, everything from when the file is created to when you try to run it.

[tiemanjw]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Please describe how the file is being sent. Include everything you can think of: is it zipped or not, email or some hosting service, everything from when the file is created to when you try to run it.

I don't know much about his side with respect to creating it (other than in is late '43 and we haven't had a problem yet).
I receive the email from his email address in my Hotmail inbox. The subject is always "pbem" or "RE:pbem". There are 2 files attached (unzipped): wpae001.pws (replay file) and wpae010.pws (orders file). Typically, I press the "download all as zip" option and save to my desktop - overwriting the previous one in the process. I then open the zip file (windows 7 explorer) and copy the 2 files into a desktop shortcut to the save game directory (d:\matrix games\war in the pacific admiral's edition\save). Then I load the beta executable and attempt to load the turn.

Due to the trouble, I've tried downloading it directly (no zipping), and tried forwarding it to my work email and downloading it. I've downloaded it using normal internet service and my phone. My opponent also resent the wpae001.pws file by itself (twice) the first time this happened (last turn). He sent it a third time saying that he reloaded and re-ran the turn, and this time it worked.
I downloaded some of the past files that have worked, and these all still work.

Every method shows the same results - wpae001 (replay) fails to load, wpae010 (orders) loads ok.

[Lokasenna]

Usually when I get this issue, it is because of an email attachment that did not send correctly. It could be that your opponent is uploading the file while it is still being written to the disk (the game creates the "001" replay file as soon as the IJN player enters their password, and then plays it back).

[witpqs]

Wow.

What email provider is he using?

[tiemanjw]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Usually when I get this issue, it is because of an email attachment that did not send correctly. It could be that your opponent is uploading the file while it is still being written to the disk (the game creates the "001" replay file as soon as the IJN player enters their password, and then plays it back).

He sends both the replay and completed orders file at the same time... since it sounds like the replay file is created first, wouldn't that mean it should have been written to disk long ago? This would make more sense if it was the orders file that was corrupted, I would think.

[tiemanjw]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Wow.

What email provider is he using?

I don't know... he would have to answer that.

[witpqs]

Don't know where the problem is occurring, so can't say exactly what will work to fix the issue.

Suggestions. Try any or all of these.

- You and your opponent zip up turns before you send them to each other. That provides a wrapper around the file(s), even though they will not be compressed any (or much) further in size (because the game already compresses the files when it saves them).

- You and/or your opponent try using different email providers, and different email programs (if you run an email program on your PC instead of using a web interface).

- Use a service like DropBox, Google Drive, or something else where you upload the file and the other party downloads it.

[Lowpe]

April 15th, busy day.[:(]

I am pretty sure the problem lies with me...as I am running on two computers and I think the problem lies in a usb drive I am swapping between computers. I think if memory serves it the error occurred with the same usb drive, and when I used a new one no problem.

Funny though, I can't recreate the problem on my end...so maybe it is more complex. If problem persists I will go to a dropbox, probably should anyhow since the files are getting so large.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

April 15th, busy day.[:(]

I am pretty sure the problem lies with me...as I am running on two computers and I think the problem lies in a usb drive I am swapping between computers. I think if memory serves it the error occurred with the same usb drive, and when I used a new one no problem.

Funny though, I can't recreate the problem on my end...so maybe it is more complex. If problem persists I will go to a dropbox, probably should anyhow since the files are getting so large.

I run my games on 3 computers. If you upload from the game directory itself, there shouldn't be any issues... unless there's an issue with your USB drive and the game directory is on the USB drive...

[Lecivius]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

April 15th, busy day.[:(]

I am pretty sure the problem lies with me...as I am running on two computers and I think the problem lies in a usb drive I am swapping between computers. I think if memory serves it the error occurred with the same usb drive, and when I used a new one no problem.

Funny though, I can't recreate the problem on my end...so maybe it is more complex. If problem persists I will go to a dropbox, probably should anyhow since the files are getting so large.

I run my games on 3 computers. If you upload from the game directory itself, there shouldn't be any issues... unless there's an issue with your USB drive and the game directory is on the USB drive...

What on earth brings you to run a game on 3 computers? Or do I don't wanna know?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

April 15th, busy day.[:(]

I am pretty sure the problem lies with me...as I am running on two computers and I think the problem lies in a usb drive I am swapping between computers. I think if memory serves it the error occurred with the same usb drive, and when I used a new one no problem.

Funny though, I can't recreate the problem on my end...so maybe it is more complex. If problem persists I will go to a dropbox, probably should anyhow since the files are getting so large.

I run my games on 3 computers. If you upload from the game directory itself, there shouldn't be any issues... unless there's an issue with your USB drive and the game directory is on the USB drive...

Sounds like the game is the least of your worries. You might have some serious data integrity problems with other stuff you are moving back and forth with that suspect drive.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

April 15th, busy day.[:(]

I am pretty sure the problem lies with me...as I am running on two computers and I think the problem lies in a usb drive I am swapping between computers. I think if memory serves it the error occurred with the same usb drive, and when I used a new one no problem.

Funny though, I can't recreate the problem on my end...so maybe it is more complex. If problem persists I will go to a dropbox, probably should anyhow since the files are getting so large.

I run my games on 3 computers. If you upload from the game directory itself, there shouldn't be any issues... unless there's an issue with your USB drive and the game directory is on the USB drive...

What on earth brings you to run a game on 3 computers? Or do I don't wanna know?

Home computer... work computer #1... work computer #2... [:D] If I had a laptop, it would be 4! Sadly, the laptop is dead. It makes keeping track of Tracker interesting as I don't load all of the turns on each computer. But I have photoshop, WITP, Java, and Tracker on all of them so I can do my business anywhere!

[Lowpe]

Pretty sure the fault lies in a bad usb drive.

I only use if for WITP...so no other worries. Will retire it.

Thanks for everyone's comments.[&o]

[tiemanjw]

just got the latest replay, and no issues. Thanks everyone!