Patch FFFFng Frustration

[DHeart]

Purchased a new computer, doing just fine with playing the game etc earlier version....

Downloaded the patch and installed the same, major program errors, many programs affected, unable to launch most of the bigger applications ms works ms money etc, constant attempts by the computer to install windows office etc etc, virus scanner and firewall not working properly....

Restored to previous date, 4/4/05, now system is more stable.

MIGHT there be a chance that a bug/virus is in the patch??????

[Erik Rutins]

DHeart,

If you downloaded the update from our site, I can confirm that it's virus free. The problems you describe are definitely not due to the patch. It sounds like something much more serious happened on your system and it definitely could be a virus infection from the symptoms you describe. If you are infected with a virus/trojan, they can be very difficult to remove without carefully following proper anti-virus scan procedures and can cause a host of apparent problems in other programs and system functions.

I hope it was just a transient problem, but if I were you I would do a full virus scan in Safe Mode and from CD/Online if possible. If you don't have an Anti-Virus program, try googling for "McAfee Stinger" for a quick utility that can scan for the worst viruses.

Regards,

- Erik

[tggalloway]

DHeart

I am having the same trouble! Now that I have downloaded the patch, I get an error message from norton anti-virus 2005 regarding windows installer whenever I try to access my microsoft word or excel. They still come up, but I have to shut down (click ok) several windows regarding the error.

[Erik Rutins]

Gentlemen,

All this patch does it put three files in your GGWaW folder. It doesn't change any system settings or files and doesn't install anything that could. If you're seeing error messages, please make sure that nothing else could be involved. Also, please make sure that whenever you are installing an update you have disabled your anti-virus (particularly Norton) since they interfere with many installation programs and processes.

Regards,

- Erik

[Toby42]

ORIGINAL: tggalloway

DHeart

I am having the same trouble! Now that I have downloaded the patch, I get an error message from norton anti-virus 2005 regarding windows installer whenever I try to access my microsoft word or excel. They still come up, but I have to shut down (click ok) several windows regarding the error.

I had the same problem with Norton. Solution? I got rid of Norton and switched to Trend Micro. No more problems. It drove me nuts until I figured out that the trouble maker was Norton. Something to do with how it treats some installed programs...

[Marc von Martial]

Just adding to this, not as Matrix tech support but as a former Norton customer.

I returned my copy of Norton Internet Security 2005 when it didn´t allow my scanner (!!!!) to work anymore (note that with NIS 2004 it worked perfectly). No tweaks within NIS 05 helped. Once uninstalled, which is a major process with Nortons software btw, my scanner worked just fine. Since that I switched to cheaper and more reliable companies.

I think there´s a reason behind the "not so good" reviews of latest Norton AV (compared to the older accolades it won). I have been a loyal customer to Norton / Symantec products for over 6 years, not anymore, not only for the above mentioned issue. It´s nice to know when Norton Ghost finally supports firewire HDs, but crashes XP right to a reboot whenever you turn the firewire HD on [;)]. Not to mention that for some obscure reasons NIS sometimes simply stopped to work or didn´t accept virus definition (or other) upgrades anymore (which is a common bug they havn´t solved over 3 years now).

[Marc von Martial]

I have to shut down (click ok) several windows regarding the error.

What is the exact error message? Maybe there´s something in Symantecs knowledge base about it.

[Alan_Bernardo]

I don't mean to stick my nose in here, but my experience has led me to believe that one of the worst programs you could have on your computer is Norton's.

That program appears to do exactly what it claims other programs and stuff are doing.

Norton's totally screwed my system, once. Sure, systems are different. But personally, after it seemed to take forever to get my system back to working efficiently, and after things worked well without Norton's, I never even dare to pronounce the word "Norton's" again.

Sorry for this little OT post. Every time I hear Norton's mentioned-- where problems seem to crop up-- I am damn near provoked to comment.

In the future I will try to put a cap (there's my GGWaW reference) on my responses.

Alanb

[WanderingHead]

For the record, I have NIS2005.

I installed the patch and I have seen no problems. I did disable NIS during the install, but MIS is running now and I seem to be able to play the game.

[DHeart]

Well was not running Norton, was the first thing I took off the puter when purchased, and installed the McAfee I have used for a long time.

After restore the system with the XP restore and reinstalling the McAfee did the virus scan came up with nothing, the system is running fine now, no issues.

But when I installed the patch initially the WaW folder did not exist after the install, the icons and some files where just free floating in the progam file manager, so when trying to run the game it could not find the data files, eventually I found the empty files under data also in the program file manager, so logical choice was to uninstall the game.

Then everything went to hell at that point.

So I beg to differ in regards to the patch not affecting files or folders, as it seemed to have deleted or changed the WaW folder, and then when I uninstalled it, allot extra was also corrupted or deleted, spyware software, ms works, office, outlook express, hp photo manager, McAfee FW and VS, the problem was the attempt by XP to keep reintializing some of these programs over and over etc, thru all of this Exlporer was working just fine.

[DHeart]

OOPS foregot that during this time the virus scan and antivirus were disabled for the patch installation

I do not believe this was a virus, because the scan found nothing, and the system is running as before the patch was installed, and then uninstalled with the game after the error in finding the data files

[WanderingHead]

One thing I did notice is that on installing the patch I was prompted for an installation path. The default was the same as the original installation default.

If one changed the path in either original or patch installation, such that they did not match, then that might lead to subsequent problems.

Just a thought.

[Erik Rutins]

DHeart,

ORIGINAL: DHeart
So I beg to differ in regards to the patch not affecting files or folders, as it seemed to have deleted or changed the WaW folder, and then when I uninstalled it, allot extra was also corrupted or deleted, spyware software, ms works, office, outlook express, hp photo manager, McAfee FW and VS, the problem was the attempt by XP to keep reintializing some of these programs over and over etc, thru all of this Exlporer was working just fine.

I'm trying to put together what might have happened when you installed it. The patch does not delete or change any folders, though you can tell it to put its files somewhere other than the installation directory. By default, if you just keep clicking "Next", it will install the patch in the same place that the game was installed.

I have seen some very messed up systems in my time and anti-virus as well as some HP software like you mentioned above, has often been involved. I can't say for sure from this end, all I can say is that the patch does not delete or change anything, other than updating three files in the directory you tell it to update. I have to assume that something else in your system had a hiccup or went horribly wrong at the time the patch was being installed for it to have any other effect.

Regards,

- Erik

[DHeart]

Ok thanks for the advice....

Am going to install the game again tonight, and patch it right away, since I have an uptodate restore point for my date in the XP.

And to WanderingHeads point I almost chose another folder when installing the patch, as the set up screens and instructions were the same as the initial install, so was not really sure it was the patch lol, BUT I did not and just followed the next next path

BUTTTTTTTTTTTT there can be no doubt after the patch was installed the game was not able to find it's data files to run, and there was no master file WaW to be found just a data file and the actual game .exe files just hanging out on there own

[DHeart]

And I guess one other comment....

Over the last five days since buying my new puter, have downloaded installed more then a dozen software programs that I had on the old one, for function etc, and that was on a system running ME lol.

Have not had any issues with operations after, include the redownload of the stuff that was not function after the error's or yesterday.

Just downloaded Ad-Aware and it has no issues and is running fine.

AND yes coming from W-ME I am pretty used to hick-ups or in my book f-ups, but never once did the installations change or delete there path-files, and if not working well with the ME, was a simple thing to uninstall them.

But will not discount a momentary glitch in the system at the time it installed.

Oh well will see what happens tonight.

[Adam Parker]

ORIGINAL: DHeart

Just downloaded Ad-Aware and it has no issues and is running fine.

Remember unless you buy the full version of Adaware, just like the free Spybot, MS WinXP Spyware stopper you will not find the really deep nasties. A friend bought a brand new HP system recently and out of the box it was chock full of HP's own nasty little trojans. New systems are not virus or trojan free. DHeart have you checked for the latest MS Critical patches too?

ORIGINAL: WanderingHead

For the record, I have NIS2005. I installed the patch and I have seen no problems.

Ditto. However disabling your protection during a download defeats the whole purpose of having it. You we very likely attacked or probed during this whole proces.

ORIGINAL: WanderingHead

One thing I did notice is that on installing the patch I was prompted for an installation path. The default was the same as the original installation default. If one changed the path in either original or patch installation, such that they did not match, then that might lead to subsequent problems.

This has happened to me with some games too - Matrix's La Grande Armee IIRC, Schwerepunkt's Russo German War and one other I can't recall.

Either way guys, having a game not run is frustrating but expecting a piece of equipment like a PC to run flawlessly everytime will be just so too.

DHeart hope things work out,
Adam.

[DHeart]

Thank the Gaming Gods....

Everything went fine this time, disconected from the internet first before disabling my system antivirus and firewall, everything is as it should be.

But one note of interest, the main file "Matrix" is now on it's own and on the hard drive and not inside "Program" file folder.

Oh well

[Joel Billings]

I think that's where Matrix's install puts the game. Glad to hear it's working for you now.

[Cmdrcain]

ORIGINAL: Joel Billings

I think that's where Matrix's install puts the game. Glad to hear it's working for you now.

Yup, should be a c:\matrix games folder

In there is my WaW, steel Panthers World at War, Shatterstar Demo and WITP

If one installs to the Program folder maybe can mess up if then installs patch to the default c:\matrix games folder..


I had no problem patching and nor do I disable Anti-Virius,
point of that is to check anything installing after all...
anyway I've never cared for Nortons and I'm using mcAfees viriusscan Professional version.

To be sure I create a restorepoint before I install new programs... in case..

[:D]