Matrix Games Forums

1. I was playing two 1943 PBEM games (long campaign) when I noticed that each file sent to me on Sunday was corrupted. So I did the BTR uninstall and then re-installed the game and downloaded the patch 1.02.

2.Still had the same problems: Corrupted saved game files.

3.So I did another BTR uninstall.

Now the game won't play. I click on the menu to "play game" and nothing happens. Just makes the clicking noise.


WTH is up with this?

Please don't tell me it's the registry. If it is I can just write-off this game as once the registry is messed up you can forget about the computer.

1. Why would you reinstall?

2. What exactly is the error? How do you know they are corrupted? Are both games from the same player?

3. Again, why would you do this?

4. Is the "Play Game" button in the Matrix Wrapper? I don't do that side of it, so can't help there. I think we need to address point 2 first. Can you run the game by executing btr.exe?

ORIGINAL: harley

1. Why would you reinstall?

2. What exactly is the error? How do you know they are corrupted? Are both games from the same player?

3. Again, why would you do this?

4. Is the "Play Game" button in the Matrix Wrapper? I don't do that side of it, so can't help there. I think we need to address point 2 first. Can you run the game by executing btr.exe?

1. Why wouldn't I? I tried having my opps send me various files and they kept coming back screwed up.

2. Error: As I said before, the files had been corrupted. Both of my games are in August of 1943, yet when I opened one of them (numerous times) it had B17Gs, P51Ds, P47D-25s and said it was January 21, 1944. And when I watched the replay it had "my" planes going on missions I never ordered. I did ask my opponent if he sent me the wrong file, perhaps from another game, and he said,"you're the only person I"m playing against."

The second opponents game: It went straight back to the planning phase from the turn I sent him. He had run his turn, ended it, and sent it to me.

When I opened it I was at the planning stage, not the "review" stage.

Thus, both of my PBEM games are messed up. What else would you suggest it is?

3. Well I've now learned that doing a "Uninstall" only messes up the game. Now I can't even play the game after three installs.


Also, dig this, I can't for the life of me do a "go back". ERROR!

There are ways to clear the registries to make a clean install.

EasyCleaner is a nice little program that can do that, but optionally you can, in windows vista, enter regedit in the search(or in XP, in the run menu) for the registry editor. Go local computer, software and delete the whole matrix games registry folder(the so called "key"). Then delete the C:\Matrix Games folder itself and reinstall.

Did you restart the game before loading the other PBEM game? I had very odd graphics bugs and when switching multiple times from BTR to BOB in the same session, and the BOB save got corrupted too. luckily it was 3rd turn only.

I probably didn't restart the game when I finished our game. I probably ended our game and then went straight to playing my second PBEM game.

But that is ridiculous. I shouldn't have to end the game (quit), get out of it, then start over (boot up again). And because of this I can't do a go back? Unbelievable.

Did you try reinstalling the game and clearing registries already? If there was anything corrupted, that should fix it...

ORIGINAL: Erkki

Did you try reinstalling the game and clearing registries already? If there was anything corrupted, that should fix it...

Okay, I did everything you recomended, can now boot up the game, but the saved turn 11 you sent me gives me this message when I open it:

"The user is not authorized...."

It does show, though, the allied player as being loaded up.


UPDATE: And it shows the same message for my second PBEM game also. I am the allied player in both games, but won't let me access the turn for both games, despite showing the allied player as being up.




Man is this screwy.

Ideas?

ORIGINAL: Rusty1961

ORIGINAL: Erkki

Did you try reinstalling the game and clearing registries already? If there was anything corrupted, that should fix it...

Okay, I did everything you recomended, can now boot up the game, but the saved turn 11 you sent me gives me this message when I open it:

"The user is not authorized...."

It does show, though, the allied player as being loaded up.


UPDATE: And it shows the same message for my second PBEM game also. I am the allied player in both games, but won't let me access the turn for both games, despite showing the allied player as being up.




Man is this screwy.

Ideas?

the authorised message is because you're missing the btruser.dat file from the \dat folder. If you have a backup, you can copy it in, otherwise you will need to PM me your save games (and the name of the userid you use) so I can rebuild them for you. Creating a new one won't help, as it uses a random signature in the file you need to match.

I will have a "backup" button in the next version to save the file, and might even put in a better hash system to create a file from scratch using your own password, but that might take more effort. The backup system should work.

ORIGINAL: harley

ORIGINAL: Rusty1961

ORIGINAL: Erkki

Did you try reinstalling the game and clearing registries already? If there was anything corrupted, that should fix it...

Okay, I did everything you recomended, can now boot up the game, but the saved turn 11 you sent me gives me this message when I open it:

"The user is not authorized...."

It does show, though, the allied player as being loaded up.


UPDATE: And it shows the same message for my second PBEM game also. I am the allied player in both games, but won't let me access the turn for both games, despite showing the allied player as being up.




Man is this screwy.

Ideas?

the authorised message is because you're missing the btruser.dat file from the \dat folder. If you have a backup, you can copy it in, otherwise you will need to PM me your save games (and the name of the userid you use) so I can rebuild them for you. Creating a new one won't help, as it uses a random signature in the file you need to match.

I will have a "backup" button in the next version to save the file, and might even put in a better hash system to create a file from scratch using your own password, but that might take more effort. The backup system should work.

Thank you for your help, but how would I know if and where I have the backup to btruser.dat?

I guess I should assume it's gone.

Also, is there somewhere in this forum I can go and read about what not to do in the future about any other known issues, so I don't make this mistake again?

Please send me your e-mail address so I can send you the files.

Thank you. [&o]

You can PM me the files. You might need to add them to a .zip to allow the system to accept them.

If you'd changed hardware or hard-drive, you'd still have the old one, but if you've uninstalled then deleted the EDBTR game folders, you will have deleted it totally.

I thought we'd discussed btruser.dat to death, but I can't find a decent description anywhere.

Basically it contains your key for the PBEM, without the key, you get the "authorised" error. You are probably using the same key for both games, but you can have multiple.

Nice Harley.

Just for sure I'm keeping a complete backup of the game on my laptop... Perfect clone of the game I have on my gaming PC. Should work if(when) my PC crashes and refuses to start anymore(I regularly have to boot it 2 or 3 times in a row before it loads up the OS).

file sent. Good hunting to you both.

the player who sent you the turn should replay it.
 
I played around with saving the game - if you exit the save game menue too fast you will get this error,
wait until the "game is saved (or whatever)" has gone away by its own.