BattleTech Guide: Uninstall BattleTech Cleanly.

[Edmon]

This guide will help you to uninstall BattleTech cleanly if you have issues or have mods which have not uninstalled properly or have broken since v1.1. This method has been known to fix issues even if you've not modded (but have had issues since v1.1.).

One does not simply Right Click > Uninstall BattleTech.

Here is a video for making the regedit described below:

Note, you may also find data in the following location on windows 10:
C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\

[Moderator edit]
Please excuse me @Edmon for editing your post, but I wanted to get this information all in one place!

- another way of getting into AppData in Windows Explorer is to click on View up the top, and tick the box "view hidden items".

- a further measure has been seen to be needed to clear old modification and other game data in some cases. This should be done after the uninstall process Edmon describes, before installing again:

Open up RegEdit.exe, navigate to 'Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH'. Now delete the 'CachedSettings_h2706256392’ key

Note this too is potentially dangerous, ask for help if you are not confident in this!

- here are equivalent file system locations for GoG users:

The equivalent of
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\USER_ID\637090\
is
C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\Local\GOG.com\Galaxy\Applications\50593543263669699\

The equivalent of
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\
is
C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Games\BATTLETECH\

c:\Users\%username%\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH\ is the same for Steam and GoG versions.

What the GoG equivalent for turning off Steam cloud sync is I do not know, I'm sorry. Hopefully GoG users do or can find that!

AndrewT

 

[ronhatch]

On Linux via GoG I'm seeing files created in ~/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/
(It appears to have both saves and settings there.)

As on the Mac, the tilde is a shortcut for the user's home directory (/home/rhatch in my case) and any file or directory that starts with a dot is hidden by default.

There may be other locations that get touched, but the log files I created with strace ending up being over 40MB... so it will take a while to process them and be sure. In any case, it's rather unlikely any other locations have data, since permissions are much stricter by default on Linux than Windows and the installer didn't ask for admin/root access. Also there is no such thing as the registry under Linux (hmm... unless it comes with the C# implementation... which isn't outside the realm of possibility).

 

[mjbroekman]

After largely ignoring this thread because I hadn't had issues with the game at all, I attempted to play Multiplayer skirmish with my BiL this holiday and, sadly, ran into issues.

In the multiplayer match st up, I wasn't seeing mechs or pilots and when I readied up (assuming that I just wasn't seeing the mechs but they were really there) the match insta-ended because I didn't have any units. And then I tried going into single-player AI skirmish and....nothing. I didn't even get into the match setup. Just the black loading screen and "Welcome Commander" but never getting beyond the loading screen.

With no mods, I might add. I am now waiting on the game to re-install after following these instructions to see if things work. And then I will be trying to restore my career and campaign saves since they were working just fine prior to the uninstall process.

 

[mjbroekman]

On the plus side, multiplayer is all set. On the down side, simply copying the saved games back into place didn't restore them. Oh well, there goes a 4k+ day campaign and a couple of careers that weren't finished.

 

[Timaeus]

On the plus side, multiplayer is all set. On the down side, simply copying the saved games back into place didn't restore them. Oh well, there goes a 4k+ day campaign and a couple of careers that weren't finished.

You have to copy the saves back into place while it's running, and then kill the game from the task manager ((not just exit out). Your saves should then show up.

 

[mjbroekman]

You have to copy the saves back into place while it's running, and then kill the game from the task manager ((not just exit out). Your saves should then show up.

That's bizarre, @Timaeus, that adding the files while it's running would fix it. You'd think that "changing" files under the game while it's running would be a bad thing.

Anyway, I followed the steps from https://steamcommunity.com/app/637090/discussions/0/1762482479179811677/ to do it:

1. Quit BattleTech
2. Quit Steam (and make sure it's not running)
3. Make sure the saves are in the right location
4. Start BattleTech from the .exe instead of from Steam.
5. **boom** All set.

 

[Edmon]

That's bizarre, @Timaeus, that adding the files while it's running would fix it. You'd think that "changing" files under the game while it's running would be a bad thing.

Anyway, I followed the steps from https://steamcommunity.com/app/637090/discussions/0/1762482479179811677/ to do it:

1. Quit BattleTech
2. Quit Steam (and make sure it's not running)
3. Make sure the saves are in the right location
4. Start BattleTech from the .exe instead of from Steam.
5. **boom** All set.

You have to copy the saves back into place while it's running, and then kill the game from the task manager ((not just exit out). Your saves should then show up.

I'm glad this was of help gents, I don't normally recommend restoring save games because save game corruption and mod references in saves are the reason people need this guide more often than not.

To restore old saves though, one need only restore them when battletech AND steam is closed.

For whatever reason, if you copy them back with steam or Battletech running, Battletech will not see them.

You can copy them at any time, steam/battletech running or not, doesn't matter.

I myself don't have any of the old save games from any of my old campaigns, as they are impossible to restore without the game at the exact same patch level and state without issues. Even early, official, never modded saves seem to cause the latest game some grief (if they were never loaded in the intervening period, which is why my trick of reverting to the old version, loading the save, then returning to the latest version fixed infinite loading for some people)....

I hope these details help.

@AndrewT I figured you might find this information useful as well

If you have a v1.0 save, load it in the latest version (without loading it in any of the intervening versions) it can cause infinite loading in v1.3. But if you revert to v1.2 and load it, then put v1.3 back on, it fixes it.

 

[mjbroekman]

I'm glad this was of help gents, I don't normally recommend restoring save games because save game corruption and mod references in saves are the reason people need this guide more often than not.

With mods, I'd totally agree. But I don't use mods so it was a bit odd when I ran into those issues and I felt confident that the saves were fine since my reason for doing the uninstall was an issue in multiplayer

 

[Timaeus]

I'm glad this was of help gents, I don't normally recommend restoring save games because save game corruption and mod references in saves are the reason people need this guide more often than not.

To restore old saves though, one need only restore them when battletech AND steam is closed.

Oops. I misread what to do. this is correct. Steam must be closed to get the save to be read, not just the game. Derp.

 

[XTRMNTR2K]

Dear Edmon,

thank you for saving my butt.

- a happy Mech Warrior



In all seriousness though, thank you so much for this thorough guide, Edmon. I had hoped I wouldn't run into the infinite loading screen of doom (and had been able to fix earlier mod-related instances myself) but for some reason the singleplayer skirmish refused to load today. Even though I am currently doing some modding that didn't seem to be the cause here, and all my attempts to fix the issue were futile. A clean uninstall (including the registry edit) was necessary and now I'm off to *finally* start my first Flashpoint career run!

 

[Edmon]

Dear Edmon,

thank you for saving my butt.

- a happy Mech Warrior



In all seriousness though, thank you so much for this thorough guide, Edmon. I had hoped I wouldn't run into the infinite loading screen of doom (and had been able to fix earlier mod-related instances myself) but for some reason the singleplayer skirmish refused to load today. Even though I am currently doing some modding that didn't seem to be the cause here, and all my attempts to fix the issue were futile. A clean uninstall (including the registry edit) was necessary and now I'm off to *finally* start my first Flashpoint career run!

Glad to be of help . I have learned a lot about Windows 10 issues through doing this guide, even though my main machine is still Windows 7 XD. It seems to be a very frustrating operating system for a poweruser... but I guess that's a rant for another thread . Enjoy Battletech .

 

[Kalletor]

Hey Edmon,

thank you at first for your good help... so i could at least play for lots of hours without problems! After a while the game starts crashing again the same way.
Computer throws me to Desktop and I cannot maximize game again, but sound continues?!?!

Do you have an idea?

PS: I added the Error message as a Jpeg

 

[Edmon]

Hey Edmon,

thank you at first for your good help... so i could at least play for lots of hours without problems! After a while the game starts crashing again the same way.
Computer throws me to Desktop and I cannot maximize game again, but sound continues?!?!

Do you have an idea?

PS: I added the Error message as a Jpeg

Sadly, that doesn't really help. Can you get me the output log instead? That would help.

It's in the battletech main directory.

 

[Kalletor]

Here it is... nothing to hide I think!?

Thanks again for your attention!

 

[Edmon]

Data.DataManager [ERROR] ManifestEntry is null for [CustomPortrait_1_2_ID_0] [PortraitSettings] - resourceIds are case sensitive, so be sure to check that too

Did you have a custom portrait mod installed?

There is some sort of error here relating to that, looks like a mod but I can't be 100% sure...

 

[Kalletor]

no, I am playing without mods...and only campaign

Just created my own character portrait at campaign start

 

[Edmon]

Open a support ticket with Paradox, I am not sure other than what I've already said.

 

[AndrewT]

Here it is... nothing to hide I think!?

Thanks again for your attention!

As you get into the actual game this is not a mod issue causing it to fail to load.

The first error I see is

IndexOutOfRangeException: Array index is out of range.
at BattleTech.Rendering.BTLightController.GetLightArray (UnityEngine.Camera camera, Boolean simGame, UnityEngine.ComputeBuffer cullBuffer, UnityEngine.ComputeBuffer lightMatricies, UnityEngine.Vector4& numLights, Boolean isPortrait) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at BattleTech.Rendering.BTCustomRenderer.OnPreCull () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

which is not one I've seen before. I guess it is either a game bug or a bad installation. I suggest you try the beta version, of the game and run a Steam Verify operation against th egame.

If that does not help please start your own new thread in the forum here, as this issue is out of scope for this thread.

 

[Kalletor]

Ok, thank you I will open a ticket and a new thread with those errors.
To explain again.. I made my system new and followed all of Edmons instructions. Tahn it worked, at first.
After another 10 hours, game startet crashing more and more often. I did not change anything.

sometimes game and Computer freezes completely, or it Drops me to Desktop and I cannot maximize again.

This is the Error of the "Desktop drop"

AI Orders: Don't know what to do with InformLanceOfGuard

(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

d3d11: failed to create staging 2D texture w=128 h=128 d3dfmt=28 [887a0005]
D3D11: Failed to create RenderTexture (128 x 128 fmt 27 aa 1), error 0x887a0005

(Filename: Line: 394)

InitD3D11RenderColorSurface: VRDevice said it created a texture, but the texture is NULL. VR platform drivers may be running with elevated privileges.

(Filename: Line: 574)

d3d11: failed to create staging 2D texture w=128 h=128 d3dfmt=28 [887a0005]
d3d11: failed to create staging 2D texture w=128 h=128 d3dfmt=28 [887a0005]
D3D11: Failed to create RenderTexture (128 x 128 fmt 27 aa 1), error 0x887a0005

(Filename: Line: 394)

InitD3D11RenderColorSurface: VRDevice said it created a texture, but the texture is NULL. VR platform drivers may be running with elevated privileges.

(Filename: Line: 574)

d3d11: failed to create buffer (target 0x1 mode 1 size 23440) [0x887A0005]
d3d11: failed to create buffer (target 0x2 mode 1 size 1908) [0x887A0005]
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: failed to create buffer (target 0x1 mode 1 size 23440) [0x887A0005]
d3d11: failed to create buffer (target 0x2 mode 1 size 1908) [0x887A0005]
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: failed to create buffer (target 0x1 mode 1 size 23440) [0x887A0005]
d3d11: failed to create buffer (target 0x2 mode 1 size 1908) [0x887A0005]
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: failed to create buffer (target 0x1 mode 1 size 22960) [0x887A0005]
d3d11: failed to create buffer (target 0x2 mode 1 size 1872) [0x887A0005]
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null bufferd3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null bufferd3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null bufferd3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null bufferd3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
d3d11: failed to create staging 2D texture w=128 h=128 d3dfmt=28 [887a0005]
d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer

d3d11: attempt to lock null buffer
D3D11: Failed to create RenderTexture (128 x 128 fmt 27 aa 1), error 0x887a0005

(Filename: Line: 394)

InitD3D11RenderColorSurface: VRDevice said it created a texture, but the texture is NULL. VR platform drivers may be running with elevated privileges.

(Filename: Line: 574)

Thanks again to all of you!

 

[AndrewT]

Completely different errors again. Please start your own new thread, as this thread really should not be taken off into diagnosing other issues. thanks.

 

[Caudler]

This would have helped me but when I get to the step for the final directory file to find, when I get to AppData, the HarebrainedSchemes folder isnt there, as in it doesnt exist. What do I do since it is not there?