Can't start game: "A JavaScript error occured in the main process"

[leefnmajors]

Hello. Started EU4 today, and everything ran fine until about an hour ago when I started working on a new mod. I was exiting the game and hopping back in to test things as is usual, so it didn't surprised me at first that I had a crash in the startup process. I assumed it was something I did; wouldn't be the first time.

So I start the troubleshooting process. Verify files (I run through the Steam client), didn't find any problems. Still get the the same error. Try a reinstall. Didn't work. Same error. So I try Google. That leads me to this thread: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...pt-error-occured-in-the-main-process.1426192/

I followed the steps listed in this thread because I was getting a similar message (the user in that post had a launcher on version 2.2020.5, mine is saying 2.2020.17 in the error) so I figured it was worth a shot. And it worked; sort of. I finally saw the launcher return after a fresh reinstall of the launcher, but then the launcher wanted to update to new versions. After updating my launcher and restarting, the error returned. I have an attached screenshot with the message it's sending.

I'm running on a Windows 7 PC if that helps at all. I can provide any other logs, specs, or information you might need on request.

This user also appears to be experiencing the same issue: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/the-game-suddenly-stopped-working.1453006/

EDIT: I should also note, something appears to be starting up, as after I start the game Steam seems to think the game is running fine and Task Manager shows three processes which I would assume belong to the launcher as well.

 

[AndrewT]

We now have reports of this on AVG, Avast and possibly Kaspersky.

You need to make sure all these apps are in its exceptions lists:

dowser.exe (in the Steam EU4 folder)
C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2.2020.17/paradox launcher.exe
C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/bootstrapper-v2.exe

Good luck!

 

[leefnmajors]

We now have reports of this on AVG, Avast and possibly Kaspersky.

You need to make sure all these apps are in its exceptions lists:

dowser.exe (in the Steam EU4 folder)
C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2.2020.17/paradox launcher.exe
C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/bootstrapper-v2.exe

Good luck!

I'm not running any of those three programs, so that's not it.

EDIT: I also can confirm that accessing the eu4.exe in the game's main folder works fine; it starts up and I can play the game as before. The problem seems to be just the launcher.

 

[AndrewT]

Do those three files physically exist in those places? because one or more of them being deleted or quarantined by an AV app is the only known cause of that Java error.

 

[leefnmajors]

Yes. I can confirm all three files exist in their correct locations.

 

[AndrewT]

Try deleting C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/ and run the game from the Steam PLAY button again. The launcher will reinstall and update, if you then exit it and restart it you should be fine from then on.

 

[leefnmajors]

Nope. Just deleting the one folder leads to the same situation as described above. The launcher works fine while on version 2020.5. As soon as I try updating to 2020.11, the launcher can't find my mods folder any more (but the game still starts fine, with mods and all). Once I update to 2020.17 and try restarting, the error starts although the actual eu4.exe is still fine.

 

[RedKhmer]

Yes I have pretty much exactly the same issue. Always after trying to update the launcher.

 

[Pterinochilus]

Yes I have pretty much exactly the same issue. Always after trying to update the launcher.

Unplanned launcher release of 2020.17

Due to a failure of launch procedures, we had an unplanned release of the 2020.17 version of the launcher last evening. This uncontrolled release unsurprisingly brought with it some bugs, and we will be reverting the changes for the time being in...

forum.paradoxplaza.com

 

[leefnmajors]

The reversion to 2020.16 has fixed my issues. Thank you for helping me try to troubleshoot a problem neither of us were equipped to fix.