FRUSTRATION: Why always problems with Paradox Download Games?

[brianestoll]

This is a little venting and a cry for help so bear with me...

It seems that each time i digital download a paradox game i have to jump through hoops to get it to work. I just downloaded Rome: Vae Victis and get an unhandled exception error... Now i know someone's going to say "register your game and post to the tech forum" ... WELL, of course there is no "Key" for the game (rarely is) with the download and as usual the serial number doesnt work to register (why they didn't make it that way i will never understand).

If anyone knows a fix for this problem (below) or can reveal the secret of the tech forum to me so i can at least play the dang thing while i go back and forth with gamersgate ( yes i did buy it - i have several paradox games ) support and then to paradox for weeks on end trying to get a registration key.

I probably should have sprung for the mac version even though it's 3x as much.. although i'm sure it wouldn't have had a key either but probably would have avoided this errow (below).

Maybe this is a Vista problem? Thanks for any help.. and here's the error..

Why don't these errors tell you how to solve them?

ERROR:

See the end of this message for details on invoking 
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log for more detail
   at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithShellExecuteEx(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
   at System.Diagnostics.Process.Start()
   at launcher.Form1.button1_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3074 (QFE.050727-3000)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
launcher
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Europa%20Universalis%20-%20Rome/Rome.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Configuration
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3074 (QFE.050727-3000)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
----------------------------------------
Accessibility
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Accessibility/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Accessibility.dll
----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

<configuration>
    <system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.

 

[unmerged(11375)]

Hate to say it, but it sounds like the evil Vista sindrom... I use XP and have never really had any problem at my end.

 

[Woody Man]

Well I have Vista, and I've never encountered problems like these, you can still access Tech support with just your vanilla Rome key, though the key for Vae Victis should be on the 'Your Games' page on Gamersgate.

 

[Cheexsta]

How is there no key from Gamersgate? I downloaded the game from GG and got a key just fine. You have to go into GG -> My Games and find the key for Rome and Vae Victis.

Did you buy Gold or did you buy the game and expansion separately?

 

[Wolfox]

I bought all my Paradox games by digital download (with the exception of Europa Universalis 2) and never had any problems. Though I don't use Vista, so I don't know if that's the reason for some of the problems you've been having.

 

[Scryder]

This is from the Why you should register Rome, and how thread:

If you have bought the game in a store and have a physical copy, the key is on a little card in your box. If you have bought the game from GamersGate, the key is on that website under "My Games".

----

Hate to say it, but it sounds like the evil Vista sindrom... I use XP and have never really had any problem at my end.

Well I have Vista, and I've never encountered problems like these, you can still access Tech support with just your vanilla Rome key, though the key for Vae Victis should be on the 'Your Games' page on Gamersgate.

I also use Vista, without any problems.

 

[unmerged(173796)]

I have actually been having the same exact problem.

 

[AndrewT]

Your problem is nothing to do with the download. See the sticky thread above with the JIT error in the title.