Game crashes after opening the launcher

[Had a dad]

If indeed it is a dual GPU system, then you want to assign CK2.exe to the nVidia

can't tell for sure as your dxdiag is abridged

Hi, this problem has a very simple solution.

You see modern notebooks (at least Asus ones with NVidia GPUs) have two graphic chips that are used automatically based on the program decision instead of being switched on and off by the user.

In the case of HoI3 the program determines, that Intel graphic is good enough and launches the game with it.

All you have to do is to tell him otherwise using this simple procedure.

1. Go to the NVIDIA Control Panel by right clicking on your desk top and clicking on "NVIDIA Control Panel".
2. In the default screen that pops up (it should be "manage 3D settings", and the "Program Settings" tab should be automatically selected), under "1. Select a program to customize:" hit the "Add" button.
3. From here, navigate to the folder where your HoI3 game are located. Like C:\Program Files (x86)\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron 3. (or C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common if you have Steam version)
4. Go to the folder of the game, find ck2game.exe file. Select it and hit open.
5. Then, under "2. Select the preferred graphics processor for this program:" open the drop-down menu and select "High-performance NVIDIA processor".
6. Do the same for ck2.exe
7. Finally, hit apply in the far bottom right corner

.

 

[unmerged(712047)]

Well I still haven't gotten it to work properly. I went back and retried all the suggestions here, I even reinstalled Steam to see if that'd help. No luck so far.

Well, I'm pretty puzzled, fixing .NET fixes this problem virtually every time. Do you have access to another machine to download and play on as a test, just to confirm that it's a problem on this machine?

Failing all else you can force the load of the DLCs. You'd create a desktop link to ck2.exe and in the link's Shortcut tab, Target field, add that switch, so (in mine):

"C:\games\Steam\steamapps\common\crusader kings ii\ck2.exe" -forcedlc

Similarly you can load mods like this
"C:\games\Steam\steamapps\common\crusader kings ii\ck2.exe" -forcedlc ck2 -mod=mod/GoT.mod

I tried doing this to get the DLC working, and the game just launched without the DLC. I might have done it wrong, to be fair, but it's still not working for me. I just pasted exactly what you had there, only with the location of my Steam files slightly differently. I am out of ideas, and getting very confused.

 

[AndrewT]

Did you confirm whether you do or do not have a dual system, as per post #21? If so did you do what was suggested in there? That aside I'm really not sure what to do, we've been able to fix up everyone with this issue except you. What's different about your situation is not clear to me.

 

[unmerged(712047)]

Yeah, I tried changing video cards but that didn't work. At this point I'm going to submit a tag to steam, I can't think of what else to do.

 

[John Hadley]

There was another user that had Avast that had extensive problems trying to get the game to work. We went through tons of troubleshooting with him and eventually he said that he disabled some drivers that were starting up on his system and the game started working. I wonder if Avast is not compatible with the game. He never did say what drivers it was that were ultimately the cause, just that disabling their startup with msconfig (Start->Run, "msconfig") made the game work.

 

[IcratoX]

There was another user that had Avast that had extensive problems trying to get the game to work. We went through tons of troubleshooting with him and eventually he said that he disabled some drivers that were starting up on his system and the game started working. I wonder if Avast is not compatible with the game. He never did say what drivers it was that were ultimately the cause, just that disabling their startup with msconfig (Start->Run, "msconfig") made the game work.

Disabling drivers and/or services, without knowing what they do and what they are can be dangerous and cause problems with either the programs or the pc in general. If you do not know what something does, I cannot recommend turning them off or disabling their start up.

Further there have not been a lot of reports about avast and ck2 not working together, so that would require more troubleshooting.

 

[John Hadley]

I tried to install Avast on my computer with Crusader Kings II just now and didn't experience any problems, so its probably not Avast. It may just be a coincidence that you both happened to have Avast.

 

[AndrewT]

Yeah, I tried changing video cards but that didn't work. At this point I'm going to submit a tag to steam, I can't think of what else to do.

Steam have nothing whatever to do with game problems, they can only fix problems with their installer, client, account, servers and so on (ie - code they write). I bet the response you get from them says exactly that - if the verify goes through clean their job is done.

The fact you can't even get the command line options to work suggests to me you have some fundamental Windows problem - again exactly what I do not know. Do you have access to a different machine to try your game on? If so give that a go; if it works there it clearly your Steam client is OK and the problem is in your machine somewhere.

 

[Humanophage]

I used to have the same problem. The launcher would always crash, even if ck2.exe worked. I tried re-installing all sorts of x86s, .NETs, and what not, to no avail.

Then I simply renamed the launcher, and it all started working.

Update: looks like I was too eager to celebrate victory. Even though the launcher works and formally confirms the DLCs (i.e., you can check and uncheck them), the DLCs don't work inside the game. So I can't play for Muslims, for instance, even though I have Sword of Islam. I must note that all this Steam business really is obnoxious and buggy; I regret using it instead of buying the game elsewhere.

 

[Wezqu]

I don't think your problem has anything to do with Steam and this game is Steam exlusive there is just few net stores where you can buy the non-Steam version anyway. Have you checked that your anti-virus program does not have the launcher exe marked as dangerous so it might be it causing it to crash.

 

[AndrewT]

I used to have the same problem. The launcher would always crash, even if ck2.exe worked. I tried re-installing all sorts of x86s, .NETs, and what not, to no avail.

Then I simply renamed the launcher, and it all started working.

Update: looks like I was too eager to celebrate victory. Even though the launcher works and formally confirms the DLCs (i.e., you can check and uncheck them), the DLCs don't work inside the game. So I can't play for Muslims, for instance, even though I have Sword of Islam. I must note that all this Steam business really is obnoxious and buggy; I regret using it instead of buying the game elsewhere.

Agreed - it is nothing to do with Steam per se. In any case the only alternative to Steam for this game is GamersGate and their in-game store (required due to lack of a client) has had more than its share of problems.

Your problem is with the Launcher which is Paradox code, nothing to do with Steam code. Pleas start your own thread and we'll get you fixed up.

 

[pix212]

Had same problem - ck2games.exe crashes, ck2.exe runs with no dlcs. Have also dual graphic laptop (Intel + NVidia Geforce GT540M).
Went to http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx, downloaded newest driver (old was 268.00 - new 320.49), express install, 2 x restart = problem solved.
I know that was already suggested in post 20 but not sure if you have tried.

Btw, before driver update I also applied tip from post 21 and added ck2games and ck2 to trusted files on antivirus though don't know if it is really required - without driver update it didn't work. Thanks for tips anyway.

 

[Son of a Duck]

I have the exact same problem, I have done everything, including updating the driver for my Nvidia 410m card

The -forcedlc shortcut doesn't load the dlc's, it just launches the vanilla game

This is quite frustrating

 

[John Hadley]

Could you run the event viewer (Start->Run, "eventvwr") and look in the Windows Application Log and find the crash report and post a copy of its contents here? Perhaps that will provide some clue about what the problem is.

 

[l00ck]

I´ve the same proplem, however i think that the problem, at least mine, has sth to do with the .Net Framework ( I had a few problems with it already). I got the Framework working again so most applications that uses it are working now. But the Crusader Kings & Hearts of iron 3 launcher aren`t working. The "-forcedlc" command doesnt work, maybe it changed. However is there any alternate launcher which doesnt need .Net?

edit:
These are my installed .net frameworks maybe it helps:

[07/28/13,22:17:04] Install state for .NET Framework 1.0: not installed.
[07/28/13,22:17:04] Install state for .NET Framework 1.1: not installed.
[07/28/13,22:17:04] Install state for .NET Framework 2.0: installed with service pack 2.
[07/28/13,22:17:04] Install state for .NET Framework 3.0: installed with service pack 2.
[07/28/13,22:17:04] Install state for .NET Framework 3.5: installed with service pack 1.
[07/28/13,22:17:04] Install state for .NET Framework 4 Client: installed with no service packs.
[07/28/13,22:17:04] Install state for .NET Framework 4 Full: installed with no service packs.
[07/28/13,22:17:04] Install state for .NET Framework 4.5: installed with no service packs.

 

[l00ck]

Sorry for making a new Post and not editing my other one but i think it could be useful for other users with the same Problem.

So i found out that my .net 2 is broken (the registry ) this is integrated with Win7 ( and Vista). If there`s no alternate Launcher i`ll have to wait till i can reinstall Windows.
For the other users , i`ve found an Tutorial how to fix .net 2.0 if its broken and tool for verifying all Versions you`ve installed.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/astebner/archive/2008/10/13/8999004.aspx Tool
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/astebner/ar...t-framework-2-0-and-3-0-on-windows-vista.aspx Tutorial


If your registry entry's are not broken like mine u have a good chance to repair it. This tutorial is just for .net 2.0 /3/3.51.

 

[John Hadley]

If you think your NET Framework install is messed up somehow then you might be able to reinstall it. Here's a link that tells how to uninstall and reinstall NET Framework 3.5 (which includes NET Framework 2.0) in Windows 7:

http://www.adminarsenal.com/admin-a.../How-to-Repair-or-Reinstall-NET-Framework-3-5

 

[l00ck]

hi and thanks for your reply,
I tried that before, i had .net problems for the last 7 weeks. The problem was that disabling .net351 Features worked but didnt fixed my .net 2.0, I think thats because it didnt removed the regestry values or the installation file on my machine was corrupted. Yesterday I reinstalled Win7 on another Disk because it wasnt the only Application that direquired .net 2.0 So my problem is somehow fixxed ^^.