Game is visible in Taskmanager but launcher won't start (XBOX Game Pass)

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A friend of mine is having the same issue. They've done the troubleshooting thing but to no avail. Here's their cpatch file.

The path for his log file was different at: C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\Packages\ParadoxInteractive.ProjectTitus_zfnrdv2de78ny\LocalCache\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs . Strange that the location is different but this seems to be the correct file as lines are added when launching the game. (the suggested location was correct for my, steam, installation.)
 

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I too have no log file in that folder, but I have one inside the projext Titus folder, same path as Kelemeth. The launcher*.log files in the same folder are empty.
 

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Much appreciated, they are being checked as we speak. Last night a customer with the same issue reached out to us and said he solved it by completely disabling his anti virus program. I'm assuming you've all done this but if you haven't turned it off please do so and give it another try. It would also be great to know what AV programs you're using.
 
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I've also found the cpatch.log inside C:\Users\Sebastian\AppData\Local\Packages\ParadoxInteractive.ProjectTitus_zfnrdv2de78ny\LocalCache\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs. The launcher.logs were empty. I also noticed that the .log files were marked in Windows with a golden/yellow lock.
I also turned off Windows Defender, but unfortunately it didn't change anything.
 
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Much appreciated, they are being checked as we speak. Last night a customer with the same issue reached out to us and said he solved it by completely disabling his anti virus program. I'm assuming you've all done this but if you haven't turned it off please do so and give it another try. It would also be great to know what AV programs you're using.
Yeah, I've tried turning everything off but it didn't help (real time virus/threat protection AND firewall). Using just windows defender.
 
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Much appreciated, they are being checked as we speak. Last night a customer with the same issue reached out to us and said he solved it by completely disabling his anti virus program. I'm assuming you've all done this but if you haven't turned it off please do so and give it another try. It would also be great to know what AV programs you're using.
Ahem, apparently for me it is Windows Defender, which seems to block the 1.3.1 launcher :eek: An usually discreet MS application blocking a MS Store app, ok...
Thank you for the workaround!
Once the laucher is started, you can reactivate the real time protection and launch the game just fine. Btw I see no easy way to add a ms store app to Defender's exceptions.
 
Btw I see no easy way to add a ms store app to Defender's exceptions.
If you go into Ransomware, controlled folder access, Apps Allowed Through, there's a list of recently blocked apps - you can add them to exceptions in there.
 
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If you go into Ransomware, controlled folder access, Apps Allowed Through, there's a list of recently blocked apps - you can add them to exceptions in there.
It's not the randomware protection that blocks the launcher, but Defender real time protection.
While waiting for a solution from your side, I'm trying to add an exception, but since it's a ms store app I've not been able to add files path. I'm trying then to add processes as exception: I added cpatch.exe, conhost.exe and Paradox Launcher.exe processes. Still not able to start the game. But maybe exceptions work for active scans, not for real time protection? Or I'm not adding the right processes (in the right way). Any suggestions?

EDIT: I've been able to add the whole ProjectTitus folder as an exception, but no result.
 
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In all honesty I've never dealt with WD realtime protection, it's not come up to me as a problem in and of itself - it's always been the Ransomware feature that's got in the way.

I know MS make it almost impossible to access the MS store game installation folders, perhaps they figure that makes them immune to malware.
 
In all honesty I've never dealt with WD realtime protection, it's not come up to me as a problem in and of itself - it's always been the Ransomware feature that's got in the way.

I know MS make it almost impossible to access the MS store game installation folders, perhaps they figure that makes them immune to malware.
There is still no solution to this problem.

when I updated my gamepass copy of crusader kings 3 I could no longer launch it, I can't even get to the paradox launcher. I have tried running as administrator, repairing/resetting the app, uninstalling/reinstalling and restarting my pc, Nothing works.

I'm not a computer genius. I see that I am not the only one who has a problem. Why is there no solution?
 
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Hi all,

I have signed up to report that I have been experiencing what appears to be the same problem:

- Game pass version of CK3
- Trying to launch via the Xbox App as usual but nothing happening visually
- Identical view in task manager, e.g. three copies of paradox launcher. This is within the "processes" of task manager, not the "apps" section
- Using Avast and Windows Defender antivirus

After a few hours of experimenting, I finally managed to get the game to launch by disabling all antivirus, as explained by others. Please do try to fix this as it is not ideal to have to disable all antivirus everytime you want to play!

For those for whom disabling antivirus hasn't worked - I thought it wasn't working for me either (had tried disabling the antivirus a few times). However, the key was that I had to end the CK3 tasks in task manager, before then re-launching with antivirus disabled. If the CK3 task is still visible in task manager, you cannot launch it, even with the antivirus disabled. Again, this is obviously not ideal, as it difficult to tell that CK3 is open in task manager without manually checking because there is nothing visually opening on screen, and it doesn't appear in the "app" section of task manager which is where you'd think to check.


P.S. While I am posting on Paradox forums, just a quick thank you to the Devs. Through Xbox Game Pass for PC, I have played Paradox games for the first time in the last couple of years (HOI4, Stellaris, EU4, Cities Skylines) and I've had a brilliant time with them all. Really fantastic games.

If I could make one request, please consider putting the DLC on sale once in a while. The PC game DLC has never got on sale on Microsoft Store, even though the Xbox versions of the same games and DLC have done (Stellaris and Cities Skylines and associated DLC), maybe this is an oversight? I have bought some DLC to support these games and devs but it is very expensive to get it all without some sales! Thanks.
 
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Same issues as above. Found a workaround using all the tips above. I disabled by going to Windows Security->Virus & Threat Protection->disabled 'Real-time Protection'. Back in business...will just need to remember to reenable every time i finish playing.
 
Same issues as above. Found a workaround using all the tips above. I disabled by going to Windows Security->Virus & Threat Protection->disabled 'Real-time Protection'. Back in business...will just need to remember to reenable every time i finish playing.
In the meantime, you can re enable realtime protection even BEFORE launching the actual game: if the launcher is visible, you are good to go.
 
Same issues as above. Found a workaround using all the tips above. I disabled by going to Windows Security->Virus & Threat Protection->disabled 'Real-time Protection'. Back in business...will just need to remember to reenable every time i finish playing.
Hi all,

Was having the exact same issue as everyone else and this worked perfectly.

Game now starts the launcher with no problem. Thanks for the info!
 
Hello again,

I'm afraid disabling Windows Defender, all of the options like realtime protection etc. did not fix my issue. I do not have Ransomware-Protection on.
I was able to start the game a few days ago without the Northern Lords DLC. The launcher started, did an update and i was able to start the game. Unfortunately after closing the game, I was not able to open it again.
I'm afraid I don't know anymore what I did that evening, since work is super stressful at the moment...
I have uninstalled and reinstalled so many times now I've lost track.
I hope this information is still helpful. Maybe it is the launcher?
I attached the new cpatch.log
 

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The only errors I see in there relate to the mod folder:
2021-03-28 21:49:25 [repository] [WARNING] failed to make metadata path repository.json world writable: failed to chmod C:\Users\Sebastian\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Crusader Kings III\mod\pdx_11746\.cpatch\87fa0fb0-ef91-11ea-a735-2b61572cb70a\repository.json: No mapping between account names and security IDs was done.

2021-03-28 21:49:25 [repository] [WARNING] failed to make metadata signature repository.json.asc world writable: failed to chmod C:\Users\Sebastian\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Crusader Kings III\mod\pdx_11746\.cpatch\87fa0fb0-ef91-11ea-a735-2b61572cb70a\repository.json.asc: No mapping between account names and security IDs was done.

2021-03-28 21:49:25 [repository] [WARNING] failed to make keypath _keys/public.gpg world writable: failed to chmod C:\Users\Sebastian\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Crusader Kings III\mod\pdx_11746\.cpatch\87fa0fb0-ef91-11ea-a735-2b61572cb70a\_keys\public.gpg: No mapping between account names and security IDs was done.
Hard to see how that could cause the game to fail to start though.

We did have success in some cases by having affected users uninstall the game, change their Windows location (to the US if outside it, or to the UK if in the US), install the game and test it. If it ran just switch the location back; if not then uninstall, switch location back, and install again.

Why that would change anything I have no idea!
 
Hello,

I have also the same problem after updating to 1.3. Deactivating Windows Defender doesn't work either for me.
My cpatch is attached.
 

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