This helped me as well, as the release date check kept bugging out on me. After the issues I had just getting Origin installed, I was about ready to just give up entirely. Thanks for finding this, Doc-Boom. SERIOUS SERIOUS help.
Release Date Check
Débuté par
filipibm
, mars 06 2012 03:26
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#77
Posté 07 mars 2012 - 04:16
82JiminyCricket
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Doc-Boom wrote...
This may or may not help, as I was having a similar issue with the release date check. I'm running Win7 x64. Here's my process:
1. Open the release date checker.
2. Go to Task Manager -> Processes
3. Right-click the Mass Effect 3 release date checker process (I've forgotten the name)
4. Click the Open File Location option (Mine was in C:UsersUSERNAMEAppDataLocalTempmtka_tmp) and copy the path to the file
5. Go to Windows Firewall settings, click Allow a program...
6. Add the program (not MassEffect3.exe, but the release date checker program in the temp folder)
7. Click the "GO" button for the release date checker (or whatever it says... Next... OK... etc.)
8. TAKE EARTH BACK!
I need help finding the exact location at #4, I have to have the "Release Date Checker" running just so this shows up and when I Open the file location there are several files...
#78
Posté 07 mars 2012 - 04:31
82JiminyCricket
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Damn, my Release Date Checker still keeps bugging out (the *DING DING* shut down, then the same old "MASS EFFECT™ 3 has stopped working").
I'm POSITIVE it's the damned Release Date Checker that is the problem, I just need to get past that.
I'm POSITIVE it's the damned Release Date Checker that is the problem, I just need to get past that.
#79
Posté 07 mars 2012 - 04:37
Doc-Boom
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82JiminyCricket wrote...
Damn, my Release Date Checker still keeps bugging out (the *DING DING* shut down, then the same old "MASS EFFECT™ 3 has stopped working").
I'm POSITIVE it's the damned Release Date Checker that is the problem, I just need to get past that.
Well, I didn't get any error messages, but the name of the file is something like MassEffect3-activation or something like that. Same as the name of the process you right-clicked to get to the folder location. Unfortunately, after you first run it, it disappears, so I can't go back and look.
#80
Posté 07 mars 2012 - 05:54
Khaldara
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Working with coworkers from IT all who were experiencing the SAME issue (I'd like to pause here once again to emphasize how BRILLIANT this release date authentication process is. Really A+ work here EA) we actually found different issues on different machines. I personally am in the EST time zone and live about 20 minutes outside New York City.. apparently that was difficult for the authentication to figure out via my IP.. whatever. What I've seen work thus far while helping others and things to check:
It's probably not a firewall issue, but when in doubt it's always a great idea to just turn the damn thing off for a few minutes during the release date check. Remember it (should) only authenticate once and this (should) only take a moment. Once you see the game launch you can go ahead and flip the firewall back on (assuming it isnt interfering with EA's in game server communication and causing DLC issues, but that's a horse of a different color). If you want to be extra thorough and save screwing around with settings, disable the firewall and bypass your router if you're running one (as they often contain a hardware firewall or port forwarding settings). This issue being attributed to router or firewall issues is extremely unlikely but not impossible (I don't run Windows firewall, so if the previous fix mentioned resolves it for you, awesome)
Make sure you're running the LATEST version of Origin. EA Has confirmed issues with Mass Effect and old Origin clients, there's a help file on their site detailing this. Much of the time the client is not set to auto update like other digital distribution platforms *CoughSteamCough* and must be manually updated. If this update fails (It did for me) you will have to uninstall the existing copy of Origin completely, and possibly have to edit the registry to remove all pre-existing entries if you're still unable to install the newest version after this.
Once this is done and the game is giving you the activation attempts followed by a progress bar flash and a *ding* noise you can try either:
Origin may not be running with Administrator privledges. If it's already running on startup, right click the quickstart icon in the bottom right (down near the clock) and exit Origin. Then try modifying the program's compatibility settings by right clicking the shortcut on your desktop and forcing it to "Run as Administrator" - This fixed it on the Win 7 x64 box despite the fact that the user was only utilizing the Administrator account on the PC already (there were no other users) and had run a command line script to take ownership of the folder and all files within it and manually assigning them to the active user. The activation check failed until the "Run as Administrator" option was checked, so give it a try. After this, this box was able to run the game just fine. Troubleshooting this issue would have been MUCH easier had EA properly given an error code or stop error when the updater fails... but I've long since given up on them programming anything properly and having them suggest "Contacting the game vendor for a refund" didn't exactly help alleviate the issue.
Another user utilized the FlyVPN client that was already mentioned by someone else in this thread. This is done by visiting their website and downloading their client, then using their free trial code to connect, then selecting the "Asia" tab at the top of the available servers list and then selecting "Hong Kong" - This worked for the other machine and it was able to pass the release date check, after which we disconnected and uninstalled the VPN and play proceeded normally.
It's probably not a firewall issue, but when in doubt it's always a great idea to just turn the damn thing off for a few minutes during the release date check. Remember it (should) only authenticate once and this (should) only take a moment. Once you see the game launch you can go ahead and flip the firewall back on (assuming it isnt interfering with EA's in game server communication and causing DLC issues, but that's a horse of a different color). If you want to be extra thorough and save screwing around with settings, disable the firewall and bypass your router if you're running one (as they often contain a hardware firewall or port forwarding settings). This issue being attributed to router or firewall issues is extremely unlikely but not impossible (I don't run Windows firewall, so if the previous fix mentioned resolves it for you, awesome)
Make sure you're running the LATEST version of Origin. EA Has confirmed issues with Mass Effect and old Origin clients, there's a help file on their site detailing this. Much of the time the client is not set to auto update like other digital distribution platforms *CoughSteamCough* and must be manually updated. If this update fails (It did for me) you will have to uninstall the existing copy of Origin completely, and possibly have to edit the registry to remove all pre-existing entries if you're still unable to install the newest version after this.
Once this is done and the game is giving you the activation attempts followed by a progress bar flash and a *ding* noise you can try either:
Origin may not be running with Administrator privledges. If it's already running on startup, right click the quickstart icon in the bottom right (down near the clock) and exit Origin. Then try modifying the program's compatibility settings by right clicking the shortcut on your desktop and forcing it to "Run as Administrator" - This fixed it on the Win 7 x64 box despite the fact that the user was only utilizing the Administrator account on the PC already (there were no other users) and had run a command line script to take ownership of the folder and all files within it and manually assigning them to the active user. The activation check failed until the "Run as Administrator" option was checked, so give it a try. After this, this box was able to run the game just fine. Troubleshooting this issue would have been MUCH easier had EA properly given an error code or stop error when the updater fails... but I've long since given up on them programming anything properly and having them suggest "Contacting the game vendor for a refund" didn't exactly help alleviate the issue.
Another user utilized the FlyVPN client that was already mentioned by someone else in this thread. This is done by visiting their website and downloading their client, then using their free trial code to connect, then selecting the "Asia" tab at the top of the available servers list and then selecting "Hong Kong" - This worked for the other machine and it was able to pass the release date check, after which we disconnected and uninstalled the VPN and play proceeded normally.
Modifié par Khaldara, 07 mars 2012 - 06:01 .
#81
Posté 07 mars 2012 - 06:42
SLZ117
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Here's something I just remembered. When I downloaded the game on Friday I was living in Boston. I preformed the check and it went through to completion (It didn't authorize me to play, but it did work). Would the fact that I am now in a different part of the state and still on the same computer play a role?
edit: Also, thank you to the previous poster. I am trying those suggestions out now.
edit: Also, thank you to the previous poster. I am trying those suggestions out now.
Modifié par SLZ117, 07 mars 2012 - 06:43 .
#82
Posté 07 mars 2012 - 08:44
firestrike 332
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i think i wait for them to patch or something
#83
Posté 08 mars 2012 - 07:11
SLZ117
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Ok...I was poking around the code of the Date Checker. Open task manager while the date checker is open. Click on MassEffect3_activation.exe *32. In the lang_dfa configuration settings you will find a couple of lines of code that if changed will permit an offline download. Change online mode to false. Change manual mode to true. Change RC mode to false. Then open MassEffect3_activation from that folder. It will prompt you to re-enter your product key and then it will ask you for the file location of activationrequest.dfa This is acquired by contacting EA customer support who will give you the link to a download of the .dfa file which will act in place of the date checker. Specify the file directory in the provided box and the game should activate and run properly. I searched this method online and it solved the same problem for Battlefield 3 customers. Although I have not yet finished the process i currently have a request in for activationrequest.dfa file. I will update when I have confirmation that this works.
