Simple Fix for PopCap games not starting

[The Skirmish Lord]

Like everyone else on Steam who has PopCap games, I'm having trouble getting them to start.
PLEASE take the time to bomb customer support with complaints so they fix this; the problem ONLY happened after a recent Steam update. In the meantime, you can fix the problem this way

1) Open the steam folder at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam.
2) Copy the file steam.dll
3) Open the folder C:\Program Files9x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\PlantsvsZombies - or any other PopCap game folder you're having problems with.
4) Paste steam.dll to the game folder
5) Use the .exe file in the folder to launch the game and NOT the Steam Launcher. This procedure will have to be repeated each time they update steam.

As I said before, PLEASE send a bug report to Steam or they will NEVER fix it. Click on Help-Steam Support - Sign into my steam support account. If you don't have one, you'll have to create it. Good luck.

[SgtYorkie]

Thanks, had to do this on my old computer and it worked fine then & still does now, however my new computer does not and I could not find these instructions which I had printed before. This does work all!

[jkisner59]

i can't play my game fix it

[Sundeiru]

Thanks for the tip. This is way easier than trying to edit the registry.

[Snorlax🗾]

i did this the game is on but all the data is deleted :/ why and how can i fix that ? pls help all the time wasted :/

[tjrr]

The error message i get is this one:

Exception: Access Violation (code 0xc0000005) at address 005F8E90 in thread 3DDC
Module: popcapgame1.exe
Logical Address: 0001:001F7E90

005F8E90 0018E2AC 0001:001F7E90 popcapgame1.exe
005F81FF 0018ECF4 0001:001F71FF popcapgame1.exe
005F6F6A 0018ED00 0001:001F5F6A popcapgame1.exe
600125AF 0018ED94 0001:000115AF CSERHelper.dll
77302CA3 0018EE38 0001:000B1CA3 ntdll.dll
77290716 0018EE68 0001:0003F716 ntdll.dll
77290053 0018EF30 0001:0003F053 ntdll.dll
772907CF 0018F41C 0001:0003F7CF ntdll.dll
68215478 0018F434 0001:00064478 gameoverlayrenderer.dll
005663E6 0018F70C 0001:001653E6 popcapgame1.exe
005D499C 0018F750 0001:001D399C popcapgame1.exe
005D844D 0018F9E8 0001:001D744D popcapgame1.exe
74AB8E71 0018FA14 0001:00007E71 USER32.dll
74AB90D1 0018FAA8 0001:000080D1 USER32.dll
74AE57A9 0018FAE4 0001:000347A9 USER32.dll
69D89E8C 0018FB24 0001:00038E8C ddraw.dll
74AB8E71 0018FB50 0001:00007E71 USER32.dll
74ABAE7D 0018FBE4 0001:00009E7D USER32.dll
74AB9333 0018FC48 0001:00008333 USER32.dll
74AB9529 0018FC88 0001:00008529 USER32.dll
772907A6 0018FD18 0001:0003F7A6 ntdll.dll
74ACC0B0 0018FD20 0001:0001B0B0 USER32.dll
68227EC0 0018FD30 0001:00076EC0 gameoverlayrenderer.dll
005DD30C 0018FD60 0001:001DC30C popcapgame1.exe
005DD42D 0018FD74 0001:001DC42D popcapgame1.exe
005DD25D 0018FD80 0001:001DC25D popcapgame1.exe
005DD69F 0018FEA8 0001:001DC69F popcapgame1.exe

EAX:00000000 EBX:00000001 ECX:00000000 EDX:00000000 ESI:0018EDB8 EDI:00000000
EIP:005F8E90 ESP:0018E26C EBP:0018E2AC
CS:0023 SS:002B DS:002B ES:002B FS:0053 GS:002B
Flags:00210202

Windows Ver: NT 6.2 Build 9200
DDraw Ver:
DSound Ver:

Product: PlantsVsZombies
Version: 1.2.0.1096
Time Loaded: 00:00:06
Fullscreen: Yes
Primary ThreadId: 3DDC
Times Played: 0
Build Num: 0
Build Date:

[The Skirmish Lord]

The game doesn't read the information in its "userdata" folder under the main Steam directory which is why there's no data every time you start. The error is in the Steam framework and only happened AFTER a recent Steam update.

Copying the Steam.dll will get the game working and is a workaround but not a complete fix.

PLEASE - submit an error report to Steam. If enough people do that, they will have to address the problem. If everyone sits on their hands and waits, the problem will be there FOREVER !

[Ordon Draconis]

I could find no interface for reporting this issue to Valve. Every path leads me to PopCap support which also has no interface for submitting a report.

[The Skirmish Lord]

They don't make it easy to submit a bug.

On the top menu of your Steam page click on "Help" on the top menu bar
Click on Steam Support from the drop down menu

This brings you to the steam support page where they do their best to push you to game support.

Select "Sign into my Steam Support Page" and set one up with a user/password different from your main Steam Account.

They don't call the entries bug reports but refer to them as "Questions". Fill one out and you'll instantly get a runaround canned answer on how the refresh Steam. Add a statement after that saying that it's a problem with EVERYONE and not just your PC.

I get the feeling they just want this problem to go away and let everyone just deal with it. It may be a strange concept to them but I think if you buy a game from Steam, it should ALWAYS work on their framewok.

Posting the bug is a nuisance but the only way they'll address the issue is if they get a LOT of complaints.

[heyhey]

turkce olarak sorunu acıklauabılıcek varmı sıyah ekran sorununu

[chronosapien]

Thanks for this, The Skirmish Lord! Much appreciated.

[Kruegerbeard]

This didn't work at all for me I get some bass.dll error still

[Kruegerbeard]

Has steam or anyone officailly responded to this, I guess i'll just get a refund.... 5 bucks is 5 bucks... I can't believe this has lasted this long

[tjrr]

Originally posted by jibraider77:

Has steam or anyone officailly responded to this, I guess i'll just get a refund.... 5 bucks is 5 bucks... I can't believe this has lasted this long

Same here, i had purchased the game to get some nostalgia but a day after the purchase it went wrong. The refund is in progress right now.

[The Skirmish Lord]

The workaround I posted will get the game started in some cases but it won't allow you to access the Steam cloud. In other words, your game progress will get lost.

I don't think Steam has addressed the problem and they haven't answered my bug report.

[MomaCods]

My game is just black screen... I can hear the music and see my mouse but nothing otherwise... I have restarted my PC and opened and closed the darn thing 20 times... but its the same every time... I played this for a few hours lasst night after I installed with no issues... but when I went to start it today this happened....