Pavlov Update 29 Won't Launch on Vive Pro 2

[GT500]

Edit: Specs:
* Win 10 x64
* Ryzen 7 3800X
* RTX 3070 Ti
* 64GB of RAM
* 4TB SATA SSD
Full specs: https://www.gt500.org/specs/

It's been a while since I've tried Pavlov, so I don't know for certain if it would have launched before the update was installed. Tried deleting the %localappdata%/Pavlov folder and that didn't help.

At some point while waiting for it to launch the EAC startup banner disappears and pavlov.exe exits, dllhost.exe and Pavlov-Win64-Shipping.exe remain running, and the game never attempts to display a window or to display anything in VR.

Note: Vive Pro 2 uses Vive Console, however games still all go through SteamVR (they can't go through Vive Console directly like they can with the Vive Cosmos).

I made sure that SteamVR was configured to use SteamVR for OpenXR, and other OpenXR games worked the last time I tried.

I tried using Steam to verify game files, and it didn't help either.

The entire Steam folder is excluded in my Anti-Virus, and hooks are not being opened to any applications running from within the Steam folder (game is installed in default location).

I am not using anything like VR Performance Toolkit or ReShade, and there are no DLL files in the game folders other than the ones that came with the game.

The only thing I know that can open hooks to the game that is running is RTSS, however it's not configured to gather data from the game or to inject its overlay into the game.

[GT500]

FYI: I used to do tech support and QA for an Anti-Virus software company, so if you need any debug info then let me know.

[Spartles]

delete and reinstall.
Also unsub from all workshop files, they don't work anymore after update 29.

[GT500]

Originally posted by Spartles:

delete and reinstall.
Also unsub from all workshop files, they don't work anymore after update 29.

Neither of those helped.

BTW: Uninstalling and reinstalling a Steam game doesn't usually fix problems. Steam can validate that the files are corrupt or modified, and replace them with the latest versions from its CDN without needing to reinstall. On top of that Steam doesn't remove files from the game's folder that aren't part of the game (third-party tool like ReShade for instance) and thus uninstalling and reinstalling won't remove those. An uninstall and reinstall won't even remove and replace corrupt game profile/config data for most games.

I've been a Steam user for a long time now, and I can't even remember the last time I saw someone recommend a reinstall of a Steam game in the Steam Discussions and the person reporting the issue actually replied to say it fixed the problem.

In case you're wondering, after uninstalling the game I checked to validate that the game folder had been deleted (it had which reinforces the fact that nothing like ReShade was installed at the time), and I also deleted the %LocalAppData%\Pavlov folder just to be on the safe side.

[ashfs454]

i have the same problem. i was playing the game perfectly fine before the update.

[GT500]

Originally posted by ashfs454:

i have the same problem. i was playing the game perfectly fine before the update.

Do you also use a Vive Pro 2? Or another VR device?

[ashfs454]

i use the pro 2 and i have also tried everything mentioned above.

[Greendayle]

I also have Vive Pro 2. I'm on VIve Console beta and SteamVR beta. Vive Console beta has some fixes with EAC protected games not being able to start.

But I also use Index Controllers and there is another issue with their grips and buttons not working (trigger works though). I found an issue - Pavlov thinks you are running an Oculus headset and you need to map your grips to oculus grips. I've shared a "fixed" binding, but it's ridicilous.

Also Pavlov is now using Vive OpenXR FINGERTRACKING instead of Index controllers fingertracking, which is funny. I can move my fingers while not wearing controllers.

[Spartles]

Originally posted by GT500:

Originally posted by Spartles:

delete and reinstall.
Also unsub from all workshop files, they don't work anymore after update 29.

Neither of those helped.

BTW: Uninstalling and reinstalling a Steam game doesn't usually fix problems. Steam can validate that the files are corrupt or modified, and replace them with the latest versions from its CDN without needing to reinstall. On top of that Steam doesn't remove files from the game's folder that aren't part of the game (third-party tool like ReShade for instance) and thus uninstalling and reinstalling won't remove those. An uninstall and reinstall won't even remove and replace corrupt game profile/config data for most games.

I've been a Steam user for a long time now, and I can't even remember the last time I saw someone recommend a reinstall of a Steam game in the Steam Discussions and the person reporting the issue actually replied to say it fixed the problem.

In case you're wondering, after uninstalling the game I checked to validate that the game folder had been deleted (it had which reinforces the fact that nothing like ReShade was installed at the time), and I also deleted the %LocalAppData%\Pavlov folder just to be on the safe side.

I've had games not correctly verify and modify files before, and had to delete and reinstall to fix several games, especially after major updates to the engine.
Specifically Cyberpunk 2077, Dying Light 2, and Ready Or Not for recent ones.

Also other people had mentioned issues with loading the game after the engine update, and the removal of workshop files worked for them.
I was simply passing along suggestions that do indeed work from time to time.

I'm aware uninstalling doesn't remove extra mod files, I assumed you weren't running reshade on Pavlov, because I never heard of anyone doing so.

[ashfs454]

i just swapped to steam vr beta and it now works thanks
https://www.vive.com/us/support/vive/category_howto/optin-to-steamvr-beta.html

[GT500]

Originally posted by Spartles:

I've had games not correctly verify and modify files before, and had to delete and reinstall to fix several games, especially after major updates to the engine.
Specifically Cyberpunk 2077, Dying Light 2, and Ready Or Not for recent ones.

That can happen if something prevents modification of files. Usually that would be an Anti-Virus, or especially a conflict between an Anti-Virus and something else opening hooks to applications running on the system (such as another Anti-Virus, or an "Anti-Spyware"/Firewall/HIPS/etc). It can also happen when there are driver issues or filesystem damage. In my case such an issue would be highly unlikely, since I'm very much accustomed to troubleshooting such issues.

[Spartles]

Originally posted by GT500:

Originally posted by Spartles:

I've had games not correctly verify and modify files before, and had to delete and reinstall to fix several games, especially after major updates to the engine.
Specifically Cyberpunk 2077, Dying Light 2, and Ready Or Not for recent ones.

That can happen if something prevents modification of files. Usually that would be an Anti-Virus, or especially a conflict between an Anti-Virus and something else opening hooks to applications running on the system (such as another Anti-Virus, or an "Anti-Spyware"/Firewall/HIPS/etc). It can also happen when there are driver issues or filesystem damage. In my case such an issue would be highly unlikely, since I'm very much accustomed to troubleshooting such issues.

I've literally never run an antivirus since 2008.
They're bloatware if you know what you're doing with your network.
It also has to do with how some games parse patches, they simply aren't always batched correctly 100% of the time, and file corruptions can occur at any time during download.
Especially when moving from one engine version to another.

But switching it to Steam VR Beta seemed to work, good to know.

[GT500]

OK, more things I've tried that don't work:

• SteamVR Beta
  
• Reinstalling Vive Console
  
• Deleting download cache in Steam
  
• Fixing cloud synch issue with SteamVR (seriously Steam, I had Steam Cloud turned off...)

I'm going to try deleting profile data for Pavlov again in case Steam Cloud getting turned back on broke it, which (in my experience) Steam Cloud is highly likely to do.

[Greendayle]

>Reinstalling Vive Console
did you try to switch to Vive Console beta?

[GT500]

Originally posted by Greendayle:

>Reinstalling Vive Console
did you try to switch to Vive Console beta?

Not yet. There are some OpenXR fixes in the betas, so I'll give it a try.

[GT500]

OK, so the beta of Vive Console is what fixes the issue.

I actually uninstalled the SteamVR beta, and kept the beta of Vive Console installed, and the game launches without issues now. Recommend adding that to the troubleshooting guide for Vive Pro 2 users.