Can't play Dead Space 2 (Always end up in the Activation Wizard) **SOLVED**

[plm999]

I'm trying to play Dead Space 2. I bought it a few months ago, just tried to load it and play it. It downloaded and installed, went through activation, everything looks good, "Activation Sucessful", then.....nothing happens.
I go back to the Steam app, the game status is "ready to play", click it again, goes through activation process agan, says I sucessfully activated the game AGAIN. It just does that every time I try to play the game. It never launches the game.
How do I fix it?
Thanks.

[plm999]

BUMP

[Silicon Vampire]

Humor me again? find the DS2 install folder and delete the activation.* files. Verify all the files through Steam and try running the game again.

[plm999]

Deleted 4 files, ran a verify installation from steam, it found 4 files missing. Launched from steam, went through the couple extra steps, checking DirectX, etc. then back to the same behavior. I even tried setting proxy to "none" and no change. DS2 does not want to run. BFM.

[plm999]

Any other ideas? Anyone?

[Silicon Vampire]

I'm sorry. i have no other ideas except remove the overclock but i doubt that is the issue... but it could be...

[plm999]

Seems very unlikely as the game never loads. Just checked the core temps with CPU fully cranked at 4.4 GHz running Prime 95, barely reaching 60C. If the game were crashing that would be one thing, but it never loads. I think Metro is probably more demanding and it runs silky smooth. I have a bug in the validation somewhere.
Can I get my money back? Clearly the game is useless to me. Or maybe someone has a hack to bypass validation?

[spoof]

windows safemode+networking?

you might wanna try to start the game windowed there because it just a test to see if that will just start it.
not play it in safemode.

I am not a big believer in checking logs ,I rather use an axe and exclude things fast.

[Silicon Vampire]

There HAS to be something else here.

I have yet to find anything similiar (and I am good at searching) on the web and it works fine on the 4 machines I've been able to test it on... but i am not trying to activate it. It has been for a long time now.

I am digging but this is an odd issue. I really wish I had access to your computer.

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IRT spoof:

I like the axe. I'll remember that... lol

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I just want gamer to know, I have spent the last two weeks installing games back on my stepson's/diagnostics computer as I have had time (I repair computers). Upgrade to W7Pro64.

82 out of 174 and every one works fine so far. I did need to "tweak" two of them, maybe three.

[plm999]

@Silicon Vampire, appreciate your efforts. There has to be something going on particular to this game. I haven't had problems with any other game or application.

I already have W7Pro64SP1 on my machine. I tried the safe mode boot with networking. The error I an getting is "Could not initialize display hardware. Please restart Dead Space 2", so apparently DS2 is launching in some form, at least it isn't asking me to validate, so that's something different.

If I can figure out how to get safe mode to load Nvidia drivers I would have another thing to try.

[plm999]

Other things I've tried, (with no success):

1. Disabling all but the core services using msconfig. All updaters and monitors by apple, google, Cyberlink, etc. disabled.

2. Installing DS2 to the default C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam on my SSD. All my other games are on a normal HDD mapped to c:\Media

This is driving me nuts.

[spoof]

so the game starts fine in safemode.
in windows you say it does not start at all.


look at your logs more or start excluding installed programs that are bugging you.
I was pretty clear what safemode was about.

disabling is usually not effective.
here is an example of that.
http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/558747923012163313/
my first sentense and his last post all you need to read.

[crunchyfrog]

gamer původně napsal:

@Silicon Vampire, appreciate your efforts. There has to be something going on particular to this game. I haven't had problems with any other game or application.

I already have W7Pro64SP1 on my machine. I tried the safe mode boot with networking. The error I an getting is "Could not initialize display hardware. Please restart Dead Space 2", so apparently DS2 is launching in some form, at least it isn't asking me to validate, so that's something different.

If I can figure out how to get safe mode to load Nvidia drivers I would have another thing to try.

Firstly, when did you last update your graphics and sound drivers?

If you've done it recently, then it could be a corrupt driver, so try reinstalling both those drivers.

That's the obvious next step I'd be trying.

[spoof]

he had a problem with the game not starting in windows.
I suggested to see if it started in safemode and it does.

meaning he has some ( security ) software bugging him.

[crunchyfrog]

spoof původně napsal:

he had a problem with the game not starting in windows.
I suggested to see if it started in safemode and it does.

meaning he has some ( security ) software bugging him.

Yes, but note that message he has said DS2 reports "could not initialise display hardware". If it works in Safe Mode, but gives that message in normal mode, then it's certainly wise to check drivers as I said.

Another thought for the OP is has he tried this? There's a few solutions in there, including an official one, and some are driver-related.
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1732252

[spoof]

because it was safemode and no video drivers load when you start that , just a simple one to see what you are doing.
you are offering advice on a normal error in safemode

thats why I said start the game windowed in safemode so he would not get stuck with a none working game full screen.
never tried starting a game yourself in safemode?