UO still won't install properly

Lindae

Hello,

So after my last thread, none of the solutions worked and I had no access to UO for about two months. Thank you to everyone who contributed, I'm sorry we weren't able to get results. A few weeks ago I uninstalled and reinstalled the game - changing nothing else on the computer - and for some reason it worked! Unfortunately, it then stopped working after a few days. What did I change to make it stop working? Again, nothing!

Since then I have had the same problem as before. I've tried everything - turning all firewalls off, running as administrator, cleaning every last bit of UO off the hard drive between reinstalls, deleting the user data folders in Documents, fixing corrupt files in Command Prompt, re-downloading the client multiple times.

The problem is that it downloads, but only partially installs. These are the only files in the directory:



And so I end up with a patch log that looks like this:

[2023/12/07 15:41:16] Failed to load string table from [data\strings\english\patch.txt]. Trying english fallback.

[2023/12/07 15:41:16] Failed to load string table from [data\strings\english\patch.txt].

[2023/12/07 15:41:16] String table load failed!

[2023/12/07 15:41:17] Failed UI copy from [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\patchui_win.dll] to [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\patchui.dll]. Trying safety load of source dll.

[2023/12/07 15:41:17] No usable UI present! Initializing 'headless' patch.

[2023/12/07 15:41:17] Failed to load module [http]

[2023/12/07 15:41:17] libpatchclient initialized.

[2023/12/07 15:41:17] No acceptable splash screen file found.

[2023/12/07 15:41:17] Currently running as [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\UO.exe]

[2023/12/07 15:41:18] Currently running as [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\UO.exe]

[2023/12/07 15:41:18] Notification of restart with alternate filename

[2023/12/07 15:41:18] Failed to load string table from [data\strings\english\patch.txt]. Trying english fallback.

[2023/12/07 15:41:18] Failed to load string table from [data\strings\english\patch.txt].

[2023/12/07 15:41:18] String table load failed!

[2023/12/07 15:41:19] Failed UI copy from [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\patchui_win.dll] to [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\patchui.dll]. Trying safety load of source dll.

[2023/12/07 15:41:19] No usable UI present! Initializing 'headless' patch.

[2023/12/07 15:41:19] Failed to load module [http]

[2023/12/07 15:41:19] libpatchclient initialized.

[2023/12/07 15:41:19] No acceptable splash screen file found.

[2023/12/07 15:41:19] Currently running as [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\UO.bin]

[2023/12/07 15:42:01] Failed to send HTTP request for file [http://patch.uo.eamythic.com/uopatch-sa/legacyrelease/patcher/manifest/patcher.prod.sig]

[2023/12/07 15:42:36] Failed to load string table from [data\strings\english\patch.txt]. Trying english fallback.

[2023/12/07 15:42:36] Failed to load string table from [data\strings\english\patch.txt].

[2023/12/07 15:42:36] String table load failed!

[2023/12/07 15:42:37] Failed UI copy from [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\patchui_win.dll] to [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\patchui.dll]. Trying safety load of source dll.

[2023/12/07 15:42:37] No usable UI present! Initializing 'headless' patch.

[2023/12/07 15:42:37] Failed to load module [http]

[2023/12/07 15:42:37] libpatchclient initialized.

[2023/12/07 15:42:37] No acceptable splash screen file found.

[2023/12/07 15:42:37] Currently running as [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\UO.exe]

[2023/12/07 15:42:38] Currently running as [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\UO.exe]

[2023/12/07 15:42:38] Failed to overwrite file [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\UO.bin]. Attempt [1]. Retrying in [3] seconds...

[2023/12/07 15:42:41] Failed to overwrite file [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\UO.bin]. Attempt [2]. Retrying in [3] seconds...

[2023/12/07 15:42:43] Failed to send HTTP request for file [http://patch.uo.eamythic.com/uopatch-sa/legacyrelease/patcher/manifest/patcher.prod.sig]

[2023/12/07 15:42:44] Failed to overwrite file [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\UO.bin]. Attempt [3]. Retrying in [3] seconds...

[2023/12/07 15:42:47] Failed to overwrite file [C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Classic\UO.bin]. Attempt [4]. Retrying in [3] seconds...

[2023/12/07 15:42:50] File copy failed after 5 attempts.

[2023/12/07 15:42:50] Could not run as alternate filename

I re-download the client from uo.com each time to make absolutely sure I'm not missing anything, and before reinstalling I disconnect from the internet and turn off all my antivirus. The problem is definitely happening at the installation phase. But why?! Does anyone have any ideas? I am desperate to get this resolved!

Thanks in advance for any assistance. I really appreciate all the effort people have put into trying to solve this problem.

Lord_Frodo

I am going to ask the oh shit question.  Have you been playing on free shards and have you loaded any illegal 3rd party programs and when was the last time you ran a virus scan?  Did UO ever run on this computer?  What else is the computer used for?  Maybe an entire wipe and reload is in the future.  Do you have enough disk space to load everything?  You may need to take it to a computer shop and let them look at it.

Grimbeard

Are you running as administrator? 

Mariah

I'm sorry, I'm not technically knowledgeable enough to help, something is preventing your system from installing the game. Could it be connected to what I see in the top bar of your screen print? Windows-SSD?

Lindae

Hi all,

Thanks so much for trying to help me again! This really is the weirdest thing. At this point I don't think we'll get this resolved - hopefully it'll do what it did before and just randomly fix itself one day - but it is very kind of you to try to help.

Lord_Frodo said:

I am going to ask the oh shit question.  Have you been playing on free shards and have you loaded any illegal 3rd party programs and when was the last time you ran a virus scan?  Did UO ever run on this computer?  What else is the computer used for?  Maybe an entire wipe and reload is in the future.  Do you have enough disk space to load everything?  You may need to take it to a computer shop and let them look at it.

I played on a free shard for two days back in 2009 and swore off the whole scene forever, lol. As for third-party programs, no, I haven't used one of those since 2011. The reason I can specifically say 2011 is because I'd installed EasyUO just to train stealthing and apparently they'd just developed a tool so the devs could see who was using it, Mesanna actually called me out on it at an event (quite gently) and I died of shame irl. I have never touched the forbidden magic since then.

Grimbeard said:

Are you running as administrator? 

Yes...

Mariah said:

I'm sorry, I'm not technically knowledgeable enough to help, something is preventing your system from installing the game. Could it be connected to what I see in the top bar of your screen print? Windows-SSD?

Windows-SSD is just the default name for my hard drive.

Thank you again for the help! I promise I won't keep re-posting this issue every few months - I just thought I'd try it out in case someone had found out something they didn't know last time. 

Happy Holidays to you all

Lord_Frodo

What else is the computer used for ?  What anti virus are you using?  Are you doing a normal install or a custom install?  Do you have a BestBuy with a Geek Squad or a computer shop by you to take it to?  Something in your operating system is stopping you from loading everything.  Do you have enough room on your HD to load everything?

Jepeth

Have you tried creating a new administrator user account, logging into it, and installing the game in it?

Rorschach

Some off topic posts have been removed.

Lord_Frodo

  

TimSt

I think the line:

[2023/12/07 15:42:01] Failed to send HTTP request for file [http://patch.uo.eamythic.com/uopatch-sa/legacyrelease/patcher/manifest/patcher.prod.sig

is of some importance.

It looks like either an anti-virus program or firewall is blocking the installer from downloading the patcher and or the patcher from downloading files.  Try copying that link and pasting it in a browser.  You should get a file that has the contents:

<MythicMFT>
    <signature id="21" v="AIEBSDIZyxbGv6tdL+bTT2afzZhElO2ACwoYwVrkK80B+/HqLp5DPrjeFbVJTFui7aK1iIY6o26Heb9F15TffG6Y+KlHDYS+KUyr21UX4zG7q3Ht6dPyQoKbKKT4pb/LbV30yn9h6wcQPgE9J+iZKTPk5RkrINQvshHvxwAcZTdXrUE=" />
</MythicMFT>

If the browser can not download the file then you know it is either an anti-virus or a firewall issue.

If the browser can download the file then it is possible either the anti-virus or firewall has specifically been set to block the installer / patcher app from accessing the network.

<Edit> just realized that is an HTTP and not an HTTPS address.  That increases the chances you are having a firewall issue.  Your network security settings may be set to only allow HTTPS addresses.

Covfefe

TimSt said:

It looks like either an anti-virus program

In their first thread, they said they uninstalled their AV.

TimSt

Covfefe said:

TimSt said:

It looks like either an anti-virus program

In their first thread, they said they uninstalled their AV.

Which would lead credence to it being a firewall issue if they can not access the unsecure HTTP site.  Anti-Virus and firewall are not the same program.

Covfefe

Well a lot of them are combined, normally these antivirus stuff ship with firewall too. But they uninstalled it so I don’t know what the problem could be now.

TimSt

There is always the built in Windows Defender Firewall.


As you can see the client is allowed to use unsecure connections.  @Lindae might have an entree for the patcher that has either the "Allow the connection if is secure" or the "Block the connection" buttons selected.

Lindae

It's working!!

Don't ask me why, don't ask me how, don't ask me how long it will keep working for, but it's working.

Thank you all for your emotional support during this very difficult time.

Kelmain

I know @Lindae got it working, fantastic news. A little concerning (for me) that the issue has not been definitively identified though.

I think @TimSt is onto something when he points out the patcher is not working correctly.
Of course given that the OP is able to play this is only going to be something to look back at if the problem raises it head again. If this issue does arise again I would be investigating Anti-Virus software and it's impact on the computer being used.

I did read that the AV has been uninstalled but we are talking about windows and sometimes software does not uninstall correctly. It could be that the AV has impacted the computers networking settings including changes to the firewall.

I don't know how long the OP would feel comfortable chasing down an issue like this and I would suggest that another option is to format the machine and reinstall the Operating System. This may not be a popular option because it involves backing up all the things the OP wants to keep before wiping the slate clean to start over.
If the OP was to consider formatting and reinstalling the OS please ensure anything they want to keep from the machine is backed up to an external device first so they do not loose photo's or documents they want to keep. Do not take the format route if your unsure about what you might loose from the computer, ask more questions and if possible have a geeky family member or friend talk to you about it.

For now while it's working, enjoy.

Petra_Fyde

Just out of interest, my pc blew up last week, the power pack shorted out. Fortunately I have a tech savvy son who retrieved the contents of my HDD, but the programs were all installed on a different drive and all had to be retrieved from sources, downloaded and installed. This included both uo classic and uo enhanced. I had no problems with either install.

Lord_Frodo

Petra_Fyde said:

Just out of interest, my pc blew up last week, the power pack shorted out. Fortunately I have a tech savvy son who retrieved the contents of my HDD, but the programs were all installed on a different drive and all had to be retrieved from sources, downloaded and installed. This included both uo classic and uo enhanced. I had no problems with either install.

Did you or your tech savvy son do the install?  Maybe ask your son to read this thread and see if he has any insight.

Petra_Fyde

My son came, looked at the PC, declared it dead. Took my HDD away to test it, found it was ok, but told me off for how much of the drive I was using. Put the 7gb of documents on a thumb drive, gave it me back and went home. Installing was left to me.

Lindae

I am just happy to have UO again, but would appreciate any insight into this that ever pops up. I've never heard of anyone else having this problem, and I've never had it happen to me before in... twenty years of playing. (Twenty years?!!) I'm hoping this isn't like last time where it worked for three days and then stopped again.
The one thing I did do was change my antivirus to a different software. That was several months ago and it didn't fix the problem at the time, but it is the only thing that I changed permanently on the computer so I guess that's what did it. 
I am hopeless with technology and computers are basically magic to me, it's very sad. Thank you all again for your help.

Kelmain

My apologies if this comment is, well, not allowed. Remove this comment if needed.

@Mariah or @Rorschach
(sorry to call you out like this but it should yield an answer from an official)
Is UOTrace okay to use? Is it even still available?

If the OP is experiencing an inability to connect to the patch server UOTrace may yield some information for them and is possibly a good tool to do some testing, if this problem arises again.

Mariah

To the best of my knowledge uotrace is still acceptable, though hard to find since EA seem to have removed it from their site.

Skett

I have a copy of trace uo not sure how to upload it here or some other place its only a 40.00kb

Lord_Frodo

  https://eaassets-a.akamaihd.net/eahelp/documents/uotrace.exe