latest Win10 Version Interference w\ AHIII

[Drane]

Instead of scanning the hard drive in another computer I've used a bootable USB stick running a Linux based virus scanner. Eset, F-secure, Kaspersky are what I've used.

 

[Vulcan]

I was running a fresh piece of malware (emotet variant) through scanners yesterday, only mcafee, trend and symantec picked it up.

[TequilaChaser]

After trying to figure this "hack to port 80&AH3" for this period of time

I recommend throwing in the towel and starting from scratch with a freshly reformatted drive

I myself would have most likely went postal on that computer of yours and unloaded several 50 round clips of 7.62 x 59 into it......heh

I  can only imagine what you have been through trying to figure this conundrum out

Wish you luck

[Pudgie]

Update:

Went ahead & reran Windows Reset again, this time I set it up to blow out everything off the drive it was installed on (C:\) then reinstall itself. Got all finally set back up (it wouldn't let me finish up reinstall w\o setting up a MS account) & reinstalled the latest version of AHIII (Version 3.05 Patch 14) & tried it.....AHIII is still getting blocked as previously reported so from here I'm gonna finally pull out my retail USB stick & do a full C:\ drive format\reinstall of my retail copy of Win 10 Home (which will ensure a fully clean Win 10 install w\o any updates....will disconnect from my LAN when I do it to prevent any Windows Updates running & disconnect both my D:\ & E:\ drives to preserve my data saved on them...not gonna trust it) then go thru the myriad of Windows Updates then reinstalls of all software.........

I know I can bypass the MS account stuff using this method.

This is it..............this will tell all. Gonna be a few days as I'm gonna have to do this in stages.

Rough stuff...............

 

 

[TequilaChaser]

Hey Pudgie

That most likely should cure your problem hopefully

I recommend what Bizman posted

Instead of scanning the hard drive in another computer I've used a bootable USB stick running a Linux based virus scanner. Eset, F-secure, Kaspersky are what I've used.

To scan  all drives ..... (I've always been partial to and prefer ESET and their tools for scanning/ cleaning with a few other tools)

Hope it fixes your problem, and probably will....regarding the settings and making a MS account, I've have 1/2 way set 1 up and then just left it sitting dormant on 3 or 4 Windows  10 installs... but my personal Opinion and I have posted this along time back before Skuzzy retired,  is for me to use Windows 10, I only  use my "Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB version so I can have full control over everything including settings and updates and MS added on bloat"

But most people don't have the ability to get a copy or can afford it if they do have a way of getting it legitimately..

You 'd have to be a MSDN tech and/or a team member of the MS Insiders program (something i try to keep actively involved in so I don't get booted from either, ROFL)

Best of luck with your endeavors in starting from scratch with a new  fresh install

<S>

TC

[Bizman]

... I'm gonna finally pull out my retail USB stick & do a full C:\ drive format\reinstall of my retail copy of Win 10 Home (which will ensure a fully clean Win 10 install w\o any updates....will disconnect from my LAN when I do it to prevent any Windows Updates running & disconnect both my D:\ & E:\ drives to preserve my data saved on them...not gonna trust it) then go thru the myriad of Windows Updates then reinstalls of all software.........

I know I can bypass the MS account stuff using this method.

So if you are resetting Windows you can't just disconnect and go back to the previous page to create a local account? That's new to me.

I've most always plugged into the net during the installing process and disconnected when it asks for the MS account, then gone back using the left arrow on the screen and created a local account. Another trick I've found out is not to create a password at that stage as they'll ask for a dozen of security questions for a lost or forgotten password. When creating the password inside Windows a single hint is the only thing needed.

[Drane]

I highly recommend you delete any existing partitions and make new ones on the OS drive before formatting. You can do this during the windows installation process. Windows installation software can delete the existing partitions and will build the new partitions it needs and format them for you.

[Pudgie]

Update:

I found part of my issue.....somehow MS One Drive had gotten initiated & it hijacked the Windows desktop in the background & was trying to set up any apps (including shortcuts to apps....like AHIII) into the MS cloud (was what I was seeing every time thru Command Prompt that was starting up when I started up AHIII). Tried to delete just the MS One Drive program (installs when Win 10 is reset\reinstalled) itself but this caused file corruption (wouldn't allow any shortcuts to be put on the desktop afterwards) so I performed another Windows reset but this time I set it up to blow off all & download new image from the MS cloud so that C:\ drive could be formatted before reinstall. I have no idea how that got started as I don't\have never used a MS account & you have to create an account to use MS One Drive............

The IP addresses ID the OrigName to be MS Routing, Peer & DNS so I assumed this was trying to act as some type of proxy.

Got all back up & all my stuff reloaded (once again the reinstall wouldn't let me just set up a local account...forced me to set up a MS account but as soon as I got into Windows I set up my local account then deleted the MS account. I was connected to the Internet though during this phase so this may have something to do w\ that) I then promptly deleted MS One Drive then ran DISM restorehealth command along w\ sfc /scannow command......dism reported all successful but scannow reported some file corruption found that it repaired successfully. Ran this again to confirm that all was good afterwards.....results came back clean on the 2nd run.

Now when I start AHIII I'm not getting any more MS .NET traffic starting\running in the background....still getting blocked when trying to enter arenas that I don't already have the terrain files downloaded into the ah3terr folder but I can see that when I click on the arena, the terrain file transfer does initially start to go then it gets arrested & kicks client back to clipboard. When I run the active connection traces thru CP I'm now finding a consistent hit on an AHIII IP address that matches errmgr.hitechcreations.com (Steal the Sheep arena) when the file blocking occurs (follows the number of attempts I make in succession that get blocked....was intentionally using the Steal the Sheep arena as a test mule).

This verifies that the client is talking to the arena server, is identifying the terrain that is being used, is checking the ah3terr folder to see if the terrain is there (it isn't but it then sets the stealshp.res file attribute in the ah3terr folder to receive the data) then tries to initiate the transfer. The arena server does initiate the file transfer & it is after this action happens is when this process is interrupted/stopped & client is kicked back to the clipboard menu.

All else operates just fine.....even AHIII runs just fine after I physically download the necessary terrain file thru MS Edge web browser into the ah3terr folder then run the game as normal.

Whatever it is that's stopping the terrains from being downloaded by the AHIII client on my box is also stopping any AHIII patch updates from downloading when requested by the AHIII client..............

Got 1 piece of this puzzle out of the way.......

 

[Vulcan]

I've never heard of one drive doing that. Time to nuke your PC.

[Bizman]

(once again the reinstall wouldn't let me just set up a local account...forced me to set up a MS account but as soon as I got into Windows I set up my local account then deleted the MS account. I was connected to the Internet though during this phase so this may have something to do w\ that)

It certainly has. If you during installing Windows10 end up in the situation where a MS account seems to be the only option, simply unplug from the Net and use the arrow in the upper left corner to go back to the previous page where you can create a local account.

It doesn't matter how you jump out of the Internet. On laptops the Flight Mode button already works at that early stage of Windows, or you can just power off your router, or unplug the network cable.

Another trick to make life easier is not to create a password for the local account during the installation procedure. During installing you'll be asked for half a dozen safety questions while from within Windows' settings the only required thing is the hint to memorize your password. 

[100Coogn]

Pudgie, how many other players are reporting your issue?  I doubt any have.
Just reinstall Windows and be done with it. (Save what you can)
The effort you're putting into diagnostics is quite bizarre..

Coogan

[Pudgie]

Update:

Have just now isolated this issue down to the AHIII game client's ahbrowser.exe is the 1 getting blocked on my box from starting up (this is the in game's web browser that executes the downloading of any terrain\patch files from the AHIII servers to the FE game client).

Have tested all other AHIII FE client's .exe files & all others are operational except this ahbrowser.exe so now I know where to focus at.

Getting warmer...................

Using the Windows Resource Monitor can be very helpful...................... .......

 

[TequilaChaser]

Update:

Have just now isolated this issue down to the AHIII game client's ahbrowser.exe is the 1 getting blocked on my box from starting up (this is the in game's web browser that executes the downloading of any terrain\patch files from the AHIII servers to the FE game client).

Have tested all other AHIII FE client's .exe files & all others are operational except this ahbrowser.exe so now I know where to focus at.

Getting warmer...................

Using the Windows Resource Monitor can be very helpful...................... .......

 

If that's the issue then if I remember correctly,  chromium is what HTC uses for the in-game AH browser

Someone please correct me if I am wrong about this

You should be able to create a rule allowing the "ahbrowser.exe" to have access through your Windows firewall and your router etc.... or since we all know that it is "SAFE", just put it in your DMZ (that is if Windows 10 home has this option in its firewall/ network settings)  and the same for your router...

Seems like it should be an easy fix/ cure......

Good Luck and hope you get it working Pudgie

TC

[Pudgie]

If that's the issue then if I remember correctly,  chromium is what HTC uses for the in-game AH browser

Someone please correct me if I am wrong about this

You should be able to create a rule allowing the "ahbrowser.exe" to have access through your Windows firewall and your router etc.... or since we all know that it is "SAFE", just put it in your DMZ (that is if Windows 10 home has this option in its firewall/ network settings)  and the same for your router...

Seems like it should be an easy fix/ cure......

Good Luck and hope you get it working Pudgie

TC

Yeah TC, I have already gone down that route w\o success.

But for the 1st time since all this started I've finally found another app\program that I tried to run on my box & it initiated the Windows "This app can't run on your PC" dialog when executing 1 of the app's .exe files (of all apps it was a MS app written by MS's lead programmer that was said to be supported by all client levels of Win 10 OS's) & from going thru the process found that my Win 10 Home x64 OS didn't like this particular .exe file within the app even though the other 2 .exe files within the app it allowed just fine but the 1 .exe that is needed for this app to be used is the 1 that is not allowed to run.

This development now helps to give some direction into the cause IMHO.....and it is seemingly pointing in more of a direction of my installed copy of Win 10 actually having some internal coding streams broken (why I was trying to use this side written MS streaming app.....was written to allow usage thru the CP to break certain code streams then allow the reformation of these streams.....got all this thru searching on this issue) that for some unknown reasoning is affecting the AHIII client in only 2 minor but specific ways alone....only when the AHIII servers report a new patch available to upgrade the client to date AND only when the AHIII servers try to download a requested terrain that is being used in an arena & the requested terrain files aren't present within the client's ah3terr folder (or on the HDD\SSD).....otherwise the same AHIII game client isn't hindered from operating\communicating w\ the very same AHIII servers in any other fashion or form. Once the necessary terrain files are side loaded into the ah3terr folder the game starts up, runs & comms w\ the AHIII servers just fine as if nothing is wrong AND once the  game patch is updated from side loading it into the client either thru using a full vers install or by using Hitech's quick patch update the game will then start up just fine like nothing was wrong......

My experiences w\ virus infection have not followed this behavior path.....they have usually affected\arrested the entire client software operations & by this time have usually spread onto affecting other operations as well......this is why I think\suspect this issue is specific to some part of my copy of Windows 10 Home OS getting broken thru some Windows update but the "broken" code doesn't look like it's broken to the new Windows OS image installer or to DISM or to SFC so thus is getting passed over during their operations to restore the Windows image to default.

On the last Windows reset I ran I had it to download a new Windows image from MS's cloud so the installer could then run a format on my C:\ drive before reinstalling the newly downloaded OS image (not use the saved restore image on the C:\ SSD that Windows was installed on) to try to simulate a clean install but it appears that the installer did the same thing during the format as all the other resets have done & passed over the "broken" code section due to it not showing to be out of form structurally so the only means at this time for me to really resolve this is to go thru the process of using my retail Win 10 Home USB stick to perform a real format of my SSD (my drive being an SSD may also be playing a factor in this as well w\ performing the Windows resets....don't know this for sure but I'm also not gonna discount it either).

None of this is preventing me from playing the game or patching it now (Hitech thru his generosity has provided me the means to effectively get around these snags & side load any necessary files into the game client since we have determined what is actually happening as far as the game is concerned) so I can play now just fine while at the same time I can perform my testing\checking to try to find the source of the issue (I intentionally am not side loading the terrain files for the Steal the Sheep arena as I don't frequent that arena to use as my testing mule so to speak) & outside of the aforementioned MS app that was not allowed to run I haven't had any other issues w\ any other 3rd party apps\programs starting up\running on my box in any way whatsoever.....even thru at this time 4 Windows resets & 3 program reload\setup scenarios so I'm highly doubting this is a viral infection causing all this & it certainly isn't an AV software issue & it isn't looking like it is a Windows Firewall\MS Defender issue either.

Just IMHO busted Windows OS coding that just happens to pick on AHIII client software in a very narrow but targeted manner.............

So I'm gonna start rumaging thru the Windows registry to see if I can find something amiss in there before I resort to nuke my box w\ my retail Win OS USB stick. Since I have upgraded to vers 2004 I have inadvertedly wiped the Windows Update progression that was present while vers 1909 was being used to use to systematically remove the installed updates individually to find the 1 that may have caused this..........

Oh well................


 


Hitech,

I've provided a .dmp file below that I found had been created on 9-25-20.....this was right after I had reloaded all from the last Windows "full" reset & had tried to run the game as intended w\o success. Might give some light on this issue.....might not.

 

[Vulcan]

Pudgie have you ever tried BDSM? I think you'd enjoy it.