Several Problems with Battlefield 4 and Punkbuster
I bought and installed Battlefield 4 last weekend, but have been having several problems with the game. So far as I can tell, Battlefield 4 itself (the game and assets) is installed and functioning correctly, but Punkbuster has been giving me some issues. I've encountered three different problems, one when actually attempting to play Battlefield 4; one when I installed, and now when I attempt to repair through Origin, Battlefield 4; and one when trying to troubleshoot PunkBuster.
Firstly, the issue when playing. When I attempt to play on a server, I'll join one from the web browser, the game will start up and connect to the server, the game will load the level and assets, etc. through the whole process. I'll then be able to play for anywhere from ten seconds to a few minutes, but will invariably have the game black screen, shut down, and will receive the following error in a red window at the bottom of the browser (where the blue window which shows that you're connected to a server normally sits):
- Game disconnected: you were kicked by PunkBuster. Stated reason: PunkBuster kicked player 'TheFrizbee2' (for 0 minutes) ... RESTRICTION: Service Communication Failure: PnkBstrB.exe initialization failed.
The second issue first came up when I attempted to install Battlefield 4, and occurs every time I attempt to repair it through Origin. Origin will successfully validate the 28.89 GB files of the base Battelfied 4 game, but when it then attempts to install the game, I will get a dialog box which looks like THIS with this error message in it:
- **ERROR: failed to create PunkBuster service: Cannot create a file where that file already exists.
After clicking the OK button, I will receive another dialog box which looks like THIS with this error message in it:
- Error: A resistributable package (PunkBuster) was not installed successfully. Setup cannot continue. (5)
After clicking the OK button on that dialog box, I will receive a message from origin which looks like THIS and says that Battelfield 4 Premium edition is ready to play. (After all of this, Origin will verify and install of the DLC with no more messages and no apparent problems.)
The third issue occurs when I attempt to use THIS guide to troubleshoot PunkBuster. I skipped straight to the third simple solution as neither of the first two worked for me when I attempted them myself earlier this week after finding them as advice elsewhere. When I attempt to uninstall Punkbuster, it throws an error when removing "registry entries". Here's the full text of the pbsvc.log (the only log currently in the punkbuster folder):
- Starting PunkBuster Service Installer (v0.994) (05/13/16 18:31:52)
Windows NT 6.2 (build 9200) 64-bit
Checking user is Administrator OK
Checking Administrator privileges OK
Opening Service Control Manager OK
Searching for PnkBstrA Found - OK
Extracting PnkBstrA service OK
Verifying service authenticity OK
Installing PunkBuster service ERROR
When I then attempt to reinstall PunkBuster, the entire pbsvc.exe closes immediately after the program says that it found PunkBusterA, without giving any dialog or any indication of the install having finished. However, after doing this, the pbsvc.log file has updated to read this:
- Starting PunkBuster Service Installer (v0.994) (05/13/16 18:31:52)
Windows NT 6.2 (build 9200) 64-bit
Checking user is Administrator OK
Checking Administrator privileges OK
Opening Service Control Manager OK
Searching for PnkBstrA Found - OK
Extracting PnkBstrA service OK
Verifying service authenticity OK
Installing PunkBuster service ERROR
I'm uncertain if I should continue down to the next steps in the process, as it seems like something has gone wrong here. Anyone know what I should do next?
EDIT: So, while I was writing this up, I decided to attempt to run the first three steps again, just to see if they helped. Upon beginning the first one, and after testing each one, it still doesn't work, but I now get a new error message. Instead of getting this:
- Game disconnected: you were kicked by PunkBuster. Stated reason: PunkBuster kicked player 'TheFrizbee2' (for 0 minutes) ... RESTRICTION: Service Communication Failure: PnkBstrB.exe initialization failed
I now get this in the exact same place:
- Game disconnected: you were kicked by PunkBuster. Stated reason: PunkBuster kicked player 'TheFrizbee2' (for 0 minutes) ... RESTRICTION: Service Communication Failure: PnkBstrA.exe
The log file now says this:
- Starting PunkBuster Service Installer (v0.994) (05/13/16 19:23:48)
Windows NT 6.2 (build 9200) 64-bit
Checking user is Administrator OK
Checking Administrator privileges OK
Opening Service Control Manager OK
Searching for PnkBstrA Found - OK (stopped)
Removing Service/Driver files OK
Removing registry entries ERROR
Removing logs OK
Removing log directory OK
Finished!
Any idea what's going on here?
