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Venatrix26's avatar
Venatrix26
3 years ago
Solved

EA crashes on game launch (steam owned DAI)

I own DAI through steam and was previously able to launch it, but seemingly for no reason it no longer launches. When I press play on steam, this is what happens every time.

1. Steam button switches from "play" to "stop"

2. EA app opens

3. After ~5 seconds the EA app crashes

4. Steam button switches from "stop" to "play"

5. EA app reopens, but does nothing

There is no error message or anything like that. I tried launching Sims 4, which I own through EA, and that launches without issue.

Fixes I have tried

- Uninstalling and reinstalling the game through steam (including uninstalling the game, then going into the steam folder to delete anything left behind before reinstalling)

- Uninstalling and reinstalling the EA desktop app (including deleting any files I could find after the uninstall)

- Uninstalling the EA desktop app and installing the origins app (refused to launch with out trying to go through the EA app)

- Giving the EA app, steam, and the dragon age exe file administrator status

- Rebooting computer

- Clean booting computer

- EA app recovery (clearing cache)

- Starting the game from steam, EA desktop, and .exe file

- Disabling full screen optimization

- Repairing game files through steam

- Reinstalling DirectX and all redist in the DAI folder

- Checking for driver updates (none)

- I do not have an antivirus program, but I temporarily disabled all protections through windows

Frankly in researching how to fix this I'm extremely disappointed by the number of threads I've found with people having the exact same problems as me, specifically for the dragon age and mass effect games. More so, it seems these problems have been going on for months/years with no solutions on EA's end. While some people might be able to launch the game after completing one of the fixes I listed above, the issue is clearly the EA desktop app itself. I appreciate the employees trying to help people in these threads, but EA as a company needs to figure their app out.

dragon age inquisition
  • Venatrix26's avatar
    Venatrix26
    3 years ago

    Solution found. Downloaded Origin and uninstalled EA desktop, used the following advice on a steam forum to get the "install ea desktop" banner to go away in origin app. When I launch the game, the EA desktop app tries to reinstall itself, but I just closed those windows and waited- after a minute origin launched the game and it was playable. The only real solution is to not use the EA app it seems.

    IMPORTANT: when the game launches through origin, an EA app popup will try to get you to install it and uninstall origin. Just close the window(s) by clicking the "x" in the top right corner. After doing that, WAIT. Within a few minutes the game should launch normally.

    Stop origin client loading EA app message;


    Open file explorer and change view settings to 'show hidden system files and folders.'
    In the C: drive, you should now see a folder called "Program Data."
    Open it and go to the Origin folder.......

    1. Open C:\ProgramData\Origin\local.xml in notepad
    2. Add new key there:

    <Setting key="MigrationDisabled" type="1" value="true" />

    This should go at bottom just above the last line which is "</Settings>."
    Save the file and exit. Now launch Origin and that stupid notice will be gone.

9 Replies

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  • mcsupersport's avatar
    mcsupersport
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    I noticed that you have Razor as a peripheral, if you have the Razor background program I would suggest uninstalling it, or at a bare minimum going in and disabling all the Razor processes from starting.  IIRC the online reporting components were the issue, but Razor background program is a known interference to DAI.

    I know that DAI, will work with the new EA app, I don't have it on steam just the EA app, and mine does work, so something in your system is causing an issue, now the fun part is figuring out why. 

    A sfcscannow may also be something you want to do and see if a internal windows issue can be found....if you need instructions, I would suggest checking the Microsoft website for it, as there are detailed instructions on howto that are best followed.

    I know at one time someone said that they had to play with admin for game, Steam, and Origin(at the time) setting to find one that worked, it seemed that running all in admin didn't work, but a combination of yes and no did....something to try at least.

  • Venatrix26's avatar
    Venatrix26
    3 years ago

    Unfortunately I already disabled the razor background processes as part of the clean boot I did. The only other thing it could be (besides the * EA app) is something to do with frosty, but honestly it would have to be something weird as I was able to launch DAI with frosty a few days ago, before the EA started crashing. I haven't tried using frosty since I did all my fresh installs as well, so I'm not sure it even could effect the game unless there's a file it created somewhere that I need to delete?

  • mcsupersport's avatar
    mcsupersport
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    There was a thread here on the forum about frosty causing an issue and needing a certain file deleted I think it was.....I don't use Frosty so yeah, it could very easily be an issue between frosty and DAI....also, the save files can also have an issue causing a crash too, so you may try moving your save folder or rename it so the game has to recreate a new one and see if it helps.

  • Venatrix26's avatar
    Venatrix26
    3 years ago

    Solution found. Downloaded Origin and uninstalled EA desktop, used the following advice on a steam forum to get the "install ea desktop" banner to go away in origin app. When I launch the game, the EA desktop app tries to reinstall itself, but I just closed those windows and waited- after a minute origin launched the game and it was playable. The only real solution is to not use the EA app it seems.

    IMPORTANT: when the game launches through origin, an EA app popup will try to get you to install it and uninstall origin. Just close the window(s) by clicking the "x" in the top right corner. After doing that, WAIT. Within a few minutes the game should launch normally.

    Stop origin client loading EA app message;


    Open file explorer and change view settings to 'show hidden system files and folders.'
    In the C: drive, you should now see a folder called "Program Data."
    Open it and go to the Origin folder.......

    1. Open C:\ProgramData\Origin\local.xml in notepad
    2. Add new key there:

    <Setting key="MigrationDisabled" type="1" value="true" />

    This should go at bottom just above the last line which is "</Settings>."
    Save the file and exit. Now launch Origin and that stupid notice will be gone.

  • Renatti's avatar
    Renatti
    3 years ago

    How did you download Origin? I'm having exactly the same problem--the  damn game launched fine yesterday and today it won't work despite reinstalling, updating system, messing with admin settings, etc. I'm having trouble finding a downloadable version or Origin though, everything just redirects back to the EA Play download.

  • KirbyOfHyrule's avatar
    KirbyOfHyrule
    3 years ago

    I tried that,too, but as soon as I try to start the game, the EA-(Cr)App automatically tries to download itself again, deleting Origin once more.
    How did you get around that?

  • Venatrix26's avatar
    Venatrix26
    3 years ago

    Ok this is the method I use (Including mods, if you don't use Frosty just skip those steps). I gave all apps involved (frosty, steam, origin app) admin privileges just in case, but honestly I'm not sure it's necessary.

    1. Open frosty and make sure the launch platform is set to "Origin"

    2. Press launch and wait for frosty to open the origin app. If you don't use frosty, manually open the origin app and press "play"

    3. Wait for the EA app to pop up telling you to install it instead of origin (I believe there are two windows actually). Close them by pressing the "x" in the top right corner or by pressing "cancel installation"

    4. WAIT. Seriously, from pressing launch to the game actually launching is a couple minutes. It might seem like nothing is happening, but I would give it 5 min to be SURE it isn't still trying to launch.

    5. If you bought the game through steam, origin will open steam at this point. From here, it could still be a minute or two before the game fully launches, but again if you're not sure give it 5 min to figure itself out

    I timed my computer and it's a solid minute and a half before my game launches. If it seems like your computer isn't doing anything, give it a minute. I try not to use my computer at all during the launch sequence (except for clicking "x" on the EA play pop ups) just in case. Hope this helps!

  • AscelinMortas's avatar
    AscelinMortas
    5 months ago


    Figured it out in like two minutes. I get the same problem with the stupid CDProjekt Red Launcher that pops up when launching a CDProjekt Red game through Steam.

    Similar to what I have to do for the Red Launcher fix:

    Go to the Program Files folder > Electronic Arts > EADesktop.exe and right-click on the file and go to the Compatibility tab and select "Run as admin." Close out of EA Desktop, if it already hadn't closed itself when it crashed and retry launching the game.

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