Mandatory Origin Update
So today is the day that Origin forces a mandatory update. Had this previously and used the work around to still use Origin. But that no longer works as local.xml is over written on Origin launch. Ev...
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It's not cuz of the 'local.xml' in my experience. Yes, that file gets written to each time you launch Origin.....and it's supposed to so, don't try to force it to read only.
The real issue is a line they added to try an force Origin to update even though we change our settings to NOT update. And, there is a fix.....get rid of the internal origin thin setup file....
I'll post the whole solution for clarity;
The update to the EA client is problematic for a lot of people for a bunch of their games. Solution is to re-install the Origin client and apply a fix to it. After having installed the EA client, it uninstalls the original Origin client. But, you can get the last good working Origin client FULL installer on TechSpot...which is a RELIABLE source guaranteed no virus or adware or modification to EA's file and even has the checksum posted for comparison so you know you get a good download...and It's the ONLY 'trustworthy' site I know of to get it...
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/5783-origin.html
Keep the EA client app as it's needed for verification in some games. But, you'll want to change some of it's settings. Disable 'start with Windows. Change game install directory to the Origin clients game install directory... \Orign Games. Link steam if you have games bought through Steam for EA/Origin client. Restart PC after all this so all these changes are saved in Windows Registry.
Now install the Origin client, DO NOT log in....it'll remain in OFFLINE mode..and uncheck the settings for automatic updates. Close out Origin client. Run task manager and kill the Origin web helper service.....it keeps running in background for some stupid reason. Now 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.......
Stop origin client loading EA app message;
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.
New step due to EA's attempt to keep us from using the Origin client again.......
**Delete the files called "OriginThinSetupInternal.exe" which are located at (up to) THREE LOCATIONS...(so far)...
C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin
C:\ProgramData\Origin
C:\ProgramData\Origin\SelfUpdate\Staged
Start Origin and log into your Origin account.
There may be a little update notification about Origin. Always choose option to NOT update Origin. Should set that in settings also.
***
Congrats...you should be able to play your games properly now.
If a game is not working correctly, click it in Origin client library, click the gear icon and select 'Repair.' If it still doesn't seem to work, try uninstalling and re-installing.
If it's a game bought through steam, you'll install it using steam. Then launch Origin client, select that game in the library.... it'll show a 'download' button still. Click it, Origin will find the steam install and change the button to 'Play.' Always play your games using the Origin Client and the 'play' button for that game in the Origin client library. Some games will work properly using the desktop shortcut but, others will try an launch the EA client.....which we know can be problematic for some games. Still, some games maybe throw errors if you don't have the EA client background task running so, for those, run the EA client, minimize it, then use the Origin client to launch the game.
Yeah removing the thin install file works. But I expect at some point even this will stop as a workaround allowing Origin to run.
The real issue is having to constantly email EA support. Try multiple live chats to get the issue looked at and resolved. Which seems to have no avenue to reach a higher level of support. Which can look at stored accounts on EA servers for players and amend incorrect product codes that have been migrated over. You would expect at the very least that EA App and Origin would use the same stored account. But considering the vast issues we as players have found in just playing content we have payed for. Along with generic clear cache responses and clean boots as solutions to issues that are server based rather than local machine based.
Users having to modify files and delete files to coerce Origin to keep on working is not a long term solution. Which even these bypasses are discovered by players and not provided by EA support can not be considered a long term resolution.
I agree wholeheartedly with you on that.
We should NOT be being forced into using a client app they OBVIOUSLY haven't programmed correctly in the first place.
There's NO GOOD reason all these paying customers should be having all the problems we are having due to the new client.
Honestly, as was mentioned in another thread, we really should be starting a class action lawsuit against EA Games regarding this crap.
Apparently, that is the only way anyone in the company is going to take our problem seriously.
All they have to do is quit trying to lock us out of the Origin client and let us continue using it while they get their hot mess of a dumpster fire EA client working correctly.
Technically, we paid for a digital consumer product--the games--that they should in no way be preventing us from playing to begin with. We shouldn't even NEED a client to play our games. I can see the need for having to log into our accounts (for authentication purposes only) to download our games. But, once that's done.....that's it....we should be able to play our games offline on our computers for the rest of eternity without any interference from them. So, wth do we need with a 'game client' to begin with? It's bordering on fraud to force us to use a 'game client' in the first place. Then....they 'force' us to try an use a broken one that doesn't even work and people are losing their games they paid for. That is criminal and worthy of a class action lawsuit.
