[PC] Mass Effect 3 Won't Launch

@mofusion 

OK, lets try this:

Create a new Windows user account  (Administrator) don't use local special characters, use only characters from the ASCII table

• Reboot > Log in to the new user account.
• Test.

@holger1405 Your link is dead, i think this is the right one https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-a-local-user-or-administrator-account-in-windows-10-20de74e0-ac7f-3502-a866-32915af2a34d

I didn't need it tho, i created a new admin account, just called it "Admin" and tested it there, both with origin and over the .exe with run as admin. Sadly same results, origin just refreshes ☹️.

It cant be the game itself, i installed it many times and if its a general issue others would have it, it has to be a problem with my computer/Windows, but i have no idea what.

@mofusion 

Thanks for the heads up about the link. 👍

look at this guide. to preform a clean uninstall of Origin.

• Scroll down to "How to uninstall the Origin client the hard way"
• Follow the instructions to the letter. 
• reboot.
• Download this version of the "OriginSetup.exe"
• Run the installer as Administrator (Right click the "OriginSetup.exe" > Run as an Administrator) > Run Origin as Administrator > Test.

@holger1405 I allready tried the reinstalling the hard way as you mentioned in post #6, i just used the origin setup from origin website because your link in post #6 was dead. Is there a significant difference?

@mofusion 

It is the full installer, so no additional data need to be downloaded.

@holger1405 

When i click that link nothing happens, if i open it in a new tab the tab closes immediately

@holger1405 in another browser the download worked, strange is though that the registry files are not there. Yes i deleted them the last time i reinstalled origin, but shouldnt origin add them again? all the mentioned origin registry entries are not there. I reinstalled using the full exe and it still doesnt work, the registry keys arent back either. Something really feels off here

@mofusion 

On what drive is Origin installed?

On what drive is the game installed?

• Hit Windows key and X.
• Choose either “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Command prompt (Administrator),” whichever option is offered.
• Inside the PowerShell or CMD, enter “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Checkhealth” without quotes. > ENTER.
• If errors are found, notify us. If no errors were found reaped steps 1 & 2.
• Inside the PowerShell or CMD, enter “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” without quotes. > ENTER.
• The system will start validating soon. If it throws an error, please list it here.
• After it reaches 100%, hit Windows key and X again.
• Again, choose “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Command Prompt (Administrator)”
• Inside the PowerShell or CMD, enter “sfc /scannow” without quotes. >ENTER.
• Post the message you receive at the end of the processes here.

@holger1405 both DISM report no issues, sfc reports "Der Windows-Ressourcenschutz hat beschädigte Dateien gefunden und erfolgreich repariert.
Bei Onlinereparaturen finden Sie Details in der CBS-Protokolldatei unter
windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Beispiel C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Bei Offlinereparaturen
finden Sie Details in der durch das /OFFLOGFILE-Kennzeichen angegebenen Protokolldatei." I attach the mentioned log.

Origin is on my C drive, Mass effect (and other origin games) are on my H drive, since i reserve my C drive for small or important applications, there is no space for games.

@mofusion 

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mofusion wrote:

since i reserve my C drive for small or important applications, there is no space for games.

---

There is not much space at all, you should keep at last 20 GB free or you might get problems with the next feature update.

You disabled the compatibility settings for ME3 after it was not working? If not please do so.

There are no compatibility settings for Origin?

Restart your PC this way:

• Press the Windows key and "R" at the same time.
• Type or copy and past shutdown -g -f -t 0 into the new Window.
• Hit ENTER.

Clear your Origin cache. (Again if you already did)
All settings in Origin (only in Origin not in the games) are back to default settings after this.

• Close Origin completely.
  (right click on the Origin symbol in the task bar > close)
• Press the Windows key and "R" at the same time.
• Type or copy and paste "%ProgramData%/Origin" (without quotes) into the new window > hit ENTER
• Delete all the files and folders in the Origin folder, except for the "LocalContent" folder.
  (The "LocalContent" folder must remain untouched.)
• Delete the "Mass Effect XX" folder inside the "LocalContent" folder.
• Press the Windows key and "R" at the same time.
• Type or copy and paste "%AppData%" (without quotes) into the new window > hit ENTER
• Now your Windows explorer should have brought you to your "C:\Users\>your user name<\AppData\Roaming" folder.
• Delete the "Origin"  folder inside the "Roaming" folder.
• In the address bar of your Windows explorer click on "AppData".
• Open the "Local" folder.
• Delete the "Origin"  folder inside the  "Local" folder.
• Press the Windows key and "R" at the same time.
• Type or copy and paste "C:\ProgramData\Electronic Arts\EA Services" (without quotes) into the new window > hit ENTER.
• Move the "License" folder to your Desktop > Test.
• Restart your PC > Run Origin as Administrator.
• Repair the game again > Test.

@holger1405 I only tested the compatibility, i disabled it afterwards. Never tried with origin.

Did the restart, reset Origin cache again, Repaired ME3 (as admin) and tried again, still the origin refresh, only with the difference that it took more time until origin came back.

Do you know why the registry keys dont reappear?

@mofusion 

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mofusion wrote:

Do you know why the registry keys dont reappear?

---

Not with certainty, no.

Other Origin games still work?

@holger1405 

Yep, after all this ME1 and 2 still work perfectly fine, without needing admin or anything.

@mofusion 

• Uninstall the "Microsoft Visual c++ 2008 Redistributable - x64 9.0.30729.17" (only this specific one in case you have several Vc++ 2008 installations) from the Windows control panel.
• Reboot.
• Go to your ">drive<:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 3\__Installer\vc\vc2008sp1\redist" folder.
• Run the "vcredist_x64.exe" as Administrator. (Right click the exe > Run as Administrator)
• Reboot > Test.
  
  
  If that don't helps:
• Go to your ">drive<:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 3\__Installer\directx\redist" folder.
  
• Delete all files with the *.cab file extension. (Only the files with the *.cab file extension.)
• Run the "DXSETUP.exe" from the same folder as Administrator. (Right click the exe > Run as Administrator)
• Reboot.
• Test.

@holger1405 reinstalled that version of vcredist, nothing changed, then i refreshed the directx files as you described and origin loaded the game for longer than before, but still came back to origin, not the game. Im thinking of contacting the support because i paid for a product that doesnt work, but i dont think they could do more than you already tried sadly :/

@mofusion 

I don't know if support would offer you a refund in this case. 

Please go to your "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 3\Binaries\"  folder. (Or wherever you game fodder is.)

Start the "MassEffect3Config.exe" > Go to the "Graphics Tap.

Change "Windowed" from "Standard" to "Windowed".

Change "Window Mode" from "Borderless" to "Window"

Click on "Mass Effect 3" in the top bar > Save settings > Test.

If that don't works you might try other configurations.

Also, in post #52 you said you preformed a game repair after you inserted the files I linked.

That would purge the files that I linked because they are not standard. Please make sure this files are added again.

@holger1405 The repair was after i tested them to test something else, but i added the files again. I Set to Windowed, also tried both 4:3 and 16:9 and checked if the tool has all my system information right, it did not recognize my audio interface at first, i changed that. But The game still doesn't launch, just origin disappears and reappears.

Also Origin tends to recheck and repair all my games after a system restart, how do i prevent that?

@mofusion 

It shouldn't do that, there is still a problem here. But we basically used all basic troubleshooting steps in regards to Origin. 

Try to disconnect your second Monitor > Shut down the computer > Disconnect the Monitor > Start the PC > Test.

If that still don#t works we are at a point where I would suggest a Windows repair installation. 

Here is a link to a German page with a guide.

Scroll down to "Reparatur mit einem Inplace Upgrade unter Windows 10"

I also would recommand a full virus and malware scan before you attempt the repair installation.

(This process is normally very save, you should still back up your important data.)

@holger1405 I tried to disconnect the second monitor and start with one, did not work.

i repaired with the inplace upgrade, no change either.

Beyond that i went ahead and installed Windows 7 on a virtual machine, installed Origin there with your full installer, downloaded and installed mass effect 3 and... same result.

Another thing that happened: I wanted to play a Ubisoft game, installed their Launcher and tried to log in, but i cannot log in i get an error that the service is unavailable, the website in chrome gives similar errors and only works partially, in firefox the website works. Why do i mention this? I had similar issues with other programms and websites, for example Discord and Raid Shadow legends. Connection issues in the programs, connection issues to some parts of websites but only in chrome. By now i know the source and solution to this network problem: Windows struggles with some security certificates, the solution for about 6 programs and 10 websites was to install their security certificate, or for example in the case of discord a specific servers ones, manually. Now i dont get a network error from origin, but may that be the problem? maybe the mass effect 3 license server or something like that i cant connect to? Maybe thats also why i couldnt download your full installer from Chrome but from Firefox it worked. Theres a EA server whos security certificate is rejected by my Windows.

A network problem would make sense in the way that it didnt even work on a freshly installed windows 7 in Virtualbox, because it still goes over the host PCs network.

@mofusion 

It is at least a possibility.

To you have a Smartphone you can use as a Mobile hotspot?

Just to repeat the License fix? 

@holger1405 The phone wont help anything, its the windows certificates, nothing on the actual network but the moment it arrives at the OS. I need to install the cert that is causing problems, but the problem is i dont know what cert that may be, i tried with the certificate from origin.com but that was not it, i suspect its some servers certificate, dont know which though.

@mofusion 

EA uses a Symantec certificate for Origin. 

But you should get a error message if this would be the problem. 

• Navigate to your "Origin.exe"
• Right click the "Origin.exe" > Digital Signaturen.
• Select the "Name of the Signature" > Details.
• Look what it says about the validity of the certificate.

Such en error also should be logged in the "Bootstrapper_Log.txt" (C:\Users\>your user name<\AppData\Local\Origin\Logs)

@holger1405 Yeah everythings fine with that cert, i also think that id have troubles login in like i had with the ubisoft launcher, but maybe its not the origin server but the mass effect 3 server?

@mofusion 

The game normally works in offline mode as well but it must be registered at the first launch.  

But you would get a error message about a problem here too.

You also can check the certificate for the "MassEffect3.exe" in the same way as for the "Origin.exe".

@holger1405 Both the main certificate and the timestamp certificate are expired, in 2014 and 2020