Community Admin
Community Admin3. Black screen issues, and tiny or invisible game window
If you are experiencing a black screen, or a tiny or invisible game window after pressing 'Play' on the launcher, please ensure that you have tried the following troubleshooting steps:
If you are still encountering this issue after checking all of the above, please contact Customer Support.
Please include a DXDiag of your system and a description of the exact error encountered.
Community Admin4. Disconnection errors
If you are experiencing issues connecting to the game or are having problems related to connection quality, please check the following:
Community Admin5. Login service unavailable
You may see this message for several reasons. Here are some troubleshooting steps that might help you logging in the launcher.
I) Date and Time settings
Firstly we would advise you to ensure that your computers and accounts date, time and time zone are set correctly on both your Windows clock settings and BIOS clock.
If they aren’t, the necessary encryption or authentication may fail.
II) Safe boot with Networking
We would like to recommend that you restart your computer in Safe Mode with Networking enabled.
III) Antivirus and firewall settings
Anti-Virus software can also cause issues launching the game. There are a number of different anti-virus software variations out there, so we’ve included some general steps below that might help:
If you are unsure on how to do either of the above steps then you should contact the manufacturer of your anti-virus software.
In addition, we recommend use of Microsoft Security Essentials for virus protection. It has been tested for compatibility with the SWTOR launcher. If using other anti-virus software, please make sure you’re running the latest version of it.
You may need to allow the launcher (launcher.exe) and game client (swtor.exe) to communicate through your firewall. For the Windows firewall you can check the following guide:
For third-party firewalls, please refer to the software manufacturer for specific instructions on adding exceptions to those firewalls.
IV) Repair Utility
The easiest step in order to fix a broken or corrupted launcher is to follow the advice in the Launcher Troubleshooting Guide here.
V) Redownload swtor_setup.exe
If FixLauncher did not help with this issue, please click here.
A new window will open, asking if you want to run or save a file named “SWTOR_setup.exe”. Click on “Save”. The download will then start.
Once the file is downloaded, double click on the file to launch it (SWTOR_setup.exe). A security warning may pop up asking if you want to run the file, please click on “Run”.
Please then follow the instructions to install the game, this will overwrite your launcher files, but should not require a full download of the game client.
Once the installation is complete, please try launching the game again.
VI) Flush your DNS cache
If your are still having issues, we would like to recommend you to flush your DNS Cache. (When doing this make sure you run the cmd as administrator.) Please click on the spoiler button below to find out how:
Log example : launcher_20120501.Log
Community Admin6. Unable to retrieve patch data
This is most likely a connectivity issue. You will find below some troubleshooting steps:
I) Restart your computer
"Refreshing" your connection might help with this issue. Restarting your PC is a good way for your connection to establish a fresh connection, especially if it has been active for a prolonged period of time.
II) Router
Much like the internet connection, restarting your router or modem is a good way to refresh your computer’s internet connection if it has been running for an extended amount of time.
If you are having trouble selecting a server, you may need to open specific ports on your router. If these ports are not open this may prevent you from accessing the game successfully.*
The port numbers that are required to do this are 80, 8995, 12000-12999 and 20000-30000 (TCP).*
For specific information on how to open these ports on your particular router, please consult the router product manual or the manufacturer’s website directly.
III) Try to connect with a cable
Are you using a wired or a wireless connection on your computer? If it’s the latter, you could try connecting your computer directly to your router using a wired connection to see if it improves the performance of the game? Wireless network connections can be prone to reduced signal quality when compared to a wired connection on the same network. The reasons for this could be related to:
IV) Firewall
You may need to allow the launcher (launcher.exe) and game client (swtor.exe) to communicate through your firewall. For the Windows firewall you can check the following guide:
For other third-party firewalls, please refer to the software manufacturer for specific instructions on adding exceptions to those firewalls.
V) Update your drivers
Your connection could also be affected by your hardware drivers (especially those for your network card) being out-dated. It’s also important to be sure that your operating system is fully up to date and has all available service packs installed. Windows updates for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 are available at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
(Please note that we are not responsible for content on external sites)
You will find more information here.
VI) VPN
If you utilise a VPN for your connection, you would need to ensure that the game is allowed to communicate through the VPN. If you are using a proxy server, please ensure that it is configured correctly in Internet Options.
VII) TraceRoute and PathPing
If none of the above help you with this issue, we would ask you to create a thread and to provide us with a TraceRoute and a PathPing.
In order to generate these files, please complete the following:
Paste that information at the bottom of your post using the Spoiler tag. You can find this on your edit bar above, it's the 5th button.
Community Admin7. Late/missing Cartel Coins
Monthly Coin Grants
Your monthly Complimentary Cartel Coins are granted as close as possible to the start of your billing cycle. Sometimes it may take a few extra days for the coins to appear in your account, but we will make every effort to grant them to you as close as we can to the 30-day mark. However, in case of a delay, please wait for 72 hours before contacting us.
More information on Complementary Cartel Coins can be found here.
Please note that the Cartel Coins for your security key are granted independently of your subscription ones. As a result, they will not arrive at the same time.
Purchased Cartel Coins
Cartel Coins purchased directly should arrive in-game almost instantly. You can check your updated balance by clicking the Coin icon in-game or by visiting your Cartel Coin ledger here.
If it is taking longer than an hour, please contact us by phone to let us know. Please include the approximate time that the purchase went through, whether you received a purchase confirmation mail, and whether the coins have appeared in your ledger.
