Punkbuster Error: MD5Tool Mismatch Troubleshooting

kilroy0097 · Post by **kilroy0097** » 2008-04-14 12:41

Yet another issue.. I have never had so many issues with a game until now. Seriously.

Played the game happily without issue for close to 3 hours. It's a fracking miracle. Then my luck runs out. I got a PnkBstrA.exe hiccup error and it forced me out of the game. Then after that the Dalian_Plant/client.exe Punkbuster kick error came back. I replace the client.exe with the copy that I downloaded earlier this week and after I restarted PR I go through the paces of logging on the TG PR server and it throws up this error, "You must have Punkbuster running to play on this server." I check my running processes and both PnkBstrA.exe and PnkBstrB.exe are happily running along. So I reboot my computer and try again. Same error. I manually install and update Punk Buster again and restart. Try again and same error. So for some reason now it thinks I'm not running Punk Buster even though the processes are clearly running.

So yet again. I'm going to completely reinstall the game from scratch. I'm going to remove all game components. I'm going to remove every inch of this game from my registry. Everything short of a complete reformat. Then I'm going to install everything. BF2 Game, 1.41 patch, PR 0.756 Files and Levels and then Punk Buster manually.

Yay the 5th time to reinstall in about 7 days. Color me really fricken happy. Right now I'm about to just say screw anything that runs Punk Buster and play something else.

Dutch(CAN) · Post by **Dutch(CAN)** » 2008-04-14 14:11

Thanks Kilroy for keeping this thread going. I am having the same issues and download all the same files with the same results. I, however am not very computer literate so all this info is great.

My biggest issue is the TG server, which I love. It is the quickest to kick. Other servers don't kick at all or as often. I am also admin on the battle arena. Either Battle hasn't got as crazy with the shaders issue or PB just doesn't kick.

Thanks again kilroy, I am anxiously waiting fora solution.

kilroy0097 · Post by **kilroy0097** » 2008-04-14 17:08

Alright. I think I fixed the issue with my problems. At least I played 3 maps in a row without a kick so that in itself is an accomplishment.

Edit Add: I would like to point out that the following solution is probably a viable solution for just about any BF2 issue you may encounter. So often the answer to a BF2 problem of large magnitude is to completely reinstall from scratch. These steps will achieve that for you.

Here are the steps I followed to get this working for me so far. It may or may not work for you and I take no responsibility if for some reason something goes wrong for you. Also I did a lot of rebooting of my computer. Just to be absolutely sure. You might be able to get away with less reboots but that's up to you.

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Removal Portion
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1) Add/Remove Programs -> Remove all of PR, BF2 and any other Mods for BF2.

2) This step might be overkill for most so you may want to skip this step if you do not feel comfortable messing with registry entries as messing up here may screw up other applications and Windows in general. So use caution when attempting this step.

I used CCleaner which is a driver, file and registry cleaner program. Got rid of anything and everything in my registry that had to do with BF2 or Battlefield or Punkbuster. I also used Regedit at cmd line for Windows to make double certain. Search for "BF2" "PnkB" "Battlefield"

3) Go to where you installed BF2. For me it was: C:\Program Files\EA Games\
Manually delete everything there. For some reason the add remove files does not remove all folders. I also got rid of all expansion packs for BF2 since I don't play Vanilla BF2 anymore. If you do you will have to install those separately if you have the files.

Warning: If you have any files in these directories that you want to keep such as a BF2 iso image or patches or anything. Back them up.

Also remove all PR and BF2 shortcuts from your Desktop/Quick Launch and Start -> Program files if they exist.

Important Step:

4) Now this one might be the most important part. I found out about it just today after doing some searching. Punkbuster has a Removal Uninstall utility called pbsvc.exe This utility will completely remove all Punk Buster files from your computer. Even ones that are hidden in your system32 folders and elsewhere. You can download this file from: PunkBuster Online Countermeasures
Scroll down till you see the heading How do I uninstall PunkBuster?. It's all the way to the bottom. File direct link HERE

5) Go to your My Documents folder and to the Battlefield 2 folder.
Delete everything in profiles, logocache and dump. You can keep your screen shots if you want.

6) I defragged the C: drive after all this just to make sure. Also now would be the time to run Adaware or SpyBot and also your favorite Anti-Virus program. A full scan with updated definitions. A couple of free ones I highly recommend if you don't already own a professional one are, AVG or Avast.

7) REBOOT. <-- Mandatory

----------------------
Installation Portion
----------------------

Here is where you reinstall your video drivers, audio drivers or any other drivers if you have issues with that or feel a need to do it if you have not done it in a while. I recently reinstalled my video drivers two days ago and Creative has never released drivers for my Audigy 2 that worked worth a damn to reinstall so I didn't do this part.

Install BF2 BUT DO NOT INSTALL PUNKBUSTER. Choose the Custom option and uncheck Punkbuster. Then continue to install the game.

9) REBOOT. (You must do this after the install)

9.5) If you still play Vanilla BF2 and want to install all the expansion packs and other BF2 add-ons then here is when you do it. Do them all now before moving on.

10) Install BF2 Patch 1.41

11) REBOOT. <-- optional

12) Go to PunkBuster Online Countermeasures and download the manual Punk Buster for Windows files. Run pbsetup.exe and then choose BF2 and update.

13) REBOOT yet again. <--- recommended

14) Download the two files for PR if you have not already. The PR Core 0.756 and the PR Levels 0.756. - Project Reality : Battlefield 2 Mod - Mod Files

To future proof these instructions you would replace the PR files above with whatever version is the newest version. Obviously if you are getting this problem when 0.8 is released you would not install the older version of PR. This might be common sense to most but you would be surprised.

Install both of them and then... You guessed it...

15) REBOOT. <---- Mandatory

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Game Startup and Settings
--------------------------

16) Start up PR from the short cut created by the installation. It should be brand new and you should not have your old one there if you followed my instructions.

17) Retrieve your Account info and then set all your settings to whatever is optimal for you. Controls, Video, Audio etc. - Don't forget to Apply changes.

Optional: I actually logged out and quit the game after this stage and then booted it back up again to make certain the settings changes were set.

1

Go to an empty server and let those Graphics Optimize again. Then mess around for about 5 minutes and see if you are cured for that server.

19) Then go to whatever favorite server you like and play. Mine was the TG server and like I said, 3 maps went by and I had no issues. Whoop!

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Total Time for Repairs approx: 70 min (Depending on User and speed of Computer)
---------------------------------

Conclusion: This is a very lengthy and involved process. Many steps are probably way overkill however my issues were deep rooted and could not be solved by simple fixes. Many others only had to reinstall PR or move their path for their shortcut or swap a single file around. But if you are having serious issues like myself and can't seem to figure them out then go ahead and give this a try. I hope it works for you. I also do not recommend installing any other Mods at this time. Do so at your own risk.

And I hope it continues to work for me or else I might just go crazy. Go ahead and reply post if this solves your issues. Just my own curiosity on how many people were in the same boat as me.

Cheers

Post by **fuzzhead** » 2008-04-14 18:14

Thanks for the nice step by step instructions kilroy, will send anyone having problems this way...

gamerwiz09 · Post by **gamerwiz09** » 2008-04-14 19:51

Okay, wow...I have this problem too...Is there no other way to fix it??? Just started playing this mod, and I DO want to play it, but cant because of this.

Just wondering, and Devs, I do respect what you do and all your work for this mod, but are you working on this at all? It should not be left to us, the players, to comb through our computers, erasing everything related to PR, BF2, and PB, then completely reinstall every necessary file over again.

Should this not be considered a more major problem? It makes the game nearly unplayable for those unfortunate enough to encounter this problem. Perhaps you should make it a top priority and get working on a hotfix...

Again, I know you have limited time and what not, and I don't know anything about what you would have to do, but it seems a bit ridiculous to me.

arn354 · Post by **arn354** » 2008-04-14 20:31

Ridiculuos is that you request that the DEVs should take care of your personal computer.

There is no problem with punkbuster or the mod or with bf2 itself.

It is your computer.

Your local machine is fully in your hands - and you are responsible for that - not the DEVs.

Above is a solution which will work 100% - if you have no further guests like viruses or trojans on your machine or no defect hdd or no defect ram.

So take that time to try to fix your computer and afterwards enjoy the mod.

The DEVs put uncountable hours over hours into PR - so you can at last take 2h (if it takes so long at all) to fix your local installation.

gamerwiz09 · Post by **gamerwiz09** » 2008-04-14 21:20

Fine, but with the condition and status of my computer(You can't really understand what I mean, but trust me), it just wouldn't be worth it to try and solve such a problem with the method provided above. I guess you wont be seeing me in PR for a while. Shame, too, I really wanted to play.

gamerwiz09 · Post by **gamerwiz09** » 2008-04-15 01:24

So actually, I tried a different server, and it worked, played about 3 rounds or so till I crashed from some unrelated problem. Maybe it's fixed? Maybe it's just that server...

kilroy0097 · Post by **kilroy0097** » 2008-04-15 07:16

It is a proven fact that some servers are much less picky on your installation than others. Of all the servers I've attempted to test this bug on the TG server was the most strict and I got the most kicks from. What about the TG server is so wacked out? I have no clue.

I added and clarified a few steps in the original instructions. If new additions become clear to me I will edit and clarify so that the link to that post can remain the central reference point.

gamerwiz09 · Post by **gamerwiz09** » 2008-04-15 20:32

The TC server seemed strict on me, but I had no problems with the 1CD server...Guess I found a new favorite server! Hey 1CD clan, you're gonna be seeing alot of me from now on!

kilroy0097 · Post by **kilroy0097** » 2008-04-16 15:59

Punkbuster Kicked player 'Player' ...MD5Tool Mismatch: mods\bf2\Levels\Operation_Clean_Sweep\client.zip (len=204

A total of about 8 hours of play time. Which is the longest time period since these MD5 kicks started. I got my next one.

I think it's safe to say that I've done everything humanly possible to fix this issue. Obviously it didn't work permanently. So I can only come to one of two conclusions.

1. My Computer is a piece of **** and these errors are due to some magical property that is some how changing my files. The ONLY issue with PR since the reinstallation that was out of the ordinary was the "Connection Issue" in which you press Esc to go to the menu and then press Esc to go back to the game. That's it and it only happened twice in those 8 hours of play. Which has been spread out over several days obviously.

2. Punk Buster with this latest patch is fundamentally flawed and if so there is nothing I can do about that since they certainly will not listen to me or recant the latest version.

So what are my options? Are the Developers of PR aware of this? I can only assume they are although I have yet to hear from them on the issue. I do not know if they have spoken with Even Balance officials to see what may have caused this sudden increase of kicks from legitimate and none modified or hacked installations.

Until something is fixed or until whoever can fix it started giving a damn I'm kind of screwed I suppose and will simply have to keep asking for individual client.zip files from sympathetic community members.

So who has a client.zip from Operation Clean Sweep they can offer me?

P.S. I am extremely disappointed and demoralized due to this latest PB update and at this point I have officially run out of options.

Post by **bosco_** » 2008-04-16 16:02

Uploading it now.

kilroy0097 · Post by **kilroy0097** » 2008-04-16 16:11

Thank you (R-PUB)bosco once again.

Theory time for the PR Developers if they read this.

At what stage during the Punk Buster MD5 checks is Operation Clean Sweep?
If it goes through a certain patterned search then perhaps I might be able to tell if Dalian Plant then Mashtuur CIty then Operation Clean Sweep is a pattern in the order I received the errors.

Does it check all the files multiple times during a gaming session?
By game session I mean from starting up PR till whenever you quit PR. The entire time the BF2 game is running from up to down from joining a server till quitting it. Does PB check all the files multiple times?

If so why would it find a file not corrupted during one check and corrupted during another?
Obviously if it checks multiple times in one sitting how is it possible that file is corrupted from being good just the last check, especially since nothing, that I know of, is accessing these files.

Could or would an Anti-Virus program of any time or a Anti-Adware program or anything security related as such, possibly corrupt or change files on the fly during the Punk Buster check? Or could it be blocking it some how and hence making PB think the MD5 is wrong?
That's a theory that might be plausible if everyone having these issues has an Anti-Virus/Spyware program running all the time. I think I might test that out just to see.

Just some simple questions I would like answers to. You can PM me if you do not want this sort of answers public on this thread.

Post by **bosco_** » 2008-04-16 16:17

Here it is:
RapidShare: 1-Click Webhosting

arn354 · Post by **arn354** » 2008-04-16 19:12

Does it check all the files multiple times during a gaming session?

The list is checked over and over again normally but each time a full cycle. depends on settings on the server. Perhaps you connected to the server and he just sent out the request on op-cleansweep a few seconds before you connected. Depends on settings how long it takes untill the request is done again by the pbserver.

Could or would an Anti-Virus program of any time or a Anti-Adware program or anything security related as such, possibly corrupt or change files on the fly during the Punk Buster check? Or could it be blocking it some how and hence making PB think the MD5 is wrong?

No - not a antivirus or anti-adware program. If you get differences (one time correct, one time not) in each md5-check, there are several possibilities. From hardware to malware - almost everything.

It would be easier to track down if you would create multiple md5-hashes from your bf2-installation (to see if you get at last one correct result) and to post a list of running processes. A online systemcheck at Trend Micro HouseCall - Free Online Virus and Spyware Scan - Trend Micro USA before (just to be sure...) would be useful aswell.

On weekend i could offer you a remote-session using TeamViewer - Free Desktop Sharing and Remote Control (really easy to use) - just pm me about.

At what stage during the Punk Buster MD5 checks is Operation Clean Sweep?

Download the recommended settings you can view the ordering of the md5checks in those files.
To create md5-hashes check out that post.

gamerwiz09 · Post by **gamerwiz09** » 2008-04-16 20:54

It does seem though, for me at least, that not all servers cause this(as I mentioned).

Perhaps if we confirm that, we can also confirm that it is the same servers for everybody. If THAT turns out to be true, we can begin testing, and compile a list of servers that DO, and DO NOT work.

So far, I've had luck with 1CD Clan Sever, and Texas Teamplay server. I have been unable to play on the TC server, and for some reason(perhaps when I played a while ago, for a little while, very noobish as I was before stopping)I'm banned from the TG server, so I can't confirm that doesn't work. There is one other server that DOES, and DOES NOT work for me, but I can't remember them off the top of my head.

umop-3p!sdn · Post by **umop-3p!sdn** » 2008-04-17 03:13

well, I rarely sign up for a forum for just one post, so hopefully I will get this mod running and be an actual part of the community at some point ... in this case though, I TA LEAST had to add to the data pool.

I have a fresh PC with a fresh BF2 - 1.41
new punkbuster
PR 0.756 [full install] with the recent cooresponding levels install.

It is not my PC as another user suggests.
While one may argue that CHANGING something from PC to PC works, therfor it is the PC, that is not the case simply because that wouldrequire that another issue is causing this within the PR session.

I suggest maybe a quick thread be made for syste, spec dumps to compare for the DEVs ...

It is likely an oversight of two conflicting data requirements, so a clean list might be easier to go over than a long verbose thread.
This is my very first post, so I won't create that thread, somone else do it if you agree ...

Here's my story:
same MD5 shaders issue as above
fresh everything. no extra processes.
full sized pagefile. [about 2GB for me]
Administrator acct.
video drivers fine.

I have yet to play more than 20 minutes of PR at a time, and thus am a worthless newb still. Which really sux, because I feel I would make an honorable addition to an intelligent squad. I simply cannot lpay the game though.

A coulpe things I wonder ...

1 how are the archives treated once addressed?
2 are they loaded into a temp file?
3 can their locations be replaced by shortcuts ?
4 must they be/not be write protected, or require a specific user control level to be accessed without problems?

ALso, if it is aparent that it is simply an issue of these somehow being corrupted time and again, can someone write a BAT file that will copy a fresh suit to the right folder every time you launch the game? I know that would be annoying to have an extra Gig as a file farm, but it might at least work in the meantime ...

The only anomaly I ALSO get in BF2, is that it won't let me play Highway Tamps, stating that the server doesn't allow modified content. I folowwed the official "fix" instructions, it still happens ... just put that outy there in case it is somehow related.

kilroy0097 · Post by **kilroy0097** » 2008-04-17 04:29

Recommended Configs: Bf2 Server V1.41l - PunksBusted.com- in Partnership with 24-play.com

ultimate posts:

Feb 19, 2008
- added new md5check for BF2.exe from the EA Store version

I have a BF2 Disc from their first run. I have a 1.41 patch that I downloaded within a month of it's release. Both are extremely old.

Is there some other patch or some other change I'm not aware about that would cause PunkBuster to update the MD5 check for BF2.exe?

I'm looking into everything you posted arn354.

General_J0k3r · Post by **General_J0k3r** » 2008-04-17 09:37

kilroy, if your download is so old, maybe try to dload it again. data gets corrupted on harddisks, you know?

arn354 · Post by **arn354** » 2008-04-17 15:22

ultimate posts:
Quote:
Feb 19, 2008
- added new md5check for BF2.exe from the EA Store version
I have a BF2 Disc from their first run. I have a 1.41 patch that I downloaded within a month of it's release. Both are extremely old.

Ultimate just mentioned that an additional check for BF2.exe was added in 02/2008 - for the Complete Collection. Not only one check for bf2.exe is valid. Only the BF2.exe is different - all other files are the same. You can be sure that we cross-checked the md5-checks on different machines, different operating systems and all available BF2-installations (BF2 standalone, Complete, Downloader, EA-Store,...).
The patch 1.41 is still the same - since its release - no change. But you can give a redownload a try - download from there if you want to - that one is 100% working. My BF2 dvd i am using is from 09/2005.

It does seem though, for me at least, that not all servers cause this(as I mentioned).

Confirm that the servers you are able to play on are using the checks at all - or which checks they exactly run.

umop-3p!sdn - you don't understand how that works and that not all servers use those checks. So it still can be your pc - even if you are able to play bf2 or other games - as long they don't use md5checks.

Stop thinking it has something to do with the servers. Some servers run them - some servers not. There are serveradministrators outthere knowing not really much about their servers or punkbuster - they just rent it to have one.

Stop thinking that the md5checks are incorrect. They are confirmed for XP and Vista. They are confirmed for all available bf2versions patched to 1.41 - normal, incl SF, Complete Coll, EA-Downl, EA-Store).

Punkbuster Error: MD5Tool Mismatch Troubleshooting

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