Punkbuster Error: MD5Tool Mismatch Troubleshooting

[kilroy0097]

Ok I will give the PR shaders_client.zip file a try and copy it over to the /mod/bf2/ directory.

[kilroy0097]

Ok funny thing. Solved one issue and created another one.

I copied the shaders_client.zip file from /mods/pr/ to /mods/bf2/.
I no longer receive the PB kick MD5 message for shaders_client.zip. Yay!

New Problem:
I now get the MD5 message for other things.

... mods\bf2\Levels\Dalian_plant\client.zip (len=204

I find this to extremely hilarious and very sad at the same time. PR does not use the Dalian_plant file for anything as it's not a map in the PR package. I can't replace Dalian_plant client.zip file with anything because PR does not have a replacement for it. I have yet to play BF2 vanilla with this particular installation.

So the million dollar question is... Why the hell is PB looking at this file and thinking it's altered when it hasn't been touched and it hasn't been played and I'm not playing BF2 vanilla and it's a new installation less than a week old?

Anyone have a fix for this kind of random ****? Or are we all having ti go through it because we have to? I'm assume it will happen time and time again on other random files.

[=BFC=KllrKirk]

Firstly....thankyou Kilroy, for keeping this in the spotlight, and for doing EVERYTHING i really dont want to have to do.

This is rediculous...and with anger in my thoughts, i now wish id never voted for PR as Mod of the year!!!!

UNDO THIS SHIT DEVS and find another way!!!!! Because honest people shouldnt suffer for the mistakes of people, who lets face it probablly already know how to avoid getting caught anyway.....

This is infuriating......id rather be playing cheats than NOT be playing at all!!

[arn354]

... mods\bf2\Levels\Dalian_plant\client.zip (len=204

reinstall patch 1.41 - before check your system - something hijacks your files.

[rg2550]

I just reinstalled everything last 3 nights ago. And also updated PB.

I installed bf2 restarted
installed bf2 patch restarted
updated PB
installed pr restarted
then installed pr patch then maps restart

It works perfectly now . Im using Vista Ultimate, 4gig, 8800 gts 640mb, etc.

[kilroy0097]

This is not directed negatively at the posters but I would have appreciated if they had actually read what I have done.

reinstall patch 1.41 - before check your system - something hijacks your files.

I did already, reinstalling patch 1.41 has been done about three times already as well as a full virus scan with updated definitions and adware scan. So unless running this 1.41 patch every single time I want to play[]/b] is in anyway a viable and sane option, I don't plan on doing it every single time. Yes I know PB thinks that file is corrupt but since there is no way to know why it's being corrupted or why it thinks it's being corrupted then there is no fix. Keep in mind that BF2 has worked all this time and PR has worked all this time and every mod I have played has worked all this time without serious issue until now. The problem here is with PB as well as the Client Files but not just one or the other.

Though at this time I am leaning heavily towards PB being the problem here and the method or way it checks the files is flawed. It's obviously looking for things incorrectly since this many files can not be corrupt on brand new installs. That's ridiculous.

I just reinstalled everything last 3 nights ago. And also updated PB.

I installed bf2 restarted
installed bf2 patch restarted
updated PB
installed pr restarted
then installed pr patch then maps restart

It works perfectly now . Im using Vista Ultimate, 4gig, 8800 gts 640mb, etc.

Ok so you actually restarted after every single patch or update? Now that is just fricken crazy. What developer would think in their right minds this is a viable solution to this problem?

Ok so you installed BF2 and patch 1.41 restarting after each. Then you installed punkbuster. Then you install the PR setup files, then the patch 0.756 and then the levels file? That doesn't make sense. You sure you didn't install the PR setup files and levels and then restarted? After which you installed the PR patch 0.756 and then restarted. There is no levels patch separate from the 0.756 patch.

Jan 1, 2008 till Apr 4, 2008. PR ran perfectly.
Punkbuster update on Apr 5th breaks the mod.
PR no longer runs for many users since that update.

Solution: If at all possible; Recall the update and figure out another solution that works better.

[kilroy0097]

I some how missed that there were new files out besides the single patch 0.756 file out there. I didn't know there were a new 0.756 Setup and Levels files now. I will download them and redo my entire installation again and see if anything gets fixed. I'm willing to try just about anything at this point with the exception of reformat/install of everything I have.

[bosco_]

If only the Dalian Plant\client.zip is making problems now, I can upload that for you... my mashtuur city\client.zip gave me the same error, I replaced it with Spearhead's one and it worked.

[kilroy0097]

If only the Dalian Plant\client.zip is making problems now, I can upload that for you... my mashtuur city\client.zip gave me the same error, I replaced it with Spearhead's one and it worked.

Are you serious? So replacing it with another person's file fixes the problem? So technically if you install BF2 3 different times in say 3 different directories and if one file causes a kick from PB you could attempt to switch that file with another one from the other directories and it might just magically work?

So is PB comparing files to stored files in their database that were original files directly from DICE? And some how even if we install the game a hundred times that it may never be perfect?

I appreciate the offer of assistance. I will gladly accept your Dalian_Plant file and pray it works since it works for you. However if PB kicks me again for a different file I'm afraid that I would have to replace more and more files to the point of severe inconvenience to the community.

We really have to come to a conclusion as to why these files are exactly the same size wise and yet are different in small sector fashion. Old hardware, old hard drives, not enough CPU power, etc. There has to be a logical reason why my installation is different than your installation. I did buy the very first DVD version of BF2 so maybe something was different in it's pressing compared to other people's discs. And for all I know the 1.41 BF2 Patch does something different depending on where you downloaded the patch from. My original 1.41 BF2 Patch was from FilePlanet back when I was a member. It would be funny if a 1.41 BF2 Patch from FileFront was different in some small way.

[bosco_]

Apparentely, that's how it works

Uploading now.

[bosco_]

Upload is at 75%, will put the link in this post.

Here we go:
RapidShare: 1-Click Webhosting

[kilroy0097]

I have downloaded the file. Thank you very much (R-PUB)bosco for your help.

This issue, as wide spread and as random as it is with which files are effected, may lead to some sort of community share file area. A location on the web where people can upload specific files or even someone who never has issues with PB to put their entire /mods/bf2 directory files online some place just so anyone with PB MD5 kick issues can download a file that is giving them problems and see if it works. While I find the very thought of this seriously broken considering everyone owns the game and are installing clean installs and should never ever have this sort of issue; it may have to be done. It is indeed happening and is not isolated in its scope. What a colossal headache this has become.

PR Developers. Is there any ways, even minutely, that the installation or playing of PR is the culprit to these seemingly random corrupted or changed files? Is it possible that crashes of the game or random disconnects are causing some kind of change to these core files? Would this problem be averted if all files in /mods/bf2/ were set write protected and so could never be changed? I would like some input on this theory. Thank you.

[Zimmer]

I updated pb manualy and havent go the issue after that will see if i get it today.

[kilroy0097]

I was looking at all the files within the "C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\Battlefield 2\mods\bf2\" directory and I saw a few files that have .md5 attached to them.

Examples:
bst_archive.md5
bst_archive_mod.md5
std_archive.md5
std_archive_mod.md5

And within the "C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\Battlefield 2\mods\bf2\Levels\" directory I find within each levels map folder the following file: archive.md5

My specific question to the Developers of PR is this:

What purpose do these archive md5 files serve and would it be possible that these are the root of the issue?

This question is asked due to the changes in files with the pr mod how does Punk Buster use the md5 files to check files in the /mods/bf2/ folder when the game is primarily using the /mods/pr/ folder files. Also one fix in the past for the shaders_client.zip error was to replace the bf2 shaders_client.zip with the PR's shaders_client.zip file. However the bf2 version is 223,590 in size and the PR version is 188,788. So you would think the md5 check would see that is different than the original BF2 files and hence reject it and yet it doesn't and it accepts it. (Huh?)

If perchance the client.zip or shaders_client.zip or any of these MD5 Punk Buster errors are happening due to errors in these archive MD5 files then we might be able to narrow down the problem. All of these files are 360byte in size and in the levels 530 according to WinXP simple dir command and they do not seem to be modified as they have 8/18/2006 last modification dates.

I found the following article that shows how to generate these .md5 files with an executable file.
Ensuring Proper Md5 Generation - Official BF Editor Forums

Using the previous method for creating MD5s may have mixed results. I have created an exe using the generate_md5.py file for maximum portability. Just copy the files into your Battlefield 2 directory, run the generate_md5.exe your_mod_name and it will create all the md5s for the content.



When creating the client/server builds these are the required files:

Server Build Requires:
bst_archive.md5
bst_archive_mod.md5
std_archive.md5
std_archive_mod.md5

Clients Build Requires:
std_archive.md5
std_archive_mod.md5


Hope this helps in weeding out malicious users from cheating in your mods. This uses the stock Dice generation python, but makes it just a double click away. No need for installing Python, configuring path..etc. Double click and go.



Files:

Rar with exe file (all required): http://www.mnmcreationsllc.com/games/md ... erator.rar
Readme: http://www.mnmcreationsllc.com/games/md5s/Readme.txt

If these archive.md5 files are the root of the issue would an application like this, which rebuilds them from scratch, be helpful in fixing the issue? It makes no mention of remaking the .md5 files within Levels but does say it rebuilds the std_archive.md5 and std_archive_mod.md5 files.

There is also mention of a execution called md5sum. According to Wikipedia, md5sum is a computer program which calculates and verifies 128-bit MD5 hashes, as described in RFC 1321. So could these HASH be corrupted in some way in the archive.md5 files and hence if we just rebuild the .md5 files using a similar executable as I mentioned above, this would fix the issue? Much like if a SSH key is corrupted you erase the key file and regenerate the SSH key on the fly making a new stable one.

Looking at this site for their issues:
http://www.punksbusted.com/forums/lofiv ... 47874.html

Is that true what I see there that each server keeps updated HASH keys for track with PB comparing to client files of players on the server? If so what if those HASH keys are wrong in some way or wrong for some people. Would it generate a PB error on Mismatching MD5 Hash keys? Would this explain why some servers have a lot less issues than others on the MD5 kicks?

Edit Add: Additionally after looking at the .md5 files I noticed there are 10 HASH per file. Which elude that there are 10 different versions or possible versions of the original file. Or there are multiple files in which this one .md5 file has HASH for such as it's the HASH for 10 different files in the directory. Thought the .md5 files in Level Map directories also have 10 Hashes so that's kind of odd.

Would it be better to ask such a technical question in attempts to troubleshoot this issue in the Developers portion of the forums? Sorry to be asking these difficult questions but I am really trying to go out of my way to come up with a possible solution for these errors which are really plaguing the PR community at this time and cause a lot of headaches.

[Zeppelin35]

I honestly have to say just get rid of the new punkbuster system. Most of the people affected by it are honest gamers and if the only cheating going on is switching the shaders what's the problem? Also during the three months of playing PR I have never run into a single problem. Yes we found a solution for some people but I don't think we have to go through this headache just because of a few minor cheaters. If someone can please give me a good reason to keep this punkbuster over the old one I will retract my statement. Thank you.

[kilroy0097]

Worked like a charm for a whole 2 hours. Then BAM! another PB MD5 kick error.

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

So I guess I need a working Mashtuur City file that hasn't been corrupted by the magical fairy goblin troll of PR. Do I need to sacrifice virgins?

(R-PUB)bosco. Mind sharing me your client.zip for Mastuur_City please?

[Deadfast]

Uploading...

[Deadfast]

Sorry for taking so long but I totally forgot about it

Download - ifile.it

[bosco_]

I see Deadfast uploaded his.
If you still need mine, give me a shout.

[kilroy0097]

Thanks. Downloading now.