[PC] Punkbuster won't install

[1_Hat]

I have uninstalled PB a while ago and want to play again. I start with opening pbsvc.exe and clicking Next and Agree to install. Everything lights up green but I get this error:

Failed to copy the file 'D:\Users\(name)\Documents\pbsvc.exe' to C:\Windows\system32\pbsvc.exe' (error 5: access is denied.)

I click next and see a box: Tests completed successfully without error.

Checking user is Administrator     OK
Checking Administrator privileges  OK
Opening Service Control Manager    OK
Searching for PnkBstrA             Found - OK
Extracting PnkBstrA service        OK
Verifying service authenticity     OK
Installing PunkBuster service      OK
	Installed at "C:\Windows\system32\PnkBstrA.exe"
serviceInstallFile does exist
Checking PunkBuster service status STOPPED
Starting PunkBuster service        OK
Adding firewall rule for PnkBstrA  OK
Adding firewall rule for PnkBstrB  OK
Installation Finished.

Please click "Next" to test the PunkBuster services.

Starting PunkBuster Service Tests (v0.994) (10/18/14 11:08:07)
Checking OS
  Windows NT 6.1 (build 7601, Service Pack 1) 64-bit
Checking PnkBstrA service status   RUNNING
Checking PnkBstrA Version          OK (1041)
Extracting "PnkBstrB.exe" to:
   "D:\Users\(name)\AppData\Roaming\PnkBstrB.exe"
                                   OK
Checking firewall settings         OFF
Is PnkBstrA explicitly allowed?
C:\Windows\system32\PnkBstrA.exe   NO
Is PnkBstrB explicitly allowed?
C:\Windows\system32\PnkBstrB.exe   NO
Checking if PnkBstrB is running    NOT RUNNING
Getting port for PnkBstrA          OK (44301)
Opening socket for packet send     OK
Sending version packet to PnkBstrA SENT
Receiving version from PnkBstrA    OK
Received 6 bytes from 127.0.0.1:44301
  Response = 10047 (ms) Version = v1041
Getting PnkBstrB install instance  NOT FOUND
Sending start packet to PnkBstrA   SENT
Waiting for packet from PnkBstrA   OK
Received 3 bytes from 127.0.0.1:44301
  Response = 14056 (ms) PnkBstrB started.
  Load SUCCESSFUL.
Watching for PnkBstrB instance change (0) CHANGED (1)
Getting port for PnkBstrB          OK (45301)
Sending version packet to PnkBstrB SENT
Receiving version from PnkBstrB    OK
Received 5 bytes from 127.0.0.1:45301
  Response = 0 (ms) Version = 2333
Checking PnkBstrK driver status    NOT FOUND
Manually stopping PnkBstrB         STOPPED
Removing test PnkBstrB file        OK

----------------------------------
  Tests finished.
Starting PunkBuster Service Tests (v0.994) (10/18/14 11:09:16)
Checking OS
  Windows NT 6.1 (build 7601, Service Pack 1) 64-bit
Checking PnkBstrA service status   RUNNING
Checking PnkBstrA Version          OK (1041)
Extracting "PnkBstrB.exe" to:
   "D:\Users\(name)\AppData\Roaming\PnkBstrB.exe"
                                   OK
Checking firewall settings         OFF
Is PnkBstrA explicitly allowed?
C:\Windows\system32\PnkBstrA.exe   NO
Is PnkBstrB explicitly allowed?
C:\Windows\system32\PnkBstrB.exe   NO
Checking if PnkBstrB is running    NOT RUNNING
Getting port for PnkBstrA          OK (44301)
Opening socket for packet send     OK
Sending version packet to PnkBstrA SENT
Receiving version from PnkBstrA    OK
Received 6 bytes from 127.0.0.1:44301
  Response = 10046 (ms) Version = v1041
Getting PnkBstrB install instance  OK
Sending start packet to PnkBstrA   SENT
Waiting for packet from PnkBstrA   OK
Received 3 bytes from 127.0.0.1:44301
  Response = 14056 (ms) PnkBstrB started.
  Load SUCCESSFUL.
Watching for PnkBstrB instance change (1) CHANGED (2)
Getting port for PnkBstrB          OK (45301)
Sending version packet to PnkBstrB SENT
Receiving version from PnkBstrB    OK
Received 5 bytes from 127.0.0.1:45301
  Response = 2995 (ms) Version = 2333
Checking PnkBstrK driver status    NOT FOUND
Manually stopping PnkBstrB         STOPPED
Removing test PnkBstrB file        OK

----------------------------------
  Tests finished.

I copy pbsvc.exe to system32 manually. Now I go to pbsetup:

Since this is the first time you've run the PunkBuster Setup, we need to make sure you're running the latest version.

I click OK and the Update in Progress box appears. This does not move and in a few seconds Windows tells me pbsetup.exe has stopped responding.

Battlelog tells me I need to install Punkbuster before I can join the server I want.

These are my two errors with Punkbuster. Please respond if you think you can help.

[2042isNotBF]

Did you try to install PB this way?...

Go to Punk Buster site
Download PB then extract files to your desktop then open Punk Buster folder. Click on the PB setup and it will open.
Add your BF4 game to punk buster its at the top of Punk Buster.
Then update punk buster again at the top of Punk Buster.

http://www.punkbuster.com/index.php?page=pbsetup.php

If so then update all this below then try to do PB again after a reboot...

Latest version of DirectX see this page
http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/confirmation.aspx?id=35

Reinstall Microsoft C++
http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=30679

Update your Microsoft .NET framework.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=30653

Adobe Flash Player update
http://get.adobe.com/de/flashplayer/

[1_Hat]

Thank you for the reply. I went through your suggestions sequentially.

pbsetup crashes when updating initially—I cannot cancel out of this screen and add any game. The error is this:

Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:	APPCRASH
  Application Name:	pbsetup.exe
  Application Version:	0.0.0.0
  Application Timestamp:	536d54a0
  Fault Module Name:	pbsetup.exe
  Fault Module Version:	0.0.0.0
  Fault Module Timestamp:	536d54a0
  Exception Code:	c0000005
  Exception Offset:	000df400
  OS Version:	6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.48
  Locale ID:	3081
  Additional Information 1:	4838
  Additional Information 2:	48386290eb1edc500cf1e600771bc249
  Additional Information 3:	5138
  Additional Information 4:	51385cb9d776aea89cf477c72f707828

DirectX did not install due to detecting a newer or recent version. Same with .NET. The C++ installer proceeded fully as did the Flash update.

I tried pbsetup after these steps (including reboot) and the same error as above happened.

[2042isNotBF]

No need to thank me I just wish it would have helped :/ Ok lets try it this way... First check windows to make sure its not helping to make the issue...

Test your windows for errors
This works in all windows O/S vista Win7, Win8 and Win8.1 windows system file checker :] Copy and past this to note pad and put it on your desktop. As open programs can give you errors when you run this.

...... sfc /scannow ..... ever hear of it if not your going to love this .... it will inspect all the important windows files as well as the windows DLL files. If windows system file checker finds any issues with the windows files and windows DLL files it will replace them. This little tool as well as the event viewer saved me and fully helped me fix my BF4 issues as well as saved my .... many a format since I found it. This is the best toy they ever put in windows :]

For win7 go to start left click in search type cmd and right click cmd pick run as admin

For win 8.1 right click start bottom left of screen and pick command prompt admin

1 - Open administrator command prompt and close web pages and programs like origin.

2 - Type or copy and paste in sfc /scannow and hit enter, This takes 5 min to 15 min SSD vs HD

3 - This can go one of a few ways ..... no errors ... it fixed some errors ..... could not fix all errors...... does not finish checking and errors out ....... and the last one could not fix errors at all :/

4 -After its done reboot and do it again even if you had no errors the first time or had errors, could not fix ... run sfc /scannow again and when its done a second time reboot. You need to do this a and get no errors 2 x in a row ...

5- So if you ran it 2x and no errors your safe you can stop now for now lol, If you had errors first time but not the second then run sfc /scannow again and when its done reboot. You need to get could not find any errors 2 x to be safe. If it still finds errors try and run it a few more times until it finds no errors 2x AND ALWAYS REBOOT BETWEEN RUNNING sfc /scannow

6 - If you get a message indicating that it can not be repaired and you ran sfc /scannow more then 3x in a row on win vista or 7 mm you need a format or try repair win 7 :/ But after format or repair and all updates are done run sfc /scannow to make sure your windows is stable same deal 2x error free reboot between them.

If your O/S is Win8 or Win 8,1 then you can run this next command / line in administrator command prompt. Sadly this does not work for win vista or 7 :/ It will restore the health of your PC and you dont lose anything and it will also fix errors in the registry :]

dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth ------- ONLY works for windows 8 and 8.1

7 - When its done reboot

next step.....

So what I need you to do download CC cleaner the free version and install CC cleaner on your PC.
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

Remove PB using the tools area of CC cleaner then reboot the PC.

Once back on desk top then open CC cleaner again.This time go to the registry area and scan for issues , then pick fix selected issues it will give you the choice to do a back up. Then pick fix all selected issues you may have a ton of issues if you never have used this before its normal. Then reboot your PC again and do all the registry steps again until it finds none. Reboot your PC after you do each scan on registry. Once it finds none then move to the next step.

Now try to install PB... edit... run PB as ADMIN ... when done reboot. If you still cant install PB then we both smash our heads on desk lol J/K I will look about more on this error from event viewer.

[1_Hat]

I did sfc /scannow twice without errors, and registry cleaner in CCleaner returned nothing (I run it fairly often).

The pbsetup crash and pbsvc error 5 still happen. I run as admin on top of the account being an administrator.

Maybe I really am a punk.

Event Viewer shows Level: Error and Source: Application Error. The Details tab does not seem to show anything interesting that isn't in the Windows 'stopped responding' box, which is below:

Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:	APPCRASH
  Application Name:	pbsetup.exe
  Application Version:	0.0.0.0
  Application Timestamp:	536d54a0
  Fault Module Name:	pbsetup.exe
  Fault Module Version:	0.0.0.0
  Fault Module Timestamp:	536d54a0
  Exception Code:	c0000005
  Exception Offset:	000df400
  OS Version:	6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.48
  Locale ID:	3081
  Additional Information 1:	4838
  Additional Information 2:	48386290eb1edc500cf1e600771bc249
  Additional Information 3:	5138
  Additional Information 4:	51385cb9d776aea89cf477c72f707828

[2042isNotBF]

Well I have looked into this without much luck :/ I did see one post when they took the BF3 PB folder and put it in BF4 to get it installed not sure this is a good idea lol. Other then this I would email PB site to get the correct fix for this ,,,

http://wwww.evenbalance.com/troubleticket/

[1_Hat]

Thanks for looking and trying to help. I know how hard it is to search for 'punkbuster crash' and not receive pages of the more common crash it has :mantongue:

[2042isNotBF]

It is a strange issue you have :/ Tones of videos on youtube but could not find any in English with your issue. This is why I hunted down the link on PB for help as they will have more of a idea on what to do. Keep me posted as I want to know the fix as this bugs me all the normal things to fix it are not working :womanfrustrated:

[1_Hat]

I opened a ticket on the Even Balance website the same date this topic was posted. There have been 15 exchanges of communication but I am not sure they have understood my explanations of the problem. However, I found a workaround and began again to be able to play on PB enabled BF4 servers.

The pbsetup crash is due to not being able to connect to the servers from which updates are retrieved from. Instead of giving a helpful error message, the program seems content to just crash.

I installed pbsetup on a different computer (the third in a bunch—the first and second alternatives encounted the same crash, even though one was XP and I bypassed any router obstruction by using a different source for internet). I updated the program, added the games, closed it and transferred all the files pbsetup made into the correct locations on the game computer. (The locations are evident from where they are made. There are some that exist in the same folder as the pbsetup executable and others which go in the BF4 'pb' directory—if one doesn't exist, make it in the directory where bf4.exe is.)

The pbsvc error still happens but it turns out to be of no consequence.

Whenever a Punkbuster update comes out I will need to repeat the process because the crash still happens on the game computer. I can see the UI because it doesn't do the initial update, but clicking Update Punkbuster crashes the program. I hope this is of some use.

[2042isNotBF]

Well good on you for a semi fix but you still need full fix but for now you can play again so good job. Have you ever made contact with a EA game adviser to see if they have a full fix? It sure cant hurt to ask.

Follow the Steps to contacting an EA Game Adviser:

1 Click here to go to the EA contact page. http://help.ea.com/en/

Note: Top left pick your Country :]

2 Select your game and platform, Then click next.
3 Select a topic and write about your problem.
4 Click next and select your preferred contact method.
5 Ask for a callback if you can as it is fast when I used it.

Or use this

You can contact EA here: http://help.ea.com/en/contact-us/

http://help.ea.com/ca/article/welcome-to-the-new-and-improved-ea-help-center/#contact