Mass Effect 1 Will Not Start

[SerBeefcake]

I've tried several things I read online to try to get the game to work. I use Windows 7. I've set the game compatibility to XP (service pack 3) and as administrator, I made sure it was up to date, I tried running Origin as an administrator, and none of these things worked. When I start the game a title image will appear and the screen will change like it's starting but it stays blank and locks up, stops responding, and I have to open the task manager to close it.  I'm getting pretty annoyed, please help.

[holger1405]

@SerBeefcake

Please create a DxDiag, also go to your Reliability monitor (Press the windows key and "R" at the same time and copy or type "perfmon /rel" (without the quotes) in > ENTER and look if it has ME1 entries.

If yes double click at the last one, copy it to the clipboard, (Bottom left corner) save it to a text file and load it up together with the DxDiag. You can do that with the "choose file" button at the bottom right corner of the reply window.

[Donaruie]

I'm having the exact same issue. I've tried everything I've found on here so far to try and get it to work but the game always freezes after the Bioware logo. I know it was running just fine when I first bought it back in January but...not anymore. I'm also running it on Windows 7...but it's the same computer and system I had when I bought it and played it before so I very much doubt it's something wrong with my computer. It's patched, I'm running it as admin, I'm running it under XP SP 3 compatibility mode. It still won't load past the logo.

[SerBeefcake]

It seems I have fixed my first problem by re-installing the 1.02 patch, but now I have a registration code problem. But I know that no one here can help me with it. I contacted an advisor but they weren't able to help me. I'm getting too irritated to bother anymore. Thanks for replying, though.

[Donaruie]

ok so...this is a little odd but I decided to just do random things to try and get it to work because...what else am I doing >.<

So I started up Origin, right clicked on the game in the library, opened game properties, and clicked the "disable Origin in game for this game" box

and when I went to start the game it loaded up fine.

[holger1405]

@SerBeefcake

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@SerBeefcake wrote:

It seems I have fixed my first problem by re-installing the 1.02 patch, but now I have a registration code problem. But I know that no one here can help me with it. I contacted an advisor but they weren't able to help me. I'm getting too irritated to bother anymore. Thanks for replying, though.

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Well we can try. What kind of problem?

@Donaruie

Good that it works now. Have fun Gaming"

[SerBeefcake]

@holger1405

When I start the game I get this registration popup. I tried using the CD key I found in the Mass Effect properties, but whenever I click 'Done' the popup goes away only to come right back up, my code still there. I can click done many times and it just keeps popping back up. When I click 'Don't Continue' it tells me the code is invalid. I got in contact with an EA advisor and he gave me a new code only for it to do the same thing. He got on my account and did something, I don't know what, then asked me to try again. Still didn't work. Finally he told me to try re-installing Origin before cutting the chat with me. That also did nothing. No matter what I try I can't bypass this registration window.

[holger1405]

@SerBeefcake

Lets see if the key is in the Registry.

- Press the Windows key and "R" ate the same time

- Typ or copy "regedit" (Without the quotes) in.

- navigate to the following key. "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\Electronic Arts\Mass Effect (tm)\ergc"

(if you don't find the Mass Effect (tm)\ergc key there, it is under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node\Electronic Arts\Electronic Arts\Mass Effect (tm)\ergc")

- There should be a "(Default)" string, Typ: REG_SZ, and Data should be your ME1 CD key.

- If the CD key is missing, right click in the right Window.

- New > String Value > Name the String "(Default)" (Without the quotes, but with the clamps.)

- Double click the new "(Default)" String > at "Value data" enter the ME1 cd key (the new one) > click "OK"

- restart and test.

[SerBeefcake]

@holger1405

I found the key there and typed it in, but the popup keeps doing the 'disappear, reappear' thing and won't accept the code. I think the process might glitched or something.

[holger1405]

@SerBeefcake

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@SerBeefcake wrote:

@holger1405

I found the key there and typed it in, but the popup keeps doing the 'disappear, reappear' thing and won't accept the code. I think the process might glitched or something.

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You mean it was already a key there? <- important!

Try to run Origin and ME1 as an Administrator, and If that not helps, shut down your Windows firewall and disable the real-time scanner of your antivirus software. (just for testing purpose, don't forget to activate the firewall and the antivirus software later on.)

Should it work after you disabled the firewall, here is a description how to allow a program to communicate through the firewall.