Mass Effect Won't Start - Tried the Usual Things

[max_exter]

@Got-Haggis wrote:

so i just bought Mass Effect through Origin about an hour ago.  Ran into this problem and found this thread.  Went through the steps, contacted EA support...and they are refusing to give me a new code.  They are saying the code is the correct one and is linked to a different account, not my account, so the game isn't mine (or something along those lines).  I even pointed them to this thread.  WTF??????????

---

I believe I referred to it as "Support Roullette" or something to that effect.  Most of the reps are fine, but you'll occasionally find one where you can hear the ocean if you put your head up to their ear.

I'm confused about the linking to another account thing as well, but I was told the same thing.  ME was released back before Origin existed, and presumably it has to do with some older system that is no longer in active use.  But I can't really offer anything beyond speculation.

Try contacting them again, if you haven't already.  It'll probably go better the second time around.

[HarperAU]

I have the same problem. Tried the same thing.

EA was able to give me the new code along with asking me to sign up with pogo.com.

However I was then stuck downloading the entire client again.

Now that the client has been downloaded, game will not start. I am back at square 1 again.

I have been advised to run the game under with out Origin In Game support. However it's once again asking me to re-download the client all over again.

Currently that EA support happen to only be uninstall, download and re-install again.

[wanderyak]

Thank you so much for this solution! I  contacted Origin already, but they wanted to have the dxdiag & MSinfo files, which I'm not very comfortable to give away. Then I tried it your way. The phone call took too long, but in the end my Mass Effect is running! yay

[max_exter]

Just to verify, you're still running ME in compatibility mode for XP SP3 and Origin as Administrator?

[XDSHENANIGANS]

Hey you guys I figured i would add on to this. 

I also had the problem where the product key would not appear in the information tab.

after a couple of chat sessions I created the pogo account and linked it with my EA account. I got busy at this point and took too long to respond so the chat session was ended.

I ended up in another chat session after waiting 45 mins or so and the advisor just asked for the product key that I used and my email and security info blah blah. He looked into it and said that the code I used was linked to another account. I told him no I recently purchased it and how after looking at it I discovered it did not show the product key like my other games.

Time passes (3 mins) he says he made changes to my account and gave me a new product key to try and let him know how it worked. Worked perfect and am now able to enjoy the sweet sweet game. After that he told me how much they valued me and how he appreciated me being kind and cooperative and gave me a 15% discount code to boot! I was beginning to get pissed at EA, but they do have people who really are there to help you out. So just let them know your problem and don't give them a hard time, I'm sure they already have enough people who get pissed at them. 

Also I did do the whole MassEffectLauncher.exe and 1.02 patch before all this and the game works fine. So thanks to you guys and also advisor who helped. hope this can kinda help someone else.

[nistvan86]

Would it be so hard to update the game files centrally to 1.02 so Origin would download that? I think it would solve the problem for everyone.

[janisbow]

An EA Advisor pointed me to this post to download the link for the launcher.  That didn't work. So two downloads and installs later the 3rd advisor I talked to asked me to show him my dxDiag.  He then gave me a link for downloading direct x 9.0c.  It seems that my version, direct x 11 doesn't work for Mass Effect.  I'm not sure if this might help anyone else that has the same problem but I thought I'd throw it out there.

[Robopunch]

Okay, first. Thank you for posting this solution. It really worked for me. UNTIL the part where I need to put in the new activation key. I think it might be glitcht. When I insert the right Activation key and I press done, the window just pop's up again. I did this a few times, and it keeps on popping up. But then, when I finally feld tired and wanted ti stop, I clicked on Don't Continue. Then, and only then, its says that I put the wrong code in. While I just pressed the Don't Continue button. This is a weird error. Is there a possible way to fix this, or am I simply screwed?

I hope somebody could help me out!

p.s: English is NOT my main language. I'm actually Dutch. So you could also reply in that language. Is dat niet gemakkelijk? :manhappy:

[max_exter]

My best guess at the moment is either a typo or perhaps a language issue?  Are you installing it in English or a Dutch version?

[Robopunch]

No, I have the Original English version of the game because Dutch translation into some software really sucks. I have contact with somebody at EA, telling me that I need to re-install al the Origin components + the game. And for that, I need to booth my PC into Safe Mode. But isn't there a better way of fixing this?