Mass Effect 2 can't save progress + bugs

[Dknightz1445]

I can't get mass effect 2 to save anything or load (load screen picture attached) My game crashes a lot and is very bugged. If I die, the game continues the death scene but nothing happens when I click resume. I've tried re-downloading origin and the game completely and contacted EA 3 times for help to no avail. I checked the mass effect 2 folders and do not have any save folders (picture attached) but Im not sure that's relevant. 

Things I have tried

Flush DNS - restart

Repair both games as I have the deluxe version and the normal version

Run origin as admin

Cleared cache - deleting origin folders

windowed mode

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[holger1405 · Accepted solution]

@Dknightz1445 

OK.

Because of the unusual file structure on your machine you should make a backup of your important files under D: if you not already have done that.

Then:

• The "Documents" folder is still present directly under D:? If not recreate it.
• Make sure Origin is completely closed.
• Press the Windows key and "R" at the same time.
• Type or copy and paste "regedt32" (Without the quotes.) into the new Window > ENTER.
• Navigate to the following Registry key:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
• Double click on "Personal" in the "Name" window.   
• Change the "Value" to "D:\Documents" (Without the quotes, make sure that there are no typos." > confirm = Click on "OK"
• Restart the PC. (a real "Restart", not just shut down and start again.
• Now there should be a "Documents" folder in the side bar of your Windows explorer. 
  
• Move the folders you want inside the standard "Documents" folder from the root of D: into the new "Documents" folder.
• Start Origin > Start the game > Test.

[holger1405]

@Dknightz1445 

The standard location for the game files is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 2"

The standard location for the Save files is  "C:\Users\>Your User Name<\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect 2\Saves"

What I miss from your second screenshot is the "Documents" folder under Quick access. There is only the D: drive with the Documents symbol.

Having the Documents in the Root of a drive is not ideal.

Did you used the build in method of Windows to relocate the "Documents" folder?

[Dknightz1445]

@holger1405 

Hi, 

Thanks for your reply. I'm not super techy but my origin and my games are located in my C drive. There are two files? So there is the program file that you said in  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 2" attached is a screenshot with the file. To my knowledge, none of it is on the D drive. It is all on C. I've attached 2 pictures to show what I see. I'm not sure what the build-in method of windows is? My C drive got full so I moved over to using the D drive for certain files so some of my files are split between both but all origin games/files are in C.

[holger1405]

@Dknightz1445 

Your screenshots are from the "Start Menu", these are just shortcuts and irrelevant for the problem.

You can see the standard path to the "Documents" folder in my previews post.

The "Documents" folder is a component of the user profile (As other folders like "Downloads", "Videos and others are as well.)

Many games, Mass Effect 2 as well, expect this folder to be in the Windows standard location because they use it to store user data like save games and configuration files.

(While the actual game files are stored at a different location.)

So if you don't have a "Documents" folder or if you moved it without using the build in Windows tools to do so, the game can't find its save location and therefore can't save.

[Dknightz1445]

@holger1405 

After searching I was able to find the location for the game files which is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 2"

However, cannot find the standard location for the save files which is  "C:\Users\>Your User Name<\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect 2\Saves"

Attached is a picture of the "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 2"

Am I missing the saves? Do I just make a file labeled saves? Again, I really appreciate the help. 

[holger1405]

@Dknightz1445 

From the look of this and the first screenshot your "Documents" folder is in the root of your D: drive.

Can you provide a screenshot of the folders in this location and from the "Mass Effect 2" folder under "...Origin Games\Mass Effect2"?

[Dknightz1445]

@holger1405 

I dont have origin or origin games on D Drive its all in C Drive. My documents and downloads are primarily in D drive, but I don't understand how that's related as nothing from Origin or ME2 is there. I have attached a picture of what the files in the folder under "...Origin Games\Mass Effect2"

[holger1405]

@Dknightz1445 

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Dknightz1445  schrieb:

I dont have origin or origin games on D Drive its all in C Drive. My documents and downloads are primarily in D drive, but I don't understand how that's related as nothing from Origin or ME2 is there. I have attached a picture of what the files in the folder under "...Origin Games\Mass Effect2"

---

Because from the look of your screenshot the D: drive is set as the standard "Documents" folder of you system, and then the save games should be there (\BioWare\Mass Effect 2\Saves) because ME2 would automatically use this location for Save games and configuration files. (As explained in my previous post.)

The file structure of your Mass Effect 2 game folder is also botchered, the files in the second "Mass Effect 2" folder should be in the "Mass Effect 2" folder one level higher.

You should create a folder named "Documents" in the root of your D: drive and use this method to tell your system were the "Documents" user folder is. 

(If you already created a "Documents" folder inside the D: drive you have to start at point 11 and you probably have to right click the D: icon I pointed to (Red arrow) in my screenshot in the last post.)

Then uninstall Mass Effect 2 from the Windows control panel and make sure that the exact path = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 2" is set under > Origin menu > Origin > Application settings > Install and Saves > On your computer > Game library location.

(Here you also could set a location on your D: drive for your games if the space on C: is limited, Origin also has a function to move already installed games to a different drive or partition.)

Then reinstall the game running Origin as Administrator (Right click the Origin shortcut on the desktop > Run as Administrator.)

[Dknightz1445]

I can't move the documents folder, the "location" tab doesn't appear. After speaking with Microsoft its not possible to move certain user folders. So Documents its pretty much forever in C Drive. 

I did redownload ME2 with the same advice of "Then uninstall Mass Effect 2 from the Windows control panel and make sure that the exact path = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 2" is set under > Origin menu > Origin > Application settings > Install and Saves > On your computer > Game library location."

Still not saving at all. The Microsoft people told me try turning off cloud save which I did and nothing worked there either. No clue what to do now. 

[holger1405]

@Dknightz1445 

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rune121  schrieb:

I can't move the documents folder, the "location" tab doesn't appear. After speaking with Microsoft its not possible to move certain user folders. So Documents its pretty much forever in C Drive. 

---

I don't know to whom you talked at MS, but that is just plain wrong.

I gave you the guide how it is done, you will find hundreds of other guides on the internet if you google for them, I myself have my "Documents" folder on my E: drive and I have done it countless time on other systems as well.

• Press the Windows key and "R" at the same time.
• Type or copy and paste "regedt32" (Without the quotes.) into the new Window > ENTER.
• Navigate to the following Registry key:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
• Make a screenshot of the "Name" Window with all entries. 
• Load the screenshot up.