Mass Effect 2 won't start

[MacCollac]

Got the exact same problem.

Just finished Mass Effect 1, and now I want to start up Mass Effect 2 but it doesn't start only synchronizes and that's it..?!

[bohreer]

I managed to get mine working... but it's not perfect, but playable.  Your milage may vary:

1) Uninstall Mass Effect 2

2) Confirm that the Program is truely gone from Program Files (x86)\Bioware (at work, so I can't confirm exact path)

3) Remove any Mass Effect 2 folder from your profile (%userprofile%\documents\bioware)

4) Install Mass Effect 2 again.  You may need to delete the install cache first

5) BEFORE STARTING ME2, set the game to NOT use cloud services and do not import the save

6) Start Mass Effect 2

Like I said, not perfect.  I'm playing through now, but the universe is different than when I left it in ME (i.e I saved the council).  I'll try other options once I've played through once....

[Gaedrin]

Looks like linking your ME1 save to ME2 causes the issue. So yes, wiping all files and reinstalling will work, but it doesn't let us use our ME1 save.
This issue is similar to Telltale's The Walking Dead game. My choices didn't carry over to Chapter 2 after Chapter 1, so I refused to carry on. (Eventualy my game broke and the Chapter was unplayable entirely, but that's for a nother thread.) Case in point, I want to continue my Shepard's story, not settle with generated outcomes. That ruins the experience for me.

[Gaedrin]

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@goraththeelder wrote:

IMO, neither of the two who added a "Me, Too" has any real idea whether or not your situation is actually identical, because none of the three of you have provided the routine, ordinary information that could determine whether or not you actually have totally identical PCs with totally identical loads of software:

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/106/index/4795299

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Wouldn't your point make the "Me, too" button completely useless? The chances of someone having exactly the same hardware, brand, or method of their own attempting to solve the problem is extremely slim. Too slim for anyone to use the button as apparently you do. I clicked it because my game won't launch after applying my ME1 save, not because I made sure me and OP have the same video card.

[Roch3y]

i want to know why a EA rep isent responding to this problem 

[Gorath_the_Elder]

Official Tech Support is elsewhere.  This is Self-Help, gamer to gamer here.  The "Me, Too" is always going to be a useless item when the OP writes about a PC version and includes no information worth the definition (NOT referring to a button, but to an empty comment).

Basic Hardware Specification Chart outline form

Processor Manufacturer: AMD / Intel
Processor Name / Type: Athlon X2 / Pentium D / C2D / dual core / quad, etc.
Processor Speed:  ?.? Ghz
Operating System / Service Pack: WindowsXP with SP #?, Win7, Vista ?  
System RAM: ? ? GBs (MBs, if less than 1024 ? )
Video (GPU) Manufacturer: ATI / Nvidia ([b][i]only those two are supported, PERIOD, [/b]so please answer which of them you have[/i])
Video [b][u]Card[/u][/b] Model: (examples) Radeon HD 6670 / Geforce GTX 550
Video Card Driver Version: Catalyst ?.? / Nforce ??.??
 . . (please use the numbers, and dates, *not* the word "latest")
Video display's default screen resolution
Video [b][u]Card[/u][/b] onboard RAM: ? ? ? MBs
Sound Card Manufacturer:
Sound Card Driver IDs:
Sound Card Model:

Get All the Details on the Hardware Inside Your PC
http://www.pcworld.com/article/114741/answer_line_get_all_the_details_on_the_hardware_inside_your_pc...

[Gaedrin]

I tried chatting with a Rep, but he ended up giving me more problems. I cant repair the game, so I uninstalled Origin, and now it won't add my games to my list, and I cant use the product codes again. So now I can't play ME1, 2, or 3.

[auron119]

I purchased the trilogy edition and I activated it. After I finished ME1 I was able to play ME2. After I used the tool to import my ME1 character to be played in ME2 the ME2 game would not launch and has not launched since. I have attempted to use some of the tips here (reinstall, use the Origin Beta version) however it has not worked so far. My specs follow this post.

System  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
  Manufacturer Sony Corporation
  Model VPCF121FX
  Total amount of system memory 4.00 GB RAM
  System type 64-bit operating system
  Number of processor cores 4
 
Storage  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
  Total size of hard disk(s) 456 GB
  Disk partition (C 293 GB Free (456 GB Total)
  Media drive (E CD/DVD
 
Graphics  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
  Display adapter type NVIDIA GeForce 310M
  Total available graphics memory 2295 MB
        Dedicated graphics memory 512 MB
        Dedicated system memory 0 MB
        Shared system memory 1783 MB
  Display adapter driver version 9.18.13.697
  Primary monitor resolution 1280x768
  DirectX version DirectX 10
 

[Gorath_the_Elder]

Although a GPU is the most important part to a game machine, when all you have is a tinker toy instead of a good card, sometimes a good CPU can help carry a game.  Once a solution to the immediate failure is found, you need better hardware.  You haven't told us anything useful about the CPU you have, since any more than two cores are no better in these games than a dual, at whatever core speed they will run. 

The G210 and G310 are merely rehashes of the very old and very terrible 8400 GS from over five years ago.  You will not enjoy ME-3 with that clunker still in there.  Remember, I am not having this problem with ME-2 myself, I'm trying to do a little first aid around the edges, is all. 

[Gaedrin]

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@goraththeelder wrote:

Although a GPU is the most important part to a game machine, when all you have is a tinker toy instead of a good card, sometimes a good CPU can help carry a game.  You haven't told us anything useful about the CPU you have, since any more than two cores are no better in these games than a dual, at whatever core speed they will run. 

The G210 and G310 are merely rehashes of the very old and very terrible 8400 GS from over five years ago.  You will not enjoy ME-3 with that clunker still in there. 

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This obviously isn't a hardware issue. Everyone that attempts to link their ME1 save file is getting this bug. I have optimal hardware, and I know I can run ME2 and 3 with max graphics and with little load on my GPU. Someone with a hardware issue preventing them from playing the game won't have the game fail to launch in the first place. Especially if they played ME1 without a hitch.