Unable to launch Mass Effect 1 again

[mikewoo6425235]

@holger1405

I've done everything you mentioned, even ran Revo a second time to be sure before restarting, but me1 is still giving a "failed to launch game" error.

I guess this means I will never be able to play me1 (at least on THIS computer) again. Wah.

[holger1405]

@mikewoo6425235 

• Find the installation directory of the game.
  (Steam (standardly): "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Mass Effect"
  (EA app (standardly): "C:\Program Files\EA Games\Mass Effect"
  (If installed under Origin: "C:\Program Files(x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect"
• Copy the full path on your system to a text editor
  Then:
  
• Press the Windows key and "R" at the same time.
• Type or copy and paste "Regedit" (without quotes) into the new window and press ENTER > Apply
• Back up the registry for security reasons:  Right click "Computer" > Export > Save to a place of your choice.
• Copy and paste "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\BioWare\Mass Effect" (without quotes) into the input line > press ENTER
  
• In the right Windows > look at the "Install Dir" key.
• Make sure there is no second "Install Dir" key and that the path matches the actual installation directory.
• If there is a second "Install Dir" key delete the one with the wrong path.
• If the path don't matches the actual install directory edit it so that it does. (Just double click on "Install Dir" and copy and past the path you saved above into the "Value" line.)
• Restart the PC > Test.

[mikewoo6425235]

@holger1405

The good news:

There was no secondary InstallDir key, and the existing key matches my current directory.

After the restart, EA Desktop minimized and me1 <tried> to launch, which is itself an improvement.

The bad news:

After waiting some ten minutes I became certain that me1 was not going to finish launching.

EDIT: just got a "the app crashed unexpectedly" error.

[mikewoo6425235]

Can't edit the post again, so here's more data

After restarting EA Desktop, noticed that me1's 'play' button was dimmed.

Tried to close EA Desktop, got a 'close the game first' error, so restarted the computer.

End result: me1 tried to launch, but failed in such a way that EA Desktop thought the game was running.

[holger1405]

@mikewoo6425235 

Deinstall ME1 with Revo as described in post 8.

Then:

• Make sure EA App or Steam are closed.
• Go to your "Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect" folder and move the "Save" folder and the "Config" folder to your desktop.
• Reinstall the game > Test.

If that is still not working post a new DxDiag.

[Solymir-Wave]

tried everything in this thread and i cant make it run...

[mikewoo6425235]

@holger1405 

Uninstalled me1 using Revo

Restarted

Made sure EA App was not running

\Documents\Bioware\ does not have a 'mass effect' folder, probably due to prior efforts

A power failure forced another restart

Unable to reinstall me1 because it never finishes 'preparing'

Is there a way to get the 'preparing' step to complete?

Posting a new dxdiag.

EDIT: Exiting the EA App and restarting broke it out of the endless 'preparing' loop, so now me1 is reinstalling.

Edit 2: Reinstall complete at 12:27. Tried launching me1, get yet another 'failed to launch game' error. <groan>

[holger1405]

@mikewoo6425235 

From the error I assumed this is a game or EA app problem, but now it looks like a problem of your system.

• Hit Windows key and X.
• Choose either “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Command prompt (Administrator),” or "Windows Terminal (Administrator)", whichever option is offered.
• Inside the PowerShell or CMD, enter “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Checkhealth” without quotes. > ENTER.
• If errors are found, notify us. If no errors were found reaped steps 1 & 2.
• Inside the PowerShell or CMD, enter “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” without quotes. > ENTER.
• The system will start validating soon. If it throws an error, please list it here.
• After it reaches 100%, hit Windows key and X again.
• Again, choose “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Command Prompt (Administrator)”
• Inside the PowerShell or CMD, enter “sfc /scannow” without quotes. >ENTER.
• Post the message you receive at the end of the processes here.
  
  

Also:

• Follow this manual to the letter to cleanly uninstall all NVIDIA components.
• Install the graphics driver and GFE. > Go online.
• Test.

[mikewoo6425235]

@holger1405 

ran dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth, got 'operation completed successfully

ran dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth, got 'operation completed successfully'

ran sfc /scannow, got 'windows resource protection did not find any integrity violations'

Restarted in safe mode, ran DDU to remove graphics driver

Restarted in normal mode, reinstalled graphics driver

However, <still> get 'failed to launch game' when trying to launch me1. Man, what is the freaking problem here???

[mikewoo6425235]

@holger1405 

I've decided to run a 'repair' on me1 in order to get its folders back into \documents\bioware\

Hopefully this will make it easier to launch.

EDIT: Aaand I still get 'failed to launch game' errors. <sigh>

I just don't know what else to do. Stupid screwed-up game.