New Disconnect issue...need advice

[gimpycow]

This just started happening last night. Yesterday morning, all was well. For the last 2 weeks or so, I have been ok with the 1.3 patch other than servers crashing during gameplay. Just last night however, I would login and it would load up the map fine from the load screen but if I wait 10 seconds or so...as the hard drive is thrashing with virtual memory...the hard drive just stops dead. After another 10 seconds, it comes back and tells me the connection to the server has been lost. During this timeframe the "join" button is available to click but I do not click it. I have also tried clicking it and I can see the map but in a couple of seconds, the hard drive just stops dead and with the same result. This happens on any map for SF or BF2. Not only that, but if I am on TS, it disconnects TS as well.

I have tested other games and they are fine going out to the net, joining and playing them...so this is definitely BF2 only and not a general hardware issue. I just tried reinstalling the v1.3 Full patch. It went through shader optimization....yada yada...but same issue still.

Any ideas? I have a feeling somebody is going to say reinstall from scratch because something got corrupted...which I REALLY would rather not have to do.

FREAKING BF2...

Well...it lets me connect to single player without an issue. Thinking maybe...just maybe...whatever was "stuck" or "corrupt" now might let me in if I try online....nope.

I tried to click join fast...I got in...I moved a few steps...then the hard drive stopped, sound stopped....and your connection to the server has been lost BS.

Oh the pain...

[|CBW|Simon]

Re: New Disconnect issue...need advice

Manually update your punkbuster (it's a shot).

Let BF2 create a new BF2 folder for you in your My Documents (yours may be corrupt (again, small chance))

Defrag your drive (can't hurt)

If you need more in dept 'how to's' on any of that, just ask.

Simon

[Cigar_Man]

Re: New Disconnect issue...need advice

Simon might be right cause PB has had both server and client updates this past week:

Sunday 07.09.2006 [11:45PM]

Version 1.241 of the PB Server for BF2 has been released to our PB Master Servers for auto-update and to our website download page. This is a maintenance release.

Thursday 07.06.2006 [9:00PM]

Version 1.240 of the PB Server for BF2 has been released to our PB Master Servers for auto-update and to our website download page. This is a maintenance release.

Thursday 07.06.2006 [5:45PM]

Version 1.256 of the PB Client for BF2 has been released to our PB Master Servers for auto-update and to our website download page. This is a maintenance release.

[gimpycow]

Re: New Disconnect issue...need advice

Hmm...here is something new to add to the equation.

I uninstalled and reinstalled and reapplied the full 1.3 patch. I was able to log into the first map I tried and I was able to complete a round. However, after it loaded the second map (and maybe updated PunkBuster...I dunno), the same behavior occurred again after a minute into the map...the hard drive just stopped and I got a "lost connection to server error". Now, after everytime I try to log into a server, after about 10 seconds, same thing....hard drive stops and I lose connection to the server.

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G....

Hasn't anyone else had this issue? If it was PB, I would think there would be other posts from tons of folks with the same isue....that being said...it certainly sounds like PunkBuster.

I am in the process of restoring a ghost image that I made from March 2006 to my primary hard drive. That has BF2 1.2 installed on it. By restoring the image, I am ensured that I am getting rid of anything lurking behind the scenes that might be giving me a problem other than hardware failure...which I highly doubt due to other games being fine.

If after I restore the image and the problem happens again, I would think it HAS to be PunkBuster. If that is the case...where do I go to post the issue? In addition, how do I manually d/l and control what PB updates are downloaded/installed?

I was screwed by a PunkBuster update before and it wouldn't surprise me if it happened again...

[BaT420]

Re: New Disconnect issue...need advice

your not alone i have the same problem but i know its due to the cdkey iam useing cause if i use the cd key i bought at launch no crash use the cdkey i bought for the second pc few days ago crash. does matter what pc i use either or with that key will do it. ive fully formated the other oc reinstalled bf2 5 times on it from dvd and cd and still does it so iam thinking its 1.3. because under 1.4 ith this same key iam not crashing the servers. when you get disconnected the server crashed ive done it like 20-30 times and peoiple on vent were bitching when i would join servers they were playing in cause i would nuke the server hope ea resolves these issues soon glad to see iam not the only guy out there nuking servers not intentionally just trying to damn well get some fragging in.

[gimpycow]

Re: New Disconnect issue...need advice

BAT...I appreciate your reply but I am not nuking servers....they stay up and running it is just my client that looses connectivity.

Well, I reimaged my hard drive with the March 2006 image, reinstalled patches 1.22 and 1.3 and I was able to get into a server/map without a problem. The server didn't change maps so I was able to play a second round. However, when I tried to load up a different map and now everytime I try to load a map....SAME ISSUE AS NOTED IN ORGINAL POST.

I am almost certain this is PUNKBUSTER. I was running with v1.3 for weeks without this problem. Per a previous post, there was a Punkbuster release this weekend...right when my problem started happening. Now to figure out where to post the issue in the hope that it is a punkbuster issue and that they fix it PRONTO! If enough people don't post with me, it ain't going to get fixed anytime soon...

I opened the following ticket at www.punkbuster.com...

To BF2 PB support:

Everytime I try to connect to a server, after about 10 seconds after the "join" button is available, I receive a "lost connection to server" message. BF2 is unplayable.

I have been running v1.3 of BF2 for weeks without a problem. This problem just started happening Sunday night - 7/9...the same time Version 1.241 of PunkBuster was released.

Today I have tried reinstalling BF2 and reimaging my hard drive via Ghost with an image from 3/2006. In both cases, after I updated BF2 to v1.3, I was able to log into the first server that I tried without an issue. I played on the initial map for about 10 minutes. However, once that server changed maps or I try to log into another server, I have the same problem of "lost connection to server". After this occurs, every time I try to connect to any server, the same thing occurs. If I try to connect to single player I don't have any issue which is further proof it is punkbuster as I am not having any issues with my other online games.

In addition, many months ago I had a similar problem with similar BF2 behavior that turned out to be PunkBuster related.

If necessary, please UNDO the latest version of PunkBuster immediately. I appreciate the role of PunkBuster but when it makes the game unplayable throughout it's lifespan at various times due to bugs, it is very frustrating. Please keep me advised of your findings.

Thanks,
Gimpycow