Crashing led to Reformatting, then MD5 error, Help!!!

[-CsA-Bearcage]

First of all my in game graphics started to go, then the game crashed. This led to me having to uninstall then reinstall and after 2 weeks of Patching errors, no avail. This time I had MD5 errors on the client map zip files, then promted to retry which I did, the Bf2 disc then finished it's installation and went on to Voip set up.
Just so I keep you informed of everything I didn't at this stage(not knowing if it is important), install Gamespy.

So apart from the MD5 error at the start of installing Bf2 it all went smoothly, I then installed Bf2 S/F, which it patches the original game this went ok and installed. I then went through patching the 1.12 patch and updating P/b until it said all updates have been applied. All great!!!! or so you would think.........
I logged on and retrieved my account and attempted to start in a server, the server loaded me and went into 'Loadin complete, Verifying client data' and no sooner had the 'Join game' button came into sight the game crashes and 'This server does only allows players with unmodified content to join. Revert to your version of Battlefield 2 to the current official version to join'.
The game is official and so are the Patches
3.0Ghz Pentium 4
1.5Gb DDR Ram
Medion MD8083

[CaptJordus]

Re: Crashing led to Reformatting, then MD5 error, Help!!!

MD5 is the hash algorithm that BF2 uses to verify the data on your machine, basically to make sure you arent cheating.

I think you need to completely wipe out your bf2 folder and reinstall from scratch.

[-CsA-Bearcage]

Re: Crashing led to Reformatting, then MD5 error, Help!!!

Thank you for your advice, however, before I do the reinstall I'd like to mention the fact that the last time i uninstalled I also set my computer back to factory settings and each time I get the MD5 error along with 'patching failed' errors when it came to S/F and the 1.12 patch.
Also after trying to install from borrowed Bf2(Original)discs, I get the same errors?

[Kattspya]

Re: Crashing led to Reformatting, then MD5 error, Help!!!

Thank you for your advice, however, before I do the reinstall I'd like to mention the fact that the last time i uninstalled I also set my computer back to factory settings and each time I get the MD5 error along with 'patching failed' errors when it came to S/F and the 1.12 patch.
Also after trying to install from borrowed Bf2(Original)discs, I get the same errors?

MD5-errors on downloads may be caused by bad RAM. I suggest you run memtest86 and see if it finds any errors.

It could also be bad HDD's.

[-CsA-Bearcage]

Re: Crashing led to Reformatting, then MD5 error, Help!!!

Typed memtest86 into run cmd line nothing happened, is it a web site or download? Thank you

[evilzucchini]

Re: Crashing led to Reformatting, then MD5 error, Help!!!

At one point I started to get a lot of MD5tool mismatch problems. After searching for quite sometime I uncovered this utility:

http://www.battlefield-2.co.uk/site/comment.php?comment.news.6

I think what it does is checks all of your files and corrects any errors. these errors are what cause the MD5tool to fail. I can't gaurantee that it will work, as it could be memory and HD problems, but it did for me.

Good luck.

[-CsA-Bearcage]

Re: Crashing led to Reformatting, then MD5 error, Help!!!

Thanks again I've read the article on the page that displays. I have the Punkbuster update utility and it came up with 'all updates have been applied,' still probs occured

[machstem]

Re: Crashing led to Reformatting, then MD5 error, Help!!!

Google memtest and download the "floppy" version.

Just boot up the system with your memtest disk in, it'll run automatically.

You'll need to have it run for approximately 24hrs to get a good look at your memory. It's a lenghthy process, but you can find out whether your memory is going bad.

MD5 is normally a way to find out if the file you have matches the file that the game looks for. If the game crashed, the file that crashes on the MD5 check might be corrupted. Reinstalling the game should help this. You will need to make sure everything is deleted; folder, etc

I have seen cracked .EXE files give off MD5 errors before. (clients of course)

Hope that helps.

PEACE

[CaptJordus]

Re: Crashing led to Reformatting, then MD5 error, Help!!!

Message Digest 5 (MD5) is a security hash algorithm that makes a hashed key of whatever data its trying to encrypt. In this case its the content of the client side game. (be it the actual content, the length of the content, or certain attributes of it). The server checks this to ensure noone is hacking or changing their gamefiles to have better guns or anything.

MD5 itself is not a "tool" to check game files, its simply a security measure to encrypt information to be verified.

Even though problems arrise with it sometimes, there is no doubt that it was a great feature to build into the game to prevent cheaters from using all sorts of weird stuff.