Workaround For Crash to Desktop With No Error Message/Runtime Error Message Problem

[DigitalySane]

There are two current workarounds that extend the inevitable crashing and there's also the method of deleting the NFC's that fixes it all sometimes.

Method 1 Reinstall (Kinda but different, courtesy of Freyar)

• Close Steam
• Navigate to "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps"
• Delete left 4 dead 2 client.ncf & left 4 dead 2 common.ncf
• Launch Steam and you should now see that Left4Dead2 comes up as uninstalled.
• Right click And Install or Click on Left4Dead2 and find the install button.
• It will now instead of installing, find it's missing files that may be causing a problem.
• If this doesn't work Proceed to "Method 2"

Method 2 Administrator -Expands No Crash Time Upto About 3 Hours

(IF DOING METHOD 2 YOU MUST KNOW YOUR STEAM USERNAME AND PASSWORD IF YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR USERNAME LOOK AT THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF YOUR STEAM WINDOW IF YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR POSWORD RESET IT BEFORE TRYING ALSO GORE WILL REMAIN SO IT'S WORTH IT)

• Close Steam
• Navigate to "C:\Program Files\Steam"
• Locate Steam.exe
• Right Click on Steam.exe and go to properties then proceed the the compatibility tab in the window, here you should find a toggleable box next to "Run Program as an administrator" Tick it then apply then ok.
• Navigate to "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\left 4 dead 2"
• Locate Left4Dead2.exe
• Right Click on Left4Dead2.exe and go to properties then proceed the the compatibility tab in the window, here you should find a toggleable box next to "Run Program as an administrator" Tick it then apply then ok.
• Launch Steam it will say something about do not run steam in computability mode and about picking one option will revert it to normal and the other will continue so pick the continue one whichever it is.
• Steam will now ask you for your steam accounts Username And Password then you will enter steam as usual.
• Go Play L4D And Enjoy the game with gore unlike "Method 3"
• One last thing if you have been using the no gore workaround previously then go to launch options and remove "-lv"
• If it doesn't work proceed to "Method 4" or if wish to bump up your no crash time for even longer proceed to "Method 3"

Method 3 (Gibbing, Blood and Dead Bodies Will Be Lost)

Well I'll be dammed, Wanting expand the time until crashing? Or is the above not working? Or are you to lazy to read the above methods and have noticed this is the smallest? Or Do you have the Australian or German Version of the game and know losing gore is no biggie for you since you've lost it already well anyway's here's your info

• In steam Right Click on Left4Dead2 in the games tab and click on properties.
• Click on "Set Launch Options..."
• Enter the following (VIA KEYBOARD DUH) "-lv" and click on ok.
• Play Left4Dead2 And Enjoy your non crashing, extend time until crash, and loss of gibbing aswell as Left4Dead2.

Method 4 Full Control(Courtesy of Kirennian)

• Navigate to your windows folder (usually C:/Windows/)
• Locate the "CSC" Folder
• Try to open the folder and it should fail (if it doesn't, you have a different problem), It will come up with "You don't currently have permission to access this folder" at which time you keep pressing continue until it says you've been denied.
• Right-click the folder, go to properties.
• Go to the security tab at which point it'll say "To continue, you must be an administrative user with permission to view this object's security properties" at which point you click continue.
• Click on admin in the owner tab which will swap the owner to the administrator then click OK.
• You then click on OK once again which will bring up the security tab.
• Tick 'full control', press OK twice to get out of the properties tabs.
• Go Play L4D And Enjoy the game with gore unlike "Method 3"

Other Problems? When I'm not lazy I'll make a thread to address all these problems.

ALSO IF YOUR STILL SCANNING FOR STEAM UPDATES JUST WAIT YOUR GOD DAM L4D2 PRE-LOAD FILES ARE DECRYPTING

[DigitalySane]

Bump 2 front 2 help people

[Kirennian]

Easier if we work on the same thread so I'll post my info here and let my thread die.

The result:
Crashing to the desktop with no prior warning on a multitude of different system combinations. Upon 'checking integrity of game cache', there will always be at least one file downloaded which is corrupted and replaced... the replacement file unfortunately also being corrupted and so it goes on.

The triggering event:
Friendly fire in any capacity (if you're unsure if this applies to your crashes, test it in the safe room, in single player of course ). While some may joke that it's a bloody good way to train, of course CPU controlled players do it all the time and besides, you can't realistically be expected to play online without one person in the game friendly firing at some point.

Any more potential suggestions for fixes would be appreciated, also information on how to send a 'ticket' so I can add my pennies worth along with the others who seem to be experiencing the same difficulties. Also, it'd be nice to know which files fail to validate but unfortunately the steam engine doesn't provide that information

[dorn123]

Here's a method (warning this is pretty advanced) to possibly figure out where it's choking at least.

1) Goto http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx and download Procmon.
2) Start Procmon as administrator.
3) Goto filter menu -> filter...
4) In the drop down pick "Process Name" and type in "left4dead2.exe" then hit the Add button.
5) In the drop down pick "Result"" and type in ACCESS DENIED then hit the Add button.
6) Click Ok then leave Procmon open and goto Steam.
7) Run L4D2 until it crashes to desktop.
8) After you crash go back and read procmon to see if it gave you any info.

What you are looking for is in the last entry hopefully. Look at the "Path" column and post what it says here.

[Kirennian]

/bump

Also, I've just noticed it's fine with melee friendly fire, but not with weapons...any of them (that I've been able to try thus far).

edit: Still crashes on easy, further narrowing it down to an animation problem rather then a damage table problem.

[Myro]

I think it has something to do with the SI and Vista.
a lot of my crashes sem to happen when they're around.

[mischievousape]

Originally Posted by Myro

I think it has something to do with the SI and Vista.
a lot of my crashes sem to happen when they're around.

I agree...That's what I've noticed too. It's like the moment they connect with an attack, the crash happens for me.

[Kirennian]

Originally Posted by dorn123

Here's a method (warning this is pretty advanced) to possibly figure out where it's choking at least.

1) Goto http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx and download Procmon.
2) Start Procmon as administrator.
3) Goto filter menu -> filter...
4) In the drop down pick "Process Name" and type in "left4dead2.exe" then hit the Add button.
5) In the drop down pick "Result"" and type in ACCESS DENIED then hit the Add button.
6) Click Ok then leave Procmon open and goto Steam.
7) Run L4D2 until it crashes to desktop.
8) After you crash go back and read procmon to see if it gave you any info.

What you are looking for is in the last entry hopefully. Look at the "Path" column and post what it says here.

c:\Windows\CSC

It is attempting to create a file there which reveals access denied.

Detail :
Desired Access: Generic Read,
Disposition: Open,
Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert,
Attributes: n/a,
ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete,
Allocation Size: n/a

[Kirennian]

Originally Posted by Myro

I think it has something to do with the SI and Vista.
a lot of my crashes sem to happen when they're around.

Originally Posted by mischievousape

I agree...That's what I've noticed too. It's like the moment they connect with an attack, the crash happens for me.

Have you tried shooting a team mate? With a gun, not melee else it doesn't work. I ask because I thought the same until I tried shooting a teammate immediately at the beginning of the level where there is no possibility of a SI having spawned. It should crash instantly.

[Crower]

Tried method 1, didnt work, cant tick off the admin thingy in either options u mention, so gonna try method 3

[mischievousape]

Originally Posted by Kirennian

Have you tried shooting a team mate? With a gun, not melee else it doesn't work. I ask because I thought the same until I tried shooting a teammate immediately at the beginning of the level where there is no possibility of a SI having spawned. It should crash instantly.

Oh...yeh...I just tried it without the -lv launch option...The intro to Swamp Fever finished, I shot Ellis, I'm looking at the desktop.

It's really possible that when the SI attacked, friendly fire was caused by shooting at the attacking SI.

But you are totally right, friendly fire ABSOLUTELY crashes the game to desktop.

[NotASeaCaptain!]

I tried the first method, It didn't work. I'm going to try the second method now before resorting to number three.

[Kirennian]

Right, Single player work around:

Currently only tested momentarily but I shot a team mate so...

Go into offline mode, disable all of the steam cloud messages that come up and it should work. Of course that means no multiplayer for the time being but I'm sure It'll keep you amused enough if it works, until they find a long term solution to the problem.

If anyone from steam is looking at this, there is a function aimed at determining friendly fire which is sent to the server... this is where our problem seems to be.


edit: oh and can someone please tell me how to send a 'ticket' to them. I'd love to be able to keep them informed with different things I'm trying at the moment. Third time asked is a charm?

[dorn123]

Originally Posted by Kirennian

c:\Windows\CSC

It is attempting to create a file there which reveals access denied.

Detail :
Desired Access: Generic Read,
Disposition: Open,
Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert,
Attributes: n/a,
ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete,
Allocation Size: n/a

Yea I had the exact same problem. What I did was try to open that folder when that failed I brought up the security dialog and changed the owner to administrator (make sure to click the little checkbox to make the change apply to all child folders/files).

This fixed the problem totally for me.

[Kirennian]

Okay so I got further and then all of a sudden got a 'no steam logon and it kicked me to the menu, hahahaha. Seems I just can't win today