Can't open the game

devencombs

The servers are up, but I can't open the game. All I get is a black screen and the rotating blue circle. Anyone else have this problem?

davefenestrator

Windows or console?

Windows: alt-tab, ctrl-alt-del to open task manager, kill the GameClient process, try again.

devencombs

Windows. Bringing up the task manager shows nothing running. Also, I cannot switch from the black screen to another application or even the desktop.

davefenestrator

Sign out or restart (not sleep) then.

devencombs

I've tried that multiple times. I still have the same problem. I successfully opened the game this morning, but it won't open now.

protoneous

Might be able to help with a picture -



After restarting your computer, bring up the game launcher and try starting it in safe mode if you're still having issues.

It's accessed via the options button highlighted in red which brings up the menu seen here and then checking or unchecking the appropriate box to enable or disable, respectively. This can be a handy way of temporarily getting around some issues.

Verifying game files and turning off on demand patching are also worthy of mention.

devencombs

Okay, thanks. I'll try that.

phoenixc

I have been having the same problem. The way I get around it is to check Task Manager and if the game is at zero CPU for more than ten or fifteen seconds (longer at first) I kill the game and the launcher in Task Manager then restart from the beginning and it almost always works that second time.

devencombs

Had to force verify twice and start in safe mode. Unfortunately, it started in very small windowed mode, even though I selected full screen. I had to select full screen again in the options and then try to remember what the resolution was. I'm not sure what made it go haywire, but at least it works now. Thanks for the advice.

strathkin

protoneous wrote: »

Might be able to help with a picture -



After restarting your computer, bring up the game launcher and try starting it in safe mode if you're still having issues.

It's accessed via the options button highlighted in red which brings up the menu seen here and then checking or unchecking the appropriate box to enable or disable, respectively. This can be a handy way of temporarily getting around some issues.

Verifying game files and turning off on demand patching are also worthy of mention.

Yes, doing a Force Verify often can help. I also stopped using Demand Patching a long time ago; so you get all updates with each patch, a bit bigger download but less problems.

Also go into Options (ESC) then Display.

Ensure you use Windowed Mode, and your Resolution is set to the same as your Screen Resolution on Windows.
╘ this gives a slightly smaller minimized setting, and maximized is well full screen.

phoenixc

devencombs wrote: »

Had to force verify twice and start in safe mode. Unfortunately, it started in very small windowed mode, even though I selected full screen. I had to select full screen again in the options and then try to remember what the resolution was. I'm not sure what made it go haywire, but at least it works now. Thanks for the advice.

If you have an LCD or LED monitor the resolution should always match the monitor's resolution and you can check that by right-clicking the Windows desktop usually.

leemwatson

devencombs wrote: »

Had to force verify twice and start in safe mode. Unfortunately, it started in very small windowed mode, even though I selected full screen. I had to select full screen again in the options and then try to remember what the resolution was. I'm not sure what made it go haywire, but at least it works now. Thanks for the advice.

Starting the game in safe-mode erases the game.pref file, which is why it starts in windowed-mode. The black-screen is usually because of a corrupted pref file or a change that makes the settings incompatible.

desilu

This worked for me

Go into C: (where ever Star Trek Online is stored on your PC), find the Star Trek Online .exe file and create a shortcut on your desktop. Run it, enter password, play.

Go back to Arc tool use after they fix the issue.

hav0k

I've been having this issue for 4 days. First two days "End Task" and retry bypassed the issue, 3rd and 4th day that fails and all attempts to run the game freeze on a black screen with only the hourglass cursor, (the screen prior to the Cryptic Logo screen).

I'm verifying now, but I don't see how to run in "safe mode"??

eladonwarps

Been having this problem for I think a week now. Tried force verify, turned off on-demand patching, bypass Arc Launcher, none of that changed anything.

Essentially my daily routine is now: I launch STO, I get to the first black page before the Cryptic logo, I Ctrl-Shift-Esc to bring up Task manager, I kill the Game Client, and then the second time I launch STO it always works.

That said, I hadn't considered Safe Mode yet, so that's what I'll try next time.

eazzie

eladonwarps#6040 wrote: »

Been having this problem for I think a week now. Tried force verify, turned off on-demand patching, bypass Arc Launcher, none of that changed anything.

Essentially my daily routine is now: I launch STO, I get to the first black page before the Cryptic logo, I Ctrl-Shift-Esc to bring up Task manager, I kill the Game Client, and then the second time I launch STO it always works.

That said, I hadn't considered Safe Mode yet, so that's what I'll try next time.

Be aware going into safe mode will revert all your graphics settings

sheldonlcooper

oh, interesting. I thought it was just me. The first launch never works so I've been ctl alt del then start again and it works fine.

echatty

No, it's happened to me a couple of times. I have to kill it in Task Manager when it does that and then it works the second time.

eladonwarps

> @eazzie said:
> Be aware going into safe mode will revert all your graphics settings

It set everything to minimums. DS9 was like a power outage. I mostly used default, and it reverted back when I selected default.

But it ran without a crash...