Now what i experienced last night when i closed down the game was that it opened up the launcher right away and fully automatically, it then began patching but the size of that patch was over 4gb in size. After patching the patching progress bar said to be ready but then the engage button stayed on saying cancel and it automatically closed down the launcher. Now i did not expect any patching so it gave me a real shock when it happend and i asked around a bit.
I am not sure this is related to what you are experiencing atm but give it a read and try to find similarities that fit too your situation, my personal suspect is that the removal of the 32bits version is the reason for you to have become unable to log.
Cryptic is sadly not real friendly when it comes to tech support but be assured that people are reporting and thus that cryptic is sorting things out even tho they have not (yet) responded to the ticket.
I hope to have given you some pointers as to what is happening, sorry i can not do much more for you tho.
Friendly regards and hang in there ok from,
Jim
Jim: I've tried backing up with Win7's backup software. Unfortunately it doesn't add to an existing backup. It creates a disk image each time, which forces you to have multiple disk images (and with about 1.5 TB used out of 1.85 TB, the disk images aren't exactly in an economy size). Which means that you'd better have *alot* of space on your backup drive (or multiple backup drives; not just multiple partitions) or you'll have to delete the old backup disk image to make space for a new backup disk image. Apple OS thankfully understands adding files to an existing backup. Wish Win7 did. If you know any worthwhile free backup programs, I'm all ears. Btw, just to be on the safe side, I've created two restore points since the Win7 reinstall, calling them "Post-Win7-reinstall restore point" and the date so that I know not to go to an earlier restore point unless I absolutely have to. Before doing the reinstall, I did try two earlier restore points (before Jan. 9) and the Jan. 3 restore point didn't do any good, so I went back even further to Dec. 24 and that worked. But, in the end, I still had to reinstall Win7. Last night I was up late re-importing music into iTunes. I didn't re-import everything I had before (because that would've been over 100 GB and mostly not music I listen to on a regular basis). I still have more music to re-import. And, thankfully, I have a USB drive, which is where I store text files (work-related and otherwise) and photos that I don't want to lose. So, naturally, Win7 now says that it doesn't recognize that USB drive. *big sigh* (Sometimes I wonder why I bother with Microsoft anymore. It's like being stuck with a vehicle that you wish you could trade in for a better one, but you can't afford a better one, even with the trade in.) Anyway ... I can work, I can play. So that's the important thing. And your advice and support was very welcome. Without it, I would've felt like a hermit in the middle of a desert. And I'm not *that* much of a loner. I certainly hope that Cryptic is very appreciative that there are STO users like you helping STO users like me. You deserve a bonus from them. Not a big bonus, but something that sincerely says "Thank you *very* much, Jim."
P.S.: Backup-wise, what I might do is delete the existing backup disk image, and then just copy files over (download directory, text files, photos, and videos, mostly). Which should do until I find a worthwhile free backup program. Something that lets me add to the existing backup, rather than one disk image after another.
Now what i experienced last night when i closed down the game was that it opened up the launcher right away and fully automatically, it then began patching but the size of that patch was over 4gb in size. After patching the patching progress bar said to be ready but then the engage button stayed on saying cancel and it automatically closed down the launcher. Now i did not expect any patching so it gave me a real shock when it happend and i asked around a bit.
I am not sure this is related to what you are experiencing atm but give it a read and try to find similarities that fit too your situation, my personal suspect is that the removal of the 32bits version is the reason for you to have become unable to log.
Cryptic is sadly not real friendly when it comes to tech support but be assured that people are reporting and thus that cryptic is sorting things out even tho they have not (yet) responded to the ticket.
I hope to have given you some pointers as to what is happening, sorry i can not do much more for you tho.
Friendly regards and hang in there ok from,
Jim
Greetings Jim and thank you for the info,
I read through it all and I did notice that the 32bit option was gone and I WAS running that before. I don't run win server (that I am aware of at least) just normal win 10 home boot up and access through ARC to the game. I did find a debug file that had some interesting error messages in it but sadly I haven't a clue what they mean.... it does look like some file is messed up and maybe I just need to uninstall and re-install but I have done at least 9 full forced file verifications over the last 48 hrs and I would think that one of them should have resolved a missing file issue.
====================================================================
[0116/094537:INFO:CONSOLE(0)] "Uncaught ReferenceError: LauncherAPI is not defined," source: about:blank(1)
[0116/094537:ERROR:backend_impl.cc(2083)] Corrupt Index file
[0116/094537:ERROR:cache_util_win.cc(43)] Unable to move the cache: 0
[0116/094537:ERROR:backend_impl.cc(134)] Unable to move cache folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Star Trek Online_en\cef_cache to C:\Program Files (x86)\Star Trek Online_en\old_cef_cache_000
[0116/094537:ERROR:backend_impl.cc(221)] Unable to create cache
[0116/094543:INFO:CONSOLE(0)] "Select shard: 0," source: http://launcher.startrekonline.com/static/all/js/api.js(157)
===================================================================
I have submitted that debug file along with all other info I could to support via ticket system as well but since their first reply suggesting it was a wireless connection or router/modem issue (both of which I have tested and proven not the current cause at least)
Thank you again for your insight and trying to help Me figure this issue...
Mike
Still nothing working on my end.
I can't really re-install Win7 as god only knows where the discs are in the house.
...and if they did do what was discussed in Reddit about removing the 32-bit in the launcher, then that IS the problem.
This is the ONLY game i have on my computer, and it would truely suck to have to remove it because some software engineer decided to make changes to the game without any warning to the users and players who pay to play.
Coachles: I really wish I could loan you my Win7 CD, then. But unless you happen to live not too far from Washington DC (I live about 2 1/2 to 4 hours' drive - depending on traffic - north of there), I won't be able to loan it to you. Maybe you can find an OEM disk with Win7 installation files on it? I would avoid Ebay auctions, Craigslist, and sellers on Amazon (if it's sold by Amazon itself, you should be okay). They tend to overprice their stuff, and there's no guarantee that you're getting an authentic (and functioning) OEM disk. But if you *can* find one (maybe download it from a Torrent service that's trustworthy?), all you'd need next is the Win7 license key (which I'm guessing you already have).
Another idea: If you have your hard drive backed up (and not using Win7 backup program), you could just restore everything. If your backup is older than last week (before January 8's Windows Update, I mean), that might do the trick. Or if you have a restore point that's old enough (I had to go back to the one I created on Dec. 24, 2018, and that still didn't fix the STO launcher/patcher problem).
But then you'd still have to deal with the three files from January 8's Windows Update, which I haven't re-installed yet; first, I want Microsoft to provide a bonafide fix for what messed up my computer last week. And no, I don't entirely trust Microsoft (and I've used Microsoft stuff since MS-DOS 2.2); I've had to undo past Windows Updates and it's only slightly more "fun" than reinstalling Windows itself. I'd rather reinstall Norton 360 instead (which I also had to do after reinstalling Win7, and I had to create a new password since I forgot my old one and don't remember where I wrote it down).
Btw, in hindsight, I'm getting the feeling that it wasn't Cryptic's fault at all for what happened to my computer. I'm getting the feeling it was Microsoft's, and they're probably doing everything they can to force Win7 users to upgrade to at least Win8, Win8.1 or Win10, even if it means forcing Win7 users to download and install broken update files. Apparently they don't believe that Win7 is the best operating system they've ever created (using the best of both WinXP and WinVista). I wish someone could convince them. But they probably wouldn't listen to me.
From the reading of it you would need an external hdd of at least 1.5 too 2 tb in size. That would allow you to make backups in the way i suggested and even have some room left to backup as you are used too. The cd method was fine until the hdd drives reached 500gb since then a external drive is the way to go to backup imo
As for what program to use i cant tell honestly, it has been ages that i back up in any way. I simply reinstall and start from scratch every time. Best fixing there is. As for the usb drive, that can be 2 things. Either you need a driver for the device or an driver for the port. Also, i do recommend to get rid of win7 asap, they no longer support that version and every update they give for it since their no support announcement has been troublesome. It would not even surprise me if they have started giving wrong updates to force users to an upgrade of their os.
I can totally agree with you doubting Microsoft, it is not the first time i have had a computer broke down on me due to one of their updates, more then once hardware broke because of the so called updates they dare to release have had it happen in win98 in win xp and on win10 where i could not do anything with the machines until i swapped out hardware >_>
As for cryptic being appreciative of my and others efforts to keep players in game i dont think they even care honestly, am not doing it for them anyway All i want is players to be able to be in game when they wish too and have fun and the fact it helped you is more then enough of an reward to me
Ye this unannounced removal of the 32bits version is just plain nasty, i am afraid many will be affected by it even some life time players will be As for the errors you managed to find it does look to me as if the game is still trying to reach the old files they removed. Basically they did half the work needed for an removal of the 32bits version >_> Good thing you have send it to them, it allows them to see the mistake they possibly made and the exact location of the needed fix so really good job as it will result in an faster fix so thank you for that
As for an force verify not working i think that too is due to the removal of the 32bits version, they need to change the coding in the force verify tool to let it know what files to correct. Atm it is highly likely the verify is trying to fix both the 32 as 64 versions and as it can not find the 32bits stuff it simply breaks the verify cutting it short in its fixing. An complete removal of the star trek related files and reinstall of the 64bits version could work but you have to be sure that all the old files folders and registry keys are gone for the best effect.
I do hope you too have it fixed asap but am afraid it will take a little while due to cryptic that needs to release an fix for the half removal of 32bits version.
For you goes basically the same thing, you can try to remove every sto related file folder and registry keys then install the 64bits version to see if that will allow you to get back into the game. Just because you run on a 32bits windows and hardware does not mean the game on 64bits will not work on the machine you use in its current 32bits build
Anyhow it is a saddening sight to see you guys in these problems, i do hope my tips and suggestions are helping for all of you.
@jimduval#7537 Sadly it all makes sense, 32 bit and the error codes and missing files as a result of the lost 32 bit.. I am gonna go silent for now as you My friend have been outstanding in helping explain and figure out the likely culprit but unfortunately it would appear the fix is outta My hands at this point.
Somebody said above you deserve a bonus of some kinda from cryptic for helping be their support staff team.... I would agree wholeheartedly.
I am a lifer btw, been one for a few years now, so yeah, some of Us are being affected. I just checked My ticket status and no update or anything since the 15th, probably way to busy with todays update ending Winter play ground and getting ready for next week, maybe those of Us affected will get to play anniversary, but its not looking promising.
Mike (Velbar)
Jim: I guess what I'll do what you do. But storing important files on another drive. I wouldn't want to have to recover, for instance, all the music I've imported into iTunes (I used to have over 100 GB, but this time only about half that much), and the videos I've downloaded from YouTube (mostly, but also from other websites).
The backup drive I currently have is 1 TB in size (the hard drive in the computer is 1.85 TB, I think). I thought that that would be big enough for backups. Seems I need to save up money and buy a bigger backup drive. Which may take awhile.
Hopefully I won't have to reinstall Win7 yet again (or install Win10) anytime soon. (The last time was about two or three years ago.) I've yet to hear mostly positive reports about Win10 ... except, of course, from Microsoft, which doesn't surprise me. A fellow STO user installed Win10 recently, and has had more problems than successes. I'm not exactly keen to join them. I want a stable OS. Win7 is. I wish I could say the same for Win10. At least most of the non-game software I have is open source, so that it probably doesn't matter which Windows version I use on my PC. I just want a Windows OS that's stable and I can trust ... like Win7. Oh, and I have to be able to play STO on it. Natch.
My thumb rule when it comes to backup drives is that they at least need to be close or even somewhat bigger then the os drive. It might be a little to much but when it comes to securing the files and backups it is beter to be safe then sorry
As for the music and clips stored. You might want to use an external drive for that too, the upside simply is that it will safeguard both the files as the C:// drive. The bigger an hdd and the more it has stored on it the worse windows works with it. So if possible try to keep as much files out of the C:// partition as possible as that will result in a more stable windows
My c:// drive only has windows installed and the drivers and updates with some 50gb of free space left on C:// I have an secondary external hdd from where i run my games of and store my films music and pictures and everything else i could need
As for win 10 being unstable... i have my current machine since march of 2017 and it overal runs good. Have not had an blue screen or hanging system in years, only thing that kinda ruined it was that win update in the summer of 2018 that forced me to make use of the factory warranty but overal i am content with the win10. It took some getting used too but that was no different as when i switched from win98 too win xp and from xp to win 7 Ye sure older games have a hard time to run on win10 and some do not ever get to run but most of them work by now
It is smart of you to use the open source software for win7 at least that will give you somewhat of safety but the problem will still arise where certain key windows7 parts do not receive any updates putting your machine at a extra risk.
Jim: I know the feeling. Finally decided to summarize what's happened to me since yesterday.
After Wednesday's Windows 7 Update (which dumped me with almost no warning out of STO during a battle with the Fek'ihri in the "Afterlife" KDF mission, and then rebooted my computer; even though I've told Windows Update not to update or reboot without informing me first) and yesterday's STO patch, I can no longer play STO ... at all. At first it usually just crashed to desktop. But after about six or seven failed attempts on my part, it now just freezes my computer without patching more than 0% (and via the pop-up error reporting window, I've reported the game crashing on me at least seven times). All I can do is press the power button until the computer shuts off and then press it again to reboot. I've uninstalled STO, Steam, and ARC. Then I've reinstalled Steam and ARC, and then tried to reinstall STO (including the standalone launcher). Computer froze again. I don't know what else to do. I've had STO freeze on me in the past; I've had STO crash to desktop on me; I've had STO fail to log-in; etc. But those were all temporary; eventually I could log-in and patch okay again. This time, though, I think it's permanent. I can't even tell my newest STO friend that I won't be able to be back on STO again; I don't have her email address. Not exactly the best sign-off after 5 out of 6 years of playing STO. Not a rage-quit. Just a what-else-can-I-do-but-give-up reaction.
Hope you're able to get it fixed on your end.
P.S.: I've checked STO forums (including network bug reports), ARC, Steam, Reddit, Twitter, and other websites. No recent report whatsoever of what happened to me STO-wise. Maybe it's unique to me this time. (Also, I installed World of Warships earlier today. No problems. Logged in. No problems. Played several battles. No problems. Logged out. No problems.) I wish someone could tell me that Cryptic is aware of my STO-related problems and is doing their best to solve it. Or that I just won't be able to play it anymore. Either answer would be okay with me. I would prefer the first answer, however. I miss STO alot already.
This is almost the exact same experience I'm having now. Have Windows 7 had a update when I shut down my computer yesterday around 5pm PST 01/16/19. When I logged out of STO the system reopen to do a patch, proceeded to shut down computer then Windows did a update while computer was shutting down. Now today 01/17/19 try to play STO the system would either give me a error crash message and shut down. After trying to log in a couple more times with same result the system now patches to about between 2 to 4% and then my computer freezes. Only option is to do a hard power button shut down to reboot.
I've uninstalled and reinstalled STO nothing seems to work. Updated Java, done system checks , every thing looks fine. Just don't know what else to do.
This is almost the exact same experience I'm having now. Have Windows 7 had a update when I shut down my computer yesterday around 5pm PST 01/16/19. When I logged out of STO the system reopen to do a patch, proceeded to shut down computer then Windows did a update while computer was shutting down. Now today 01/17/19 try to play STO the system would either give me a error crash message and shut down. After trying to log in a couple more times with same result the system now patches to about between 2 to 4% and then my computer freezes. Only option is to do a hard power button shut down to reboot.
I've uninstalled and reinstalled STO nothing seems to work. Updated Java, done system checks , every thing looks fine. Just don't know what else to do.
I had to reinstall Win7 (about 5 to 5 1/2 hour process), and now STO launches/patches just fine. I still haven't re-installed the Win7 update from January 8, 2019, though. (And Windows Update has been fussing at me for not doing it yet.) Because if that's what caused me to locked out of STO, I'm not installing those three files. An IT article online (I don't remember which website, but found it via Google search) mentioned that the Windows Update KB4480970 had a bug in it (it affected network connection SMB-something and sometimes also told you that your Windows version wasn't authentic (even though it is)) and that two days later there was a fixed file from Microsoft. Unfortunately you cannot download/install the fixed file while in safe mode. So, basically, I guess you have to download/install the broken update file and then download/install the fixed file. I'm avoiding *that* mess by avoiding the January 8, 2019 update entirely. I can only hope that next month's Window Update isn't as broken.
Btw, if only Win10 were just-as-stable-as-Win7 and the programs I use in Win7 were 100% usable in Win10, I would happily update to Win10 (and I want my Win7 desktop, not Win10's). But I get so tired of error messages saying that the software I'm trying to use isn't compatible with the OS anymore. Some 32-bit software is still usable in Win7, some isn't. So even Win7 isn't perfect ... but it's good enough for me.
Update: For the first time since re-installing Win7 on Jan. 13, STO crashed to desktop while I was in the shuttlebay (Command Center, New Romulus), about to check on what ships are available to Level 30 characters. But after I answered an email (at Gmail), lo and behold, I was back in STO, at the log-in screen (not the launcher's log-in screen, but the in-game log-in screen; I hope this makes sense). I'll deal with that later, after I get some more work done for my boss.
I was able to successfully log in now. When I shut down my computer yesterday evening at 5pm PST windows initiated another update. When I logged on this morning I experience again a freeze during the patching process at 8.5% completion. I followed the advice from tech support to uncheck on-demand patching and save. I did this process yesterday as well and was not successful. But today when I unchecked it and save option, I was able to successfully complete patch. It took longer that usual to finish due to file being so large around 14GB. I believe it was the windows 7 update my computer did on 01/16/19 evening that caused the problem in addition to the automatic patching STO prompted when I logged off that same time. What ever update windows initiated again yesterday evening in addition to unchecking on-demand patching seemed to resolve the problem. Hopefully this doesn't happen again.
and today after making a few tweaks to the command line target at the request of support, the changes being only such to capture the cmd lines to a txt file as ARC and then STO loaded so I could send the log to the dev team, yeah they kicked this all the way to the dev team, suddenly the program fully loads. nothing was changed that would have done anything else. I made a tracert for them and sent it, then they asked for this command line tweak...and about 1400 MST the dang thing loaded all the way.
I took out the tweaks and it continues to work this evening still.... I sent the files on to support and dev team anyway with as good a notes as I could write, I am thinking in reading what happened with ometaklahn and pomonagrange as well about the same time, that dev tweaked something and patched and it cleared it up for Us all but I have yet to hear back from them.....
I'm not using Arc or Steam to launch STO anymore. I'm back to using the stand-alone launcher, which still works fine. Patching doesn't freeze. Only crashed to desktop once since re-installing Win7 on January 13.
But I haven't downloaded and installed the rest of the Windows Update files. I plan to, but will be excluding the January 8, 2019 files. I went to catalog.microsoft.update website, searched for Windows 7 update, and can't find any files dated January 8, 2019. But there are some dated January 11 and later. Maybe they removed the broken January 8 files?
Not sure how all this ties together, but Win7 works, which means I can work and play. STO works, which means I can play the way I enjoy the most. So I figure the problem has been solved for the time being. I just hope the next Windows 7 update doesn't break something else in Windows (or STO, for that matter). Knock on wood.
Comments
Now what i experienced last night when i closed down the game was that it opened up the launcher right away and fully automatically, it then began patching but the size of that patch was over 4gb in size. After patching the patching progress bar said to be ready but then the engage button stayed on saying cancel and it automatically closed down the launcher. Now i did not expect any patching so it gave me a real shock when it happend and i asked around a bit.
Fleet members where able to find this for me -https://www.reddit.com/r/sto/comments/ag52kg/star_trek_online_launcher_blocking_access_for_all/
https://www.reddit.com/r/sto/comments/ag3nhh/did_they_remove_the_32bit_option_in_the_launcher/
https://www.reddit.com/r/sto/comments/ag34m3/finish_up_your_races_if_you_havent_yet_then_brace/ -
I am not sure this is related to what you are experiencing atm but give it a read and try to find similarities that fit too your situation, my personal suspect is that the removal of the 32bits version is the reason for you to have become unable to log.
Cryptic is sadly not real friendly when it comes to tech support but be assured that people are reporting and thus that cryptic is sorting things out even tho they have not (yet) responded to the ticket.
I hope to have given you some pointers as to what is happening, sorry i can not do much more for you tho.
Friendly regards and hang in there ok from,
Jim
P.S.: Backup-wise, what I might do is delete the existing backup disk image, and then just copy files over (download directory, text files, photos, and videos, mostly). Which should do until I find a worthwhile free backup program. Something that lets me add to the existing backup, rather than one disk image after another.
Greetings Jim and thank you for the info,
I read through it all and I did notice that the 32bit option was gone and I WAS running that before. I don't run win server (that I am aware of at least) just normal win 10 home boot up and access through ARC to the game. I did find a debug file that had some interesting error messages in it but sadly I haven't a clue what they mean.... it does look like some file is messed up and maybe I just need to uninstall and re-install but I have done at least 9 full forced file verifications over the last 48 hrs and I would think that one of them should have resolved a missing file issue.
====================================================================
[0116/094537:INFO:CONSOLE(0)] "Uncaught ReferenceError: LauncherAPI is not defined," source: about:blank(1)
[0116/094537:ERROR:backend_impl.cc(2083)] Corrupt Index file
[0116/094537:ERROR:cache_util_win.cc(43)] Unable to move the cache: 0
[0116/094537:ERROR:backend_impl.cc(134)] Unable to move cache folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Star Trek Online_en\cef_cache to C:\Program Files (x86)\Star Trek Online_en\old_cef_cache_000
[0116/094537:ERROR:backend_impl.cc(221)] Unable to create cache
[0116/094543:INFO:CONSOLE(0)] "Select shard: 0," source: http://launcher.startrekonline.com/static/all/js/api.js(157)
===================================================================
I have submitted that debug file along with all other info I could to support via ticket system as well but since their first reply suggesting it was a wireless connection or router/modem issue (both of which I have tested and proven not the current cause at least)
Thank you again for your insight and trying to help Me figure this issue...
Mike
I can't really re-install Win7 as god only knows where the discs are in the house.
...and if they did do what was discussed in Reddit about removing the 32-bit in the launcher, then that IS the problem.
This is the ONLY game i have on my computer, and it would truely suck to have to remove it because some software engineer decided to make changes to the game without any warning to the users and players who pay to play.
Another idea: If you have your hard drive backed up (and not using Win7 backup program), you could just restore everything. If your backup is older than last week (before January 8's Windows Update, I mean), that might do the trick. Or if you have a restore point that's old enough (I had to go back to the one I created on Dec. 24, 2018, and that still didn't fix the STO launcher/patcher problem).
But then you'd still have to deal with the three files from January 8's Windows Update, which I haven't re-installed yet; first, I want Microsoft to provide a bonafide fix for what messed up my computer last week. And no, I don't entirely trust Microsoft (and I've used Microsoft stuff since MS-DOS 2.2); I've had to undo past Windows Updates and it's only slightly more "fun" than reinstalling Windows itself. I'd rather reinstall Norton 360 instead (which I also had to do after reinstalling Win7, and I had to create a new password since I forgot my old one and don't remember where I wrote it down).
Btw, in hindsight, I'm getting the feeling that it wasn't Cryptic's fault at all for what happened to my computer. I'm getting the feeling it was Microsoft's, and they're probably doing everything they can to force Win7 users to upgrade to at least Win8, Win8.1 or Win10, even if it means forcing Win7 users to download and install broken update files. Apparently they don't believe that Win7 is the best operating system they've ever created (using the best of both WinXP and WinVista). I wish someone could convince them. But they probably wouldn't listen to me.
From the reading of it you would need an external hdd of at least 1.5 too 2 tb in size. That would allow you to make backups in the way i suggested and even have some room left to backup as you are used too. The cd method was fine until the hdd drives reached 500gb since then a external drive is the way to go to backup imo
As for what program to use i cant tell honestly, it has been ages that i back up in any way. I simply reinstall and start from scratch every time. Best fixing there is. As for the usb drive, that can be 2 things. Either you need a driver for the device or an driver for the port. Also, i do recommend to get rid of win7 asap, they no longer support that version and every update they give for it since their no support announcement has been troublesome. It would not even surprise me if they have started giving wrong updates to force users to an upgrade of their os.
I can totally agree with you doubting Microsoft, it is not the first time i have had a computer broke down on me due to one of their updates, more then once hardware broke because of the so called updates they dare to release
As for cryptic being appreciative of my and others efforts to keep players in game i dont think they even care honestly, am not doing it for them anyway
@Velbar
Ye this unannounced removal of the 32bits version is just plain nasty, i am afraid many will be affected by it even some life time players will be
As for an force verify not working i think that too is due to the removal of the 32bits version, they need to change the coding in the force verify tool to let it know what files to correct. Atm it is highly likely the verify is trying to fix both the 32 as 64 versions and as it can not find the 32bits stuff it simply breaks the verify cutting it short in its fixing. An complete removal of the star trek related files and reinstall of the 64bits version could work but you have to be sure that all the old files folders and registry keys are gone for the best effect.
I do hope you too have it fixed asap but am afraid it will take a little while due to cryptic that needs to release an fix for the half removal of 32bits version.
@coachles
For you goes basically the same thing, you can try to remove every sto related file folder and registry keys then install the 64bits version to see if that will allow you to get back into the game. Just because you run on a 32bits windows and hardware does not mean the game on 64bits will not work on the machine you use in its current 32bits build
Anyhow it is a saddening sight to see you guys in these problems, i do hope my tips and suggestions are helping for all of you.
Somebody said above you deserve a bonus of some kinda from cryptic for helping be their support staff team.... I would agree wholeheartedly.
I am a lifer btw, been one for a few years now, so yeah, some of Us are being affected. I just checked My ticket status and no update or anything since the 15th, probably way to busy with todays update ending Winter play ground and getting ready for next week, maybe those of Us affected will get to play anniversary, but its not looking promising.
Mike (Velbar)
The backup drive I currently have is 1 TB in size (the hard drive in the computer is 1.85 TB, I think). I thought that that would be big enough for backups. Seems I need to save up money and buy a bigger backup drive. Which may take awhile.
Hopefully I won't have to reinstall Win7 yet again (or install Win10) anytime soon. (The last time was about two or three years ago.) I've yet to hear mostly positive reports about Win10 ... except, of course, from Microsoft, which doesn't surprise me. A fellow STO user installed Win10 recently, and has had more problems than successes. I'm not exactly keen to join them. I want a stable OS. Win7 is. I wish I could say the same for Win10. At least most of the non-game software I have is open source, so that it probably doesn't matter which Windows version I use on my PC. I just want a Windows OS that's stable and I can trust ... like Win7. Oh, and I have to be able to play STO on it. Natch.
As for the music and clips stored. You might want to use an external drive for that too, the upside simply is that it will safeguard both the files as the C:// drive. The bigger an hdd and the more it has stored on it the worse windows works with it. So if possible try to keep as much files out of the C:// partition as possible as that will result in a more stable windows
My c:// drive only has windows installed and the drivers and updates with some 50gb of free space left on C:// I have an secondary external hdd from where i run my games of and store my films music and pictures and everything else i could need
As for win 10 being unstable... i have my current machine since march of 2017 and it overal runs good. Have not had an blue screen or hanging system in years, only thing that kinda ruined it was that win update in the summer of 2018 that forced me to make use of the factory warranty but overal i am content with the win10. It took some getting used too but that was no different as when i switched from win98 too win xp and from xp to win 7
It is smart of you to use the open source software for win7 at least that will give you somewhat of safety but the problem will still arise where certain key windows7 parts do not receive any updates putting your machine at a extra risk.
This is almost the exact same experience I'm having now. Have Windows 7 had a update when I shut down my computer yesterday around 5pm PST 01/16/19. When I logged out of STO the system reopen to do a patch, proceeded to shut down computer then Windows did a update while computer was shutting down. Now today 01/17/19 try to play STO the system would either give me a error crash message and shut down. After trying to log in a couple more times with same result the system now patches to about between 2 to 4% and then my computer freezes. Only option is to do a hard power button shut down to reboot.
I've uninstalled and reinstalled STO nothing seems to work. Updated Java, done system checks , every thing looks fine. Just don't know what else to do.
I had to reinstall Win7 (about 5 to 5 1/2 hour process), and now STO launches/patches just fine. I still haven't re-installed the Win7 update from January 8, 2019, though. (And Windows Update has been fussing at me for not doing it yet.) Because if that's what caused me to locked out of STO, I'm not installing those three files. An IT article online (I don't remember which website, but found it via Google search) mentioned that the Windows Update KB4480970 had a bug in it (it affected network connection SMB-something and sometimes also told you that your Windows version wasn't authentic (even though it is)) and that two days later there was a fixed file from Microsoft. Unfortunately you cannot download/install the fixed file while in safe mode. So, basically, I guess you have to download/install the broken update file and then download/install the fixed file. I'm avoiding *that* mess by avoiding the January 8, 2019 update entirely. I can only hope that next month's Window Update isn't as broken.
Btw, if only Win10 were just-as-stable-as-Win7 and the programs I use in Win7 were 100% usable in Win10, I would happily update to Win10 (and I want my Win7 desktop, not Win10's). But I get so tired of error messages saying that the software I'm trying to use isn't compatible with the OS anymore. Some 32-bit software is still usable in Win7, some isn't. So even Win7 isn't perfect ... but it's good enough for me.
I took out the tweaks and it continues to work this evening still.... I sent the files on to support and dev team anyway with as good a notes as I could write, I am thinking in reading what happened with ometaklahn and pomonagrange as well about the same time, that dev tweaked something and patched and it cleared it up for Us all but I have yet to hear back from them.....
But I haven't downloaded and installed the rest of the Windows Update files. I plan to, but will be excluding the January 8, 2019 files. I went to catalog.microsoft.update website, searched for Windows 7 update, and can't find any files dated January 8, 2019. But there are some dated January 11 and later. Maybe they removed the broken January 8 files?
Not sure how all this ties together, but Win7 works, which means I can work and play. STO works, which means I can play the way I enjoy the most. So I figure the problem has been solved for the time being. I just hope the next Windows 7 update doesn't break something else in Windows (or STO, for that matter). Knock on wood.