Alternating Between "Error209 Repair" and Play

Kragorn · March 2015

So I patched, I saw it patch, and got a PLAY button which got me to the Login.

I exited the game, ran the Launcher and it tells me "Error 209 - PatchManifestError_VersionFail". So I ran Repair, it downloaded nothing and gave me PLAY. I click PLAY and get to the login screen.

I exit and re-run the Launcher, and get PLAY.
I exit and re-run the Launcher and get ERROR 209.
Re-run, PLAY.
Re-run, PLAY,
Re-run, ERROR

ad nauseum ...

How can it give me apparently random error or random play like this?

I have two PCs, one is patched just fine has an ESO (EU) folder some 41Gb is size while the PC it's failing on's folder is only 36Gb. Inside each are three folders, 'depot' 'game' and 'vo_en' the ones on the PC which patched fine are dated today the ones on the failing PCs are dated 2 Jan.

I have no idea what's happening. From the size and dates of the folders it's like the failing PC isn't patched but the fact Repair does nothing and sometimes I'm getting PLAY leaves me devoid of any ideas.

I know I can copy the tree from the 'good' PC to the 'bad' one but I want to know what's broken, because without that 'good' PC I'd not have a reliable (or seemingly valid) game client.

Note I've not actually logged into the game when I do get the login screen as I'm accessing the system remotely and it won't work beyond that point.

Sharee · March 2015

If it is anything like in the past, when you see repair instead of play, just quit the launcher and run it again until it shows play. Do not run the repair.

Alternatively, you can just bypass the launcher and run the game executable directly. This behavior usually clears after a while.

Kragorn · March 2015

Thing is, as I noted, I can get PLAY then next time I get REPAIR, this goes on and on.

I'm also very confused in the difference in file sizes and dates, that 'client' folder's contents on the 'bad' PC are dated early December. Seems like this PC isn't patched yet it downloaded 13Gb (at least it started to do that when I left it, when I came back it had finished), and sometimes offers me PLAY.

LarsS · March 2015

This error do appear sometimes, the link presents solutions.

http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/79631/100-fixed-tested-zenimaxs-solution-to-patch-fix-gm-posted-error-209

Kragorn · March 2015

I am now seeing this on a second PC.

LarsS wrote: »

This error do appear sometimes, the link presents solutions.

http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/79631/100-fixed-tested-zenimaxs-solution-to-patch-fix-gm-posted-error-209

@Larss, while I much appreciate your linking to that post, it was dealing with a problem at launch. Now it may well fix the problem now but I'm looking for @ZOS_GaryA or another 'green' to comment as this should not be a problem nigh on 12 months after release.

I have never seen it before, clearly there's something wrong with this patch for some people at least.

LarsS · March 2015

Well since it is partly outside of ZOS control one can still encounter it. Their latest advice can be found under support on the forum page, use the search function. Tip in error 209 and at least for me the first item is their latest advice.

Kragorn · March 2015

Why is it out of ZOS control?

I have NEVER seen this before today's update so I hardly see any reason to look to someone other than ZOS for the cause. This is happening on three PCs, each patched independently and using two entirely different broadband ISPs!

Ii now just happened when I exited from the game, the PLAY button in the launcher CHANGED to REPAIR before my very eyes!

Kragorn · March 2015

LarsS wrote: »

Well since it is partly outside of ZOS control one can still encounter it. Their latest advice can be found under support on the forum page, use the search function. Tip in error 209 and at least for me the first item is their latest advice.

The first item is this:

I'm encountering a Patch Manifest error (209/210).
First, please run the repair tool in your launcher to make sure your installation is up to date and clean.

If that doesn't help, please follow the steps below to uninstall and reinstall the ESO client (do not uninstall the game from your computer’s Control Panel):

Uninstall the game client
1. Select the client on left hand side of the patcher
2. Go to game options
3. Select Uninstall

Install Client
4. In the launcher Select the client
5. Click Install

I'm not about to re-download 35Gb+ of the game where there was no problem on any of my PCs before today and now all three are suffering this problem with two independent ISP connections.

SexyVette07 · March 2015

Ive been dealing with the same issue since yesterday, Kragorn. I cant even play the game. Keep getting error 11, client fatal error. Ive patched the game twice now and it wants to redownload the entire game AGAIN, after I did it last night while I was at work. Im at my wits end with these people and their horrible programming. In what world is stuff like this acceptable when it happens EVERY SINGLE PATCH?!

Kragorn · March 2015

Seems lots of people have problems and there's almost total silence from ZOS.

The fact I have a problem on three PCs using 2 different ISPs proves to me beyond doubt the PATCH is broken, not my ESO installation, I suspect that goes for most if not all others with problems too.

The link @LarsS posted goes back to last April, there' a trail of 209s and other errors every Update (and smaller patches) since the game's launch, aggravating doesn't come close to describing my feeling about it.

LarsS · March 2015

Sorry for the old link, but I gave you info on how get the latest guide in my second message. As I said select support (at the top of the forum page). Use the search function, search for error 209. The first item in the search result is what you need (When attempting to patch the game client, I receive a "PatchManifestError_VersionFail" message. What should I do?). There is a number of steps to go through before you have to reinstall, the first is to run the launcher as admin.

The reason I say that the problem is not only ZOS fault is due to my own experience, my virus protection is sometimes interfering and giving me the error 209. The problem largely disappeared when I am running the launcher in admin mode.

Finally even though the launcher have problems you can according to my experience run the game directly instead of using the launcher.

Keepercraft · March 2015

I have same problem after game crush.

Kragorn · March 2015

LarsS wrote: »

Sorry for the old link.

No, no, that was fine, I do appreciate it .. I only mentioned the fact that it was old to indicate that it's not something that's new and ZOS have singularly failed to deal with it.

LarsS wrote: »

Finally even though the launcher have problems you can according to my experience run the game directly instead of using the launcher.

That is actually very useful to know, I've done that with other launcher-based games (WOW, Rift, etc) I hadn't actually tried that with ESO, I will make a point of trying it.

Thank you.

TUHD86 · March 2015

I since 1.6 also have this error. I'm 100% sure 1.6 introduced this. Never had it before.
Upon a fresh start of the launcher, all works OK - but after exiting TESO once, when I hit the launcher again - error.

asteldian · March 2015

My wife got the 209 error since 1.6, annoying having to start, close, start, close, start...till it works. Or Repairing everytime.
My PC oddly enough did not have the problem....even more oddly, it does now, randomly today, just now. No patch or anything has happened, it just decided it would be fun to show the error.

Kragorn · March 2015

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom why the total silence on this issue that's clearly affecting many, no 'green' posts in ANY of the several threads reporting this problem?

The 'help' system's suggestion to re-install doesn't cut it. In my case I have THREE PCs, connecting via TWO different ISPs, ALL are suffering this random REPAIR/PLAY effect, there is NOTHING in common here except for the 1.6 patch, it's implausible it's 'my' end or likely anyone else's but ZOS'!

pema · March 2015

I have the exact same problem. Well it's more like a bug then a problem.
Getting error 209 and then I open and it works.
Somtimes one time somtimes I need to close and open a couple of times.
Already running it as admin, so that is not the problem.

Flynch · March 2015

I ran a repair after getting repeated 209 errors. No way am I downloading 31gigs again.

I then moved onto the stage-2 FAQ repair (deleting local files) and that broke the game completely (play button was evident but crashes the game as soon as it is pressed). Running a repair after that then requests another 31gig download.

Time to fall back on the old trusted 'do what logic dictates' and see if I can't confuse the game into working with file shuffling.

edit: Managed to get it to the point where it only needs to download ~6gigs as part of the repair. Really hope this fixes it.

Kragorn · March 2015

The silence from ZOS is now seriously aggravating me, not so much because of the problem, which is annoying but for me at least and like some others at least isn't permanent, but ZOS total ignoring of all the threads on this problem tells me they couldn't give a crap.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom I'll keep on trying to attract your attention until you deign to respond to us or you ban me for trying to get help by doing so!

schroed360 · March 2015

Same here ....

ZOS_GinaBruno · March 2015

For anyone running into this issue, could you please provide the following info:

Which megaserver you're playing on (NA or EU)
If you have the PTS installed
Which ISP you have

Thanks!

Izanagi.Xiiib16_ESO · March 2015

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

For anyone running into this issue, could you please provide the following info:
Which megaserver you're playing on (NA or EU)

If you have the PTS installed

Which ISP you have

Thanks!

EU
Yes but on a different HD (using a second copy of the launcher)
BT

@Kragorn I normally ignore this error and dont even open the launcher - just run the eso.exe. However a friend has had the same issue as you even trying to do that. (couldn't get onto the character select screen)

Migoda · March 2015

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

For anyone running into this issue, could you please provide the following info:
Which megaserver you're playing on (NA or EU)

If you have the PTS installed

Which ISP you have

EU Megaserver
PTS is installed
ISP is T-Online

AngryNord · March 2015

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

For anyone running into this issue, could you please provide the following info:
Which megaserver you're playing on (NA or EU)

If you have the PTS installed

Which ISP you have

Thanks!

-EU
-Have PTS installed
-Local ISP (Verdal Kabel-TV)

Chivana · March 2015

EU, no PTS, 1&1 DSL

Tandor · March 2015

This is nothing new with 1.6, a lot of players have had the same problem after each patch. It lasts a few days and then disappears. Closing and re-opening the launcher gets rid of the "Repair" prompt, none of the solutions offered by ZOS work. The error is random and won't always happen.

I've had the problem each patch including 1.6, and closing/re-opening the launcher always fixes it until the problem goes away after a few days. Alternatively, between patches you don't need to run the launcher at all and can simply run the game from the .exe file.

Megaserver - EU

PTS - not installed

ISP - Virgin Media

Kragorn · March 2015

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

For anyone running into this issue, could you please provide the following info:

Server: EU
PTS: No
ISP: I have 3 PCs, 2 connect to Virgin Media and 1 to British Telecom, the problem happens on them all with equal randomness, you'd not know which PC was connected to which ISP just from looking at occurrences of this fault.

Please note the comment about BT. I know there have been 'issues' with VM customers' routing at the 193.x.x.x subnet just upstream from your EU servers in the last few days, but the problem will happen on the PCs using VM when there's no on-going packet problem at that hop.

alceleniel · March 2015

EU Megaserver
PTS is installed
ISP is Telekom/T-Online

Kilara · March 2015

Same here - although with me it is mainly a cosmetic problem, it doesn't keep me from playing as the game still runs, I just need to close and and re-open the launcher until I get PLAY instead of REPAIR. But granted, it's irritating.

Server: EU
PTS not installed
ISP: UPC Telekabel

Nicator · March 2015

I have the same problem

I try not to repair and restart instead.

kodo · March 2015

after patch i got that 209 in the beginning, i closed ,retried and all ok.
now i get it when i finish playing!

imo it's better to just ignore it for week or two ,
till all zos servers are synched with each other.
i think that error which happens on different variations purely indicate that the mega server is actually many servers that are
linked together, (redundancy, load balancing,etc)..