Game will not start after last patch

yohoia · June 2021

After yesterdays patch, the game would not run and I was asked to "Repair". I did that a few times, but it still didn't work. I tried to reinstall the full game (first on Steam, then outside of Steam directly from the website; I have both versions) but the installer will not run properly. The "installeverywhere" app starts and unpacks but then I get the message "Could not run program. Get another copy of the program and start again". I have tried to download eso again several times, both through Steam and directly, and nothing works! What could be the problem? I have played eso since 2015 and never had an issue before. Now I can't even install the game.

ZOS_Bill · June 2021

@yohoia

Thank you for the rundown of what has happened with the update. Please post a screenshot of the current error message popping up to help us in troubleshooting this install issue.

yohoia · June 2021

Hi screenshot attached (and translated, it is a Swedish computer). I have tried to look everywhere on different forums to find a solutions. Some suggest looking at the TEMP folder for the patcher, but there is nothing there that resembles the folder I am supposed to find (screenshot attached)

yohoia · June 2021

And I get the same error message when I try to start ESO from Steam (I have both versions, but don't normally run ESO from steam)

. The game client is downloaded through steam but the patcher will not run so I cannot start ESO. Screenshots from Steam directory and error message.

yohoia · June 2021

Got a reply from an agent from eso support today but sadly it was a nonsense response. Wonder if they take the time to read the full ticket and consider the supplied screenshots. Support suggest that I reinstall the game - but I have done this over and over more than 15 times already with a newly downloaded installation file. BUT the PROBLEM IS THAT THE INSTALLATION FILE DOES NOT WORK. They also suggest to remove the launcher, but I HAVE NO LAUNCHER becaus the installation file that installs the launcher will not install properly. I have submitted the error messages I get by supplying screen shots. The installation file seem to unpack but when it tries to initiate the installation it stops and I get the error message. So there is no launcher installed. It ti the same with the Steam version. So there is apparently something going on with the installer file, that makes it fail to run on some computers. From what I can see on the forum, this is something that has happened before with new patches (eg. in 2020) so it appears to be a longstanding issue that you must solve.

ZOS_Bill · June 2021

@yohoia

We have posted some additional troubleshooting here that may help resolve the install issues you're encontering.

yohoia · June 2021

I got these recommendations earlier from Support, but they did not work either. Sadly.

ZOS_BillE wrote: »

@yohoia

We have posted some additional troubleshooting here that may help resolve the install issues you're encontering.

ZOS_Bill · June 2021

@yohoia

Do you have your support ticket number so we can check up on it?

yohoia · June 2021

Support ticket 210601 - 004103

Tried to install the game again today, but same error message as before.

yohoia · June 2021

The weird thing is that I can now start the game by clicking directly on the eso64.exe in the client library on Steam, but I have not linked my accounts and I don't normally play ESO through Steam. At the same time, I can still NOT start the patcher/installer (which starts the InstallAnywhere program) through Steam and NOT install it by downloading the installer ("InstallAnywhere") directly from ESO. So I have no patcher still, and I am quite worried that I will not be able to login tomorrow or when there is a new patch since my patcher does not work.

yohoia · June 2021

AND OF COURSE THIS HAPPENED: there was a new patch, and since my patcher won't install I cannot update the game and - consequently - I am locked out from playing AGAIN. What is going on here? Still no help from support. "Waiting for agent" since forever. Tried (again, for the 20th time) to download the InstallAnywhere but it will not run. Same error message as before.

yohoia wrote: »

The weird thing is that I can now start the game by clicking directly on the eso64.exe in the client library on Steam, but I have not linked my accounts and I don't normally play ESO through Steam. At the same time, I can still NOT start the patcher/installer (which starts the InstallAnywhere program) through Steam and NOT install it by downloading the installer ("InstallAnywhere") directly from ESO. So I have no patcher still, and I am quite worried that I will not be able to login tomorrow or when there is a new patch since my patcher does not work.

ZOS_Bill · June 2021

@yohoia

I've sent you a forum PM regarding the ticket you've started regarding this issue.

yohoia · June 2021

9 days since I last heard from a support agent. I can't say how disappointed I am. I am still locked out from playing a game I have been playing since 2015.

yohoia · June 2021

sea.log error message (same both with Steam and when downloading directly). The patcher won't install:

Self Extractor execution begins.
Window class registered.
Extracting files.
Dialog: Preparing to install...
Extracting to:

\Steam\steamapps\common\Zenimax Online
*** FAILURE: Unable to execute the EXE program.
Dialog initialized.
User requested ABORT: Clean up temporary directory

yohoia · June 2021

I have to say that I am extremely disappointed with support. I'd really thought (expected) them to care, or at least that they would communicate. If they are working on it - why not say so? If they have failed to find the error as of yet - why not communicate? I have not been able to patch the game since last update since the Installer isn't working, and now it is 11 days without even a sign of life from support. I accept that it is difficult and there is a lot to do with the new update, but at least you would expect some kind of explanation.

yohoia · June 2021

While still waiting for support, I finally figured out a temporary workaround and I post it here in case anyone else is experiencing similar issues (launcher not installning, which in turn disables the patching of the game). I found this suggestion on an (old) forum; failing to install the launcher properly has apparently been a problem before: suggestion posted below:

However, it did not work exactly as described below. The temporary folder created by InstallAnywhere (before failing to execute the program that installs the launcher) was not to be found in any of the TEMP folders, and the launcher folder was not called "winlivepub". It was also in a zipfile, so it had to be unziped before I could access it. Furthermore, since the temp folders are erased when the InstallAnywhere fails to run, I had to find the temp folder (folder with "I1" with a random string of numbers) while the error message ("failed to execute program, please find a new copy of the installer and try again") was still displayed on screen. As soon as the error message is closed the temp file is erased and the folder that contains the launcher is gone! That is why I cound not find it earlier. Anyway, I am able to play ESO again - at least until next patch.

"1. Search for "bethesda.net_launcher" within the Temp folder created using InstallAnywhere.
o The temporary folder is typically located here: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Temp
o The exact path is going to differ for each user, but you are looking for a Temp folder with "I1" with a random string of numbers.
o The full directory path will usually be C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Temp\I1XXXXXXXXX\InstallerData\Disk1\InstData\Resource1\D_\launchers\winlivepub
o Note: The AppData folder is hidden by default. If missing, follow the steps above for showing hidden folders
2. Once you have located the files, move the winlivepub folder to your desktop.
3. Rename winlivepub to Launcher.
4. Navigate to C:\Program Files x86\ and create a folder named Zenimax Online.
5. Move the newly renamed Launcher to the Zenimax Online folder you created.
6. Open the Launcher folder, and open the bethesda.net_launcher.exe application.
7. Follow the installation instructions.

Wolfenbelle · June 2021

@yohoia, I've had a similar problem since the last patch although I have the launcher. In my problem, when I click Play, Windows says the publisher of eso64.exe is unknown even though both it and the launcher executable have permission through the firewall. When I click Play, I get a black blank screen. The game does not load.

Question for you, if you know the answer...if I uninstall the Zenimax files and the ESO files, then reinstall, will the my account still be recognized by the new installation. I mean my full account going back to 2014?

Thanks for any answer you might be able to provide.

yohoia · June 2021

Wolfenbelle wrote: »

@yohoia, I've had a similar problem since the last patch although I have the launcher. In my problem, when I click Play, Windows says the publisher of eso64.exe is unknown even though both it and the launcher executable have permission through the firewall. When I click Play, I get a black blank screen. The game does not load.

Question for you, if you know the answer...if I uninstall the Zenimax files and the ESO files, then reinstall, will the my account still be recognized by the new installation. I mean my full account going back to 2014?

Thanks for any answer you might be able to provide.

Hi, I am sorry but I don't really know. But I am pretty sure your account will be recognized since you can always reinstall the game on a new computer.