Same computer I've had for over a year - forced to submit a verification code...

TwoHawks · September 2021

I've been using the same computer for over a year since building out my gaming PC. I had to go through verification on 8/14. I try to log in today and once again get the message that I have to supply the verification code for an unauthorized/unrecognized computer, sent to my registered email.

I check my account - nope email hasn't changed so my account has not been hacked.

I check my email account for anything from noreply@mail.elderscrollsonline.com - nope, nothing in over 2 hours has arrived from that address. When this happened on 8/14 I had the verification email in under 20 minutes, but today - no email yet so I am unable to play ESO (I have a premium subscription account, almost due to pay the next 6 month $77.00 fee) until ZOS/Bethesda sends me the verification code.

Can't they come up with a better 2FA system since they are aware it can take hours to days for their system to generate the verification email? I was hoping to get in tonight and blow off some steam / kill some time after a long difficult work day but no... I'm stuck waiting for their system to send out the verification email. No way to get in contact. Submitted a support ticket and of course I get the usual "make sure you're checking the correct email address, email isn't going to spam" etc.

26 years a professional IT analyst, I know my way around computers and email. ZOS/Bethesda - I hope you are listening. You can do better.

stefj68 · September 2021

i receive verification emails on my 4 accounts today... same computers / networks / isp for over 2years.. fun

WhyMustItBe · September 2021

Same thing happening to me. I posted in Bug Reports and submitted a ticket. This is clearly a bug and happening on every login, regardless of time between be it 5 hours or 5 minutes. My IP hasn't changed, I am not using a VPN, or any security software that would confuse the client. It is just bugged. It was bugged on the PTS and now it is bugged on live.

I ran a repair, started the launcher and game as admin, changed my password, verified account details. Nothing fixes it.

@ZOS_GinaBruno can we please get a confirmation this is something that is being worked on? Right now if you get booted from the server for any reason you are stuck waiting for a confirmation code email to log back in. For some reason the client is not remembering the details about the computer and setting a 1 bit somewhere even when run as admin.

Sephyr · September 2021

Just to make sure, you guys have that house icon toggled for the "Trusted Machine" option correct?

If so, I'd recommend starting to drop tickets so @ZOS_BillE can see if he can escalate them.

WhyMustItBe · September 2021

Sephyr wrote: »

Just to make sure, you guys have that house icon toggled for the "Trusted Machine" option correct?

If so, I'd recommend starting to drop tickets so @ZOS_BillE can see if he can escalate them.

Yes, I definitely do. I tried toggling it off and back to trusted, but the same problem persists.

Ticket number is: 210831-006715

jircris11 · September 2021

You het this when the isp does something on their end. I get it once a month because xfinity

Sephyr · September 2021

The only other thing I can think of to try is maybe move your UserSettings.txt from the folder and trying it again, though toggling should be changing those values by default.

Also, the only thing I could sleuth from the Knowledge Base is this here;
https://help.elderscrollsonline.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8611/kw/Trusted Machine

Sure, IPs change, but it should be sticking after that one-time password. I'd say it's bugged if that's the case. Hopefully support can sort you guys' issue out. I'm pretty stumped with this one.

Edit: Something else to try is that it could be folders somehow could've gotten set to Read-Only so that's probably worth a check to see if that's happened at some point recently. But again... Le stumped.

Edit 2: Since there's also been settings that've been not taking for some folks and I don't think it's been fixed yet, make sure that the following is set;

"SET IsTrustedMachine "1"

Chips_Ahoy · September 2021

I receive these notifications every time my ip changes

Sephyr · September 2021

Chips_Ahoy wrote: »

I receive these notifications every time my ip changes

I think that's the peculiar part. I haven't, though others have. In WhyMustItBe's case, they've said that it hasn't change which is why I'm thinking it could be this settings bug 'not taking' bug going around. Buuuuuuuuuut, it also could be ISP shenanigans too. I suppose we won't know until actual reps get into the ticket.

ResidentContrarian · September 2021

Resetting a network adapter or updating a driver in some cases (that clears saved network information) can result in many games, not just ESO running into the problem you have.

Windows Update can update the driver and driver store without your permission or notification in Windows 10.

Also, the game seems to collect more information than just your IP address to recognize your PC. It seems to collect other hardware information like GPU, audio, and peripheral devices. I know this because spoofing your GPU value in Windows forces the game to post the IP message, as does using a modified, test, or "dev" GPU driver.

My USB bluetooth adapter at one point also could trigger the IP Adress message reliably when I swapped between drivers to test a patch for Windows 10

If you changed hardware or it looks like it to the game, that can be the cause...

TwoHawks · September 2021

ResidentContrarian wrote: »

If you changed hardware or it looks like it to the game, that can be the cause...

Other than perhaps a Windows update (I have disabled auto-updates) I have not made any hardware changes to my system. It is the same system that 3 days ago successfully ran ESO. Probably Comcast changed my IP address which caused this, but since most people are obtaining their IP dynamically via DHCP it's silly to tie someone's system authorization to their IP address. DHCP means your IP can change at any time without notice. The Comcast router also uses DHCP to obtain an IP, and therefore can change without notice or warning.

Comcast will not usually offer a static IP to a residential customer, you have to have a legitimate business reason and be running a web server to be able to apply for and obtain a static IP address. I know this, because I'm in the IT business.

I opened a ticket with Bethesda/ZOS last night, and I checked this morning - no replies yet, and no email with the code to authorize my system.

Maybe it's just me, but when I pay a premium fee every 6 months, $77.00+ USD, I like to use what I pay for, and I'm unable to until they fix whatever it is that's going on.

Sylvermynx · September 2021

It's truly strange that this would happen when you've made no changes (other than your ISP perhaps changing the IP dynamically). I'm on HughesNet satellite, have been for 2.5 years, my IP changes at least once a week, sometimes more often, and the beam I access the satellite through also changes (I know this because google thinks I'm in a different city/state on a daily basis, sometimes several times a day).

I haven't had to give the game login an access code for over six months - and that time was after various driver updates like my GPU drivers, my Realtek drivers, etc. The account section of the website doesn't like my Firefox-fork browser (Pale Moon) so I always have to get an access code for that, but that doesn't have anything to do with the game itself.

@ZOS_BillE

WhyMustItBe · September 2021

No windows or driver updates. Static reserved IP. ISP (WAN) IP not changed. UserSettings.txt not read-only, IsTrustedMachine set to "1".

Reproduceable: Launch game. Get above prompt. Check email, enter code. Immediately log out and close client. Re-launch client. Get same prompt for code. Wait for email again with new code, log in. This can be repeated infinitely. NOTHING is changing in that ~ 30sec window each time.

I can post a video if ZOS needs to see the above process.

Ticket number is: 210831-006715

TwoHawks · September 2021

My open ticket # is 210831-005799

So far all I've gotten in response is the canned reply telling you to make sure your checking the right email account, check SPAM. All the basics that someone like myself is far beyond the need for.

I've updated the ticket 3 times in the last 24 hours. IIRC at one point ZOS/Bethesda used to say that premium account holders (such as myself) received a slightly higher level of service than those who play for free, just paying the base cost of the game, so not really free but not paying for premium level content and access.

I even ran a verify/fix on the game files via the launcher, and that did not help.

The sad thing is that every time I go to log in, the launcher tells me to check email, and if not yet received wait 24 hours to try again. I'll be patient only so long - this is starting to inch toward the unacceptable...

TwoHawks · September 2021

Update 5:12PM. I have been using MS Outlook as my email client. I had not marked the messages from noreply@mail.elderscrollsonline.com as spam in the client.

However I just checked my email account direct on the Comcast web email server and their system had flagged these messages as SPAM. I found them on the web app in spam so their system was filtering messages without my approval as SPAM, and thus they never downloaded to my email client. Marked them not spam.

I hate Comcast XFinity - except that I have 1Gbps down, 40Mbps up - that's the only good thing... anyway, if you are on Comcast, and not getting the email, log into your email via your web account access and check the SPAM folder. Likely you'll find them there.

https://xfinity.com/support/articles/sign-in-to-email-or-voicemail-on-xfinity

Problem resolved. Thank you ComCast...

ZOS_Bill · September 2021

Thank you for posting the resolution as to why you were not getting the access code. Since the OP has resolved their access code issue, we are now going to close out the discussion.