Stuck on the ArmA "Recieving..." screen at startup

[BravoMike7 0]

Hey fellas. Did a search and couldn't find anything (i have no error message so it was hard to find any topics to answer the problem), so sorry if this has already been answered.

I've been able to play the game no worries since its release, and then suddenly this arvo my game will start up, but not get past the "receiving..." screen on startup.

THIS ISN'T A MULTIPLAYER ISSUE - it's the main game startup pages not the multiplayer connection screen.

The game was patched to the latest version when this happened today. Since then I've done a fresh install 5 times, none of them worked.

I then re-installed, and started the game unpatched and still received the same error. Patched to 1.05 and still had the error, patched to 1.08 and still have the error.

Only thing that ive done to the game out of the ordinary is download the exe file that i needed as my game would not start after the 1.08 patch (but it worked fine once i had the exe replacement)

Any ideas on what the issue may be? I think i may have to format, but im trying to prevent that.

The XP install on my system is only a month or so old so id rather not have to wipe everything.

---------------------

Specs:

Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp.050928-1517)

English (Regional Setting: English)

LG Electronics

BIOS: Phoenix TrustedCoreâ„¢ NB Release SP1 1.0

Processor: Genuine Intel® CPU T2400 @ 1.83GHz (2 CPUs)

Memory: 1022MB RAM

Page File: 426MB used, 2034MB available

Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS

DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

DX Setup Parameters: Not found

DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

Card name: ATI Mobility Radeon X1400

Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.

Chip type: ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 (0x7145)

DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)

Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_7145&SUBSYS_005F1854&REV_00

Display Memory: 512.0 MB

Current Mode: 1280 x 800 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Monitor: Default Monitor

Monitor Max Res:

Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll

Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6614 (English)

DDI Version: 9 (or higher)

Driver Attributes: Final Retail

[longshotend 0]

hi i have the same trouble stuck there !!! but i found it's the xp firewall, i desactivate it and i work good now

[BravoMike7 0]

Hmm that didn't fix mine, and i still dont know what caused it, however completely formatting the pc and starting over has solved the problem...

[Infam0us 10]

Hmm that didn't fix mine, and i still dont know what caused it, however completely formatting the pc and starting over has solved the problem...

If thats the case then it might be an external Issue, IE - Something other than the PC, perhaps a Hardware Firewall? Did you test it at each stage of the installion of XP aswell, for instance seeing if it works when you install certain programs, or if you install a firewall does it work, then stop working?

[max power 21]

This is likely because you are actually still receiving data. If you are joining a game in progress, everything that has been destroyed, every player that has been killed, every tree that has been pushed over, every objective that has been achieved since the game started has to be set up for you. In a large game like evolution, that can take a little while. Are you sure it's not that you have a large amount of data to transfer?

[BravoMike7 0]

Quote[/b] ]THIS ISN'T A MULTIPLAYER ISSUE - it's the main game startup pages not the multiplayer connection screen.

see the first post mate.

yep. after it stopped working i uninstalled it, and tried it unmodded (i only had a sound mod anyway), at different stages of patching, all the same.

so i uninstalled everything. (not formatted i just uninstalled it all) and then installed arma again, different stages, same thing.

formatted it, installed and it works first off and on every patch and with my mods now on. all the programs i had on previously are now back on and its running fine so i have no idea what caused it format fixed it though so who knows.

[sniper pilot 36]

Happens to me from time to time, but i just create a new shortcut, or use another one on my desktop.

[BravoMike7 0]

just had this problem happen AGAIN.

I cannot workout what is causing this to occur. Last night i was playing with clan mates no problems. After playing i turned off and went to sleep. Next day, come home, havent even touched the PC since last night, turn it on, try to start up ArmA - and i get this same problem again.

Worried that i have to format all over again to fix it this is what ive tried:

Removed all mods: didnt work

Running different shortcuts: didnt work

Running straight from EXE: didnt work

Ran straight from CD (auto startup): Didnt work

Disabling Anti-Virus, Firewall, Scanning programs: didnt work

Restore to system restore point to when it was working fine: didnt work

Reinstall of arma with no patches: didnt work

Reinstall of arma with first patch: didnt work

Reinstall of arma with 1.08 patch: didnt work

Reinstall of arma with 1.08 hotfix: didnt work

New reinstall of arma with 1.08 patch and replacement EXE for Securecom issue: didnt work

I have no other possible ideas as to what could fix this issue. It's extremely irritating as this is the only technical problem ive had with the game and it requires me to format to fix it.

At the present time i cannot format as i have too much work to backup / restore, and too little time to do it in. I enjoy playing ArmA but not to such an extent im going to get behind in my work to get it working again - and chances are if i fix it with a format it will only happen again in a few months time.

[Maximus-Sniper 0]

Hi,

did you try to reinstall your DirectX drivers?

Try this one: DirectX Redist. Aug 2007

[BravoMike7 0]

cant say ive heard of that one - i'll give it a try and see how i go. thanks mate

[BravoMike7 0]

AHh well didn't fix it unfortunately.

Looks like im left with the format option

[Bracken 0]

Hi, is your computer on a LAN or have more than one connection?

I ask because if one of the two connections on our lan, is not running, all the pc's in the Lan hang like that at the menu for about five minutes before coming right.  If however both are running (even though the second is not being used) then

they all start up fine.  

My guess is it spends the time looking for the other connection or something

Sorry if this is a completly different issue, just sounded quite alike.

[jasono 0]

It isn't related to MP what so ever. Before the ArmA main menu appears and after the splash screen (if you have one) a black screen will have receiving.. or something similar at the bottom left of the screen. Similar, but not related to the Receiving data in MP.

BravoMike7, you said you tried different shortcuts. Did you try -world=empty in the start up parameters of the shortcut?

[BravoMike7 0]

just tried it then, and it doesn't work running out of ideas myself.

ive been told it may be a registry issue - however im unsure as to how id go about looking at that. any suggestions / advice?

[Guest Ti0n3r]

I have this from time to time. I just have to alt+tab to windows and then go back to fix it. Dunno if it will work for you though...

Also, try adding -world=empty at the target field of the shortcut. I will decrease the time it takes for ArmA to start up. Maybe that will work.

[BravoMike7 0]

nope doesn't work for me. this is getting quite depressing.

i know i can fix it with a format, but chances are it will then only happen again a month or 2 later, so id love to find out whats causing this to occur

[BravoMike7 0]

ok an update:

i formatted and the game worked... for about an hour. i closed it off and then went to get some lunch, came back and went to start it up to play again and i got the problem again.

this is very frustrating to say the least. i'd at least like to know whats causing this issue so i know what i have to do, or if theres anything i can do at all.

i have the feeling that its the hardware, however if its the hardware i fail to undsertand how the game ran fine since i had it, then died just recently and refuses to start no matter what i do. any other game i installed works fine, no worries, so its not like anythings broken or burnt out.

im thinkin about going and buying a new PC box to just run arma but knowing my luck ill spend that money and then it wont run arma at all.

[BravoMike7 0]

updated again: arma stopped working shortly after that last post. i stopped playing for maybe a month or so? then was going to format again to try and get it working.

i decided to give it one more try for the hell of it befor i formatted and the game worked and its still working.

so i have no idea what caused this, i know if i format it fixes it, and if it breaks again i can leave it for a month or so and it works again

what the hell indeed.