Red Question Mark on Dedicated Server (?)

[pchaxor 0]

(?)

Trying to get rid of this red question mark on my public server.

It is making clients think they cannot connect and the server is DEAD since loading and launching AO.

My Server file paths are:

C:\Program Files\arma 2

C:\Program Files\arma 2 operation arrowhead

I launch as a FireDeamon service "Combined Arms":

C:\Program Files\arma 2 operation arrowhead\arma2oaserver.exe -nosound -world=empty -config=server.cfg -cfg=ArmA2OAServer.cfg -profiles=profile "-mod=c:\program files\arma 2;c:\program files\arma 2 operation arrowhead\EXPANSION"

How the heck do I sort this out so my server shows GREEN???

I know if I only start AO with just the basic start up ... it goes green, but then Arma2 content/maps are missing and most of us play using Combined Arms ... is this a mess or what?

Am I doing something wrong? Any suggestions?

+++ MODS: Before you lock this thread please direct me to the thread with the solution. I searched for quite a while (even google) and did not find a solution. I found others having similar issues, however no solutions. Do I need to move the arma2 content to a mod folder in the AO folder? Won't Gamespy continue to report a red question mark no matter where I move it? Something isn't right here and not much thought went into "Combined Arms" and the GS browser query apparently. Looking for a solution - Thanks.

Edited July 10, 2010 by pchaxor

[terox 316]

I would reinstall your Op Arrowhead into your ArmA2 directory

I am also assuming this is either a sprocket download or a dvd version install

Your c:\program files\arma 2 root folder should have your server.cfg as defined by your -config

For your profile, you should have the following directory

c:\program files\arma 2\users\system

The system folder will need to contain

SYSTEM.ArmA2OAProfile

ArmA2OAServer.cfg

The param field in your firedeamon service would need to be

"-profiles=c:\program files\arma 2" -config=server.cfg -cfg=ArmA2OAServer.cfg -nosound -world=empty

I dont think you will need to define a -mod param, I am running our server as standalone OA at the moment, so I have no -mod reference to check

But when i tested as a combined ops installation, I am sure i didnt use a -mod param

Edited July 10, 2010 by Terox

[pchaxor 0]

Thanks for the reply.

Steam install and manually copied over to the server. Reg entries also manually entered.

What is the pathing for OA inside the arma 2 folder for a manual copy?

Steam install also loaded Arma2 and OA in (2) seperate folders on my client, so I do not have a GOOD solution for a reinstall either to correct it.

[terox 316]

I have absolutely no experience with Steam, so all I can do is point you to the Troubleshooting forums, where there is a stickied thread on OA and Steam

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=73554

In a standard combined ops install, OA simply resides in the root folder

as per the following directory

AddOns\
BattlEye\
Common\
Dta\
Expansion\
Keys\
Missions\
MPMissions\
userconfig\
users\
arma2.exe
arma2oa.exe
ARMA2OA_manual.pdf
arma2oaserver.exe
arma2server.exe
arma2oaserver.RPT
bis.url
ijl15.dll
lang.ini
logo-paul.bmp
paul.dll
readme.txt
readme_OA.txt
server.cfg
uninstall.csv
uninstall.exe
UnInstall.log
UnInstall_OA.csv
UnInstall_OA.exe
UnInstall_OA.logl

Also according to this post http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=101894 There is no dedi server exe for a steam version yet

Edited July 11, 2010 by Terox

[pchaxor 0]

I manually copied the files over to the arma 2 folder, edited the reg entries and hopefully the problem is resolved.

Thanks for your help.

Edited July 12, 2010 by pchaxor

[l mandrake 9]

I also have the red question mark problem on my remote dedi server (I use TCadmin + filezilla to run it).

My server is running the mods CBA and Zeus, players without these mods see the red question mark and so avoid the server - very frustrating. How can I fix this?

[pchaxor 0]

You running the beta on the server or client?

If the exe versions do not match you will get a red question mark.

This does not stop you from joining or playing.

Rumor has it that next patch this will work differently.

Would need to confirm that with Dwarden though.

[terox 316]

Make a copy of the master OA install

Install the beta as normal

Copy the master directory

Now unpack all the beta files to the core of the expansions folder

install your additional addons to expansions\root

and run the arma2OAserver.exe thats in the root.

So what you are actually doing is creating a copy, copying beta's and addons into the root and not running a -mod param

Edited August 13, 2010 by Terox

[Birdseye 0]

if you use CBA, and mods,

just put them in the addons directory of arma2 (server)

strange, and not preffered, but avoid the mod parameter for the server, it results in the green light

(no steam experience)

Edited August 13, 2010 by Birdseye

[l mandrake 9]

Got it fixed, many thanks guys!

Mandrake

[pchaxor 0]

Only issue is you will need to undo that when the offical update comes out I think.

I would not recommend doing the above. It's a bit messy.

I just run the -mod switch and all is well. Regulars know the diff anyways.

[terox 316]

Only issue is you will need to undo that when the offical update comes out I think.

I would not recommend doing the above. It's a bit messy.

That is why you user a copy of the master install as the server.

You simply then replace the "copied" folder with a copy of the master

[pchaxor 0]

I missed that.

Good thinking.

[BigMorgan 11]

Not entirely on-topic but I wish they would do away with the red question mark. How about just a green question mark, since I've yet to see a red question marked-server I couldn't join.

Forgive the digression.

[l mandrake 9]

Not entirely on-topic but I wish they would do away with the red question mark. How about just a green question mark, since I've yet to see a red question marked-server I couldn't join.

Forgive the digression.

Good call +1

[pchaxor 0]

Agreed. Red in most countries means STOP or HALT.

It can also mark a place to get sex ... OA is close, but not quite. ;)

Displaying red was just a bad idea.

I am sure their intentions were good.

[terox 316]

According to another thread B.I are looking into the gamespy browser. There are more issues with it than those discussed under this thread. So hopefully at some future point this will be sorted.

The fixes that I posted are a workaround for this issue for now and i agree it's a bit messy but not that difficult to manage