Possible Login Server Bug

[a6equj5]

I just changed the eqlsUIConfig.ini file section below to Show=0 and it fixed the problem for me after trying to log in 20 times or so.

[PollWindow]
INIVersion=1
XPos640x480=0
XPos1280x1024=320
YPos640x480=0
YPos1280x1024=272
Show=0
BGTint.red=255
BGTint.green=255
BGTint.blue=255
BGType=1
Fades=true
Delay=2000
Duration=500
Alpha=255
FadeToAlpha=255
Locked=true

Hopefully I'm not posting where I shouldn't be. I'm new here, but it was a definitive fix for me related to the poll window.

[zuperzip]

As of yesterday the last of the 6 accounts I often play received the Survey. I responded "Yes" then clicked "Submit" now none of those accounts get the SSSE. The reason I'm posting this is because of when it happened. I was in game with one of my accounts talking in guildchat and heard about someone losing a character to a random disconnection from PEQ, this seems semi-common the last couple days. As they logged their character back in it received the Survey. Also another person who had been fighting through the SSSEs for 20 minutes or so announced that they also just received the Survey. Quickly I fired up another EQ client and logged in my 'uncured' account. Sure enough I got the Survey. I found none of us had used the Quick Connect.

This was the only time I've heard of more than one player getting the Survey at roughly the same time. It could be it was just random luck but it's worth chasing on a small scale. Here are my untested recommendations.

1. If you receive the Survey quickly notify others in your guild so they may try to do the same thing I did. I'm guessing you've got one or two minutes max to catch the wave. If you find similar results post back here and we'll start announcing in /ooc and IRC.

2. Don't use Quick Connect when attempting to catch the Survey.

Originally Posted by xulok

Is it Sony code that is sending the packet or is it community code?

Xulok, as far as I can tell It's all between the player and the EQEmu login server.

[John Adams]

Originally Posted by a6equj5

Hopefully I'm not posting where I shouldn't be. I'm new here, but it was a definitive fix for me related to the poll window.

You're safe. That's an editable data file, so it should be no more illegal than changing eqhosts.txt If anyone else tries this fix and it works, please let us know. Though chances are, you got lucky. This has been a sinister bug for far too long.

[Sakrateri]

Dont know if this has been tried or not but its just another thing those that are having problems can try out , this is from the official SOE Tech forums

Will need to make a point, after following this suggestion, DO NOT attempt to use/go to Full Screen mode until you are completely into game, but even then you may still crash. If so, you will need to play in windowed mode til Devs figure out what they are doing. SMILEY

1. Drill down into Everquest folder, locate and run OptionsEditor.

2. Drill down into Everquest folder, locate and open up to edit eqclient.ini (not eqsclient.ini).

3. In [Default] section, use Find to locate WindowedMode then make sure it is set as WindowedMode=TRUE.

4. And if the line does not exist, insert WindowedMode=TRUE immediately under the [Default] section. This will force all of EQ windows to open up in Windowed mode. (do NOT attempt to alt enter to use Full screen mode, unless you like errors).

5. The scroll down to Video Mode, and replace it with the following lines, making sure to change them to MATCH your current desktop settings (start/settings/control panel/display properties/settings tab). Do not get funny with the settings.

[VideoMode]
WindowedWidth=1680
WindowedHeight=1050
Width=1680
Height=1050
FullscreenBitsPerPixel=32
FullscreenRefreshRate=60

Save and close. Make sure that your windows Display Properties is set to the same. All of EQ windows will open up in windowed mode. This should allow you to get into game. From within the game, you can attempt to go to Full Screen mode.

Report back success or failure.

Report back your video card (brand/model), monitor, whether it is an LCD or CRT, and the type of connection being used, ie analog (old/regular connection) or DVI-D (wierd/new connection type).

For some this may not work, as they have other issues. But for the record I am on 67 people (I have used a bottle of Tylenol so far) who were not able to get into game and play until they followed the above instructions.

Aye, of those only 5 were able to go into Full screen mode while the others would have EQ crash/error. At the moment they are regulated to windowed mode.

[John Adams]

Will need to make a point, after following this suggestion, DO NOT attempt to use/go to Full Screen mode until you are completely into game, but even then you may still crash. If so, you will need to play in windowed mode til Devs figure out what they are doing.

Kookey, I've only said this about 100 times. Maybe now people will listen and try it.

Thx Sak

[Doodman]

I closed the current login poll, so if this bug is related to the polling system then this should hopefully clear it up.

Let me know if it appears to help the problem. I'll leave the polls disabled at least until I find/fix the problem, if not longer.

Doodman

[John Adams]

Thanks, Dood. So good to see your name again.

[zuperzip]

Thank you Doodman

I just checked an account that still gets the SSSE and.... it no longer gets the Survey and no longer errors out during login.

The neighbors have arrived to see what all the screams mixed with laughter are about. I gotta go...

[Darkonig]

Thanks Doodman. All my accounts get in first try now.

[Vast]

Holy Crap, after over a year I logged all my guys in without fail. It's so odd I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off my soul! I was in the bathroom gearing up a noose to hang myself when I decided to log in one more time... thank you Doodman... you saved my life.

[patyrn2k1]

I just tried a6equj5's fix, and it seemed to work, no more crashes, where before I would be very lucky not to get a crash, could be on to something here ....

[zuperzip]

Originally Posted by patyrn2k1

I just tried a6equj5's fix, and it seemed to work, no more crashes, where before I would be very lucky not to get a crash, could be on to something here ....

It's worth a try but don't get your hopes up. I found it did not work for me. At times the login server is slow to send the 2nd survey packet and so creates the illusion that something you've done has solved the problem. If you find that this does not work for you be sure to make "Show=1" again.

[a6equj5]

Ok, so I started getting the eqgame.exe crash again. I tried changing it back to Show=1 and it didn't work, so I changed it back, still no dice. So after 10-15 more login attempts, I decide to try something wacky.

Once I logged in and the server select window crashed and showed the "eqgame.exe has encountered a problem..." window, I hit Ctrl+Alt+Del and killed the EverQuest task under the Applications tab. This left the eqgame.exe error window still open. Without clicking on close, I started EQ again and I was able to log in with no problem.

Maybe a fluke, but worth a try? After 15 unsuccessful attempts, doing this allowed me to log in.

[zuperzip]

Originally Posted by a6equj5

Ok, so I started getting the eqgame.exe crash again. I tried changing it back to Show=1 and it didn't work, so I changed it back, still no dice. So after 10-15 more login attempts, I decide to try something wacky...

I tried this a couple times and my accounts that do get the SSSE still got the SSSE.

Originally Posted by Sakrateri

Dont know if this has been tried or not but its just another thing those that are having problems can try out , this is from the official SOE Tech forums

This appears to be a work around for hardware or driver incompatibility but I tried it anyway and still received the SSSE.

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

It's apparent that modifying the login server code is currently not an option. That leaves the EQEmu community a very few solutions. The most effective solution is answer the Survey sent from the login server by selecting "Yes" then clicking "Submit". After doing this almost all players find the SSSE never effects that account again because the login server stops sending the Survey to that account. The second less explored solution is using a firewall/router which blocks the client crashing second Survey packet. I'm fairly sure this is possible but I don't have a wide variety of routers laying around to test.

So here is what can be done to make the SSSE go away and if you can do one of these things please let us know. If you can't do one of these things it is very likely your solution is not a solution for the SSSE.

1. Change the login server so the Survey is automatically set to "yes response" for all accounts new and old. (currently not an option)

2. Find a router or firewall setting that blocks the second Survery packets which cause the SSSE.

3. Make the Survey display whenever a player wants so they can respond "Yes" and click "Submit". Even though the Survey is always sent to SSSE prone accounts during login the Survery displays very rarely and I don't know why.

If you feel you can find a solution to the SSSE get a packet analyzer such as Ethereal so you can see packets coming to you during login. You will need to verify the account you're using does in fact get the Survey packet every login. Use that account for your testing. Also remember, the error causing second Survey packet may not always arrive immediately. It may come later while sitting at the server select screen.

[John Adams]

I am extremely hesitant to do this, so if a site admin thinks a mod shouldn't be referring members - delete this post asap.

I just feel so bad for those who cannot get passed this bug. Check out my profile, follow the link to my home site. Maybe it'll help. Just do NOT bring the discussion back here. Don't make me regret it. :/