Curse

Oh_Frustration · Oct 30, 2011, 09:13 AM // 09:13

Okay, so after a few days' break I tried to launch my GW. When I launch it, it apparently downloads an update and then show a screen saying "A serious error has occurred that prevents the program from continuing to run" and tells me to send an error report to Anet.

I have tried the -image command and I've unticked the "read only" box in the directory. I also tried deleting gw.tmp but Windows claims it to be opened in Norton 360, and tells me I can't do anything to it unless I close the file in Norton first. I tried excluding the whole directory from both traffic blocking and scans but it didn't help.

Halp meh pleez!

Vanway · Oct 30, 2011, 10:35 AM // 10:35

have you tried a re install without the -image?
i know its a pain in the ass playing for the first day, but it might work.

JEVillen · Oct 30, 2011, 12:26 PM // 12:26

Making my first post here so I don't start off asking a newbie question

It sounds like a permissions problem. Are you running as a "normal" user on Windows Vista or 7, or have some crazy security software running? I know oppressive anti-viruses like Kaspersky or Comodo can shut down GW before it has a chance to do anything.

I'd try the following, in this order:
Idea 1: Do all the update/install stuff as administrator.
Try running gw.exe as an administrator for the first time. (I.e. right-click the gw.exe and click "Run as administrator") If the game launches after running in admin mode, you should be able to use non-admin mode the next time.

Idea 2: Run GW from somewhere other than Program Files.
Windows has some silly guards on the C:\Program Files folder.
1. COPY the entire contents of your Guild Wars folder to somewhere else like C:\Games\Guild Wars.
2. [EDIT: Uninstall the game using Add/Remove Programs or Programs and Features.] This should remove the GW files from C:\Program Files\Guild Wars. [EDIT: If you can't find Guild Wars in Add/Remove Programs or Programs and Features, then just delete the old copy of GW from C:\Program Files.]
3. Run gw.exe from its new location in C:\Games or whatever. It shouldn't be restricted in the same way as if it were running from C:\Program Files.

Hope this helps!

Quaker · Oct 30, 2011, 02:15 PM // 14:15

Also make sure you have more than 4Gigs of free space on the hard drive. The gw.000 file can get as large as gw.dat (it's a temp file).

Perkunas · Oct 30, 2011, 02:29 PM // 14:29

About 1 in 4 of the updates gives me errors like these. I just keep the game setup program on my desktop and run it when this happens. No need to delete anything, just run it, and "reinstall" it to same location. In 5/10 minutes, you are back to playing.

Oh_Frustration · Oct 31, 2011, 05:46 AM // 05:46

At first the error wouldn't let me use the -image command but later yesterday it actually did the -image and fixed itself. Thanks for the help, though