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Update on Zonealarm issues - 27 March 2006

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#161
by Vantskruv

I just want to tell that the solution in the main message doesn't work for me either, just for statistical purpose. So there is no RO for me, because there is no free version of Outpost Firewall, and Kerio Firewall is not stable on my computer (god know why?). This is sad because RO is a very good game.:(
Click to expand...

i have also tried the fix to the letter. then i reintalled ZA with most recent FREE version (i dont agree with using old versions of firewalls because thats just silly)

i allowed the RO.exe permission and it crashed my computer just as before.
when can i play RO?
 
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#162
kAMIKAZE said:
Hi,

I'm using Zone Alarm 6.1.744.001 and I found the origin of the BSOD problem in Steamdvr.sys. Although the error originated in Steamdvr.sys. Steamdvr.sys did not generate any error message. When the wrong information was passed from Steamdvr.sys to vsdatant.sys. The wrong information caused a loop inside vsdatant.sys to corrupt surrounding memory. Hence the BSOD. So the BSOD points vsdatant.sys as the culprit.

I patched Steamdvr.sys to prove my point. I tested the patched Steamdvr.sys and I didn't get any BSOD anymore. But when I reached the main menu of Red Orchestra and clicked Multiplayer, my computer froze.

So more testing.

Update:

I tried Practice and it seems fine. I can walk. No freezing. I can fire and reload my weapon. I can drive a vehicle.

I tried Multiplayer again and a Zone Alarm security alert appeared with the Allow/Deny buttons. I can't select Allow since my keyboard and mouse froze.
Click to expand...

Interesting find. It seems that the problems stems from Steam/RO and not ZA and should therefore be corrected primarily by TW and not ZA - is this understanding correct?

Thanks!
 
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#165
While I concede that ZA is part of the problem, Kamikaze specified that the file that generates the problem is "Steamdvr.sys", which is a part of RO and not ZA, I assume.

I can't follow your argumentation, debaker, since your logic is flawed: If I completely uninstall RO, ZA also runs without the problem - following your logic that would be a clear indication that it is RO that causes the problem ...

Fact is that both pieces of software don't really work together. I have a very high number of games installed on my machine and NONE has a problem with ZA. RO does. Together with Kamikaze's finding, this is at least an indication that the problem might lie with RO.

In the end, I don't care who fixes the problem - the only thing that I don't want to happen is that TW simply points its finger at ZA and don't do anything. It is perfectly possible to program an online game that runs with ZA without any problem - why can't TW do it?
 
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#166
kAMIKAZE said:
Hi,

I'm using Zone Alarm 6.1.744.001 and I found the origin of the BSOD problem in Steamdvr.sys. Although the error originated in Steamdvr.sys. Steamdvr.sys did not generate any error message. When the wrong information was passed from Steamdvr.sys to vsdatant.sys. The wrong information caused a loop inside vsdatant.sys to corrupt surrounding memory. Hence the BSOD. So the BSOD points vsdatant.sys as the culprit.

I patched Steamdvr.sys to prove my point. I tested the patched Steamdvr.sys and I didn't get any BSOD anymore. But when I reached the main menu of Red Orchestra and clicked Multiplayer, my computer froze.

So more testing.

Update:

I tried Practice and it seems fine. I can walk. No freezing. I can fire and reload my weapon. I can drive a vehicle.

I tried Multiplayer again and a Zone Alarm security alert appeared with the Allow/Deny buttons. I can't select Allow since my keyboard and mouse froze.

I opened Zone Alarm Control Panel and went to Programs and set the Red Orchestra program permissions to allow for both Access and Server. I tried Multiplayer again and it works!!!

Attached is the patched Steamdvr.sys for those who want to try it out. Download the attachment View attachment 306 and unzip it. Go to C:\Program Files\Steam\bin\x86. In x86 folder, rename the original Steamdvr.sys and copy the patched Steamdvr.sys to this folder. I have tested this only for Zone Alarm 6.1.744.001. As usual your mileage may vary.

Have fun fragging.
Click to expand...

Good call. After following your instruction, the game works. I booted the game, went to multiplayer, moved around and fired a few shots and then I clicked on exit, it asked if I was sure, I clicked "yes" and then I got the error "PreCondition Assertion Failed", I was able to go to task manager, and kill the error message and then Steam shut down and I am now sending this post on the same "session", i.e., I did not have to reboot. Based on casual observation, Steam seems to be the culprit. Now I need to go in and actually play the game. Thanks for your dedicated work, your perserverance is remarkable.

Texn
 
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#167
The same happened in practice mode, the game boots, I go in and play but when I exit, I get the same error message, "PreCondition Assertion Failed". I go to task manager, kill the error message and everything is fine. I would like to mentiion that I have been as frustrated as everyone else and this is a leap forward. The game is playable and I dont have to reboot. Is it as it should be? No. Do I accept this as a final product? No. However, I will tell you that going from paying my money and no game to being able to play the game, albeit with a work around on exit, I will certainly deal with this much, much easier than I would with not having the game I paid for.

Texn
 
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#168
Kamikaze, I'm using the same version of ZA as you are, and I tried your fix.

It was certainly an improvement from the CPU simply rebooting, but I still can't get in the game. I also tried adding RO.exe in ZA Program Control and checking all boxes (Access: Trusted, Internet; Server: Trusted, Internet).

Check out the screenshot of my latest error message.



From one error to another.

I've been patient, but this is ridiculous. I paid 50
 
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#170
kAMIKAZE said:
Hi,

I'm using Zone Alarm 6.1.744.001 and I found the origin of the BSOD problem in Steamdvr.sys. Although the error originated in Steamdvr.sys. Steamdvr.sys did not generate any error message. When the wrong information was passed from Steamdvr.sys to vsdatant.sys. The wrong information caused a loop inside vsdatant.sys to corrupt surrounding memory. Hence the BSOD. So the BSOD points vsdatant.sys as the culprit.

I patched Steamdvr.sys to prove my point. I tested the patched Steamdvr.sys and I didn't get any BSOD anymore. But when I reached the main menu of Red Orchestra and clicked Multiplayer, my computer froze.

So more testing.

Update:

I tried Practice and it seems fine. I can walk. No freezing. I can fire and reload my weapon. I can drive a vehicle.

I tried Multiplayer again and a Zone Alarm security alert appeared with the Allow/Deny buttons. I can't select Allow since my keyboard and mouse froze.

I opened Zone Alarm Control Panel and went to Programs and set the Red Orchestra program permissions to allow for both Access and Server. I tried Multiplayer again and it works!!!

Attached is the patched Steamdvr.sys for those who want to try it out. Download the attachment View attachment 306 and unzip it. Go to C:\Program Files\Steam\bin\x86. In x86 folder, rename the original Steamdvr.sys and copy the patched Steamdvr.sys to this folder. I have tested this only for Zone Alarm 6.1.744.001. As usual your mileage may vary.

Have fun fragging.
Click to expand...

Nice one.
 
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#171
Steamdvr.sys is a Steam file not a Red Orchestra file. So first off the crash has absolutely NOTHING to do with Red Orchestra outside of the fact that RO needs Steam to run. Additionally, Valve traced the Zone Alarm crash to a file in ZoneAlarm, and ZoneLabs freely admits the problem is thiers and is working on a fix. So for petes sake stop looking for conspiracy theories because there is none. RO is not at fault whatsoever, Steam is doing perfectly legit file system management, and Zone Alarm is overstepping its boundaries as a program by jacking with files in memory.
 
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#173
[RO]Ramm-Jaeger said:
Steamdvr.sys is a Steam file not a Red Orchestra file. So first off the crash has absolutely NOTHING to do with Red Orchestra outside of the fact that RO needs Steam to run. Additionally, Valve traced the Zone Alarm crash to a file in ZoneAlarm, and ZoneLabs freely admits the problem is thiers and is working on a fix. So for petes sake stop looking for conspiracy theories because there is none. RO is not at fault whatsoever, Steam is doing perfectly legit file system management, and Zone Alarm is overstepping its boundaries as a program by jacking with files in memory.
Click to expand...
It seems that everything Ramm-Jaeger says here is the truth. Contrary to what I had previously believed, it was not within TripWire's power to create a workaround for the problem, as that would have required access to Steam files which they must not have. Please accept my apologies for this misunderstanding.

Though it was within Valve's power to create a workaround, the problem was ZoneLabs' fault, not theirs, so presumably they did not feel compelled to do so.

Edit: Cyberkris: Don't know if it will help, but try checking this page:
http://www.redorchestragame.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5134
 
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#174
I'm not looking for anybody to blame, but I have to say that it can be assumed that the game is tested on the most common hardware AND software before being released... ZoneAlarm is one of the most popular firewalls out there, so I am astonished and disappointed that such a problem exists still weeks after release date.

I know that tests can't cover every possible combination of hardware and software, but let's face it: this problem seems slightly too common for a case of "unfortunate mix of hardware and software, sorry".

So... Can TW really take the moral high ground and put all blame on ZA, as it seems to be now?
 
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#175
Vonreuter: Though I too am unsure of how the problem was missed in QA (TW guys: did Valve help with that at all, or were you forced to arrange all testing yourselves?), the problem was caused by faulty programming on Zone Labs' part - Zone Labs have admitted to this.

Though normally developers would try to work around such problems, their fault or not, TW were unable to do so as they must not have access to the necessary Steam files.

More discussion here:
http://www.redorchestragame.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5705
 
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#176
Vonreuter said:
I'm not looking for anybody to blame, but I have to say that it can be assumed that the game is tested on the most common hardware AND software before being released... ZoneAlarm is one of the most popular firewalls out there, so I am astonished and disappointed that such a problem exists still weeks after release date.

I know that tests can't cover every possible combination of hardware and software, but let's face it: this problem seems slightly too common for a case of "unfortunate mix of hardware and software, sorry".

So... Can TW really take the moral high ground and put all blame on ZA, as it seems to be now?
Click to expand...

Sure.
Compatability problems are not something new with ZA (nor are they unsual with Norton products .......for those of you that had the mis-fortune of having Hard Drives trashed back in the '80's from Peter's crap). For example, scroll down to the bottom of listed url's page and work your way up. You'll see lots of companies that didnt' check to see if they were compatable with ZA. Now they just seem to lump them into the "various bug fixes", or "system stability issues". If the new version doesn't have the fix, give them some time and I'm sure they'll bring a patch out.http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/information/zap/releaseHistory.html
 
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#179
[RO]Wilsonam said:
I am going to need a volunteer to test out Zonelab's own fix for this shortly... volunteer please (someone with patience!).

Cheers
Click to expand...

Did you get the required number of patch testers Wilsonam ? The client I'm working on this problem for has ZA but as I do not, ZL will not answer my requests directly. Thus my willingness to test . . . . .

- Regards

BM
 
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