Bad Company 2: There is no disk in the drive crash with EA Digital Version

My patience is being tested to the max with this problem. I beta test stuff I am used to having to work through issues. I get BSOD randomly with this game, and sometimes a random CTD.

These things I am setting aside and just focusing on this one problem described by the thread title. The most common crash I get by far is this error that will pop up on an all white screen and close the game telling me "There is no disk in the drive. Please insert disk into the drive"

Why is this error really testing me? Because I own the EA Download Manager Digital Copy of the game... I do not have a disk! and its not even happening when I start the game its always at random usually near the end of a game I am having fun in.



From what little I can find on this error on google none of the answers I have seen so far are valid for my situation.

I have seen people say "rebuild the file integrity on steam client" but I am using EA Download Manager that option is not there.

I have seen people its an issue with Nvidia XXX Drive update to this one. But I use a ATI 5870 and use the newest 10.3 drivers.

I have had people say its because I use a 64bit OS and this game was made for 32bit... Well thats obviously wrong lots of 64bit OS people have no problems and nobody in there right mind would make a game that wont run on 64bit when its becoming more and more the norm.

I feel like I am getting bent over because I am almost positive its some sort of DRM issue checking for a disk in the drive, but here I am a paying customer having my game ruined by the DRM that is in place to prevent pirates from playing the game.

Of course in 20 seconds you can find the files needed that the pirates can use to play without the disk. It wont work on the EA/Steam version though since they use a different protocol for the disk check.

I filled out a help claim from the EA Download Manger site and got the most automated pre-can mail back you could expect: "Here is the answer to your problem" and a link to an article on how to install the game, that is not even relevant to my game since it was referring to the disk version.

Heck on the EA support site when you have to choose the game your having a problem with, they do not even have Bad Company 2 listed on there... how professional is that?

 

Trying running the game as an admin.

 

I am, because I have UAC off everything is run as admin.

Though when installing the game (doing it now again) punkbuster gave me an error about admin privileges.

I have installed up updated punkbuster though and the kick is not a punkbuster error when my game crashes.

downloaded and ran pbsetup to manually update, all went well client version was up to date but it installed the server side pb also.

 

I had to redownload mine, such a pain in the behind but it fixed this problem.

 

Same problem same version of the game? Did you try to just uninstall/reinstall like I am doing now?

I cant see how downloading the files again would change anything, but I guess its possible that would explain why they have the "check file integrity" function for the steam version. Just one small error in the files may cause errors like this but not a large enough error for the game to not install or start.

 

EADM is the worst digital distribution service I have ever seen in my entire life. They are the main reason I can't stand playing crysis- the thought of it sends me in a rage. it took them 6 months! (SIX!!?) to activate the copy of crysis I bought via EADM, and to this day I still can't use the EADM system to get updates for it, I must download them manually.

 

Yeah I would be tempted to get my money back and buy it on STEAM if I could. But we know that wont happen.

I never had any real problems with BF2142 with EADM, and I loved that game. I still miss to this day hiding behind some random cover while this giant 2 legged monster robot walked by. Really gave this sense of reality that I cant get from BC2 even though its a great game.

Maybe I just have a giant robot phobia Tanks dont bother me.

 

Odd, I got the EADM version as well back from the PAX East sale and have had no problems at all.

The things in order of what I did from memory:

1) Installed EADM, downloaded game
2) Went to download location of my BC2 copy, moved and stored it onto an external HD
3) Uninstalled EADM, proceeded to install BC2 as normal
4) Run game as admin (to get ping to show up)

 

Yes, I am using the same version, I tried to repair mine and Securom claimed I did not have the disc inserted, which is not possible. I burned it to an ISO and mounted it and that didnt work, I cracked it and that didnt work. As if I would even have to think about cracking a game I paid for. Rediculous.

Anyways, I would suggest just saving yourself the trouble and re-download it.

 

I used EADM to buy BF2142. Never again. Eek.

 

After re-install no crash yet but only played 45min, gotta get off and go to work now.

 

Got the crash again....

Went ahead and deleted the cache and uninstalled the game, downloaded the game again from scratch and did the cleanest of clean isntalls and still just crashed out again with the same error.

 

Good thing i didn't do this.. I feel like laughing at u ppl.. that's why i buy CD's.. u nver have these problems..

 

Steam doesn't have these problems either. I think it's just the EA crap.

 

Steam apparently has the problem too but its fixable by using that "check file integrity" option.

Anyways I did all I could on my side to get the game working. I also tried to contact support and ask on the forums. Every option is a dead end.

So I think I would like to try to get a refund now and just buy the game from another distrubution method. However I cant find any way to contact EA about this.

There "contact us" is just one of those automated web forms where you will have some minimum wage rep email you back a pre packaged responce, and its just drop down questions you cant type your own question in.

There is no phone number, no email address. I cant see how any major company gets away with contact methods like this... that on its own makes me angry. If I have a problem I atleast want to see if I can resolve it, not just add another problem to the mix in trying to figure out how to contact them.

Anybody just so happen to know a valid email or phone # for EA Store support where I can try to get this game refunded. Id be happy if they just remove the game from my digital account and send me the disk version. I feel thats a reasonable compromise.

 

Wow NICE! (extreme sarcasm/anger) I found a phone # for EA, its like a 20 minute hold so game up and also found a live chat support.

support/ea.com/chat

About 5 minutes wait and I get somebody on there. I start to explain the problem to him and how its DRM related. I explained there is no current fix for the problem and how Steam had the same issue but supplied a fix.

Just as I was about to go into what I think should be done, the person I was talking too closes our chat session. Mind you I was just talking to this guy, no arguing, yelling, complaints, or rude behavior.

 

Wow had two guys totally blow me off... Im so upset right now.

Need to change this thread to NEVER BUY FROM EA STORE

Chat Dialog

Peter: Hi, my name is Peter. How may I help you?

: Hey Peter, I need to talk to somebody about a major problem I am having with a game I purchased recently

Peter: Yes

: I have taken a lot of my own personal time to look up the problem online, read about it on the EA forums, contacted support via the automated forms.

: It seems my problem does not have a solution. Its a very specific error I get causing Battlefield Bad Company 2 to crash with an error message that there is no disk inserted into the disk drive

: This is a DRM protection related error.

: Of course the major concern off the bat is that I do not have a disk, I purchased the digital download version through the EA store

Peter: Okay, please allow me a moment.

: So the problem is not actually from the game, but rather the distribution method.

: Steam users had the same problem but Steam has supplied a fix, while EA has not.

Peter has disconnected.

Andy has joined the chat.

Andy: Hi, my name is Andy. How may I help you?

: Andy, do you have the log of what I was talking about with Peter?

: He just closed or session and now your talking to me

Andy: Ok tell me what problem you are facing

: I was explaining it to him in detail but now I would rather just cut to the chase and not have to do that all over again.

: I purchased Battlefield Bad Company 2 off the EA Store.

Andy: ok

: I got the digital downloaded version. I cant play the game, I get crashes every 30 minutes or so with the game telling me I need to insert the disk

: The problem is that there is obviously no disk its the digital version.

: This error is not game related, its related directly to the EA Download Manager and its distribution method.

: So thats why I need to have this problem approached in that manner and not have the problem blamed on the game itself.

Andy: OK can you please provide me your order number

: This is a DRM related crash, I have done everything possible to fix it, and done tons of research about it.

: Let me open my email it should be in there one moment.

: #xxxxxxxxxxxx (hidden for my privacy)

: So Andy, I am a very upset customer right now. People that bought the disk from EA store can play, people that got it from the store can play, people that got it from steam can play. Im stuck here with a game I cant play.

: There is no fix for it, nobody at EA has even acknowledged the problem and mentioned that a fix is in the works. So I would like to do one of two things.

Andy: Please wait

: I would like to "trade out" my digital copy of the game and have EA send me the retail disk version of the game. This way I can still keep my business with the EA store and consider my problem solved and give good feedback about the customer service

Andy: OK tell me from where you have purchased that game

: If that is not possible, I would like a full refund and I will purchase the game from another source and have to leave a bad review instead.

: EA Store

: http://eastore.ea.com/

Andy: Ok i have checked that order it is completed from our end

*I thought he said not completed lol*

: How can it not be completed, I have had the game for like a week and they took the money long time ago.

: If its not completed it seems to me you can easily cancel and refund me then.

: Just like if you were to place an order now with any online store with a decent reputation.

Andy: Ok please wait

Andy: Ok so are you sure you want the refund for that game

Andy: Sorry but for that we are not able to provide you refund

: Yes, I got a killer deal for it. Only $20 cost but if the game is not working properly no matter how good of a deal its just money wasted. I would pay the full $50 for a copy of the game that works properly.

: What is your reason behind saying you can not give me a refund?

: The problem is 100% clearly EA and its digital distribution service. If it was a problem with the game itself I would understand.

: I would not hold you or your company accountable for a problem within the game, that would be on the game development team.

Andy: In this case please again download the game from EADM and then install it ok

: But this game has been distributed in several channels and all of the other distribution methods are not displaying this problem.

: I have already done that Andy

Andy:
I request you to manually uninstall EA Download Manager and then reinstall it. In order to manually uninstall EA Download Manager visit: http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=11090
And in order to reinstall EA Download Manager visit: http://na.llnet.cdn.ea.com/u/f/eaonline/eadm/eadm-installer.exe

: I am a computer tech and run a computer site and do reviews of electronics for a living.

: every single article you could possibly link me to I already tried

: and I have tried things you probably couldnt even think of because its the kind of things I do for a living.

: I manually removed and installed Securom, I manually removed and updated punkbuster

: I uninstalled and reinstalled the game.

: I cleared the EADM cache and downloaded the game again

: and installed it fresh

: I have tested the game on other machines

Andy: Sorry but now i have to escalate this issue to my senior level

Andy: they will assist you in a better way

: if I could have solved the problem myself

Andy: Have a nice day

Andy: Bye

Andy has disconnected.


________________________________________

And thats what they did, there was no senior that got on chat with me they just terminated the session and left me as a screwed customer.

Oh and btw the support ticket he sent me, even though I am sure it wont help I am trying it... The manual removal of EADM... so far I have found 4 errors in the instructions.

The reg key they want me to delete is not there. The EADM folder is not there. There info is all screwed up. They tell you to delete a folder in the first set of steps then tell you to delete the same folder again in the last set of steps........ OMG what idiocy.

 

Wow that is some bs man, I cant believe that. Do you happen to have any virtual drives installed at the moment? Might I suggest removing all of your virtual drives and see if that makes a difference?

 

Yeah already tried that and several variations.

The disk failure thing tells me this drive name that does not even exist, probably some virtual drive that the EADM uses.

Anways I deleted all the reg keys I could find, all the files for EADM and took out the game again.

Did a reboot, turned off my virtual drives and I am downloading the game again (for the 4th time) I hope that there was some magic in installing EADM again fresh that did not happen by just downloading and installing the game again.

 

Make sure you clear the cache through the EADM, the little red "x" beside your listed game. And then redownload it.

I mean it was only $20 but was it worth all this trouble? I am just lucky not to be having the problems you are having.

 

WOW. Way to give you the run-around. You would think a Multi-Millionaire dollar company would have at least SOME knowledgeable tech support.

I assume all they do is look at their "Hey, I work for idiots" handbook, and scroll through the list of problems and FAQ, HOPING to stumble upon an answer.

Just reading all of this makes me upset in my own right, and it's not even happening to me.

Downloading and installing for the 4th time? Vicious, I applaud you. A lesser man would have given up by now, myself included.

 

Yeah did that clear cache 2x. This time (the 4th time) I manually deleted the entire EADM folder including the cache.

No crash out of my last 30min but thats not to say its fixed. I'll know next time I am in some awesome 32man game and in the top 3 score spot having a great time. Thats when it likes to crash most.

Alas so much time spent working on this I didnt get to sleep and now I have to go to work

 

Sorry Vicious, I wish I could help. If you have the chat history I would post it on their forums and see how quickly you get some response. $20 is a good deal, but only if it works.

 

You mean how quickly they ban me or delete my post? lol

Most places dont like it when you kick dirt on them even if they are in the wrong. Dell did that too me when I had 2 defective monitors and I posted about my really bad CS with them.

They deleted the post right away and sent me a link to the forum rules basically stating you are not allowed to complain on the forums.

Lets hope its fixed, I'll know after more play testing today. I also have a few more thing I need to try like changing drive letters and disabling my removable storage devices.

If I get the game via Steam or something I dont have to start all over again I hope. Pretty sure when I log in that its not logging into my EADM account but rather my BFBC account. I just got all the engineer unlocks today so all that is left is Assult and I have all the unlocks. Then I can use the class best for the map/situation I am in. So far I have forced myself to stick with a single class regardless of the situation just to get the unlocks.

 

I would just spin it showing the "progress" you've made so far, and here's the history. And state you would like it if a CSR would get ahold of you to complete resolution of this issue. Just be diplomatic and straight forward. They can't delete the post for complaining if you're just stating facts. But just don't sound sarcastic. It's hard to bite your tongue, I understand completely. But they need to fix this. It's stupid.

 

Sorry Vicious.. that stinks. Weird thing was I was sooo tempted to buy a EADM key yesterday for 26 bucks. After hearing your issues my answer is a loud reverberating NO! Hope you get it sorted. Best wishes, StevenX

 

Vicious, did you ever get this fixed?

 

I was wondering the same thing. After all Vicious has been through, I really want to know the outcome.

And maybe if he had any fights with EA.

 

I think I have it fixed due to a little help from a member of the EA forums that had the same problem.

He told me to try to uninstall any virtual drive software, uninstall all my disk drives other than my boot drive, and uninstall and unplug any external disks and removable media.

After I went crazy in my device manager uninstalling everything and did a reboot windows installed all the drives again and so far no crash.

However my computer is in a state right now where I cant use my virtual drives, my external drive is not plugged in and I do not have my usb hub hooked up that also doubles as my card reader.

So I am compromising my system just so I can play the game without error (well other than the normal CTD errors)

So I have to slowly introduce those elements back into my system one at a time to see if it causes the crash again.

EA never followed up with me, I got the automated survey stuff they send everybody so I took the time to fill it out with how I truly felt about my customer service experience. As it ends up even the survey itself is a testament of the horrible customer service.

The whole thing is just radio buttons for rating, its not until the very end you get to add your own comments. So in that area I went to explain how my customer service experience was and when I hit "submit" I got an error saying the message was too long.

I kept cutting it down over and over to the point where at the end all I could say was "I was going to tell you about how bad my customer service experience was and but your survey wont even allow me to type more than a few sentences so its pretty much pointless"

Through and through all I got was genuine signs that nobody out there cares and that everything you get in terms of help is just automated canned spam emails.

 

Jeez. Well I hope at least this will have a good outcome.

Unfortunately you had to go through this whole process to get to this point, but hopefully it will be all worth it.

 

Sorry to crash in on this thread... but after reading the whole EADM and securom crap, it literally is scarying the s**t outta me.

Unfortunately, I've already bought an EADM digital copy cd-key and I was wondering what my best option is right now.

As Kfactor noted, can I download the game with EADM, move the install file to a different location and then delete EADM?

Will this get rid of SecuROM?

Sorry, I'm unfamiliar with the DRM technology as I've been on WoW crack the past 5 or so years.

 

For what it's worth, I've installed and played the EADM version on three different computers, and it's worked fine on all of them. What I did was to download and install it through EADM normally, manually locate the downloaded files and burn them to DVD, and used the DVD to install it on the other two. It will ask you for a CD key, but you are provided one in the e-mail you get from EA. It's labeled "digital rights," but if you enter it into the installer as a CD key, it works fine.

 

Ahh thanks, guess that means I can go ahead and get rid of EADM. Awesome.