Has anyone successfully downloaded or repaired LOTRO today (May 4)?

[Michaleo]

There are many people reporting the hash code error who are unable to either repair or do a fresh download of LOTRO. Has anyone done a successful download today?

If so, it would help to know anything special that was done to make it work, in particular if someone got the hash code error, then did something different and it worked.

Obviously, if no one has been able to download it, that suggests that it is the patch servers rather than the client computers that have a problem.

On the other hand, if some people are getting it to work, we need to figure out what the difference is between the ones that work and the ones that still don't.

[Ballie]

There are many people reporting the hash code error who are unable to either repair or do a fresh download of LOTRO. Has anyone done a successful download today?

If so, it would help to know anything special that was done to make it work, in particular if someone got the hash code error, then did something different and it worked.

Obviously, if no one has been able to download it, that suggests that it is the patch servers rather than the client computers that have a problem.

On the other hand, if some people are getting it to work, we need to figure out what the difference is between the ones that work and the ones that still don't.

I think people should wait on some techy blue poster. The advice to re D/L a fresh install is a kin to switch it off and on again. My 10 year install has me in game playing but I kind of dread a new patch on the horizon. My last patch (BR) was before this debacle started.

[Jegil]

My problem started yesterday with black screen just after SSG logo screen. Didn't get to character screen.
My installation was old, named Turbine so i uninstalled the game and downloaded new from the webpage.
This lead to multible error messages. Seem I didn't get the needed files to start up the game. Got stuck at downloading at 4%, then 8%, 11% and 20%.
Today I decided to uninstall again, download new file from webpage, but now I keep getting: There was an error generating the hash code for a patch file

This is annoying and frustrating, I really dont know what to do.

Tried lot of solutions mentioned in Forum but nothing works.

Would be nice to get an update from SSG, what is going on

[JH15547]

There are many people reporting the hash code error who are unable to either repair or do a fresh download of LOTRO. Has anyone done a successful download today?

If so, it would help to know anything special that was done to make it work, in particular if someone got the hash code error, then did something different and it worked.

Obviously, if no one has been able to download it, that suggests that it is the patch servers rather than the client computers that have a problem.

On the other hand, if some people are getting it to work, we need to figure out what the difference is between the ones that work and the ones that still don't.

After a couple of PC restarts, and clearing the DNS cache, it finally worked for me.

[Yarbro]

My problem started yesterday with black screen just after SSG logo screen. Didn't get to character screen.
My installation was old, named Turbine so i uninstalled the game and downloaded new from the webpage.
This lead to multible error messages. Seem I didn't get the needed files to start up the game. Got stuck at downloading at 4%, then 8%, 11% and 20%.
Today I decided to uninstall again, download new file from webpage, but now I keep getting: There was an error generating the hash code for a patch file

This is annoying and frustrating, I really dont know what to do.

Tried lot of solutions mentioned in Forum but nothing works.

Would be nice to get an update from SSG, what is going on

Since the DNS issue, I have downloaded and updated 3 installs, and all have worked correctly, with no errors and all 3 can log in and play without issues; I doubt any current problems can be cured by anything SSG can do, but are either connection problems or file corruption issues on the client end.

The fact that several totally different repair alternatives have worked for various people would back this up.

If you cannot download a clean set of install files, disable AV*; if you cannot connect, disable firewall; if neither of these get you connected - check with your ISP for network level filtering/AV systems that might be blocking the severs.

Network level filtering is suggested as an issue as several people have reported they can get in via a VPN, but not via their usual ISP, and it is cropping up more and more often as an issue over the last year.

*Also look up how Hosts file works, and make sure your AV hasnt blacklisted lotro or the lotro server address that way (this is how several AV programs work - SpyBotS&D for example - so disabling them doesnt make any difference).

[Jegil]

My problem started yesterday with black screen just after SSG logo screen. Didn't get to character screen.
My installation was old, named Turbine so i uninstalled the game and downloaded new from the webpage.
This lead to multible error messages. Seem I didn't get the needed files to start up the game. Got stuck at downloading at 4%, then 8%, 11% and 20%.
Today I decided to uninstall again, download new file from webpage, but now I keep getting: There was an error generating the hash code for a patch file

This is annoying and frustrating, I really dont know what to do.

Tried lot of solutions mentioned in Forum but nothing works.

Would be nice to get an update from SSG, what is going on

UPDATE:

Flushed DNS and got a new hope. Now downloading files at least. lets see how this ends

[Jegil]

Since the DNS issue, I have downloaded and updated 3 installs, and all have worked correctly, with no errors and all 3 can log in and play without issues; I doubt any current problems can be cured by anything SSG can do, but are either connection problems or file corruption issues on the client end.

The fact that several totally different repair alternatives have worked for various people would back this up.

If you cannot download a clean set of install files, disable AV*; if you cannot connect, disable firewall; if neither of these get you connected - check with your ISP for network level filtering/AV systems that might be blocking the severs.

Network level filtering is suggested as an issue as several people have reported they can get in via a VPN, but not via their usual ISP, and it is cropping up more and more often as an issue over the last year.

*Also look up how Hosts file works, and make sure your AV hasnt blacklisted lotro or the lotro server address that way (this is how several AV programs work - SpyBotS&D for example - so disabling them doesnt make any difference).

It is not my AV blocking anything. Disable this was the first thing I did, and game has installed. My problem is when starting up the launcher. It didn't download the files needed. Stopped several times which made me uninstall again and start over ant getting the result: There was an error generating the hash code for a patch file

[Yarbro]

It is not my AV blocking anything. Disable this was the first thing I did, and game has installed. My problem is when starting up the launcher. It didn't download the files needed. Stopped several times which made me uninstall again and start over ant getting the result: There was an error generating the hash code for a patch file

Did you delete the old install, shutdown the pc - wait 10 - reboot and then start a fresh download?? (sometimes a straight reboot dosent do the below properly).

Windows is PITA sometimes, about how it handles uninstalled programs/corrupted data; it doesnt delete data/registry entries until it is shutdown, just marks them for deletion; if you try to reinstall over the top, the old damaged files are still there and it acts as if they are the new ones, even when they arent.

[Jegil]

UPDATE:

Flushed DNS and got a new hope. Now downloading files at least. lets see how this ends

NEW UPDATE:

Got to the server screen, choosed Evernight Server and got this message:
Can't open the data files. Check that they exist and that you have permission to write to them. The program will now exit [201]

Any suggestion out there ?

[Jegil]

Did you delete the old install, shutdown the pc - wait 10 - reboot and then start a fresh download?? (sometimes a straight reboot dosent do the below properly).

Windows is PITA sometimes, about how it handles uninstalled programs/corrupted data; it doesnt delete data/registry entries until it is shutdown, just marks them for deletion; if you try to reinstall over the top, the old damaged files are still there and it acts as if they are the new ones, even when they arent.

I uninstalled the old install, not just deleted.


With that said, no I must confess that I didnt restart my computer before reinstalling.
Guess I have to try again then, just to be sure ?


Atm I am trying to install lotro on my laptop as well. Never installed og this computer, but it doesn't look too good either

[Arabani]

Once again, the issue has nothing to do with installing, uninstalling, firewalls, aniviruses, systems, settings and so on and so forth. It is clear that for some reason patch server is unaccesable for some people (Is there actually any USA player who is experiencing it right now?). It's either an upper level issue (I do not know...some magistral hub blocks/refuses/ignores the information), or SSG did not put enough effort in to fixing it.

So please, stop torturing your computers and yourself. If they worked 2 days ago and you did not change any hard, or soft ware, it's not your fault.

[Jegil]

Once again, the issue has nothing to do with installing, uninstalling, firewalls, aniviruses, systems, settings and so on and so forth. It is clear that for some reason patch server is unaccesable for some people (Is there actually any USA player who is experiencing it right now?). It's either an upper level issue (I do not know...some magistral hub blocks/refuses/ignores the information), or SSG did not put enough effort in to fixing it.

So please, stop torturing your computers and yourself. If they worked 2 days ago and you did not change any hard, or soft ware, it's not your fault.

I have been playing for 12 years and no problems 2 days ago. Problem started after Bullroarer went live, and that was my first thoughts actually.

Neither did I change anything on my computer.

I regret reinstalling the game just because of the squared pattern at the loading screen. It all began with black screen and no character.
Decided reinstall because I had old turbine folder and because Cordovan told us to do so, to solve the problems.

I really hope to hear something from SSG but because of weekend I am not so sure of that happening. Unfortunately.

I am not from USA, I am from Denmark.

[culhwch1066]

Last night game became very laggy. Quit the game, rebooted, launched game, got the black screen at character log in. Uninstalled game, re-installed, got the hash error. After several re-installs gave up. Launched the game this morning (no re-install this time). and it's seems to be working fine. It's currently downloading all the patches it needs from a fresh install.

[Typhor]

On day 2 now with the same issue as others - start game, get splash screen with dragons, then goes to full black screen before character selection. Can't even close out the non-responsive program at that point and have to hard reboot.

[Michaela23]

I didn't re-install the game, because most people had troubles with that. Game still doesn't work! I've send a ticket yesterday evening but no answer until now… it sucks! I don't think it's something wrong with my Laptop - I think it's something on the game. I just wish, someone of SSG would comment on what is going on...
btw I'm from Germany - a friend of mine is playing as usual and she is from Germany too. So it seems to be a world-wide Problem...?

[Yarbro]

I have been playing for 12 years and no problems 2 days ago. Problem started after Bullroarer went live, and that was my first thoughts actually.

Neither did I change anything on my computer.

I regret reinstalling the game just because of the squared pattern at the loading screen. It all began with black screen and no character.
Decided reinstall because I had old turbine folder and because Cordovan told us to do so, to solve the problems.

I really hope to hear something from SSG but because of weekend I am not so sure of that happening. Unfortunately.

I am not from USA, I am from Denmark.

Latest Cordovan advice, posted about 10 minutes ago is basically everything I have suggested doing since the issue started. I dont have a Win10 PC, I wont touch it, but the advice should work more or less the same across all flavours of Windows; the issue with not correctly marking files as deleted until reboot goes back to Win95.

[Michaela23]

I also have tried to enter another world, because some told to do so, but it's the same thing...log in, blue Dragon loading character data, SSG logo...black screan...so I give up now. I'm very frustrated!

Maybe it works in a few days or I'll get an answer from my ticket...but hope is very low at this point...

[Jegil]

Just a little update from me - I finally got in.

After several attempts to download all the game files needed. I got further each try. Not sure what did the trick, but I closed everything running in the background such as Discord and Facebook. Flushed DNS, went to the install folder C:\Program Files (x86)\StandingStoneGames\The Lord of the Rings Online\Backup. Made a copy of the file lotrolauncher.exe and paste into the folder The Lord of the Rings Online (yes to overwrite)
Waited a few mins and started up the game.
Did so several times and got further and further, and finally done 100%.

One of my kin mates did this because of black screen


1. Rename your "Documents/The Lord of the Rings Online" folder to something else, temporarily.
2. Run the game. It will create a new "Documents/The Lord of the Rings Online" folder.
3. Verify that you can login to the game successfully.
4. Exit the game.
5. Delete the newly created folder and rename your old one back to its original name.

[Jegil]

Latest Cordovan advice, posted about 10 minutes ago is basically everything I have suggested doing since the issue started. I dont have a Win10 PC, I wont touch it, but the advice should work more or less the same across all flavours of Windows; the issue with not correctly marking files as deleted until reboot goes back to Win95.

Where did you find this Yarbro ? I mean Cordovan advice, 10 mins ago?

[Thurallor]

Where did you find this Yarbro ? I mean Cordovan advice, 10 mins ago?

https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthr...88#post7932188

See also: The "Dev Tracker" link at the top of the page.

[Yarbro]

Where did you find this Yarbro ? I mean Cordovan advice, 10 mins ago?

Sorry, I was in-game, then watched some TV, so only just seen this post, the above is the link. My version goes into more depth about WHY to do certain things, I hope some of it helps.

There are so many threads on the subject now, I cannot remember which ones I have posted a full list of things to try in.

[Jegil]

https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthr...88#post7932188

See also: The "Dev Tracker" link at the top of the page.

Thanks a lot, was curious and didnt know where to find it.

[Yarbro]

Thanks a lot, was curious and didnt know where to find it.

I am getting some feedback that doing it my way, with the shut down - wait 10 seconds, then reboot ,download and install is working, where all previous uninstall/install attempts failed.

Hurin used to poo-poo my reasoning about the wait, but it works, and that is all that matters. If he was still around I could point him at recent security research that was extracting data from RAM by exploiting the fact it doesnt wipe properly for a couple of seconds after losing power.

[Thurallor]

I am getting some feedback that doing it my way, with the shut down - wait 10 seconds, then reboot ,download and install is working, where all previous uninstall/install attempts failed.

Hurin used to poo-poo my reasoning about the wait, but it works, and that is all that matters. If he was still around I could point him at recent security research that was extracting data from RAM by exploiting the fact it doesnt wipe properly for a couple of seconds after losing power.

Yeah, that's a lot of hooey. It's harmless, though, so carry on.

[Artegall]

I was finally able to download the client update today, all 25,208 MB of it, and did the other things that Cordovan suggested (DNS flush, userpreferences.ini delete, etc.). I'm back in the game now. One thing that happened was that when the .dat file patches failed last night, it seems that my Lord of the Rings Online folder got renamed .temp and I didn't notice it. I renamed it today and the download completed and installed with no problems.