Automatic Downloader Doesn't Work

[Rincewind]

Hey everybody,

I got a bit of a problem. Whenever I wanna play UT99 online the automatic server downloader, which gives you all that extra stuff to play the match, does not work and the the whole game freezes. This first happend a few weeks ago. However I still can play the maps online that I already downloaded before via the same downloader.

I already checked the firewall. Everything is greenlighted there. So how can I "reactivate" this downloader so that I can play online even on the most silly maps

[Buggie]

Need more info. Show what appear on UnrealTurnament.log after failed download stuff.
Also need know UT version (written in top right corner of main menu).
What about space on disk? Folder Cache exists? No any flaws with rights write here? You can create there new file?

[Rincewind]

Need more info. Show what appear on UnrealTurnament.log after failed download stuff.
Also need know UT version (written in top right corner of main menu).
What about space on disk? Folder Cache exists? No any flaws with rights write here? You can create there new file?

I have the Game Of The Year Edition, Version: 436
I have more than enough space and everything I downloaded so far with this downloader is still in cache and I can play it online with no problems.
As far as the log-file goes: Everytime I join a server that is playing somethingn new that I don't have, it gets to the black loading screen with the UT Logo and then it freezes (no loading bar nothing). I can't abort the process with F10 so I have to use Strg+Alt+Del. Then the log file tells me that all the neccessary files where recieved (DevNet). But like I said I never get to see the actuall game because it freezes. I waited half an hour for something to happen on that loading screen but nothing. So even if the files are recieved they not get active.

[Buggie]

What about update to v469c latest version? https://github.com/OldUnreal/UnrealTour ... ses/latest
Issue is still here?

[Rincewind]

yeah still...are there some files in the UT-folder connected to that download-service?

[Buggie]

It is part of engine. If this happend on v469c RC4 too, then it is very strange. And possible this mean reason is external and same. Maybe firewall or antivrus software. Or some kind of hardware fail.
Do you able crete file in cache folders? Can you create some text files, write and read content from it?
Maybe you need try run UT from Administrator and see if this help.
Also try look at cache.ini inside Cache folder. It is ok? It is must be regular ini file from start to end. No any garbage inside it.

[TankBeef]

Does this happen on absolutely every server you join?
Also, have you tried a brand new game install on a different directory, just to check if it is a UT specific issue?
BTW, what is your operating system?

[Barbie]

Also avoid spaces in path or file names or package names or group names or ... Just don't do it. xD

[ShaiHulud]

I can't find it in my post history now, but I started a thread on behalf of a friend who was having an identical problem, some time ago. In that case it was a Windows XP system running UT436. Annoyingly we were never able to find a solution to the problem, which I thought at the time might be related to a very full download cache (that doesn't seem likely, because I imagine most long-time players have copiously full cache entries). This doesn't help with your current predicament, other than to know that you're not an entirely isolated case.

[esnesi]

Issue seems to have the symptoms of a cache conflict.

Did you try to change PurgeCacheDays=30 to PurgeCacheDays=0 in your unrealtournament.ini?
Otherwise try renaming your \Cache folder to \Cacheold to see if that rebuilds a new folder.

[sektor2111]

In that case it was a Windows XP system running UT436.

I haven't seen such issues in XP if you DON'T use an user account and game installed in "Admin-Zone" - there some issues might occur due to permissions. Usually my game is elsewhere than on drive C: and it's a COPY of an installation not an INSTALL.
And then ? And then when I had some funky issues I realized that I was running out of HDD space, either way folders weren't declared properly, game trying to spread its files in "Admin-Zone" which was definitely denied.
In the end there is no any "automatic downloader". Game is downloading files itself VIA Engine and it will attempt to drop downloaded content in CACHE. This Cache must have writing rights, to not forget TMP files used until compressed files are unpacked. And no, other sub-folders/files created inside CACHE are not damaging anything. Other files ? Yes Batch files that are fired from time to time in order to clean up some recent trashes downloaded from a server with bugged mods and lousy packages. The other batch file is for making normal valid content Read-Only.
Here is a fragment from my client - UnrealTournament.ini - placed on drive D:

Code: Select all

...
[Core.System]
PurgeCacheDays=0
SavePath=../Save
;CachePath=../Cache
CachePath=E:/UTNET/Cache/
CacheExt=.uxx
Paths=../System/*.u
Paths=../Maps/*.unr
Paths=../Textures/*.utx
Paths=../Sounds/*.uax
Paths=../Music/*.umx
...

Perhaps you can see that cache folder is on another drive not on the same drive and not inside "Windows" and not on drive C:. Actually my game has nothing to do with partition where OS is located, it doesn't include SPACE in names and no "mods" added.

[ShaiHulud]

It may well have been one of these issues Sektor, that's a good summary of potential causes. The person involved later acquired another PC with a fresh UT install, so it was no longer a problem. But it would be nice to have a final answer about what had been going on.

[Rincewind]

Hey everybody,

thank you so much for all of your contributions. I will definitely keep some of the solution approaches in mind, specially that ut.ini approach.

But here is the trip part: it works again. I don't know why, I didn't do anything. But all of a sudden I can play and download as usal and even the most random maps get displayed perfectly. Just like that. Not that I'm complaining but sometimes I feel like some random force is messing with me

[Buggie]

Can be AV issue. If AV block temp file it prevent move it to cache. After while it can be unlocked.