Is your TC/AP install corrupt? Steam check is broken - workaround here

glenmcd · Post by **glenmcd** » Mon, 2. Jan 12, 07:45

Multiple players here (including myself on multiple occasions) have confirmed that the "Verify integrity of game cache" tool in Steam is unreliable and provides incorrect results. A TC/AP install can have multiple files missing and/or corrupt and Steams integrity checks regularly report that all is okay regardless. Because it is critical for every byte in virtually all TC/AP installed files to be as intended, a workaround until the Steam checks thing is sorted out is essential. I googled an application to assist in this and found one that looks promising.

Initially I want to confirm that the bare vanilla install that I have on my system is definately not corrupted or missing files. When this is achieved then anyone can validate their AP V1.0b install beyond what Steam can achieve at the moment.

At player level, verifying the install requires downloading a tiny app called "QuickSFV" from here. Install this app. Although it states compatibility only as far as Windows Vists it runs fine on Windows 7, 32-bit and 64-bit. Next, download this file from my server and place it at the same folder level as your TC install. The folder name of your install will be "x3 terran conflict".

You are now ready to verify your TC+AP+Bonus packs install. Right click on the .SFV file that you downloaded above and select "verify all". Any time in the future when you want to re-verify that last step is all you need to do.
Note that using this method any additional files in the x3 terran conflict folder are ignored. If you want to know about additional files (not part of an original install), right click on the x3 terran conflict folder instead of the .SFV file, and select "Verify all files".

I suggest that this should also serve as a gathering place for info on the Steam integrity checks issue. By using both checks you can quickly determine when the Steam check itself is at fault. So if/when Steam is fixed we can validate that for ourselves before relying on it exclusively again.

Changes done to .SFV file:
: ignore unins000.dat and lang.dat files (as these change and that's okay).

Vicke · Post by **Vicke** » Mon, 2. Jan 12, 13:08

Did that. Results:
x3 terran conflict\unins000.dat ce962eec FAILED. CRC mismatch
x3 terran conflict\addon\scripts\plugin.autotrade.blacklistsector.pck 927a8a69 FAILED. CRC mismatch
x3 terran conflict\scripts\lib.move.jumptostation.pck 8cde270d FAILED. CRC mismatch

Those blacklistsector and jumptostation files come from bonus package(s?). You'll probably should reinstall them on your system?

I'm not sure how well these bonus packages go along with Steam anyway. If Steam decides to update files user may end up having mixed versions from different sources.

glenmcd · Post by **glenmcd** » Mon, 2. Jan 12, 13:53

Thanks Vicke your post is everything I was hoping for.

x3 terran conflict\unins000.dat:
Both of our files are correct. I've just updated the .SFV file so that it ignores this file. I guess that the contents are related to drive names, Steam login etc.

x3 terran conflict\addon\scripts\plugin.autotrade.blacklistsector.pck:
There are at least two versions of this. I came across this while testing earlier today and to make sure I had latest version deleted and got a fresh Steam download of that one. So looks like the AP Bonus pack has been updated via Steam. In other words, I suspect you have the older version (assuming Steam has latest) and you should get Steam to replace it. Try the integrity check first and if it won't replace it, delete it and try again.

x3 terran conflict\scripts\lib.move.jumptostation.pck:
I only have one version of this and it is same as is downloaded from Steam. I thought this would have been part of V1.0 AP rather than Bonus pack but don't know for sure. Rename and get a new one from Steam.

>If Steam decides to update files user may end up having mixed versions from different sources.
Yes I can see this happening. Install AP latest version, then install Bonus pack original version (has it been updated??).

Post by **CBJ** » Mon, 2. Jan 12, 13:55

glenmcd wrote:I came across this while testing earlier today and to make sure I had latest version deleted and got a fresh Steam download of that one. So looks like the AP Bonus pack has been updated via Steam. In other words, I suspect you have the older version (assuming Steam has latest) and you should get Steam to replace it. Try the integrity check first and if it won't replace it, delete it and try again.

Steam does not have the Bonus Pack at all. Any files associated with the bonus pack should be ignored by Steam file verification. Only one version of the X3AP Bonus Pack has been made available for download, and that's from this site.

glenmcd · Post by **glenmcd** » Mon, 2. Jan 12, 14:16

Thanks CBJ.
x3 terran conflict\addon\scripts\plugin.autotrade.blacklistsector.pck:
I thought that as the AP Bonus pack includes a (Trade MK3) Blacklist manager that this file would be part of it. Uninstalling and then reinstalling the AP Bonus pack didn't touch this whereas Steam replaced it after I deleted. So this should be a straight Steam replacement for you.

Post by **Alan Phipps** » Mon, 2. Jan 12, 14:36

There always was a sector blacklist for Mk3 traders that they auto-generated themselves while flying and bumping into enemies etc in X3TC, it was just not accessible to the Player until the X3AP BP made it (or another one) available to the Player.

See Para 5.3.

Vicke · Post by **Vicke** » Mon, 2. Jan 12, 15:01

This is getting complicated.

I now have two different versions of both two files in question:

x3 terran conflict\scripts\lib.move.jumptostation.pck
1. Date modified 23.3.2010 12:51, size 2522 bytes (from X3:TC Bonus Pack version 4.1.01)
2. Date modified 11.12.2011 19:04, size 2522 bytes (from Steam)

x3 terran conflict\addon\scripts\plugin.autotrade.blacklistsector.pck
a. Date modified 15.12.2011 21:08, size 3055 bytes (from X3:AP Bonus Pack version 5.1.0.0)
b. Date modified 15.12.2011 9:19, size 2078 bytes (from Steam)

Which two of these four files should person who wants to use Bonus Packs use?

Is installing X3:TC Bonus Pack from here over X3:TC version from Steam good idea?

Edit: I managed to screw up when looking those files. Data fixed.

glenmcd · Post by **glenmcd** » Mon, 2. Jan 12, 15:23

Vicke wrote:This is getting complicated.

I now have two different versions of both two files in question:

x3 terran conflict\scripts\lib.move.jumptostation.pck
1. Date modified 23.3.2010 12:51, size 2522 bytes (from X3:TC Bonus Pack version 4.1.01)
2. Date modified 15.12.2011 21:07, size 2874 bytes (from Steam)

x3 terran conflict\addon\scripts\plugin.autotrade.blacklistsector.pck
a. Date modified 15.12.2011 21:08, size 3055 bytes (from X3:AP Bonus Pack version 5.1.0.0)
b. Date modified 11.12.2011 19:41, size 1883 bytes (from Steam)

Which two of these four files should person who wants to use Bonus Packs use?

Is installing X3:TC Bonus Pack from here over X3:TC version from Steam good idea?

Here's an old (2010) but interesting post in regard to first:
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=288661
Basically it points out that there are two things trying to update the same file in TC, that being Steam and the TC Bonus pack. I'd like to see Egosoft get involved in this as it is important that players both have a good install and know that it's good. I would imagine that CBJ has access to an official latest release version of TC/AP and Bonus pack(s) and so could create the .SFV file on his official version rather than us amateurs fumbling our way through and being told every so often that we made another mistake. When Steam integrity checks are fixed and can be relied on then cool we can go back to that.

richbezza · Post by **richbezza** » Sun, 22. Jan 12, 11:06

Hi, I play X3:TC & AP via steam and am having some issues that make me think my download may be corrupt, but I also have a query about running your check.

Firstly a couple of the things I’ve been experiencing in game that make me doubt my game is properly installed;

* for one not being able to access the blacklist manager in Albion Prelude (according to steam I have v1.1 of AP which I understand means I should have this feature?)

* also in AP I often get the audio warning ‘incoming message’ but my bottom left message box never flashes and when I go to my message log I simply have a blank message from unknown. (This used to happen in TC too and although i’ve worked out it’s often my traders trying to tell me something it still seems weird?)

If these are both problems with the game what can I do to fix them, would a complete wipe of all local game files and re-download/install possibly fix them

Secondly with regards to the check; I downloaded and installed QuickSFV onto my system drive ( C: ) as well the other .txt file which I dropped into my ‘x3 terran conflict’ folder (in my case this is on my E: drive as I use a separate partition for my steam games).

The problem is when I run QuickSFV and open the’ x3_terran_conflict_v1.0b.txt’ file it comes back with 1871 out of 1871 FAILED. File does not exist.

Is this because I’m running AP v1.1 and you file only works for v1.0b installs? If so is this still the result you would expect?

The strange thing is when I manually search for a file in that list, say; “x3 terran conflict\scripts\plugin.autotrade.blacklistmgr.pck” I can find it no problem.

Any help or tips anyone can give would be much appreciated, thanks.

glenmcd · Post by **glenmcd** » Sun, 22. Jan 12, 11:15

richbezza wrote:I downloaded and installed QuickSFV onto my system drive ( C: ) as well the other .txt file which I dropped into my ‘x3 terran conflict’ folder (in my case this is on my E: drive as I use a separate partition for my steam games).

The problem is when I run QuickSFV and open the’ x3_terran_conflict_v1.0b.txt’ file it comes back with 1871 out of 1871 FAILED. File does not exist.

The file "x3_terran_conflict_v1.0b.txt’" needs to go at the same level as "x3 terran conflict" and not inside of it. It sounds like confirming a good install for you is a good first move.

richbezza · Post by **richbezza** » Sun, 22. Jan 12, 12:02

Ah ok my bad, but thanks for the feedback. I have just run it again with the file at the correct level and what’s worrying is that it has come back with this;

1871 files checked
There were 81 bad files and 313 missing files

What would be my next best course of action to fix these issues

glenmcd · Post by **glenmcd** » Sun, 22. Jan 12, 12:05

richbezza wrote:Ah ok my bad, but thanks for the feedback. I have just run it again with the file at the correct level and what’s worrying is that it has come back with this;

1871 files checked
There were 81 bad files and 313 missing files

What would be my next best course of action to fix these issues

It sounds like you don't have the bonus packs installed. The file I created was based on an install that included both TC and AP bonus packs.

Post by **Alan Phipps** » Sun, 22. Jan 12, 12:06

richbezza wrote:* for one not being able to access the blacklist manager in Albion Prelude (according to steam I have v1.1 of AP which I understand means I should have this feature?)

* also in AP I often get the audio warning ‘incoming message’ but my bottom left message box never flashes and when I go to my message log I simply have a blank message from unknown. (This used to happen in TC too and although i’ve worked out it’s often my traders trying to tell me something it still seems weird?)

Probably neither are to do with your game installation.

1. You need to install the X3AP Bonus Pack from here to get that blacklist manager.

2. If you have square brackets in the ship names you will get blank messages as per this FAQ.

Vicke · Post by **Vicke** » Sun, 22. Jan 12, 12:22

glenmcd wrote:The file I created was based on an install that included both TC and AP bonus packs.

And it's based on 1.0b version. Checking against version 1.1 undoubtedly gives "bad files".

glenmcd · Post by **glenmcd** » Sun, 22. Jan 12, 12:24

Vicke wrote:
glenmcd wrote:The file I created was based on an install that included both TC and AP bonus packs.
And it's based on 1.0b version. Checking against version 1.1 undoubtedly gives "bad files".

lol yes well picked up Vicke

richbezza · Post by **richbezza** » Sun, 22. Jan 12, 12:25

Better ditch my square bracket names then lol… so simple but would never have guessed!

As for the bonus pack I guess I mistakenly thought steam would provide that automatically. Is there any trick to installing the bonus pack onto a steam install?

Post by **Alan Phipps** » Sun, 22. Jan 12, 12:42

BPs are Egosoft-approved Bonus downloads mainly designed by 3rd Party scripters. Do what the installer tells you to do. That X3AP BP installs for a Steam installation of AP by default since that is all it expects.

I guess we have rather hijacked glenmcd's thread off-topic now.