FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

[Gere]

After having a patch fail on me and being asked to reinstall, I decided to see if there was another way to fix the problem.

I started poking around the registry and found out that when you fail an update it simply removes the registry key for the install path for FFXI.

Open up Regedit (Start->Run, type regedit into the box and hit OK)

Browse to the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\InstallFolder

On the right there should be 3 keys and the key 0001 will probably be blank. That is the key that points to your FFXI folder. Right click it and go to modify. In the Value data box type in the path to your FFXI folder. (i.e. C:\Program Files\Play Online\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\)

When I went to launch FFXI I got an error saying that there was a problem with the hard drive, I clicked retry and now it's doing a full file scan.

UPDATE!
Ok after checking 12245 files, downloading 1 file and installing 12245 files (which didn't take very long) I am able to play again.

Without reinstalling.

My guess would be that you could do the registry modification above and just do a full file scan to fix any messed up patches.

I've confirmed that this works for at least 2 other people.

[Susurrus]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

I wish I woulda known this a while back. ;;

Oh well, good for the future maybe.

[Kuy555]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

Yep I found that too somewhere in this forums. Helps alot. Should be stickied D:

[Pebbles]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

You could also delete the patch.ver file in the FFXI root folder before starting an update to force a full file scan (useful if you have modded any DATs but don't necessarily remember which ones ^^); this should in most cases avoid getting the "patch failed" error in the first place (at the expense of 15-30 minutes of file scanning).

[DakAttack]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

I'm doing this now. It's going to take 8 hours. I don't know how it could fail in the first place.

[Keyura]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

my windows f**ked up when the patch f**ked up, so i uninstalled anyway, o well (also, i had some modified .dats, heh)

[Susurrus]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

You could also delete the patch.ver file in the FFXI root folder before starting an update to force a full file scan (useful if you have modded any DATs but don't necessarily remember which ones ^^); this should in most cases avoid getting the "patch failed" error in the first place (at the expense of 15-30 minutes of file scanning).

I tried this before when a patch killed my install and it didn't fix it. ;;

Anyway, this should be made a sticky. =)

[Fooma]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

Currently happening to me. No problems prior to this. Said I failed an udpate and need to reinstall. I tried the registry fix, not goign to wait 8 hours to download all the files...

Uninstalled, reinstalled everything, went to patch and finished fine. Version update complete. Go to play, version update failed need to reinstall...


Currently installing on both my computers, bound to work on one of them right....

God this update system sucks so much, completely wasted my day.

[DakAttack]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

Well there aren't many options when thousands of people want the same file. World of Warcraft uses a P2P network that doesn't ever work, so it takes five times as long to download a patch than it does using SE's method.

[Fooma]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

now it seems uninstalling ffxi removed my direct x, and my internet explorer only works partially.. this game rocks...

[Sadeira]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

Well there aren't many options when thousands of people want the same file. World of Warcraft uses a P2P network that doesn't ever work, so it takes five times as long to download a patch than it does using SE's method.

of course, the difference is, you can dl the patch from third party sources without ever having to use blizzard's p2p network.

also, i wish i knew about either methods last year to save me the trouble of having to reinstall ALL of ffxi...

guh

[Fooma]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

Seems uninstalling ffxi hit a file in windows, now directx doesn't work, IE isn't configured and I can't access half my control panel.

On reboot my windows won't load because a system32/ file is not found.

Currently reinstalling windows.

This game better be worth it again when I log in

[DakAttack]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

I used the aformentioned method, and Playonline no longer launches FFXI, it just gives me an error. All steps were followed and completed without a problem, I have no clue what went wrong.

Does anybody know how to fix this? It's problem with pol.exe, FFXI doesn't get a chance to start. It runs through the version check, version update complete, screen goes dark, black, then before the Ok screen pops up I get the error.

The same thing happens with my IE, except I can hit debug, restart it, and it works fine. When I click the debug button, it doesn't work the second time around.

Edit again: I just realized I have two folders now. Playonline and Play Online. One contains all the normal data, while another contains only FFXI data, such as polboot.exe. Wierd.

I'm missing a few CDs from the original set, so reinstalling isn't an option.

[Keyura]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

Seems uninstalling ffxi hit a file in windows, now directx doesn't work, IE isn't configured and I can't access half my control panel.

On reboot my windows won't load because a system32/ file is not found.

Currently reinstalling windows.

This game better be worth it again when I log in

o_O thats the EXACT same thing that happened to me o_O i had to completely reformat and i got something over an hour left on re-updating FFXI

[neighbortaru]

Re: FFXI Patch Fail? Fix without reinstalling!

Keyura, do what I do and save your FFXI directory on a seperate/external HD. makes reinstalling much more pleasant.