Support Request - Game won't start anymore

Exit Steam entirely and try running it as admin:

http://sd.stardock.com/sean/JingImages/2016-08-31_1003.png

Try to run the game again.

If that fails, and prior to continuing, I'd like to make sure the issue you are encountering is not occurring as a result of an application conflict. The best way to proceed would be to try loading under a new Window's Administrator account and in a "clean boot" state.

Create a new Windows Administrator (<--important that its an Administrator) account:

Windows 10:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/create-a-local-user-account-in-windows-10

Log in under that account and try. If it fails, and while still under that account, please click the link below for performing a 'clean boot' under it:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/929135

After you've loaded Windows in a clean state, please try once again.

*IMPORTANT NOTE*
Once you are booted into a clean state, you may need to Install the Steam service again. You can do so by trying to start up Steam. If Steam asks you to install the Steam service, simply hit "Install Service" and try to boot up Steam again:

http://sd.stardock.com/acole/Images/Jing/2016-03-01_1335.png

Please let me know if you have any questions/concerns.

Hi sdRohan,

Thanks for the reply.  It took me a little while to get through those steps, but I can confirm that the game will still not start under a cleanly booted Windows Administrator account.  I don't know if this is relevant, but there was one program in my task manager startup list that I was unable to disable when performing a clean boot.  It is called Avguirna and appears to just be an AVG file. 

What should I try next?

IMPORTANT: Please disable any and all antivirus applications for this.

Please uninstall the game from Steam with following the instructions:

Right click the game in question and select, Delete local content...:

http://sd.stardock.com/brad.ather/Jingimages/2014-09-30_1133.png

You will be prompted to delete the game(Dead Man's Draw is just an example):

http://sd.stardock.com/brad.ather/Jingimages/2014-09-30_1134.png

Ensure that the repective stardock game files from these locations are empty:

\Steam\steamapps\common\TheStardockGameInQuestion

\Documents\My Games\TheStardockGameInQuestion

Reboot.

Then reinstall the game.

http://sd.stardock.com/brad.ather/Jingimages/2014-09-30_1135.png

If successful, you may reactivate your AV software

Hi sdRohan, thank you for your suggestions. 

I tried all those steps.  1) disabled all antivirus software, 2) uninstalled the game from steam and deleted any remaining game content in those two locations, 3) rebooted my computer, 4) ensured antivirus software was still disabled, 5) and reinstalled the game on Steam.

Unfortunately the game will still not start; there is no change from before. 

Is there anything else that I can try?

Is a debug.err even being created in:

\Documents\My Games\legendaryheroes

If so, and if it old, delete it, rerun the game and send post a link (Google Drive, DropBox, etc) to any new one that is created.

Hi, here is the link to the new debug.err file that was created: https://www.dropbox.com/s/aiqezqgffukvnel/debug.err?dl=0

Well, it's only getting 3 lines into the game so....

This is a bit dated but could indeed help you:
https://forums.elementalgame.com/446630/issues-crashing-after-the-intro-movie

Also, it could be good ole fashioned DirectX and Redists:

DX:
:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FE Legendary Heroes\_CommonRedist\DirectX\Jun2010

DXSetup.exe

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FE Legendary Heroes\_CommonRedist\vcredist

2005 - 2010

vcRedist_X64.exe (for 64 bit, the other if you have 32)

Success, the game runs! 

I tried a number of things this weekend, most of which didn't work.  I tried uninstalling and reinstalling all the MS Visual C++ packages, as well as a number of repairs and reinstalls for DirectX.  What ended up working was installing AMD Catalyst Control Center so that I would have more options for my video cards when running the game.  The option that got the game to run was "Disable AMD Radeon Dual Graphics".  After that the game started right up.  There is also an option to only disable dual graphics for specific applications, which I tried for LegendayHeroes.exe, but for some reason this fix only worked when I disabled dual graphics for everything.

Anyways, thank you very much for helping me with this problem, it's certainly appreciated!

apparently there's this thing native in win 1803 that lets you choose what gfx card you use (if you have multiple) with any program.

settings->system->display->gfx settings..  then you pick the exe (from the classic app option) and set your preference.

beats me if it does any good, as intel igpu is disabled by default in bios when a discrete card is present.

Same problem for me. I played with no problem in morning of July 14. Later, I successfully updated game to v. 2.5, and then tried to play again. I get VERY brief message that game is preparing to launch. Then, nothing, despite waiting for five minutes or more. I am running Win 7, 64 bit, SP1. Task manage shows nothing. I tried deleting and then reinstalling the game. Still same result. I CAN FIND NO CURRENT debug.err file anywhere on my computer. There is a debug.err file, but it is from BEFORE the update (when the game ran fine).

Any help would be much appreciated. I sure will miss playing this (one of my favorites) game.

Thanks for reading.

There are many suggested fixes here in this thread, did you have time to review, and try, them all?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Well, after numerous attempts to overcome difficulties and considerable time spent, I got as far as Reply #3.

I right click on FELH, but can find no "delete local content" button. All there is (that looks at all likely) is an uninstall button.

Oh, I will add that there is no new debug.err file -- only the old one from July 14 BEFORE I updated to v. 2.5.

The 'Delete local content' will show after you click the 'uninstall' option.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

I disabled MS Security Essentials and Malwarebytes, went to Steam, selected FELH, and clicked uninstall. What came up next was a message to the effect 'are you sure? -- you'll have to reinstall before you can play this game again.' Never got the 'delete local content' menu. So right now, the game is uninstalled; I don't know about local content. Is there a way I can check and delete, manually, any local content?

Thanks for your continued efforts.

Just make certain that both directories are empty before you reinstall:

\Documents\My Games\LegendaryHeroes

\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FE Legendary Heroes

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

After deleting all in the Legendary Heroes folder in the Documents Folder, as well as all in the FE Legendary Heroes folder under steamapps\common, I reinstalled the game and tried to run. Still no joy. Both those folder from which I deleted everything are STILL empty. I searched for a debug.err file for this game. Nothing found.

Previously, upon advice of Yarlen (Discordapp.com), I ran DXSETUP.exe (hope that was the correct application). Also found VCredistrib for 2005, 2008 and 2010 and ran repair ( I was not clear whether I wanted _x64.exe or _x86.exe, so I repaired both). In each case, I got a message that the updates may not have installed correctly with the recommendation that I try again with the recommended settings for this version of Windows -- so I did that. I ignored the VCresdistrib for 2012.

Anyway, same result.  : (

What more could I try?

kirkaby,

I suspect this folder, upon resinsall was there, correct?

\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FE Legendary Heroes

That you had issues re-installing the redists is a genuine concern (and could be at the core of the problem).  

That said, are you saying that nothing at all was created in:

\Documents\My Games\LegendaryHeroes

If so, try turning off all AV products and trying again.  If that fails, try Windows (10) controlled folder access:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4046851/windows-10-allow-blocked-app-windows-security

Then try to run the game. 

If the folder is there, and there is a prefs.ini file, open it in notepad and edit these lines to read what I have here:

DisplayWidth=1024
DisplayHeight=768
Fullscreen=0

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Hi Sean,

The    \Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FE Legendary Heroes   i s still there, but empty.

You are correct: the   \Documents\My Games\LegendaryHeroes   is there, but empty.

There were and are are no Nvidia applications, services or processes running (according to Task Manager) that I could find. (I generally run a restricted boot.) Beyond that, I am sorry -- I am not clear what is involved or how to go about turning off all AV products (if I have not done so).

I remind you that I am running Win 7, SP1, 64 bit. I am not sure you want me to

"try Windows (10) controlled folder access:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4046851/windows-10-allow-blocked-app-windows-security

A search of both my C and D drives turned up no prefs.ini file.

Please let me know about the Windows 10 controlled folder access.

Thanks.

Then what I provided would not apply - the controlled folder access.

Did you reinstall the game from within Steam?  If so, did you put it in that default location or another drive?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

I reinstalled from within Steam. I put it in the D: drive (1TB hard drive as opposed to my C: (250MB SSD, which has little room left).

Prompted by your last post, it I have apparently blundered (as often seems to happen when I diddle around with a problem) into at least a partial solution.

I went and had a look in the file with the FELH executables: D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\FE Legendary Heroes.

There, I found these executables: DXAtlas.exe; LegendaryHeros.exe; LH_prefs_setup.exe; SDActivate.exe.

I tried running LegendaryHeroes.exe from this folder and got a message that the program could not run because there was no vcruntime140.dll file. I did a bit of internet search and came up with vc_redist.x86.exe and vc_redist.x64.exe, which I installed in this same folder. I then ran those programs which installed without a hitch (unlike the other time that I recounted for you above in this thread -- with the problems you noted with concern).

Anyway, the game now runs. I must say that I still can find no vcruntime140.dll for this game anywhere on my computer (puzzling to me, but moot, I guess, since the game seems to run without problem).

None of the other executalbles in this folder will run by double-clicking -- just a VERY brief message (too fast to read) and then nothing further.

I WOULD LIKE to be able to run the LH_prefs_setup.exe program. How do I do that? As I said, it does not run by double-clicking the file here in this folder -- a VERY brief message flashes (too quick for me to read), disappears, and then nothing else happens.

I would thank you for any help or suggestion on this remaining issue, and AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP so far.

That is an internal app that would not produce a UI for you.  If you want to edit the prefs, you can do so from within the game or, now that you have been able to get it to run, manually from the prefs.ini here:

\Documents\My Games\LegendaryHeroes

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Thanks Sean. Glad you are around to help.

Interesting to me to note that the game would not run right after I updated to v. 2.5. At that point, the game was installed (where it had been for several years) as per the default install choices (in the C: drive). Wonder what happened with the update process to cause all the trouble.

Happy trails (or is that trials?)!

Glad I could help - enjoy.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager