Solve : Battlefield 3 PUNKBUSTER Error!?

1.	Solve : Battlefield 3 PUNKBUSTER Error!?
Answer» Hello!, Thanks for viewing! I'll make this sound as simple as possible! I just bought Battlefield 3 installed, downloaded the patch. I tried to play multiplayer and it brings me to the battlelog website. So I choose a server and click play. It says I need to download pbsetup.exe and INSTALL the Battlefield 3 punkbuster files. So I do exactly that. I run into no errors. Then I start multiplayer again and the game starts fine and gets to the loading screen and freezes and closes... Then back in the battlelog website it says: "Game disconnected: you were kicked by PunkBuster. Stated reason: PunkBuster kicked player 'MYUSERNAME' (for 0 minutes) ... RESTRICTION: Service Communication Failure: PnkBstrA.exe" I go online and look up the error and it says to try to manually install the services USING pbsvc,exe. When Opening pbsvc.exe I get multiple errors. First: A box pops up saying "**ERROR: The extract file failed an authenticity check." So I click "OK" Then: Another box pops up saying "can't open file 'C:\windows\system32\PnkBstrA.exe' (error 5: access is denied.) Then it brings me to the install log: Quote Checking user is Administrator OK Checking Administrator privileges OK Opening Service Control Manager OK Searching for PnkBstrA None Found - OK Extracting PnkBstrA service OK Verifying service authenticity ERROR I went into system32 and found the file and tried to open it and change security settings but eventhough I am admin it states I do not have the appropriate permissions to access the item... SO! If anyone can help me in ANY way it would be much appreciated! I have tried disabling my firewall and allowing it through it. I have tried safe mode, It seems to install correctly until the installer reaches the part where it trys to open the service, it cant because i am in safemode.. And in safe mode I can modify the file in system32. Thanks! Computer Information: Quote OS NameMicrosoft Windows 7 Ultimate Version6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601 Other OS Description Not Available OS ManufacturerMicrosoft Corporation System NameNATHAN System ManufacturerHP-Pavilion System ModelNY553AA-ABA e9220y System Typex64-based PC ProcessorAMD Phenom(tm) II X4 910 PROCESSOR, 2600 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s) BIOS Version/DateAmerican Megatrends Inc. 5.04, 10/1/2009 SMBIOS Version2.6 Windows DirectoryC:\Windows System DirectoryC:\Windows\system32 Boot Device\Device\HarddiskVolume1 LocaleUnited States Hardware Abstraction LayerVersion = "6.1.7601.17514" User NameNATHAN\Nathan Time ZoneEastern Standard Time Installed Physical Memory (RAM)8.00 GB Total Physical Memory7.99 GB Available Physical Memory5.48 GB Total Virtual Memory16.0 GB Available Virtual Memory13.2 GB "failed an authenticity check" usually means that you have a corrupt file, either due to tampering to due to a problem with your computer causing a corrupt download and installation. So this corrupt PnkBstrA installation attempts to communicate with the PB servers, resulting in you unable to play online. All I can think of is re downloading the PunkBuster setup file, from a different computer, and then installing it via USB drive.I'll try that, I wonder what would be causing it though. When I run the exe in a sandbox it seems to get past the authenticity error. (EDIT) Still nothing. I still get a authenticity error... I dont know what to do anymore. I have used all my tricks..In a sandbox... is it possible that some program is accessing the exe, like an antivirus program? Try disabling your antivirus/add an EXCEPTION for the exe..Unfortunately, I have tried that. I am running commodo internet security. How would I find out what is causing it or what is accessing it. It is the computer, I tried it on another computer I have and it worked like a charm...It usually fails to communicate if you're BLOCKING Punkbuster somehow. I suppose some overly eager virusscanners would do so. You might also want to make sure the Punkbuster service is running and that Punkbuster is up to date.Also check your firewall settings and make sure the firewall isn't blocking Punkbuster's access to the internet.

Answer»

Hello!, Thanks for viewing!

I'll make this sound as simple as possible!

I just bought Battlefield 3 installed, downloaded the patch. I tried to play multiplayer and it brings me to the battlelog website. So I choose a server and click play. It says I need to download pbsetup.exe and INSTALL the Battlefield 3 punkbuster files. So I do exactly that. I run into no errors. Then I start multiplayer again and the game starts fine and gets to the loading screen and freezes and closes... Then back in the battlelog website it says:
"Game disconnected: you were kicked by PunkBuster. Stated reason: PunkBuster kicked player 'MYUSERNAME' (for 0 minutes) ... RESTRICTION: Service Communication Failure: PnkBstrA.exe"
I go online and look up the error and it says to try to manually install the services USING pbsvc,exe.
When Opening pbsvc.exe I get multiple errors.
First: A box pops up saying "**ERROR: The extract file failed an authenticity check."
So I click "OK"
Then: Another box pops up saying "can't open file 'C:\windows\system32\PnkBstrA.exe' (error 5: access is denied.)
Then it brings me to the install log:
Quote

Checking user is Administrator OK
Checking Administrator privileges OK
Opening Service Control Manager OK
Searching for PnkBstrA None Found - OK
Extracting PnkBstrA service OK
Verifying service authenticity ERROR

I went into system32 and found the file and tried to open it and change security settings but eventhough I am admin it states I do not have the appropriate permissions to access the item...

SO! If anyone can help me in ANY way it would be much appreciated!

I have tried disabling my firewall and allowing it through it.
I have tried safe mode, It seems to install correctly until the installer reaches the part where it trys to open the service, it cant because i am in safemode..
And in safe mode I can modify the file in system32.

Thanks!

Computer Information:

Quote

OS NameMicrosoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
Other OS Description Not Available
OS ManufacturerMicrosoft Corporation
System NameNATHAN
System ManufacturerHP-Pavilion
System ModelNY553AA-ABA e9220y
System Typex64-based PC
ProcessorAMD Phenom(tm) II X4 910 PROCESSOR, 2600 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/DateAmerican Megatrends Inc. 5.04, 10/1/2009
SMBIOS Version2.6
Windows DirectoryC:\Windows
System DirectoryC:\Windows\system32
Boot Device\Device\HarddiskVolume1
LocaleUnited States
Hardware Abstraction LayerVersion = "6.1.7601.17514"
User NameNATHAN\Nathan
Time ZoneEastern Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM)8.00 GB
Total Physical Memory7.99 GB
Available Physical Memory5.48 GB
Total Virtual Memory16.0 GB
Available Virtual Memory13.2 GB

"failed an authenticity check" usually means that you have a corrupt file, either due to tampering to due to a problem with your computer causing a corrupt download and installation. So this corrupt PnkBstrA installation attempts to communicate with the PB servers, resulting in you unable to play online.
All I can think of is re downloading the PunkBuster setup file, from a different computer, and then installing it via USB drive.I'll try that, I wonder what would be causing it though. When I run the exe in a sandbox it seems to get past the authenticity error.

(EDIT) Still nothing. I still get a authenticity error... I dont know what to do anymore. I have used all my tricks..In a sandbox... is it possible that some program is accessing the exe, like an antivirus program? Try disabling your antivirus/add an EXCEPTION for the exe..Unfortunately, I have tried that. I am running commodo internet security.

How would I find out what is causing it or what is accessing it. It is the computer, I tried it on another computer I have and it worked like a charm...It usually fails to communicate if you're BLOCKING Punkbuster somehow. I suppose some overly eager virusscanners would do so.

You might also want to make sure the Punkbuster service is running and that Punkbuster is up to date.Also check your firewall settings and make sure the firewall isn't blocking Punkbuster's access to the internet.

Solve : Battlefield 3 PUNKBUSTER Error!?

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