Microsoft KB Archive/829151

= Error messages when you try to connect to matchmaking multiplayer game =

Article ID: 829151

Article Last Modified on 11/14/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3: Battle for Europe
 * Microsoft Dungeon Siege II
 * Microsoft Freelancer
 * Microsoft Halo: Combat Evolved for PC
 * Microsoft Rise of Nations
 * Microsoft Rise of Nations: Gold Edition
 * Microsoft Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots

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Important This article contains information that shows you how to help lower security settings or how to turn off security features on a computer. You can make these changes to work around a specific problem. Before you make these changes, we recommend that you evaluate the risks that are associated with implementing this workaround in your particular environment. If you implement this workaround, take any appropriate additional steps to help protect your system.



SYMPTOMS
When you click Connect to try to play a multiplayer session, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms.

Note Each of these symptoms indicates that the game cannot connect to a global server to play a multiplayer session.  The following text appears in the upper-right corner of the Freelancer Servers dialog box:

Connecting to global server

 When you view the Network tab of the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag), the term Errors may appear in the Registered DirectPlay Service Providers pane. You may receive an error message that is similar to the following in the Notes pane:

The registry information for the DirectXPlay8 TCP/IP service provider is missing or damaged.

 You may receive the following error message:

Unable to establish a network connection. Please check your network connection and try again.

 When you try to create a user account after you start a multiplayer session, you may receive the following error message :

Error creating account. Ensure that you are connected to the internet.



When you join or host a Microsoft Dungeon Siege II multiplayer game, you may receive the following error message:

A fatal error has occurred and the app must shut down.

Could not initialize DirectPlay 8 (this is needed for multiplayer games).

[Note: This error can occur if DirectX 8 (or newer) is not installed on this system. Please re-run the game's installation program to set this up. Alternately, you can point your web browser at www.microsoft.com/directx or use Windows Update to install the latest version of DirectX.]

Error code = 0x80040154



CAUSE
This issue may occur if the following conditions are true:
 * The Microsoft DirectPlay Dpnet.dll file is incorrectly installed or registered.
 * A firewall or antivirus program that is running in the background is interfering with the game.

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Method 1: Verify that DirectX is installed correctly
To verify that DirectX is installed correctly and that all DirectX files are the correct version, follow these steps: <ol> Click Start, click Run, type dxdiag in the Open box, and then click OK.</li> In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, on the System tab, verify that the DirectX version is version 9.0a or later versions.</li> On the DirectX Files tab, in the Notes box, verify that the text &quot;No problems found&quot; appears.

Note If problems are found, install the latest version of DirectX. To obtain the latest version of DirectX, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.aspx

</li> On the Network tab, verify that the symptoms of a corrupted DirectPlay installation are not present. These symptoms include the following:  The word &quot;Errors&quot; appears in the Registered DirectPlay Service Providers box.</li> The Test DirectPlay button is unavailable.</li> You recieve the following error message in the Notes box:

The registry information for the DirectXPlay8 TCP/IP service provider is missing or damaged.

</li></ul>

Note If these symptoms are present, exit the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, and then follow these steps: <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> Click Start, click Run, type regsvr32 dpnet.dll in the Open box, and then click OK.</li> When you receive the following message, click OK:

DllRegisterServer in dpnet.dll succeeded.

</li> Repeat steps 1 through 5 to determine whether the symptoms of a corrupted DirectPlay installation are still present. If the symptoms are present, exit the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, and then install the latest version of DirectX.</li></ol> </li></ol>

To obtain the latest version of DirectX, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.aspx

To resolve this issue, download and install the most recent version of Microsoft DirectX. To do this, follow these steps: <ol> Visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx

</li> Click to download the most recent version of DirectX.</li> In the Change Language drop-down box, click the language that is appropriate for your computer, and then click Download.</li> In the File Download dialog box, click Open.</li> Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation process.</li></ol>

Method 2: Disable firewall or antivirus programs
Warning This workaround may make your computer or your network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing this information so that you can implement this workaround at your own discretion. Use this workaround at your own risk.

This issue may occur if you have an antivirus or firewall program running on the computer. For example, firewall programs that allow for access or block access to the Internet on a per-program basis such as Zone Alarm, MacAfee Personal Firewall, Norton Internet Security, or Black Ice Defender may cause these issues to occur.

To resolve this issue, disable your antivirus or firewall software. Contact the program manufacturer to help you disable the program. Icons for these programs may appear on the lower-right corner of the screen next to the clock. You may be able to disable the program by using this icon. Try to right-click the program icon, and then click Disable or Exit.

If the issue continues to occur, perform a clean boot procedure. For more information about how to perform a clean boot procedure, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

331796 Games: How to perform a clean boot to prevent background programs from interfering with play

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