Can't launch Combined Operations. Can't play DayZ.

[cantlaunchco 4]

I purchased the Combined Operations pack specifically to play DayZ. I have spent the last hour and a half trying to get the damn thing to launch. Here's the steps I followed:

1. Buy steam version of Combined Ops

2. Install Arma 2

3. Install Operation Arrowhead

4. Run Arma 2

5. Run Operation Arrowhead

6. Installed DayZ files

7. Launched Combined Operations

The command prompt flashes for an instant and disappears, then nothing happens. I tried playing with just Operation Arrowhead as well, I get an error for missing content, even though I am ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN Day Z is installed correctly.

[Legacy (DayZ) 1091]

You didn't put in any launch options did you?

[cantlaunchco 4]

My launch options are set to -mod=@dayz, as is instructed for the installation of the mod.

[Legacy (DayZ) 1091]

I've seen this issue happen multiple times before, I never saw a solution but I'll still search the forum.

---

Consider this: http://dayzmod.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2514&pid=23043#pid23043 and http://dayzmod.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=234&pid=2049#pid2049

[cantlaunchco 4]

Thanks, I appreciate it. It's quite frustrating, it appears to be some sort of registry problem.

[Legacy (DayZ) 1091]

It wouldn't hurt to verify cache, or consider launching them both once more. Or running steam as an Administrator.

[cantlaunchco 4]

I run steam as administrator by default. I verified the cache on both games and launched them both again (several times), the same thing still happens.

I'll try and get a screenshot of the terminal before it disappears.

---

Here's the error. The terminal window is only visible for a millisecond before closing itself and "fading out", so this readability will have to do.

http://i.imgur.com/GLI55.png

[Legacy (DayZ) 1091]

I almost hate to say it, but do you consider doing a reinstall and launching them both first?

Or maybe you should google this error?

[cantlaunchco 4]

Screw that, it took a whole 24 hours to download the content for this game. Here's how I fixed it. Because this appears to have been an ongoing problem since 2010, I would suggest stickying it somewhere that it's easy for users to find, maybe even in the Combined Operations forum.

I pointed windows to the location of REG.exe and it now launches properly. Here's a more detailed description of my reasoning and the solution (it isn't important that you understand every detail, just follow the steps):

The terminal stated that it couldn't find REG. This suggests that something is wrong with the environment variable settings, which tell Windows where to find certain executables. REG is one such executable. Because of this problem, we have to tell the game launcher where to find REG. When you tell Steam to start the game, Steam runs a file called _runA2CO.cmd. This can be found in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead". Obviously, you should not include quotes.

1. Right click _runA2CO.cmd and click "edit".

2. Everywhere that you see the word "REG", replace it with "C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe". Your file should look like this when you're finished:

SETLOCAL ENABLEEXTENSIONS

:v64_path_a2

For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%A In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2" /v "MAIN"') Do (set _ARMA2PATH=%%B)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2PATH (GOTO v32_path_a2) ELSE (GOTO v64_path_a2oa)

:v32_path_a2

For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%C In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2" /v "MAIN"') Do (set _ARMA2PATH=%%D)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2PATH (GOTO uac_PATH_A2) ELSE (GOTO v64_path_a2oa)

:uac_PATH_A2

FOR /F "tokens=2* delims= " %%I IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2" /v "MAIN"') DO (SET _ARMA2PATH=%%J)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2PATH (GOTO std_PATH_A2) ELSE (GOTO v64_path_a2oa)

:std_PATH_A2

FOR /F "tokens=2* delims= " %%K IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2" /v "MAIN"') DO (SET _ARMA2PATH=%%L)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2PATH (GOTO ENDfailA2) ELSE (GOTO v64_path_a2oa)

:v64_path_a2oa

For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%E In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA" /v "MAIN"') Do (set _ARMA2OAPATH=%%F)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2OAPATH (GOTO v32_path_a2oa) ELSE (GOTO RUN)

:v32_path_a2oa

For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%G In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA" /v "MAIN"') Do set (_ARMA2OAPATH=%%H)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2OAPATH (GOTO uac_PATH_A2OA) ELSE (GOTO RUN)

:uac_PATH_A2OA

FOR /F "tokens=2* delims= " %%M IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA" /v "MAIN"') DO (SET _ARMA2OAPATH=%%N)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2OAPATH (GOTO std_PATH_A2OA) ELSE (GOTO RUN)

:std_PATH_A2OA

FOR /F "tokens=2* delims= " %%O IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA" /v "MAIN"') DO (SET _ARMA2OAPATH=%%P)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2OAPATH (GOTO ENDfailA2OA) ELSE (GOTO RUN)

:run

:v64_path_steam

For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%Q In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Valve\Steam" /v "InstallPath"') Do (set _STEAMPATH=%%R)

IF NOT DEFINED _STEAMPATH (GOTO v32_path_steam) ELSE (GOTO runs)

:v32_path_steam

For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%S In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam" /v "InstallPath"') Do (set _STEAMPATH=%%T)

IF NOT DEFINED _STEAMPATH (GOTO uac_path_steam) ELSE (GOTO runs)

:uac_path_steam

FOR /F "tokens=2* delims= " %%U IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Valve\Steam" /v "InstallPath"') DO (SET _STEAMPATH=%%V)

IF NOT DEFINED _STEAMPATH (GOTO std_path_steam) ELSE (GOTO runs)

:std_path_steam

FOR /F "tokens=2* delims= " %%W IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam" /v "InstallPath"') DO (SET _STEAMPATH=%%X)

IF NOT DEFINED _STEAMPATH (GOTO ENDfailSteam) ELSE (GOTO runs)

:runs

"%_STEAMPATH%\steam.exe" -applaunch 33930 "-mod=%_ARMA2PATH%;EXPANSION;ca"

ENDLOCAL

:end

exit /B 0

:ENDfailA2

exit /B 1

:ENDfailA2OA

exit /B 2

:ENDfailSteam

exit /B 3

3. Save the .cmd file and run Combined Ops through the steam launcher, it should work now.