CW2 perma crashing!

[teknotiss]

 :'( my CW2 has DIED!!!!  :'(
i'm not sure how it happened either really. i had CW2 open in the background and was sorting out my emails in yahoo, with a documentary on youtube playing in the background. i had CW2 on the main menu. prob open on the main menu for about 2 hours, emails took a while.
when i came to play CW2 it crashed as i clicked on custom maps, so i right click close it and nothing, it sits there.
so i ctrl alt del and end process and after an age it ends.
so i restart CW2 and it's unresponsive (mouse cursor doesn't change to a hand, nothing is clickable, background graphic is still)
so i uninstall, reboot and, having backed up my download, try to reinstall.
when i try to click anywhere on the main menu it's unresponsive again.
so i remove through control panel and reboot and reinstall and same, nothing.
i had a search on the forums and none of the reinstall and crash posts seem the same as what's happening to me so HELP!!!
please.
thanks

[CobraKill]

Run an antivirus scanner. Maybe you got a virus from one of the emails you opened. Also run a registry cleaner.

[knucracker]

I'd try renaming the customgames folder and trying again. 

- CW2 stores custom games in this folder:
%APPDATA%\creeperworld2\customgames.  In this directory you will find
a file for each custom game.  There will also be a file called
'cache'.  While the game is NOT running, rename the customgames folder
to something else.  Restart the game.

If that doesn't work, then rename your gameData.dat file:

- CW2 stores settings and progress in this file:
%APPDATA%\creeperworld2\gamedata.dat.  Make a backup copy of this
file, then delete it or rename it.  Do this while the game is not running.  After
deleting the file (remember to make a backup copy first!), restart the
game.

If you have rebooted, reinstalled, and gotten rid of your gameData.dat file and you customgames folder... that's pretty close to a totally fresh installation.

[teknotiss]

ahh custom data will prob be it if it comes back after reinstalls, forgot about that thanks i'll give it a go!

[teknotiss]

ok i renamed the custom games folder (and backed it up elsewhere)
i also backed up and renamed the gamedata.dat
i then uninstalled, ran IO bit advanced system care (regfix, junk files cleaner, malware scan etc), fixed errors (none seemed to be related to CW2), restarted and reinstalled.
same result.
the game loads to main menu bakcground starts to move and then it seizes.
the reinstall file is called "CreeperWorld2-0439" is this the right version?
perhaps i need to delete all CW2 files in "local_settings" then reinstall?
go for a "complete and total" installation maybe?
something is hanging around and affecting the reinstalls.
very frustrating
i like CW1 but not enough to be happy right now!  ;)

[knucracker]

I'd also try uninstalling and reinstalling Adobe AIR:
http://get.adobe.com/air/

[teknotiss]

ok i removed air and CW2 plus cw2 folders in appdata and rebooted
installed air ok but on install of CW2 it's asking for my product key (which i entered) and telling me it's invalid.
i double and triple checked it and it's the correct key (saved it in a notepad file where i saved my DL of CW games)
do the keys expire?
can i get a new one?
sorry about this, i know it's a pain.

[knucracker]

Keys don't expire...
Just email me at support@knucklecracker.com and I'll look your key up and send it to you again.

[teknotiss]

mailed!
but no mad rush. i'm off to bed soon. i'll try again tmmw.
thanks

[teknotiss]

ok tried again with the new key (cheers Virgil)
and it's still perma crashing.
i let it run the game after the install and it just hangs on the main menu window.
i've uninstalled air and CW2, and deleted all CW2 folders in appdata, rebooted and reinstalled air then CW2.
install goes fine and i can put in the key no probs, but as soon as the main menu appears it just freezes again.
has air got appdata files that might be holding this error? this is so frustrating. i didn't download anything yesterday apart from CW2 maps for moderation and i've run all my virus/spy/mal 'wares and nothing.
i'm running out of ideas here.

[thepenguin]

Is your hard drive full?

[Karsten75]

I don't know if you can follow these steps to get a log file that might indicate the crash....

http://backroom.bostonproductions.com/?p=902

[teknotiss]

I don't know if you can follow these steps to get a log file that might indicate the crash....

http://backroom.bostonproductions.com/?p=902

thanks for helping
i looked at that page, but when i searched for the mm.cfg file on my pc it wasn't there (or i couldn't find it for some reason), would that be the issue?
i've bookmarked that page so i'll give it a go if i can find mm.cfg.

Is your hard drive full?

no 35 gb free

[knucracker]

How about CW1?  Does it run fine?  You might also try the demos of both CW1 and CW2 to see if they run fine.

When you say that it hangs on the main menu, is the CPU usage of your machine high or low (look at each core, and see if one of them is very high).  Do you hear any sound before, during, or after the freeze?

CW2 was working for you a few days ago, but you get a hang now.  So ultimately we are looking for what changed.  This could be something that changed in the game (custom map, etc).  But you have eliminated most of those possibilities.  Has anything else changed with your system?  Install windows updates?  New video, or sound drivers, etc?  Have you done anything with user accounts (created, deleted, logged in as a different user)?

[2b3o4o]

I remember having a windows update a few days ago, so that's definitely a possibility....