[SOLVED] call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe f

[fraserhyldon]

i recently installed vista ultimate (32-Bit) and reinstalled COD 4. now every time I try and join a cracked server I can play for about 1 minute before I get kicked by punkbuster for:

Restriction (0 mins): Communication Error; PnkBstrB.exe failed to initialize.

I have tried with and without firewall and anti-virus and I still get the same message. I have tried unstalling, reinstalling both the game and punkbuster individually and still no joy.

ive have used all the tools on Punkbuster website and again im still getting the same message.

if anyone can help me i would be eternally gratefully as im fully addicted to this game lol

my system specs:

AMD Dual Core X2 6400+
Sapphire Radeon ATI HD 3850 graphics card
Abit AN52S Mothboard (with realtek onboard sound)
2 x 1gb Geil DDR2 PC640 RAM
Vista Ultimate (32-bit)

[fraserhyldon]

anyone got any suggestions, i basically have tried everyknown way of installing,reinstalling and updating pb and i still get the same error. it must be something on my system stopping it from working but i dont understand what as I have only reinstalled this game and nothing else (other than firwall and anti-v) on the new set up.

could it be a vista issue? im wondering whether to reinstall xp as the game work with no problems at all.

[1 g0t 0wn3d]

did you update then restart?

[fraserhyldon]

yes mate. i have tried every possible way of uninstalling, restarting, reinstalling and still no luck.

its really pissing me off as it was wokring fine on my old system running xp. i then upgrade and install vista and im gettin the pb errors. frustrating is not the word!!!

[1 g0t 0wn3d]

try pluging some headphones into the mic port on your sound card, and update video directx and sound drivers

[fraserhyldon]

i have done that mate, i had a problem with "iw3mp.exe has stopped working" initially but that because my on-board sound was realtek and it was having issues. i got round it by enabling "sound mixer" in disabled devices on the sound card and it worked first time.

then i started having the pb issues. personally i dont see how the things you have told me to update (which i have anyway) would stop pbB.exe from initializing? am i being a dunce lol?

[1 g0t 0wn3d]

initalizing or is it kicking you because something is not working right? can you play untill you get one kill?

also how did you go about updating punkbuster

[fraserhyldon]

i can play normal for about 1 minute then it kick me and comes back with the message " Restriction (0mins) Communication error PnkBstrB.exe failed to initialize".which i guess means when pb trys to start pbB.exe to communicate with pbA.exe for some reason pbB.exe wont run. I can go striaght back on to the same server then it boots me again after another minute of play. same on all servers I tried. I can kill as many as i want in that time lol

i updated using the tool found on punkbuster site and a link on the epcgaming forums. it tells me it has updated with the newest version and that pb is running with no errors when pb runs its test but for some reason it just initialize when playing on a server.

ive got a feeling it must be a problem with vista a i dont think theres anything left to try with pb. ive gone through about 15different forums and messageboards looking for solutions or similar problems but the solutions i found just dont work.

only think i can do is raise a ticket with pb support on their site or try reinstalling xp as the game ran with no problems

[1 g0t 0wn3d]

ok it says your joining a cracked server?

[fraserhyldon]

nope it just says "|Restriction: communication error: PnkBsterb.exe failed to initialize, then drops back to menu screen

i fear a xp reinstall is on the cards.

[1 g0t 0wn3d]

yeah that might be it though i would wait for a second opinion

[fraserhyldon]

i don't understand what could possibly be stopping it. my flatmate has the same version of vista running cod4 no probs and never had a pb issue.

looks like its just my shitty luck lol.

[1 g0t 0wn3d]

yeah, you could install xp on a seperate hard disk and keep both os

[fraserhyldon]

right i have solved it.

basically there was no way of getting it to work, must have been some sort of conflict with my copy of vista as I have now reinstalled XP Pro and it worked first time.

[1 g0t 0wn3d]

ok, sounds good but kind of odd