# PunkBuster Fixes



## TheMailMan78 (Mar 10, 2010)

I've been hearing a lot of people having PB (PunkBuster) problems in games lately. If you have been having an issue please try the following steps.

1. Make sure your PB is up to date. You can do this by going to www.evenbalance.com and downloading the pbsetup application. Once you do this follow the directions on the website and you should be good to go. This will assure you have the latest PB files.

2. If step one does not work you may be running a 64-bit OS. For some reason PB has issues updating in game with a 64-bit OS running. This means that in some cases you have to run pbsetup each time before gaming. Yes its a pain but it does work. Evenbalance knows of this issue and has been working on it for sometime now. They have made some progress but as new games come out the issue reemerges.

3. This is something I do as a final step to PB "failing to connect" during game play. It seems to fix more than anything else. Why I don't know but who cares! It works.

Step 1: Quit all applications.

Step 2: Open your "Task Manager" by hitting Ctrl+Alt+Delete. 

Step 3: Find the process "PnkBstrA.exe". Once you found it right click on it and a menu should open. If done properly it should look something like this...





Once the menu is open select "Open File Location".

Step 4: Once you open PnkBstrA.exe location in the C: you will need to right click it again in the new window. This will bring up another menu. Once the menu is open select "Properties". This will open up yet another window. If done properly it should look something like this...




Once this window is open click on the tab "Compatibility". In this tab there a check box in the privileges section. In this section you have the option to "Run this program as an administrator". Turn this option on.

Step 5: Repeat step 3 and 4 for the same application "PnkBstrB.exe".

Step 6: Close all windows and restart the computer. Once this is done try playing the game you were having an issue with. You might have a nice surprise! 

Tip: PnkBstrB.exe is located in the same exactly place as PnkBstrA.exe. When you change the rights on one just look for the other one in the same folder. *DO NOT MESS WITH PnkBstrB.xtr.*

Ill update this post with more fixes as I hear about them. In the meantime happy fragging!

*UPDATE:*

Recently I got a new error. When playing Bad Company 2 it would kick me from servers with the following error _*"service communication exeption: punkbusterb.exe failed to initialize".*_ To fix this issue follow these steps:

1. Go to the BC2 application folder.
2. Locate the "pb" folder.
3. Delete the content of the "pb" folder but DO NOT delete the folder itself.
4. Now you can manually update the PB using this.

After that follow the directions above this update.


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## erocker (Mar 10, 2010)

This will help a lot of people with connection issues.


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## TheMailMan78 (Mar 14, 2010)

erocker said:


> This will help a lot of people with connection issues.



Thats what I created it for. I'm hoping more people will contribute.


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## Cold Storm (Mar 14, 2010)

Great fix Mailman. I was having that problem with the beta. Punk Buster themselves couldn't even tell how to fix it..


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## TheMailMan78 (Mar 14, 2010)

Cold Storm said:


> Great fix Mailman. I was having that problem with the beta. Punk Buster themselves couldn't even tell how to fix it..



Im glad to hear it helped! If you find anymore fixes PM me and Ill post them up with credit to you!


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## TheMailMan78 (May 14, 2010)

Update to the first post. I now have a fix for the *"service communication exeption: punkbusterb.exe failed to initialize"* error.


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## 00Neven (Jun 22, 2010)

I don't have ''PnkBstrA.exe'' process? What should I do to enable it or activate it?


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## Asylum (Jun 22, 2010)

Heres the fix i did when i installed BC2 on my system..(Windows 7 64 bit.)

If you already have a game installed that runs Punkbuster just go into your game folder in your program files.

Open the system folder and there you will find the pb setup file.

Run the pb setup and update it.

After you update look for the add game tab.

Open the add game tab and find the new game you want to add,

Sometimes it will come up on the list and sometimes you will have to add it yourself from your program files.

After you get your game added run the update again.

I was getting kicked every time for pb communication failure untill i did this update and now i dont have any problems at all.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jun 22, 2010)

Asylum said:


> Heres the fix i did when i installed BC2 on my system..(Windows 7 64 bit.)
> 
> If you already have a game installed that runs Punkbuster just go into your game folder in your program files.
> 
> ...



Thats the first step 



00Neven said:


> I don't have ''PnkBstrA.exe'' process? What should I do to enable it or activate it?



That mean you do not have PB installed or it didn't install correctly. Try step one in the guide. Post back with results.


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## MohawkAngel (Aug 20, 2010)

All that mess for nothing I am using Win 7 pro 64bits and just updated the Punkbuster. Then at first start of the game i just right click on icon and choose Run as administrator. With that no more pb problems and even in future you dont need the CD to be inserted anymore.


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## TheMailMan78 (Aug 20, 2010)

MohawkAngel said:


> All that mess for nothing I am using Win 7 pro 64bits and just updated the Punkbuster. Then at first start of the game i just right click on icon and choose Run as administrator. With that no more pb problems and even in future you dont need the CD to be inserted anymore.



Some people are not that lucky.


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## EastCoasthandle (Sep 15, 2010)

People are getting Schannel errors when logging into BC2 using the event viewer.  From what I've gathered the issue didn't exist before the game was patch.


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## TheMailMan78 (Sep 15, 2010)

EastCoasthandle said:


> People are getting Schannel errors when logging into BC2 using the event viewer.  From what I've gathered the issue didn't exist before the game was patch.



I haven't seen or heard of this. Do you have more info?


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## EastCoasthandle (Oct 28, 2010)

Yes, I do.  Read this


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## gunsmoke (Nov 19, 2010)

I used PunkBuster with cod 4 once and ALL PunkBuster Did was balls up my game play on line,
With lag in mp playing cod 4 i was geting KICK,T from the game it was all ways saying i
Dont have PunkBuster running when playing cod 4 when i DId have it running
Now i never use it FULL STOP!!!!!!! all the bugs and crap code in PunkBuster suck like a hole
In the head,


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## Mussels (Jun 9, 2011)

bump for old, but still helpful thread.


info like this is why we dont ban themailman!


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## Wrigleyvillain (Jun 9, 2011)

Haha indeed. I didn't read every post but I assume the PBSetup.exe is mentioned as well.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jun 9, 2011)

Wrigleyvillain said:


> Haha indeed. I didn't read every post but I assume the PBSetup.exe is mentioned as well.



Everything you need to know is in the first post. Any new solutions I find I post there.


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## T3kl0rd (Jun 12, 2011)

I'm running a 64 bit OS but don't receive the PB error messages.  PB doens't update in-game automatically like it is supposed to, I have to use pbsetup.  

Too bad people get around PB easily in games.  I see people wrecklessly flaunting how much they can aimbot while being banned.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jun 12, 2011)

T3kl0rd said:


> I'm running a 64 bit OS but don't receive the PB error messages.  PB doens't update in-game automatically like it is supposed to, I have to use pbsetup.
> 
> Too bad people get around PB easily in games.  I see people wrecklessly flaunting how much they can aimbot while being banned.



I used to have the same issue. Have you tried running all the background PB processes as an Admin? That fixed the issue on some games. Other games I had to run both the processes AND the game as an admin. Post back and let me know if it works.


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## T3kl0rd (Jun 12, 2011)

TheMailMan78 said:


> I used to have the same issue. Have you tried running all the background PB processes as an Admin? That fixed the issue on some games. Other games I had to run both the processes AND the game as an admin. Post back and let me know if it works.


ATM, I'm using PB in BFBC2 only and it works just fine without reconfiguring anything.  Some servers state they are updating your PB client but they never do.  PBSetup isn't hard to use.


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## Bow (Jun 12, 2011)

Thanks


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## TheMailMan78 (Jun 12, 2011)

T3kl0rd said:


> ATM, I'm using PB in BFBC2 only and it works just fine without reconfiguring anything.  Some servers state they are updating your PB client but they never do.  PBSetup isn't hard to use.



I agree its not difficult to use but thats not really the point. You shouldn't have to use it at all. Just adjust the admin settings and see if it works.


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## T3kl0rd (Jun 12, 2011)

TheMailMan78 said:


> I agree its not difficult to use but thats not really the point. You shouldn't have to use it at all. Just adjust the admin settings and see if it works.


PB is up to date for BFBC2, no way to test it.


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## Horrux (Jun 20, 2011)

I have a buddy who is having all hell with PB trying to play BFBC2... I linked him to this page, I so hope this will fix it for him!!!

I'll (or he'll) let you know!


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## TheMailMan78 (Jun 20, 2011)

Horrux said:


> I have a buddy who is having all hell with PB trying to play BFBC2... I linked him to this page, I so hope this will fix it for him!!!
> 
> I'll (or he'll) let you know!



What issue is he having?


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## Sir B. Fannybottom (Aug 7, 2011)

Damn it, still doesn't work.


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## Horrux (Aug 7, 2011)

TheMailMan78 said:


> What issue is he having?



Dropping packets.


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## TheMailMan78 (Aug 8, 2011)

Horrux said:


> Dropping packets.



Did the guide help him?


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## Horrux (Aug 8, 2011)

TheMailMan78 said:


> Did the guide help him?



Sadly, no.  But he built a brand new PC, which he fired up for the first time yesterday night, and so far, so good, he was able to log onto my BFBC2 server without getting PB kicked. So for now, I guess we can call this a "case closed"...


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## d3fct (Aug 8, 2011)

the same thing happens in bf2, the same fix as in op will fix bf2 aswell. there is an easier way, download pbsvc.exe and run that, it will kill pb and reinstall it for you, then manully update.


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## erixx (Mar 7, 2012)

Getting PB error in Red Orchestra 2, doing these tricks now. Thanks!


edit, not working..... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


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## erixx (Mar 7, 2012)

For these steam games, just delete interiors of the FB folder and "Check game cache". Now it works!


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## erixx (Mar 13, 2012)

Works with BF3.


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## d3fct (Mar 15, 2012)

just randomly had an punkbuster error in bf3 the other day, something about a communication error with punkbuster. been playing this game since day one, tried to fix with pbsvc.exe, no go, tried uninstalling and reinstalling pb, still nothing. finally i right clicked bf3 in origin and chose to repair. fixed the issue. if any fellow gamers in bf3 get a punkbuster error out of the blue, repair is worth a shot.


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## erixx (Mar 16, 2012)

just wait until it comes back! Yesterday I sang victory and now I have it again in RO2 and BF3, forcing me to play on non PB servers.... if available.


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