MD5Tool Mismatch solution.

[[R-DEV]2Slick4U]

Alright, after three days of prowling the internet and testing various methods, the issue of players getting kicked from the GloryHoundz server by PunkBuster for an “MD5Tool Mismatch” has been temporarily solved. If you have been kicked form servers other than GloryHoundz for the same reason, then this might fix the problem also.


First off, allow me to clarify two very important things:

1.) ***IN NO WAY IS THIS A GLORYHOUNDZ SERVER RELATED PROBLEM!***
The problem is on YOUR side in YOUR vanilla BF2 files. This is further explained below.

2.) ***IN NO WAY IS THIS A PRMM RELATED PROBLEM!***
The problem is located in your vanilla BF2 directory, which PRMM does not affect in ANYWAY. If GloryHoundz were to run a vanilla BF2 server running the same PunkBuster checks, you would be kicked for the same exact thing.


Alright, now I will briefly explain why players are getting kicked:

In the past week, [R-DEV]TheRealFritz (admin of the GH server) has implemented an advanced anti-cheat system from PunksBusted that modifies BF2’s original PunkBuster program to work more efficiently and affectively. This new system takes PB to a new level and catches more hackers then the stock PB software by scanning more files for irregularities than the original PB software.

The problem is that PB is now kicking players for a couple missing/altered files that the player might not even know about or have altered.

***I am now going to venture into unknown territory and attempt to explain the most common problem, but if you could really care less and just want to get back to playing the skip to the bottom.***

When you load into any vanilla BF2 or PRMM server that has its PunkBuster reconfigured by PunksBusted, PB checks for a small archive file (md5) located in each of the stock level directories (i.e. FuShe_Pass, Strike_at_Karkand). If the file is missing in ANY of these folders, PB will kick you. The catcher is this: PB checks for all of these archive files no matter what map or mod you are playing. So, you could be loading into the PRMM “Oasis” map and get kicked for a missing MD5 file from your Wake Island level directory.

Now, if you have all of the archive md5 files in each of your stock level directories, PB will then check each of the files contents and the date modified date to see if it has been tampered with in anyway. If either differs from the original BF2 v1.22 patch size/date, then you will be kicked by PB. So, if you were to, for some strange reason, open an archive md5 file in lets say notepad and, while not altering any of the files content, click save, then you will have modified the archive files’ “Date Last Modified” and get kicked by PB next time you play.

Now, for reasons still unknown, a small group of people who have the v1.22 patch installed, are missing some of these archive files. This seems to occur most often in the Wake_Island_2007 level directory, but has also been reported in other map directories. Some members of the [DEV] team and me are trying to figure this anominaly out, but thus far we are stumped.


THE SOLUTION:

***You DO NOT have to completely re-install BF2 (even though this will also fix the problem)!***

Just download and re-install the vanilla Battlefield 2 v1.22 Full Client Patch. This will fix everything and you should be ready to rock and roll.




Thanks to Fritz for helping me figure this out and also good ol' Ratman for testing different fixes with me!


-Slick

[[R-DEV]2Slick4U]

So, “Why not quit using the reconfigured PB on the GH server?”:

That answer is simple. There have been some “questionable game play” occurring on the GH server in the past weeks and the updated PB is making sure that the GH server remains free of cheats/hacks and continues to be the “go-to” place to play in PRMM.

As you can read here(http://realitymod.com/forum/t5688-be...mismatch.html), there have already been some players caught with the updated PB and banned for using cheats/hacks. When PRMM v.3 is released to the public, there will be a massive flock of people downloading and playing this mod. Unfortunately, not all of these new members will play fair so measures have to be taken to defer/prevent them from polluting our gaming community with cheats/hacks.


I just saw this question coming...lol.



-Slick

[Wolfmaster]

Glad you got it all worked out. And thanks for sharing.

EDIT: Changed title, so everybody knows what we're talking about. (If they're looking for the solution.)

[Ghostrider]

Great post. Thanks a lot for your help.

-Ghostrider

[AznLB]

Still, Fritz needs to get PB scanning the mods/pr directory as opposed to the mods/bf2 directory. As of now anyone can cheat in PR as long as they don't tamper with the mods/bf2 directory.

[[R-DEV]2Slick4U]

Originally Posted by AznLB

Still, Fritz needs to get PB scanning the mods/pr directory as opposed to the mods/bf2 directory. As of now anyone can cheat in PR as long as they don't tamper with the mods/bf2 directory.

Don't worry, that is being already being addressed Asian.



-Slick

[[R-DEV]TheRealFritz]

Originally Posted by AznLB

Still, Fritz needs to get PB scanning the mods/pr directory as opposed to the mods/bf2 directory. As of now anyone can cheat in PR as long as they don't tamper with the mods/bf2 directory.

I'm aware of that, but one problem at a time. Besides, not much point doing it for PRMM 0.25 at this point.

[Skullening.Chris]

I'm still getting kicked, now for something entirely new. I did a completely fresh reinstall and it's still doing it. I dunno what the kick was for this time because I was so pissed that I just hit alt+F4 and said "fxck this"

[C-Hawk]

Very SLICK and Useful Intel...................

Thanks! Soldier and "Carry ON!"

[AznLB]

Originally Posted by Skullening.Chris

I'm still getting kicked, now for something entirely new. I did a completely fresh reinstall and it's still doing it. I dunno what the kick was for this time because I was so pissed that I just hit alt+F4 and said "fxck this"

Turn off your h4x lolololo!111