FG wont update, can't reinstall

[tylipher]

I logged into FG this afternoon and received the following error when trying to update:

ERROR - GetProducts: Network: HTTP/1.1 400 Bad Request

I have disabled everything I can on Windows Defender and have no other firewall/anti-virus. I also added FG installer and FG updater as exclusions in Windows Defender. To see if the problem was my router I tried to update on a different network and got the same error (so it's not my router).

I thought that perhaps a new install might clear it up so I removed FG and downloaded the installer. Now when I try to reinstall I get the same error message. This happens whether I use the Windows dl or try to go through steam.

I'm completely stumped. I can't figure out how to get FG up and running again. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Moon Wizard]

Every time a “bad request” error has come up; it is because security software on the computer is intercepting update requests and rewriting them, or because the router is doing something similar.

Check your machine for any software that is performing “internet security” or parental filtering. Similar for router settings.

Regards,
JPG

[tylipher]

The only security I have is Windows Defender and I turned it off the best I could. Didn't find anything in the router settings either.

I haven't changed anything with my pc security recently and FG has worked fine until today.

I've tried running as admin and looked everywhere I know to disable security settings. I just dont know where else to check.

[damned]

When you say you tried a different network what did you do?
If you have ruled out the network then there is something on your system blocking it -or- something upstream of your router, on the internet, blocking traffic...

[tylipher]

I set my phone as a mobile hotspot and tried to install FG through that. Got the same error.

I don't think it's a router issue. I was able to use FG before and nothing has changed with the router settings. I havent changed PC settings either but updates can do weird things.

Is it possible something is goofy with the fg update?

Before I uninstalled I was able to load fg, it said there was an update available, but it wouldnt download. However, I could still run fg and load up a campaign. I just couldnt update.

Now that I uninstalled it I cant even get it to reinstall. If my comp is blocking the patcher I'm not sure how to fix it.

[damned]

Unfortunately I would not recommend uninstalled and reinstalling when FG wont update because the install processs is pretty much an update process and a couple more steps.

Using your phone is a pretty good test to rule out your network.

As you alluded - even when you havent made any changes to your computer there are hundreds of things changing all the time.

Try resetting your IP bindings:

In an adminstrator cmd prompt run: netsh int ip reset

Double check you havent installed any browser extensions/plugins that do any security scanning

Double check you dont have any other AV or Security software installed

Do see if you can whitelist the three .exe files in the program file directory

[tylipher]

I reset the ip bindings as suggested and rebooted but that didn't fix it.

No extensions/plugins that I can find. Windows Defender is all I have for security and I have disabled the firewall and network protection. I've also checked to make sure that FG is on the list of apps allowed to pass through the firewall.

Since I uninstalled FG I have no .exe files in the program file directory. All I have is the FG installer which isn't working.

What else can I try?

[damned]

Try unpacking these in your program directory and rerunning the updater directly.
https://sydneyit-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/damian_sydneyit_net/ETzeLy78ntNNtOiEoqV_lkcB4K7uC2PGsPSQmj17Tv_3PQ?e=c maXkS

[tylipher]

Downloaded the files. Both update files give me the same error as before. The FG .exe won't execute either. It says it's unable to load ruleset file (base .xml). I'm guessing this latter is because the app isn't actually installed and I only downloaded the .exe.

[damned]

please try whitelisting the two updaters and retry?

[tylipher]

I'm not sure what you mean by white listing, or how to do it

[damned]

Exclusions/Whitelisting...
I dont have Windows Defender sorry....

[tylipher]

Gotcha. Yes, all the fg files are set as exclusions in Defender and are on the list of apps that are allowed through the firewall (which is still turned off).

[damned]

sorry mate - Im all outta ideas....

[Zacchaeus]

Can you switch Windows Defender back on (even with it apparently off it still does things) and delete all and every rule that you find for Fantasy Grounds in there. Check also that WD hasn't quarantined Fantasy Grounds. Once you have checked that and deleted all of the rules create a new fresh rule for the entire FG installation folder.

[tylipher]

I found the rules for Fantasy Grounds in Windows Defender and deleted them. I tried the updater again with the rules removed and Defender on. Same error. I then added FG as an exclusion to the firewall and tried it again with Defender on. No joy. Third time, I turned Defender off and still nothing. Next step was to go into Defender firewall advanced settings and create a new rule for FG to allow it through in all cases. Same results.

I also checked quarantine and didn't see any files in there at all.

I'm thinking that it must not be Windows Defender that is blocking it. I've tried all kinds of combinations of turning off, adding exclusions, creating rules. Nothing on that end seems to work. What else might I try?

Thanks

[Zacchaeus]

Well, as noted above if it's not anti virus then that pretty much leaves the router. Anti flood protection or high levels of internet protection could be the cause. It's hard to say for sure since routers are all different and the software that comes with it can also be different. It's assumed that you've rebooted your router and your PC during all of this testing.

[tylipher]

Ok, so it's working now, but I don't think it was anything that I did.

I decided to try on another computer to make sure it wasn't my router. I downloaded the installer on the second computer and it installed right away, no problem. So not a router issue.

I went back to my main computer and made sure the windows defender settings were the same for both computers. The only setting that was off on the new laptop was SmartScreen for Microsoft Edge. That shouldn't matter but I turned it off on my original system anyway.

I double clicked on the FG installer on the original pc and before running update I removed my product key from the field and made sure my password was correct. Clicked install and it went just fine. I closed the app after it installed then added in my product key and ran update - it updated fine.

As a last step I turned on everything in Windows Defender and ran the update again. No problems.

So it wasn't a router issue and it doesn't seem like it was a Windows Defender or pc issue either. I didn't do anything new this time that I haven't tried half a dozen times already. Maybe there was some kind of isp blockage and it just now cleared up?

I have no idea, but at least it's working again.

I should also mention that I did a system restore on my pc and took it back 5 days. After the restore FG still wouldn't install/update. It also happened that Google Chrome wouldn't open either. So I uninstalled Chrome and reinstalled it. Chrome works now, as does FG. Is it at all possible that something in Chrome was blocking FG and by reinstalling it cleared up? That seems unlikely to me, but what do I know?

Thanks for the patient help guys.