Npgl.check()!=NPGAMEMON_success - updated info!

AyaChan · **Joined:** Feb 2006 **Posts:** 531 **Location:**

Those that had to go down to the point where you edited the host file in system32, please read the following...

The line can now be removed - the problem seems to have entirely poofed. (I was showing my husband the code added, to ask his opinion regarding the computer still being secure opening up holes like that -ick-) and so I removed the line and fired up SRO to show him how this mean-nasty-thing won't let me play my game and voila...! It loaded just fine. :banghead:

Geobot · **Joined:** Feb 2006 **Posts:** 773 **Location:**

editing the host file won't make your system insecure, it doesn't open a hole. all it does is help windows map ip's

also, if you didn't restart your pc after you deleted it, then it might have still had the file loaded, if it's read only as windows is strating up.

edit - also, this problem is a weird one. it did it to me for the first time a couple days ago. i restarted my pc and it worked fine. then it happened today, just once. i didn't even have to restart it or anything. and nothing since ^^

Kard · **Joined:** Feb 2006 **Posts:** 600 **Location:**

AyaChan wrote:

Those that had to go down to the point where you edited the host file in system32, please read the following...

The line can now be removed - the problem seems to have entirely poofed. (I was showing my husband the code added, to ask his opinion regarding the computer still being secure opening up holes like that -ick-) and so I removed the line and fired up SRO to show him how this mean-nasty-thing won't let me play my game and voila...! It loaded just fine. :banghead:

Aya, I gave an explanation of the analysis earlier. No, it's not going by a security loophole. I wouldn't encourage the use of security loopholes or using anything that breaches security, solely because of legal issues.

Anyway, this is the explanation:

Quote:

Here is the analysis.

Gameguard gave an error because, if you noticed, it tries to connect and it doesn't. That is followed by "Resolving" and it too does not connect. The error comes up. Our inability to connect, IMO, is not a problem that lies with our computers. We cannot connect because probably the server (VPN IP) capacity is full. The security file might be full as well.

Using the host file to connect to the IP address is a manual way of connection. Basically, we are bypassing their reside IP (VPN IP). If everyone does this, eventually their server will ultimate hang and crash. Bypassing it allows you to connect but overcapacity makes the server lag...

If anyone else has any other ideas to why the connection problem (resulting in the error), post it up.

To clarify that, when we launch the programme, we are connecting to the VPN which then connect us to the DNS IP of their server. The VPN basically acts as a means of control to how many people are allowed to connect to the server at any one time. Having too many connections at one time lags the server you see, which also means that GameGuard will lag and will not be able to do its job properly. Too many users can hang the DNS server. By mapping the IP, we are connecting directly to the DNS, which is to my knowledge, does not involve any breaches in security.

[edit] Geobot - if I'm wrong, please do correct me.

AyaChan · **Joined:** Feb 2006 **Posts:** 531 **Location:**

Ah, missed that part. heheh

Btw - I *always* reboot my system when I do changes like that Geo and it wasn't helping at all. (My startup is also pretty devoid of things, minus my protection stuff, etc.)

I guess this lovely error is just the luck of the draw when it comes to getting passed it.

/kicks it a few times for good measure

Ecanem · **Joined:** Mar 2006 **Posts:** 54 **Location:**

Kard, you are close but here is what I posted on silkroadtavern:

Quote:

The problem looks to be with the DNS servers. A DNS server takes a name such as: http://www.silkroadtavern.com and translates that name into an IP address. If gameguard changed the IP address that the login server pointed to then some people wouldn't be able to connect until the DNS updated. Because its possible the server is in Korea, there might be other DNS issues as well.

All of this translates to problems converting a name into an IP address for some (not all because others may have DNS servers that have propegated the new address).

What you are doing in the hosts file is telling your computer "hey when you try to connect to this domain, just use the ip address instead of the domain name" So your computer will translate and use the IP address when it sends a request out to the net and not the name server.

This has nothing to with filled login servers or anything, it has to do with DNS servers and propegation problems.

A VPN is a virtual private network and is not used in situations such as this, it is used in extranet situations when a user needs to securely tunnel to have access to the network resources that he does while not at the location. This is just a simple net connection.

The inability to connect was most likely a DNS server and propegation issue. You see, there is not just 1 master DNS server and the DNS servers at every web host have to update and send the list of thier ip addresses out. This spreads similar to a virus (only its good) and is what we call propegation. This is why sometimes a domain name will not work on everyones computer right after it is created.

If gameguard or its DNS host was having troubles with their DNS servers you will run into the issues of some people possibly having different IP addresses that their DNS servers are pointing to. If it is an IP address that does not exists then there will be no connection. The hosts file trick bypasses the need for a DNS and connects to the login/authentication server directly.

Why can people remove the line now? Viola! Propegation, the issue was fixed at whichever DNS server had the problem, it is now sending out the correct name->ip mappings and the net propegates those mappings and thus you can remove the line.

Kard · **Joined:** Feb 2006 **Posts:** 600 **Location:**

The true Techie finally posted ... yay

Thanks for the info Ecanem, certainly helps with the knowledge. Now... if someone is actually willing to compile a troubleshoot solution to this problem, it would certainly help a lot of users who go

-stumped-

Any volunteers? Oh, and it should get a sticky too.

hellboy · **Joined:** Mar 2006 **Posts:** 2

Probably a server at GameGuard F*cked up is my idea...

Kard · **Joined:** Feb 2006 **Posts:** 600 **Location:**

Heh... any mainframe, server, computer, PDA fucks up from time to time. No such thing as a perfect machine.

Stallowned · **Posted:** Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:59 am

So no one has a real solution to this? If you do please help me out. i've been getting the error today ever since this patch. I don't really feel like going into my files and editing shit after 95% of the people saying it doesn't work. Oh well.. hopefully it will be fixed in an update tomorow.

Hopefullynot being able to play will keep me focused on my research paper which is due tomorrow and if I don't turn it in I don't graduate :banghead:

Ecanem · **Joined:** Mar 2006 **Posts:** 54 **Location:**

Stallowned wrote:

So no one has a real solution to this? If you do please help me out. i've been getting the error today ever since this patch. I don't really feel like going into my files and editing shit after 95% of the people saying it doesn't work. Oh well.. hopefully it will be fixed in an update tomorow.

Hopefullynot being able to play will keep me focused on my research paper which is due tomorrow and if I don't turn it in I don't graduate :banghead:

Im sorry, but I must have missed the part where 95% of the people said it doesnt work. In my experience 95% of the people say it does work and it is a simple fix.

Smokin_Joe · **Joined:** Mar 2006 **Posts:** 78 **Location:**

Well I for some reason cannot read the official silkroad forums so what is the fix? When I click on a topic to read it brings me back to the home page every time. Anyone else have this problem?

hekis · **Joined:** Mar 2006 **Posts:** 5

Quote:

1st go here
C\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc
and right click the host file and open with notepad
ok there will be a few writings and such about microsoft what you do now is all the way on the bottom copy and paste this

80.15.232.4 nprotect.nefficient.com

not all the way just enuff till u dont scroll

after that u go back to the host file right click on it and go properties
on the bottom u check read online then apply and click okay

http://www.silkroadonline.net/sro_board ... 10996&#rpl

Kenjura · **Joined:** Mar 2006 **Posts:** 220 **Location:**

Which host file?
???

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