PnkBstrK driver error

[Sketchy Meister]

Whether im trying to join an online game on Farcry 2 or CoD 5, i have been getting a communication error with PnkBstrK. I reinstalled the Punkbuster services, and it allowed me to play cod5 for a bit online, but now it wont. I Reinstalled Pb again, and ran a test on the services. It gets up to the Checking PnkBstrK status, then pauses. Heres a screen shot of if:






My antivirus and firewall are not blocking Punkbuster. I really have no idea as to what to do.

 

[LookinAround]

What anti-virus product are you using (you also need to indicate the version number. You should be able to open the product then click on Help->About and it will tell you)

Are you using Windows firewall? or do you use a 3rd party firewall product? If you have a 3rd party producut
- Indicate software provider and version number of firewall
- Then click Control Panel->Windows Firewall and make sure Windows Firewall is turned off and you don't actually have TWO firewalls running!

 

[Sketchy Meister]

Im using Webroot Spysweeper and Antivirus, along with Zone Alarm Basic Firewall. They both allow PnkBstr (Spysweeper wont block it anyways), and even if i run the games without spysweeper and zone alarm running, i still get the error message. No, windows firewall is not running. I seem to be able to reinstall punkbuster, play games for a bit, then once i log off have to do it all over again.

 

[LookinAround]

I skimmed through the Punkbuster site so have an idea of what it is they're trying to do.

- The output log you posted would imply it's having a problem with PnkBstrK driver. This is installed/started on setup and then stopped. It's then normally only started again on game launch. Log would imply a problem maybe in starting it or maybe communicating with it after started
- Before you uninstall current setup, do steps 1- 4 in my instructions to see if that file exists or not. Probably yes BEFORE you uninstall. Probably not AFTER uninstall.

See file attached to this post for instructions on a couple things you need to tell me and some things to do (including checking/turning off real-time protection in Windows Defender)

 

[Sketchy Meister]

1. Windows Vista Home Premium, Service Pack 1, 32 bit
2. yes, im admin
3. hidden files shown
4. pnkbstrk is there
5. real time protection off

 

[Sketchy Meister]

Think this one is solved...i just realized Defender is running, it shouldnt be haha guess i forgot to disable that when i reformatted. Now it works fine, thanks for having me check that!

 

[LookinAround]

LOL

So when you said

5. real time protection off

you meant you thought Defender was off? But not that had followed my instruction to uncheck the real-time protection option itself that simply turns protection off (whether Defender runs or not?!)

 

[Sketchy Meister]

No, i just turned it all off. I dont need defender. I use Spysweeper. But yeah, i guess call of duty 5 works now, and i get no errors when testing services with pbsvc, but farcry 2 still disconnects me for pnkbstrb failure

Edit: Uninstall Punkbuster. Restarted computer. Installed punkbuster, ran tests, all successful. IMMEDIATELY went to join a multiplayer match in farcry and got kicked for pnkbstrb failure