Steam: Dirt 2 will not launch

[gobbybobby]

So I bought racing game Dirt 2 Dirt cheap on steam sale and finally got round to downloading it this week. (On my slow 1meg connection it took most the week)

So I install it fine but it won't launch. So i think hmm maybe my graphics need updating, so I update my drivers and reboot. Still does not launch. It says ''preparing to launch Dirt 2'' displays me as in game for all of 10 seconds, but nothing happens. Xfire also picks Dirt 2 up for around 10 second before reverting my status back to online.


I get no Splash screen which from other forums I am told you will get, doing a google search many forums with the same issue say something about some files. I verified the files in Steam and it said everythings fine,, non of the forums mention where these files that are not workign correctly are, anyone know how I can get Dirt 2 to run!?


My PC specs are
Windows Vista Ultimate 32 bit
AMD Phenon 9550 Quad core 2.2Ghz
GTS250 512MB Gfx card
4 gig of ram

Special Notes
I have a Multi monitor setup, dunno if this would be an issue with Dirt 2, all my other games (Ranging from Just Cauce 2 to Theme hospital) work fine.

 

[mailpup]

It sounds like it could be updating the game even though you just downloaded it. Check your Games Library on Steam to see if it is updating.

 

[red1776]

C:\ Program files x86 - Steam - Steamapps- Common - Dirt2
This is not uncommon with Dirt 2. Try launching the game with Admin rights and or using the .EXE from the Dirt 2 file. Also make sure Aero Glass is disabled.
Look at your CFG file as well and make sure it is seeing your monitor resolution correctly as well.
In your Documents folder - 'my games - Dirt 2, see if it generated a saved games folder, if it did get rid of it. (your hardware settings folder is in the same sub-folder as well. make sure you verify the game cache (like you have) after every step. When it acts up like this It can corrupt files frequently and needs to reacquire them.

I have a Multi monitor setup, dunno if this would be an issue with Dirt 2,

I do as well, and it can. it was not sensitive to the Aero shut down prior to me setting up multi-monitors. I also noticed that the first couple of times it did not get a read on the max resolution, namely the vertical res oddly enough.

 

[gobbybobby]

Thank you for the replys, I will try all these suggestions. It had defo finished downloading, I will disable Aero, check the config file and run the game as admin. If that don't work Will try disabling second monitor and launching.

 

[red1776]

If the above does not work you can try "sneaking up on it" LOL. start the game for the first time in the native resolution of your first monitor, close out the game, and then when you restart the game, change to the 2 x resolution in mid game. It can coax it into correctly recognizing the multi screen resolution correctly. Also when you look at the list of available resolutions, do you see an added (larger) resolution that takes into account bezel compensation? for example if your full multi screen is 5760 x 1200 the bezel corrected might be 6060 x 1200.

 

[gobbybobby]

oh I don't want to play in multimonitor resolution they are different sized monitors, I was just saying I 2 monitors.

 

[Guest]

Hi, I had the same problem with launching Dirt2, just double click and nothing happened. Today I solved my problem....uninstall your Microsoft Games For Windows, that Dirt2 installed - it´s damaged, then download new MGFW : http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/LIVE/PC/DownloadClient, the game might run