# [SOLVED] call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe f



## fraserhyldon

i recently installed vista ultimate (32-Bit) and reinstalled COD 4. now every time I try and join a cracked server I can play for about 1 minute before I get kicked by punkbuster for:

Restriction (0 mins): Communication Error; PnkBstrB.exe failed to initialize.

I have tried with and without firewall and anti-virus and I still get the same message. I have tried unstalling, reinstalling both the game and punkbuster individually and still no joy.

ive have used all the tools on Punkbuster website and again im still getting the same message.

if anyone can help me i would be eternally gratefully as im fully addicted to this game lol

my system specs:

AMD Dual Core X2 6400+
Sapphire Radeon ATI HD 3850 graphics card 
Abit AN52S Mothboard (with realtek onboard sound)
2 x 1gb Geil DDR2 PC640 RAM
Vista Ultimate (32-bit)


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## fraserhyldon

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

anyone got any suggestions, i basically have tried everyknown way of installing,reinstalling and updating pb and i still get the same error. it must be something on my system stopping it from working but i dont understand what as I have only reinstalled this game and nothing else (other than firwall and anti-v) on the new set up.

could it be a vista issue? im wondering whether to reinstall xp as the game work with no problems at all.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

did you update then restart?


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## fraserhyldon

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

yes mate. i have tried every possible way of uninstalling, restarting, reinstalling and still no luck.

its really pissing me off as it was wokring fine on my old system running xp. i then upgrade and install vista and im gettin the pb errors. frustrating is not the word!!!


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

try pluging some headphones into the mic port on your sound card, and update video directx and sound drivers


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## fraserhyldon

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

i have done that mate, i had a problem with "iw3mp.exe has stopped working" initially but that because my on-board sound was realtek and it was having issues. i got round it by enabling "sound mixer" in disabled devices on the sound card and it worked first time.

then i started having the pb issues. personally i dont see how the things you have told me to update (which i have anyway) would stop pbB.exe from initializing? am i being a dunce lol?


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

initalizing or is it kicking you because something is not working right? can you play untill you get one kill?

also how did you go about updating punkbuster


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## fraserhyldon

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

i can play normal for about 1 minute then it kick me and comes back with the message " Restriction (0mins) Communication error PnkBstrB.exe failed to initialize".which i guess means when pb trys to start pbB.exe to communicate with pbA.exe for some reason pbB.exe wont run. I can go striaght back on to the same server then it boots me again after another minute of play. same on all servers I tried. I can kill as many as i want in that time lol

i updated using the tool found on punkbuster site and a link on the epcgaming forums. it tells me it has updated with the newest version and that pb is running with no errors when pb runs its test but for some reason it just initialize when playing on a server.

ive got a feeling it must be a problem with vista a i dont think theres anything left to try with pb. ive gone through about 15different forums and messageboards looking for solutions or similar problems but the solutions i found just dont work.

only think i can do is raise a ticket with pb support on their site or try reinstalling xp as the game ran with no problems


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

ok it says your joining a cracked server?


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## fraserhyldon

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

nope it just says "|Restriction: communication error: PnkBsterb.exe failed to initialize, then drops back to menu screen

i fear a xp reinstall is on the cards.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

yeah that might be it though i would wait for a second opinion


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## fraserhyldon

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

i don't understand what could possibly be stopping it. my flatmate has the same version of vista running cod4 no probs and never had a pb issue. 

looks like its just my ****ty luck lol.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

yeah, you could install xp on a seperate hard disk and keep both os


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## fraserhyldon

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

right i have solved it.

basically there was no way of getting it to work, must have been some sort of conflict with my copy of vista as I have now reinstalled XP Pro and it worked first time.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d

*Re: call of duty 4 (PC) Punkbuster problem : communication error; PnkBstrB.exe failed*

ok, sounds good but kind of odd


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## asphyxia

i kno this is probably a dead post but ive recently had this problem, pnkbstr.exe failing to initilize, but i dont think that its to do with being on vista because i have XP...

im up to date with everything to do with pb.

the weird thing is that i was playing perfectly until 3.30pm and after that i keep getting kicked by pb... not sure why...


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## Jasonwilson1979

Hello I hope this helps 
Click Start and navigate to you cod4 folder and look for the punk buster folder named PB default is C:\Program Files\Activision\Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare\pb
After you are inside folder Look for PnkBstrB.exe Right click on that and select properties and go to the Compatibility tab and check the box at the bottom to run this program as administrator.
if you are still having problems make sure correct permissions are in place you can also try selecting the show setting for all users and give full permission to everyone on that account to see if that works.

Note if you select run as administrator on the cod4 multi icon you will get that annoying message saying do you allow this program you do not need to run the cod4 multi player short cut as admin if you allow punk buster to run as admin
Thanks 
Jason


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## Twysta`

Go here
http://www.punkbuster.com/index.php?page=pbsetup.php
And download that and it will work fine.
I'm running Vista and had the same problem. Sometimes PB jsut fails to auto update, especially on Vista.
Although I've got a friend running Vista and he's had no problems.


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## longball2077

Using PB Setup won't help. I have the same problem and its driving me insane. I don't know if this is relevant but it only started doing this when i updated the drivers on my pc and ran other updates for security.


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## longball2077

I also have the problem of not being able to see all of the files in my folders so i cant change pnkBsterB.exe to run as administrator.


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## Hellmaister

http://forums.filefront.com/rtcw-problems-errors-help/328450-pnkbstrb-exe-handshaking-failed-2.html


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## fred zeppelin

ive had exactly the same thing for about a month.

Ive formatted to the basic vista32 with no updates and pnkbstrb loads just fine...as soon as I update theres freezes loading up any PB game I have and pnkbstr b communication kicks a plenty. pnkbstr b init fail handshaking fails and corrupted packet flows..if there was a pnkbstrb epic fail I'd post it 

so to get to the point I went back to xp and it all worked 1st time.

for anyone who's tried literally everything to no avail.. if you have an xp disc give it a whirl and the problem will almost definitely be solved.


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## Igami Itto

start run msconfig services, then hide all microsoft services, make sure pnkbstr a is ticked.


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## pirate82

I dont have any .exe files visable in the pb folder, no services to start and it doesnt appear on the msconfig start up tab. any ideas?


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## Hobbes2718

Great advice.........I've been on the verge of tears all day...thank you,thank you,thank you
....any how ......I did this....tested PB...punkbuster wouldn't test all the way through....uninstalled PB reinstalled it......made sure i checked Administrator box......now everything works.............yay!!!!!


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