!Beta Troubleshooting, Tips, FAQs

[Dwarden]

IMPORTANT !
It's always better to uninstall previous beta!
(if You fail to uninstall it erase beta subdirectory inside ARMA 2 directory)

WARNING!
It's recommended to restart You mission instead of using save from older version or previous betas!

NOTE!
Beta installer create shortcut inside ARMA 2 directory to launch beta properly.
The tricky part is that the game is started with commandline:
Drive:Path\ARMA 2\beta\arma2.exe -mod=beta
but in start in path
Drive:Path\ARMA 2\

INFO:
Installer claims it updating on version 1.04, ignore it updating the \beta\ directory content
Uninstaller claims it removed version 1.03 ignore it as it should remove \beta\ directory content

PROBLEM:
Uninstalling beta may result into removal of ARMA 2 symlink / junction directory link (hopefully not whole directory)
IF anyone experience whole ARMA 2 directory erase on uninstall please report ASAP thx

FIX / WORKAROUND for the beta failing to install on STEAM build:

use registry editor add registry key into
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2

create new String value
name it "MAIN" (w/o "")

then place into it same content like is already in key "path"
(e.g. "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\Common\ARMA 2" w/o "" again)

that's all and now the installer sees Your STEAM game ...

[CarlGustaffa]

IMPORTANT !
It's always better to uninstall previous beta!

I would says it's always better to rename the previous beta, append the build number or something to its folder name. Reasons:
1) If you report, you can go back and check if that bug was in the previous version.
2) If you're the quick one, and nobody else in your squad has upgraded, it may be wise to at least stay on the same version. Our server wouldn't let us in on a Mando Missile prepared mission if client had older version. Or vice versa, unsure here.
3) If a beta is heavily bugged and unplayable, all that is needed is a rename of folders.

Also I would like to add:
* If you play with squad addons and beta, and find a bug, please try to recreate that bug without your other addons. We use beta for our squad nights, and there is no way we're going to revert to 1.04 now

[312_Pinky]

I've recently had identical problem with the beta installation. Having purchased Steam few days ago. Arma was on 1.04, but installer said the game is not installed or it's corrupted. Check on steam files gave OK, no corruption.
I looked in the registry and the thing was that the value "Main" with the game path was there, while "Path" was missing (reverted situation of the above). I created the missing "Path" string value and beta got installed correctly.

Just in case you come across this problem too... ;-)

[anc]

In Arma 1 if i can remember well it was not possible to enter a server that wasn't running a beta patch, but in Arma 2 this is possible does this mean that it is ok to enter a non beta server or it is not advised to do so?

Best regards

[Suma]

In Arma 1 if i can remember well it was not possible to enter a server that wasn't running a beta patch, but in Arma 2 this is possible does this mean that it is ok to enter a non beta server or it is not advised to do so?

Our intention is this should be OK. It is hard to make any guarantees about beta, but so far we are not aware of any problems caused by this.

[SnR]

Our 1.04 server has had me playing with every single beta, no problems what so ever. Think of it as a client side mod

[markushaze]

Yes, true, but to be honest, i don't think its a good idea to have different betas, and non betas, at least to give feedback, its advisable to have server and client side on the same beta. this way a bug you might notice and report is certainly not caused by miss match of certain files .....

Just a suggestion and my 0.02$:-)

By the way, kudos to BIS and all of the community. the betas are coming along nicely, and ArmA 2 ( now with the fabulous ACE 2 MOD ) is all i was craving for....

Keep it up >:-)

[Yapab]

My beta email notifier now also mirrors the latest beta files on my server, here is the link (should be fast for those in Australia etc)

http://www.qbasix.com/ARMA2/betafiles/

Yapa

[Dwarden]

Would just like to add this mirror link I found in the main thread:
http://www.mydigital-dj.com/download...2/BETA-Builds/

For some reason I am only getting 5kb/sec from the ARMA2 beta page.... (this bring back nightmares of dialup days!)

Not sure who hosts that but hopefully its updated, I had to search for it so having it here might help others.

Thanks to the mirror hoster!

Yapa

why you downloading public beta of 1.05 , when final version 1.05 is already released?

[Dwarden]

i discovered another problematic behaviour of beta uninstaller

it removes flags on junctions (maybe other filesystem links too) in path

for example
C:\Program Files\STEAM\STEAMAPPS\Common\ARMA 2\

had two different junctions for STEAMAPPS (to F:\STEAM\SteamApps) and ARMA 2 (to H:\_Junctions\ARMA2)

after running uninstaller these junction links vanished and needed to be recreated ...
so just advice for these who use this on multiHDD/SSD/ramdrive systems , no need to panic just annoyance