This sucks...

[Numemonja]

Yesterday (thursday) I got to download the latest update, installed it and then tried to connect. Here start the problems, when I try to connect I keep getting:

Error Code: POL-1160

Network is busy or there are connection problems. Please try again later or verify that cables, networking devices, and network settings are properly configured.

And after I clicked Ok after that error message I get:

Version update communication error

I think, Ok, no biggie, probably just an error or something so I try again... it keeps happening and happening, I try to disconnect and reconnect but it still happens so I restart my computer and try again but still in vain. After that I checked the files for any problems and I find that I have a corrupted file in FFXI. I try to replace it with the same but working file but all for nothing. It dawned on me that I had to uninstall and re-install the game. Now this wouldn't be a problem was it for the fact that I'm on a 56k (don't ask, dsl connections in my country are not worth it, too expensive and too shitty) connection.

Seeing that re-installing the game was the only remedy I did so, TWICE, with the same result, I get the same "Error Code: POL-1160" although I know its not a problem with my connection for sure...I mean prior to getting that message I download the whole of the POL updates so it can't be a connection problem.

Now I just want to know if there is anybody familiar with this problem and can help me before I do the inevitable and format my harddrives... :(

(Sorry about the long post)

[kaliena]

Not sure if I can help or not but thought I would offer the following:

Have you installed any firewall equipment or blockers? Try disabling them. I can run FF behind my Zonealarm firewall, but only because I pre-auth'd the exe files ahead of time.

Also, before wiping your hard-drive, have you used the check feature in the Playonline interface? I think you may have, but was not sure from your post.

You may want to run scandisk to make sure no bad file sectors are affecting your game-play.

Try contacting help thru the e-mail, it may take time, but at least you may get a better answer on how to troubleshoot.

Cheers!

Kaliena

[John Doe III]

Yeah, run a few clean up utilities and see if that helps. Run Norton to if you have it. Delete the corrupt file and reintstall.

[Munita]

Hi, I'm Nume's offline and more technical-minded friend, so I'll answer some of the queries in his place.

I made him run Check Files, and it found one corrupt file in FFXI, which I made him delete, but it still didn't solve any problems since he couldn't connect to PlayOnline in the first place.

My theory over why he couldn't connect is a firewall but somehow since he had installed POL and FFXI the Dial-up connection in the control panel just disappeared, and any attempts at created a new one were met with same same problem, the icons just vanished, which was pretty freaky in itself.

Not knowing what to do (and since he had other PC-releated problems, such as his anti-virus refusing to work properly) I formatted his drive and re-installed everything and that seems to have solved the problem as FFXI updated fine and he's playing it at the moment (recovering from his two-day FFXI withdrawal problems, and is also the reason why I am writing this instead of him.)

Thanks for any replies given :)