STAR WARS The Old Republic (SWTOR) window does not show after you press Play? You’re not alone! Many players have reported this issue. But no worries. Here are 5 solutions to try.
Fixes to try:
You may not have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that does the trick for you.
- Rule out software conflicts
- Run SWTOR in Admin mode
- Update your graphics driver
- Verify the integrity of game files
- Delete the Bitraider folder
Fix 1: Rule out software conflicts
The SWTOR not launching problem can be caused by a previous task session that didn’t end properly or the BitRaider background downloader that interferes with the game. To fix this, simply open the Task Manager and end the SWTOR Launcher task and BitRaider processes:
1) On your keyboard, press the Ctrl, Shift, and Esc keys at the same time to open Task Manager.
2) Right-click SWTOR Launcher and select End task.
Then, repeat this step and kill all the BitRaider-related processes, such as BitRaider Distribution Web Client and BitRaider Support Service Core.
Running third-party programs in the background can also interfere with your game and lead to issues like this (especially overlay programs). So, if you’re running multiple programs while gaming, please close them to rule out software conflicts and free up resources for your game.
If your antivirus is running, temporarily disable it and check if the problem persists. This is because antivirus sometimes mistakenly identifies the game login module as a security threat.
If SWTOR works properly after you disable the antivirus software, contact the vendor of your antivirus software and ask them for advice, or install a different antivirus solution.
If SWTOR still won’t start, read on and try the next fix below.
Fix 2: Run SWTOR in Admin mode
If SWTOR doesn’t have permissions for certain game files on your system under a standard user mode, it may not run properly. Try the following steps to grant the program administrator privileges:
1) Right-click the SWTOR desktop icon and select Open File Location.
2) Right-click the .exe file and select Properties.
3) Click the Compatibility tab and check Run this program as an administrator. Then click OK.
4) Relaunch your game to see if this helped.
If this doesn’t work for you, then go ahead with the next fix.
Fix 3: Update your graphics driver
Your graphics card (GPU) is the most important component when it comes to determining gaming performance. If you’re using an outdated graphics driver, or the driver is corrupted, you’re likely to encounter game issues. So, make sure you update your graphics driver. There are two ways you can do this:
Manual driver update – You can update your graphics driver manually by going to the manufacturer’s website for your graphics product, and searching for the most recent correct driver. Be sure to choose only driver that is compatible with your Windows version.
Automatic driver update – If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update your graphics driver manually, you can, instead, do it automatically with Driver Easy.
Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct driver for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing.
1) Download and install Driver Easy.
2) Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
3) Click the Update button next to the graphics driver to automatically download the correct version of that driver, then you can manually install it (you can do this with the FREE version).
Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system. (This requires the Pro version which comes with full support and a 30-day money back guarantee. You’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All.)
If you need assistance, please contact Driver Easy’s support team at support@drivereasy.com.
4) Relaunch your game to test your issue.
If your game still won’t launch, then go ahead with the fix below.
Fix 4: Verify the integrity of game files
Corrupted and damaged game files can cause a wide variety of errors. If you’re gaming on Steam, use the repair tool to fix it.
1) Run Steam.
2) Click LIBRARY.
3) Right-click STAR WARS: The Old Republic and select Properties.
4) Click the LOCAL FILES tab, then click VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAME FILES.
5) Relaunch the game to test your issue.
If SWTOR is still unplayable, move on to the next fix.
Fix 5: Delete the BitRaider folder
If you’re running BitRaider, it means that you’re using the streaming version of the game. The service can hog your CPU performance and internet bandwidth and sometimes cause the game to crash. If that’s the core issue, deleting the BitRaider folder should fix it.
1) Exit SWTOR.
2) Right-click the SWTOR desktop icon and select Open file location.
3) Delete the Bitraider folder.
4) Relaunch the game and wait for the repair to be complete.
If you want to get rid of the Bitraider permanently, follow the instructions below:
1) Exit SWTOR.
2) Right-click the SWTOR desktop icon and select Open file location.
4) Right-click Launcher.settings, then select Open with.
5) Select Notepad.
6) Find the matching section in the file and delete the 4 lines and replace them with this:
, “PatchingMode”: “{ “swtor”: “SSN”}”
, “bitraider_download_complete”: { }
, “log_levels”: “INFO,SSNFO,ERROR”
, “bitraider_disable”: “true”
7) On your keyboard, press the Ctrl key and S to save the changes. Then close Notepad.
8) Delete the Bitraider folder.
9) Go to C:\Users\Public\Document and delete the Bitraider folder
10) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and R at the same time to open the Run dialog box.
11) Type appwiz.cpl and hit Enter.
12) Right-click Bitraider Streaming Client and select Uninstall.
Once you’ve completed these steps, relaunch the game and check if the issue persists.
Hopefully, one of the solutions above helped. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below.