Why does the EA/Mythic patcher take so long to appear?

[DarkVoid]

First of all from a new startup of windows, or a restart, the EA/Mythic patcher takes several seconds to appear on my computer. I wonder why this is so - most programs which run promptly put up a window to let you know they're loading and preparing to run whatever. I get no such indication on this PC, so I try to start it again, only to be told that the program I ran a few seconds ago is already running, even though I can't find it in Task Manager's application window.

It would be preferable if the program promptly, upon being run, put up a window that said "loading", so that I know it's there and doing what it's supposed to, this stealth mode of not letting me know it's loading leads me to believe I haven't actually double-clicked it's shortcut when I really have done so.

Also, on the patch program itself, is there some way to configure it so it'll show me the internet download speed it's receiving files at? Bigpond over here have recently upgraded to ADSL 2, and we now have the ability to download files at a rate a lot faster than 150kb/sec. I'd like to know how fast the patcher is getting it's files.

Cheers ...

DarkVoid

 

[Old Man of UO]

The patcher does take an awfully long time to start up. What I do is make a desktop icon to the UOSA.exe file and run that directly unless I know there is a patch, then I use the patch file. the UOSA.exe does not have the long wait to start.

 

[Supreem]

When we release a patch that updates the patcher itself, that can cause it to take a while to load up.

 

[Izzy MBC]

[...] I get no such indication on this PC, so I try to start it again, only to be told that the program I ran a few seconds ago is already running, even though I can't find it in Task Manager's application window. [...]

I experience the same problem, takes something like 15 seconds before the Patcher shows itself, except it's definately listed in the Process' Window (Obviously not the same thing) - I found myself looking in there on several occasions to make sure I launched the Game Executable properly. Listed as UOPatch.bin or something.

When we release a patch that updates the patcher itself, that can cause it to take a while to load up.

Enlightening!

 

[Hildebrand]

Happens to me too. It's decieving and i have to open the task manager to see if UO is indeed starting!
The patch that patches the patcher is being patched by the patcher patch?

 

[Chrissay_]

The patch that patches the patcher is being patched by the patcher patch?

yes!

 

[scarletmoon]

When we release a patch that updates the patcher itself, that can cause it to take a while to load up.

I experience this problem at every game startup - including when no patch is pending.