**UPDATE**
The 'unable to load meta file' error happens when the launcher isn't able to figure out what game files it needs from our servers. There are two things that can cause this.
1. The launcher is having problems connecting to the patching server
2. Game files on the computer are corrupted

To date, the only reliable workaround for this issue has been to have players delete their version files to force the launcher to redownload the game files. While this helps address the file corruption, it doesn't fix the cause of the problem.
Here's how that's done:
1. Navigate to the StarCitizen installation folder
2. In the top right search bar of the window type *.version.
3. Select every .version file that is shown and delete.
4. Navigate to the StarCitizen\Launcher\LauncherData folder
5. Delete any files that end with .patchmanifest

Now for a more permanent solution, we'll want to find out what's causing the problem. Connection issues to the patching server can be diagnosed by running a pathping to our servers.

1.Click Start.
2.In the search field, type CMD.
3.Right-click on CMD.exe and select Run as Administrator (do this twice to open two windows)
4.In one of the windows, type pathping patch.robertsspaceindustries.com > c:\pathping.txt
5.In the other window, type pathping manifest.robertsspaceindustries.com > c:\pathping2.txt


If we were to look at the internet as an information highway, this basically gets a google maps equivalent of internet data by showing where the information is going and what the traffic it's experiencing is like.

If you're unfamiliar with what the results of this test means for the computer's connection, the files can either be sent to us, or there are some pretty good walkthroughs online about how to read these tests.

If you'd prefer to send the files to us so we can look them over, we'd also like to have you send us your launcher file. Here's how that's done:
1. Open your launcher settings
2. Enabling logging in your launcher settings and then
3. Restart the launcher
4. Once you receive the error, navigate to your StarCitizen\Launcher\LauncherData folder and you will see a StarCitizenLauncher.log file.
5. Attach this file when you contact our customer support along with the two pathping files