Misc Tech Support Issues III

[Guest rockinit]

BCM crashes to the desk top quite often, I start to play, get into the game, then it crashes. System specs:

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System Information

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Time of this report: 1/11/2002, 22:56:22

Machine name: PHALANDE-X6REII

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional (5.0, Build 2195) Service Pack 2

Language: English (Regional Setting: English)

System Manufacturer: System Manufacturer

System Model: System Name

BIOS: Award Medallion BIOS v6.0

Processor: Intel Pentium III, ~937MHz

Memory: 768MB RAM

Page File: 63MB used, 2962MB available

Primary File System: NTFS

DirectX Version: DirectX 8.1 (4.08.01.0881)

DX Setup Parameters: Not found

DxDiag Version: 5.01.2600.0881 32bit Unicode

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Display Devices

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Card name: NVIDIA RIVA TNT2/TNT2 Pro

Manufacturer: NVIDIA

Chip type: RIVA TNT2

DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC

Device ID: EnumPCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0028&SUBSYS_4A001092&REV_11

Display Memory: 32.0 MB

Current Mode: 800 x 600 (16 bit) (60Hz)

Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor

Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200

Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll

Driver Version: 5.13.01.1101 (English)

DDI Version: 7

Driver Attributes: Final Retail

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Sound Devices

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Description: Santa Cruz

Device ID: TURTLE_BEACHSANTA_CRUZ_WDM_INTERFACE

Manufacturer ID: 1

Product ID: 100

Type: WDM

Driver Name: tbcwdm.sys

Driver Version: 5.12.01.4112 (English)

Driver Attributes: Final Retail

Driver Signed: Yes

Date and Size: 8/29/2001 16:19:44, 524288 bytes

Other Files:

Driver Provider: Voyetra Turtle Beach

HW Accel Level: Full

Registry: OK

Motherboard ASUS P3V4X

Bios Ver 1005

Fresh Win2000 Install

Win2000 backround services at a min

Via 4in1 patch installed. V019

BC Patch 1004 final release.

Is there anything I could do to keep the game from crashing?

Yes, install Dx8.x compliant video drivers (i.e. nVidia XP 22.80) for that antiquated video card

TTFN

Or can somebody recomend a new system that I can build to play the game?

[ 01-12-2002: Message edited by: Gallion ]

[Gavor]

Thanks for all the detailed replies. I get the feeling that my problem may lie still with the SB Live and my mobo. I was under the impression that the BIOS update from Epox fixed this conflict. Maybe this assumption is wrong.

Yesterday I did a fair amount playing with the BCM settings and found the following.

32bit color works in 640x480. Changing the resolution to anything else will hang BCM when leaving the config screen. After a reboot the BCM main menu will run in the new resolution but it is not possible to run the game. It locks up or CTD after it finishes its loading stuff. At one stage I disabled mipmapping and managed to get BCM running in 800x600, unfortunately it only ran once. It makes no difference if I change to 16bit color.

I may upgrade to Win2k (this has been suggested to me by a few people) but I dont know what difference it will make.

Can anyone tell me absolutely that the Epox BIOS upgrade did not fix the conflict between mobo and SB Live?

The problem is with the SB Live! driver. Mobo manufacturers can only do so much to "fix" periphial add-on equipment (i.e. sound cards). Read the FAQ regarding SB Live! sound fix. As documented in the BCM FAQ, that was the only way to "fix" BCM to run on systems with the SB Live! sound card.

TTFN

Thanks, sorry about the long post.

G

[ 01-12-2002: Message edited by: Gallion ]

[MyBOOboo33]

Well peeps, I don't know what to do anymore. I've had this game since the day before Thanksgiving and have yet to be able to get more than 15 hours(2 hours on average) use out of it before I start getting constant CTD's and lockups,and save file format errors. And this is straight out the box.I have lost count on how many times I have reformatted and reinstalled my OS, reinstalled various drivers, repatched, started NEW games,and done everything in the troubleshooting FAQ. I am not a computer expert by no means, but I believe I can follow directions well enough and I have done everything possible that I can find on this website to correct these issues, and nothing works. I am admittedly now very frustrated and depressed over this because I bought this machine for the express purpose of playing THIS game which I have waited for for so long and it won't play it .As I now have no more hair to pull out I guess I'll ask one of you experts for any advice on what else I can do. Also, I have mentioned this before but didn't get a satifactory answer and don't know if it's related, when the game does run for some time, I am getting problems with getting my ships repaired. Sometimes even when I have all the parts and materials needed,the blammin' engineers won't repair my systems to full. They suspend it at between 95 and 100% and NOTHING will ever make them repair it above that even if that same system gets re-damaged and I replace or repair it again. No matter if I use a stations or my own engineers.Well hope I can get some help here because I REALLY, REALLY. want to play this game. I seems to keep running just long enough to keep me from just giving up but I am almost at to end of having any hope of ever getting it to work.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gavor:

32bit color works in 640x480. Changing the resolution to anything else will hang BCM when leaving the config screen. After a reboot the BCM main menu will run in the new resolution but it is not possible to run the game. It locks up or CTD after it finishes its loading stuff. At one stage I disabled mipmapping and managed to get BCM running in 800x600, unfortunately it only ran once. It makes no difference if I change to 16bit color.

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Thats a video driver problem.

quote:

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I may upgrade to Win2k (this has been suggested to me by a few people) but I dont know what difference it will make.

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That won't solve anything related to the problem you are having. Unless you can apply the latest VIA and SBLive drivers properly, the OS won't matter.

Besides, with winXP Home so easy to install and available as an upgrade, dunno why you would want win2K. You really DO need to pay attention!! All this talk about OSes and yet you talk about going from win98 to win2K.

quote:

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Can anyone tell me absolutely that the Epox BIOS upgrade did not fix the conflict between mobo and SB Live?

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We can't. Ask Epox

Here is a crash course on what I think you should try if you are not seriously considering an OS upgrade. If you are serious about an OS upgrade (and indeed you should be), just grab the winXP Home upgrade (its cheaper than the full version) and install it on a clean system (scrub the current C:WINDOWS folder by renaming it. Be sure to go to the MS website first and look in the XP section for a 50MB program which you can run on your system prior to the upgrade. It will alert you to any software/hardware issues and warn you about them before you commit to the upgrade.

The alternative:

1. Read the BCM FAQ and make some of the suggested changes to your BIOS. This one is going to be trial and error I'm afraid.
   
2. Install WIN98 on top of itself. The best solution would be to create a Boot Disk, then go to DOS and rename the C:WINDOWS folder to something else (e.g. C:WINDOZ). Then re-install WIN98. After re-installing, connect to the MS site and download all the updates.
   
3. Install the latest VIA 4-in-1 4.37 (Final)drivers
   
4. Install the latest SBLive! drivers. It is VITAL that you download the proper drivers for that card. Creative have released so many flavours of that card that all they've ended up doing is confusing everyone.
   
5. Download and install your mouse driver and make a note of the driver revision so that you can update your - currently incorrect - profile.
   
6. Download and install your joystick driver and make a note of the driver revision so that you can update your - currently incorrect - profile.
   
7. Install DirectX 8.1. Make sure you are installing 8.1 and not 8.0a
   
8. Install the latest version of Windows Media Player 7
   
9. Download and install either the official Gigabyte drivers for that GF2 GTS or the nVidia 2280 reference drivers
   
10. Follow these steps to uninstall and re-install BCM, skipping any steps already listed here.
    

Thats all that I can think of. Short of this, you're going to need an excorcism.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by MyBOOboo33:

Well peeps, I don't know what to do anymore.

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You could start by actually using the recent drivers for your components. I just looked at your profile and drivers for both your sound card and the mouse (I think) are NOT the current ones.

And frankly, I don't know where you got that video driver from.

As far as I can see, you need to re-configure your system PROPERLY by re-installing ALL your drivers (as indicated above) and then doing the same with BCM.

And in the future, unless you have stabilized your system, quit posting about issues that only end up confusing yourself. The engineers work fine. If you don't know why they would repair a component 100%, read the manual or the newbie forum.

Note: You will ONLY get saved game problems if you have NOT applied the patch properly or you are attempting to using incompatible saved game profiles with incorrect versions of the game.

[Guest rockinit]

Game still crashing to desktop... anything else I can do? I am planning on upgrading my OS to Xp and buying a new video card in two weeks. Any recommendations.......

[antaren4279]

My appologies, I should have clearified:

Those who responded to my post that I was false, should take into account that I ment win98 first edition. Although first and second edition differances may not effect BCM, the win98 first eddition is one of the only areas left for why my computer keeps crashing often when playing BCM.

The operating system, hard drive, and sound card are the only components in my computer that have not been replaced since buying BCM. I know that the problem is not entirely the sound card, since the game still crashes even after I pulled it out. I've spent the time going over the hard drive with scaning utilities, and I've already formated and reinstalled everything twice. The game's stability seems to be uneffected by whatever drivers I use. I want to get win2k so that I can see if the operating system makes any differance. I would love to replace my sound card, but currently I have easier access to a new OS then any other new hardware.

If anyone is running Win98 first edition and is capable of going for more then 2 hours without a single crash (not sitting overnight, actual play and transvers time) please let me know.

[Papi]

I've let the game on over night many times and have not experienced any crashes what so ever.

I've played over 2 hrs with 1.04.00 final many times, I will try to let it run overnight tonight, because I haven't tested it with the latest patch yet

I'll let you know what happened.

[Gavor]

SC. An exorcism may come in handy, keep the cross and bible on standby.

I was mightily suprised on Sunday when, against my own better judgement, I installed Win2k and BCM worked. I cranked it up to 1024x768 and away it went first time. No idea why. Old video drivers lying around? After 1/2 hour I had a CTD and left it at that due to extreme tiredness.

I would love to have upgraded to XP but I havent dreamed up a good excuse for my missus yet. 'I spent $200 on this so i can play a game', doesnt quite work.

quote:

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Read the BCM FAQ and make some of the suggested changes to your BIOS. This one is going to be trial and error I'm afraid.

Install the latest VIA 4-in-1 4.37 (Final)drivers

Install the latest SBLive! drivers. It is VITAL that you download the proper drivers for that card. Creative have released so many flavours of that card that all they've ended up doing is confusing everyone.

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Did both of these.

quote:

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Download and install your mouse driver and make a note of the driver revision so that you can update your - currently incorrect - profile.

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Sorry, will fix this.

quote:

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Download and install your joystick driver and make a note of the driver revision so that you can update your - currently incorrect - profile.

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It would appear that I put the software version not the driver revision. Again, whoops .

quote:

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Install DirectX 8.1. Make sure you are installing 8.1 and not 8.0a

Install the latest version of Windows Media Player 7

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Yes done.

quote:

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Download and install either the official Gigabyte drivers for that GF2 GTS or the nVidia 2280 reference drivers

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I have the 2280 nVidia drivers. I might get the latest gigabyte drivers and trial them if I have more problems with CTD's.

Thanks everyone for the advice. Thanks SC for the detailed help, I appreciate it. I know I may have sounded a little impatient but I have limited gaming time at the moment and i wanna play . I'll try to get XP Home. Be back if the CTD's continue.

G

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by antaren4279:

If anyone is running Win98 first edition and is capable of going for more then 2 hours without a single crash (not sitting overnight, actual play and transvers time) please let me know.

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Dunno about first edition, but I have a WIN98SE system here running BCM and I usually just resume a game I have had running since 1.0.04 was released. No crashes whatsoever, even when I forget and leave the machine on and the monitor goes into standby mode....causing me to forget that the system is even on, once I check it, the game is still running. In fact, thats the system I'm using atm to work on the GBS-II docs (checking scripts etc)

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gavor:

SC. An exorcism may come in handy, keep the cross and bible on standby.

G

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You still need the VIA drivers on win2K as well, btw.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by rockinit:

Game still crashing to desktop... anything else I can do? I am planning on upgrading my OS to Xp and buying a new video card in two weeks. Any recommendations.......

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You are already using win2K and upgrading to XP is not going to make a difference. Spend the money on a better video card and toss that antique TNT2.

Then follow the steps I outlined above for someone else to follow.

And judging by the diagnostics info you posted earlier, you're not serious about solving your problems or you won't be using OLD drivers (via, sound etc).

*sigh*

[ 01-13-2002: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

[Gavor]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

You still need the VIA drivers on win2K as well, btw.

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Ok. I did an upgrade from 98 not a new install (didnt have THAT much patience). Those VIA drivers are for 98 and 2000 so they should still be functional. I guess its not a problem to run them again just in case .

[Emmett.hendrick]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

The next time you send me a saved game and email which do not adhere the rules for same, I will delete it on sight.

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Sorry SC I thought I following the instructions you posted on the important announcements thread but I obviously didn't. Once again my apologies it won't happen again.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gavor:

Those VIA drivers are for 98 and 2000 so they should still be functional. I guess its not a problem to run them again just in case .

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Thats pure rubbish. You MUST re-install ALL drivers under the OS upgrade.

[AboveandBeyond006]

I saved a game after playing about 12hrs...when

I tried to reload later to continue..It loaded for about 10mins till I got a Hard Drive Full message.

I am then returned to windows and checked on HD space and had nothing left. After I reboot the computer...All the free space returns. The game loads for about 10mins and I watch all the locations go by that I never even knew of.

I have about 2.3GB of free space but it keeps filling it all up every time I use this save file.

This is the second time I had this trouble with a save. I happened about a week ago and I just dismissed it and started a new game. Pleaase let

me know if you have any suggestions.

Thanks

[Gavor]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

Thats pure rubbish. You MUST re-install ALL drivers under the OS upgrade.

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Ok ok. I've never done a win2k upgrade before. It has the drivers as already installed under 98 listed in devices after I upgraded to win2k so i was unsure if i needed to install them again.

Anyway, BCM worked fine for me last night. I had 2 CTD's initially but after that I played around for 2 hours with no problems. Great fun.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Chris006Tech:

I saved a game after playing about 12hrs...when

I tried to reload later to continue..It loaded for about 10mins till I got a Hard Drive Full message.

I am then returned to windows and checked on HD space and had nothing left. After I reboot the computer...All the free space returns. The game loads for about 10mins and I watch all the locations go by that I never even knew of.

I have about 2.3GB of free space but it keeps filling it all up every time I use this save file.

This is the second time I had this trouble with a save. I happened about a week ago and I just dismissed it and started a new game. Pleaase let

me know if you have any suggestions.

Thanks

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BCM won't use up disk space when LOADING a saved game.

I would be interested in seeing that saved game however - as long as it came from the current v1.0.04 version of the game and is from a brand new profile. Before sending, read this.

[AboveandBeyond006]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

BCM won't use up disk space when LOADING a saved game.

I would be interested in seeing that saved game however - as long as it came from the current v1.0.04 version of the game and is from a brand new profile. Before sending, read

this

.

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Ok I sent it to devteam and labled the zip as specified. Would be really interested in what happened for my own learning experience..I never have seen something like this happen...Thanks for responding.

Chris006

[Supreme Cmdr]

Please read that link I gave you again and send the proper files required.

I have deleted your email and its improper attachment.

[AboveandBeyond006]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

Please read that link I gave you again and send the proper files required.

I have deleted your email and its improper attachment.

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Ok...I re-read the link and sent you both files this time..I guess that was the mistake I made..

I did'nt realize you needed both...Please accept my appologies.

[paul g]

hi when i try to run bcm on my computer, thr cr dom starts reading the disc, but it will not go into the game? i do not know why? please help me for i would really like to play this game?

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by bob101x:

hi when i try to run bcm on my computer, thr cr dom starts reading the disc, but it will not go into the game? i do not know why? please help me for i would really like to play this game?

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Start by collecting ALL the info about your computer and completing your registration profile with that data.

Then go read the FAQ

What you describe above indicates either that you do not have DirectX 8.1 installed or that you don't have the latest video drivers for your card. Again, read the FAQ for info on both of these issues.

[Gavor]

Sounds like Safedisc doesnt like your copy of BCM. Sometimes this is to do with your CD drive. The SC will probably know more than I do.

[AboveandBeyond006]

quote:

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Originally posted by bob101x:

hi when i try to run bcm on my computer, thr cr dom starts reading the disc, but it will not go into the game? i do not know why? please help me for i would really like to play this game?

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I had this problem when I first tried to play Red Alert 2...It drove me crazy....It turned out to be the cdrom... The cdrom was working well but was very picky with certain games. I had a creative 52x that was causing the trouble. I switched it with an Accer 44x I had laying around....and my troubles were over. Try the game with another cdrom and see what happens.