I'm having a problem with Wizardry 8 locking up my system. I've got an new Intel Motherboard running a 2.4Ghz Celeron processor with a New ATI 9600XT Video card using DirectX9.0. All drivers have been updated and are signed by Microsoft. The lockups can happen at any time during game play and seem to be completely random. I've used the Directx troubleshooter and have tried all the suggestions offered. Help.

Firstly welcome to Ironworks!

Have you got the latest patch for the game installed?

According to the patch instructions Since I have version 1.2.4 stamped on my CDs I don't need the patch.

welcome dave! sometimes the install isn't so great - uninstall it and then reinstall.

Definitly your 2.4 isn't the problem (I've got one), but your ATI maybe (if it isn't a corrupted install of the game).

Thanks Scottg. I was thinking my ATI might be the problem. I've removed and reinstalled the game 3 times. I played the game extensively on my old system with a Voodoo 5500 card and didn't ever encounter any problems. I was also thinking the Directx 9.0 could be the problem because my previous use was always with Directx 8.0 or 8.1. I guess I need to determine how to make it compatible with my ATI card. i.e. Turn off acceleration completely?

I don't think its 9.0 Direct X. (I also have 9.0 and don't have any problems (Nivida g3 for mine.) As for how to overcome the ATI card.. going software based (instead of hardware based) prob. isn't going to work either - but you can always try.

Have you updated your chipset drivers? Alot of people forget to do so. These are available at: http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scri...?ProductID=816 . You might also try updating your system BIOS.

Otherwise, it is probably either a heat issue, or a hardware issue. Is Wizardry the ONLY thing that causes your system to crash? Have you tried running your system with the case off? CPU heatsink firmly attached?

Try running the prime95 torture test, and also memtest, available at http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm and http://www.memtest86.com/#download1 respectively. Good luck.

I want to thank everyone for their help with this problem. Here is how I fixed the problem. The ATI card has a control panel where acceleration can be turned off. Its default is 8x. I set it in the Off position and have had no lock-ups since. Although it does take as much as 2 minutes to display an area map the first time I try after entering an area. (This quirk I can handle better than the game locking up). After the map is in memory it can be called up almost instantly. Again Thanks everyone.

ahhh. agp8x being a pain.... try then 4x.
you should get the same performance as normal hopefully without the crashes!