Sazerac's Help Desk (post your tech-related questions here!)

[Savage]

@Saz
Friends!
i do have the bad habit to intersperse some irony here and there and ppl sometimes do not
recognize that what im tiping is not exactly what im thinking in the first time...
im sorry about that... it is one of the difficulties
in forum-communication... the smileys have its limitation too...

in addition im no native english speaker and often suffer from unlucky diction
(the online dictionary is my best friend)
so have merci... i take pains getting better...
i like writing english and its a good training as well... would i hang around here otherwise?

as for the tech knowledge... as (soon) IT specialist its my job giving ppl tech advice
and its hard giving an advice without sounding smartalec... (havent found this one in the dix
of course im not allwise...but if i wasnt be helpful here and there in tech questions i had to
change my profession rather quickly and become a gardener or something...

another bad habit is that i have to show off with my system sometimes...
1400MHz raw computing force (TB1200c overclocked)
wasted power i know... but i cant fight it... im a techie after all...

@Snoekie
maybe if u could give us ur exact hardware/software configuration and error description
we can try to isolate the problem...

[Snoekie]

Big hug to mammawlin, luv you too

Savage: I can't describe my problem any better then I already did.
But I will try to do it anyway

The middle screen stays black when I should see the town.
All other screens seem to work fine (e.g. I can open them and actually change things like sound, gamma and so on).
Even the closing of the other screens goes ok, it's just that the image stays behind.... it's not really there cause I can't click it, it's a ghost image.
If I could do a refresh on it, it would probably go away I think.
But that still would leave me staring at a black screen.
Nothing is there either...it's not like the town is simply not visible it is really not there.
How do I know that? The game DOES run on my gf compu (same setup as me except she has a TnT2 Ultra videocard) and if I copy the mouselocation that I do on her screen it won't let me go inside the Inn for example.
(if you startup for the first time the Inn is to the top right of the middle screen, or thereabouts)

fyi, this is my setup: P3 450, 128MB ram (100MHz), Gainward Cardexpert Geforce 2 MX, 48x CD-Rom, 20GB Maxtor harddrive 5400 rpm, several GB of free space left on it, MSI mainbord (don't know the specific type but it's not important to this problem)
I did a full install and have tried it with and and without the patch.

After trying MANY MANY different things like: a load of drivers in combination with numerous versions of directx, even the 6 versions - trying to run in software mode or lower resolutions in every possible driver/directx combination - shutting down hardware acceleration in windows all together - short of NOT installing my video card at all and running in 16 colors I think there is nothing I can do on my end anymore....I have tried it all.
The only solution can come from the guys who made the game. The problem seems to be Geforce 2 MX specific as it can run on any other Nvidia card out there (albeit in software mode and often with lots of other troubles which shouldn't happen also, but hey, at least it's possible to play)
It's like Sazerac said: we need a TECHNICAL patch.

This weekend I'm going to send an email to Activision and Heuristic park about it. Not that I am expecting a real reply ofcourse
Well, at least not on short notice. Who knows, maybe they are already aware of the tech problems of W&W (they must be I think) and are working on a patch already.
But either way, at least I will feel that I've done all I can do about it.

Snoekie. (who must go now and do the dishes and get the laundry out to dry...all so I can use my gf compu and play W&W) I'm pathetic I know

[Ryanamur]

Snoekie:

I had the same problem when I re-installed the game for the first time on my new machine. This issue is documented in the WWTechHelp file that comes with the patch. Here's the content relating to black screens (sorry, long post) I you already have the file, reply and I'll cut all the excess.

WWTechHelp:

Receive a Mmsystem 266 error or black screen in the game:

You are prompted to choose between running a complete Setup or copying all files again, choose to copy all the files again.

Or, you can extract the files you want to replace from the original Windows disks or CD-ROM. If you have Windows 98, to extract a copy of the Msvideo.dll, Mciavi.drv, and Dciman.dll files, use System File Checker (SFC). For information about using the Extract tool or SFC, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q129605
TITLE: How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

You can use the extract tool to extract new copies of the Msvideo.dll and Dciman.dll files.

- To replace only the Mciavi.drv file, follow these steps:
1) In Control Panel, double-click the Multimedia icon.
2) On the Devices tab, double-click Media Control Devices.
3) Click the Motion Video Device media control, click Properties, and then click Remove.
4) Shut down Windows, turn off your computer, leave it off for at least three seconds, and then turn it back on.
5) In Control Panel, double-click the Add New Hardware icon.
6) Click Next, click No, click Next, click Other Devices, and then click Next.
7) In the Manufacturers box, click Microsoft MCI. In the Models box, click Motion Video Device (Media Control), and then click Next.
8) Click Finish. When you are prompted to restart your computer, do so.

For more information refer to the following page: http://support.microsoft.com/support.../Q139/8/06.asp

The game may not be detecting the proper Codec used to play the .avi files. You will need to install the Windows Codecs. This will require your Windows CD to install the Codecs.
1) Go to Start / Settings / Control Panel. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
2) Click the Windows Setup tab.
3) Double-click Multimedia.
4) Find the listing for Video Compression.
5) If it is checked, uncheck it and click OK and then Apply. Reboot your system. Repeat this process. But only this time, check Video Compression. Press OK. It will ask for the Windows CD. Make sure to reboot the system when the install process is complete.
6) If Video Compression is not checked, check it. Press OK. It will ask for the Windows CD. Make sure to reboot the system when the install process is complete.

EXPLANATION:
This error can occur if any of the following files are damaged or missing from the Windows\System folder:

Msvideo.dll
Mciavi.drv
Dciman.dll

Note that reinstalling the Multimedia component using the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel does not replace these files.

Receive a Mmsystem 296 error or black screen in the game:

You will need to go to the following website and download and install the Mmsys296.exe file.
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../Q219/0/47.asp

The game may not be detecting the proper Codec used to play the .avi files. You will need to install the Windows Codecs. This will require your Windows CD to install the Codecs.
1) Go to Start / Settings / Control Panel. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
2) Click the Windows Setup tab.
3) Double-click Multimedia.
4) Find the listing for Video Compression.
5) If it is checked, uncheck it and click OK and then Apply. Reboot your system. Repeat this process. But only this time, check Video Compression. Press OK. It will ask for the Windows CD. Make sure to reboot the system when the install process is complete.
6) If Video Compression is not checked, check it. Press OK. It will ask for the Windows CD. Make sure to reboot the system when the install process is complete.

EXPLANATION:
This can be caused if the .AVI files are no longer associated with any media player or if the Microsoft .AVI file support libraries are missing or damaged.

Black screen on launch:
- Make sure you have the latest video and sound card drivers from the manufacturers' websites.
- Make sure that your system meets the minimum system requirements for the game that are listed on the bottom of the box.

- Set your desktop settings to 640 by 480 and High Color (16 bit).
1) Click on Start, go to Settings, and click on Control Panel.
2) When the Control Panel comes up, double-click on the Display icon.
3) Click on the Settings tab.
4) Modify the Color Palette to say High Color 16 bit and the Desktop Area to 640 by 480.
5) Click on the Apply button once the changes have been made and follow the on-screen prompts to finish the process.

- All background applications must be shutdown prior to running the game.
1) Press CTRL+ALT+DEL keys to bring up the Close Program window.
2) The only programs you need to leave open are Systray and Explorer.
3) Highlight the program you want to close and click on the End Task button.
4) Once all the programs are closed EXCEPT Systray and Explorer, you can try the game once again.

- Make sure that Direct 3D is enabled.
1) Click on the Start button ->select Run and type in dxdiag
2) Click the OK button.
3) In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, select the Display tab.
4) At the bottom make sure that DirectDraw Acceleration and Direct3D Acceleration are enabled.

In town I can't click on some of the buildings. I am running Windows 2000.

This game does not support Windows 2000. We have seen this problem before on Windows 2000 machines. At this time there is no fix for the problem. You must play in Windows 95/98/ME.

The following is an unsupported workaround. Activision cannot be responsible for trying the following solution:
Get Virtualdub from the following site: http://www.geocities.com/virtualdub/
Load the .AVI files into Virtualdub.
Save the .AVI files as Old-format.

I can see in the options, but when I am in the Town it is dark.

- Make sure you have the latest video card driver from the manufacturer's website.

- Go to the Setup Options and click the Graphics button. Adjust the gamma settings by using the slider bar.

- It may also be necessary to adjust the gamma settings for your video card in the display properties in Windows before starting the game.
1) Click on Start, go to Settings, and click on Control Panel.
2) When the Control Panel comes up, double-click on the Display icon.
3) Click on the Settings tab and then click the Advanced button.
4) Click on either the Color or Color Management tab and adjust the gamma settings.

[Snoekie]

YEEEEEEEEEES!!!!!!!!!! YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I GOT IT WORKING ON MY OWN PC!!!!!!


Thank you so much Ryanamur!!!
I needed to install some .dll files from my Win98 CD-Rom and had to download that .exe file from MS. And it bloody works now!! Yeeeeeeeeehaaw!
I cannot believe I missed that when I read the helpme files....
But I don't care, I can play it now on my own pc

Ha! No more dishes and laundry for me this weekend!

Snoekie hugs Ryanamur and loves him/her forever!

Hi all! Well I just wanted to pop in and say a few words...

First of all I think it's a great idea starting this thread, it could help lots of people running the game. I too had some problems running the game, specifically when exiting town. The game allways crashes and returns to windows for no reason.

My specs once more:
AMD TB 800 MHz
Asus A7V MB
256 RAM
GeForce 2MX (converted to Quadro 2MXR)
Nvidia Detonator 12.xx drivers
DirectX 7, 7a, 8
Windows 98
SB Live!
13BG Quantum FB HD with 800Megs free space after install
Full and minimum install tried.

I too tried every suggestion posted including drivers,patch,switching 3D hardware acceleration completely off,resizing swap file,software and DirectX rendering methods with any detail combinations, and even tried switching PCI slots of my SBlive! with RealMagic Hollywood Plus MPEG card so that there would be no IRQ sharing between the AGP display card and SBLive!. (They were both sharing IRQ 11 before switching SBLive! to another slot).

First I thought it must be an Athlon CPU/MB combo platform problem but when I saw snoekie's post who has a PIII I know it'not that.
I am convinced now that it is a GeForce problem and unfortunately there is no work around to it well at least until a TECH patch will be available.

The strange thing is that even though the game doesn't run in Windows 98 which it supports, I tried a minimum installation in Windows 2000 Professional (which is theoritically not supported by the game) and to my suprise it worked fine! There are no more crashes and I am not thrown out to Windows each time I leave town. I can explore the wilderness outside town at last and have the joy of being killed by a group of bandits just to the right of town, as any of you people can! At least this is a normal and proud way of dying! Anyway, there are other things which I can't do when running in Win2k. For example "Gareth" never shows up, the right gate exiting town which leads to the graveyard can't open, it does not flash bright when you move the mouse over it, only way out of town is the left gate. Some buildings in town are not accessible to, so I guess the game really doesn't support Windows2000. But the crash problem is not happening here even with DirectX8 installed, isn't that strange?

Anyway, sorry for the long post, hope I helped somebody....

[Wyvern]

KUDOS TO THIS THREAD!!!!!!!



My technical problem is that I can't keep up with the board. I have nice software but my video is currently rather fuzzy and inclined to glare. The fuzzy video seems to be decreasing my memory daily. This is temporary, I'm due for an upgrade "right" middle of June and upgrade "left" middle of July!

LOL!!!

Thanks to all you wonderful posters who keep up with the board while I'm experiencing these "technical problems"!!! Great thread, Saz!! You're a treasure (and so are the rest of you too!!!)

Wyv

[Sazerac]

Ryanamur, Savage, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! That's why I created this thread! Your talents are fantastic.

Snoekie: Way to go! So happy you got it working on your own PC.

We need to keep this thread bumped to the top...in case others have similar problems. Hopefully, we could work it into our own FAQ for the W&W system.

-Sazerac

[Wyvern]

This thread is on my list of "BUMPERS" LOL!!

I'll try to keep it always on the first page. Should it slip off the edge while I'm offline - anyone is free to give it a boost!

Wyv

[Savage]

wow! on the bumpers list! so lets boost...
nice post Ryanamur very helpful thx a lot

@legolas
your prob could be the same as Snoekies
w&w does not run because of a damaged system/missing dll's
that would explain why it does work with a new installed win2k
in this case u have to reinstall win98 or the specific libraries
if u have a new proper installation make a system image (for example with Norton Ghost)
so if there are problems again sometimes in the future u can very quickly recall it in this good state

Thanks for the advice Savage but I already have taken images of both my partitions where Win98 and Win2k are installed (I use dual boot system) using Drive Image Pro instead of Norton. It really is a MUST have tool for eveyone I think... Anyway, my system is perfectly installed, no problem with no other game or application nowhere except W&W. I still believe it is a GeForce2 MX problem and I 'd really like someone out there who has one, to tell me if he can run it without problems...

Thanks for replying again....keep posting guys it's always nice to come home and check out the latest posts.