Got a setup?

[SD Nihil]

Hey guys. Well I told you I had a problem with the fact I couldn't get shadows with KOTOR. Well Now lol I have worse problems.

 

I followed Quiverur's instructions. If you remember I have an ATI Radeon/X1050 Series graphics card and I use to have an NVIDA GeForce MX 420 card. The computer is a Pentium 4 1GB RAM 230GB Hard Drive, flat panel, and XP Pro.

 

So I followed Quiverur's instructions. First I was to go to Add/Remove programs and uninstall the ATI Uninstall Utility, and restart into Safe Mode where I run Driver Sweeper. I was to enter into it as an Administrator. When you try to enter admin it comes up with a password. Thing is I never set a password. So I entered into my profile. So after I did driver sweeper I restarted into Normal mode and dobule clicked the Catalysst Bundle that contained the display driver and Catalyst Control Center. I install it and restart. Finally, since as I told you I'm visually impared, I attempted Zoomtext. To do so of course you have to disable the secondary display options. So I did. Then you reboot.

 

After you do that I then was able to select the resolution and Zoomtext as normal.

 

Now when I go to KOTOR I stilget problems. High graphics work, but when you quit the computer restarts. When you enter a movie in KOTOR it plays, but then it wil restart the computer upon exit or when the movie ends.

 

I even tried lowering the graphics all the way and it still happens.

 

So you could say it's worse now. I'm getting a little frusterated with this. This computer I've kept up since 2001. Maybe it should just be an internet and e-mail machine. lol.

 

I just want to be able to play K1-2, Starcraft 2, EaW/FoC. It should have a flash drive, dvd drive, cd drive, and a NVIDA video card since Quiverur said that is the card type KOTOR works best with. I know he says it does not work in Vista K1-2, but I do have a K2 Vista fix file I found on my flash drive. Not sure where it came from though. Not saying he's wrong, but I just wish this was all more simple.

 

I mean come on someone here must have a good setup or the perfered setup for KOTOR. Remember I told you my max I can spend is 1500. I would like a printer/scanner, but I guess the old compute would have to do for that.

 

I just wish this was more simple to have a good KOTOR experience with all this trouble.

 

P.S: The computer graphic's card for the new recommended computer does not need a high resolution. Since I';m vidually impared I usually run with 800x 600 resolution anyway. Thanks.

[Q]

How long has it been since you reinstalled Windows?

[SD Nihil]

I've not done that since I got the computer. Well a couple years ago the hard drive was cloned into this bigger one. I'd have to locate the disc. Re installing Windows would wipe out all my stuff right? I mean I've got pictures, programs, and such on here that I'd hate to lose. Geez all this over a game. Dang.

[Astor]

You can always transfer any important files (pictures, files, etc) to a disk, or a flash drive if you're able to. That way, you can fix the problem and keep the data you want.

[SD Nihil]

But why do I have to reinstall XP? Like I said the only thing I could think of that I did wrong was enter into safe mode by way of my normal profile and not as an admin due to it had a password prompt and I never did a password.

 

I wish there was a here's the recommended cards that do work with KOTOR. It just seems like this is so difficult and it shouldn't be. I mean no one can play K1-2 on Vista. All this to play a few years old game. Only a few years.

[Q]

Ideally, Windows XP should be reinstalled roughly every year for optimum performance. As a rule of thumb, it really should also be done whenever you switch between video card brands, which you have done by switching to an ATI card. I didn't suggest it because I thought I could save you the trouble of having to go through it because it is a long and tedious process, but since it's been 7 years since it was installed, you should definitely go ahead and do it anyway.

 

Start backing up your data and I'll try to find you a guide online that you can print out and use.

[SD Nihil]

So there is not a setup that plays K1-2 on Vista? Doing all this made this all worse. It went from a computer that had a problem with shadows not showing to a computer that can't even play a in game movie or exit without restarting.

 

I just noticed in my Add/Remove programs list two instances of Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable. But the only difference is one has 4MB for size and the other has 5MB for size. And I remember during the installation of this Catalyst Bundle tht it installed this. I wonder if it would help if I removed one instance of it.

 

Also, when you said to go into Safe Mode by way of an admin and I said I couldn't due to a password prompt, is there some default password, or would it come up with a password prompt only if you set up a password? Because I remember you said to get Driver Sweeper to have full access to windows you had to sign in as an admin. I am thinking could this problem be becasue I did it through my normal profile and not admin?

[Q]

KotOR should be played on XP only if you want no problems. And if your XP installation is that old you really should do a reinstall. I'd be willing to bet that that's the source of your problem. A fresh XP install will make your computer run like it did when it was new anyway.

[SD Nihil]

What kind of problems are we talking about with KOTOR and Vista? Should I uninstall the second instance of MS Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable? I remember seeing it on the installation of the Ctalyst Bundle. One has 4MB and the other has 5MB.

 

Also, when you said to go into Safe Mode by way of an admin and I said I couldn't due to a password prompt, is there some default password, or would it come up with a password prompt only if you set up a password? Because I remember you said to get Driver Sweeper to have full access to windows you had to sign in as an admin. I am thinking could this problem be becasue I did it through my normal profile and not admin?

[Q]

KotOR just doesn't run quite right in Vista, and probably never will, so it isn't recommended. KotOR should only be played on XP.

 

The password prompt would only come up if there is indeed a password, yes. The cause of your problem may be exactly as you describe, but your Windows installation is so old that it would be best to do a complete reinstallation and start from scratch. This is the best advice I can give you.

[SD Nihil]

Dang that sucks. So not run well in Vista as in what does it do? Because if it's just oh it runs slower then hey that can be componsated with mor RAM don't you think? And yeah I wonder if Windows 7 will be different with this.

 

Well the password for the admin thing the only person that couldn've put a password in was the independent tech who setup this computer to begin with. So I might want to ask him. Yeah yeah I understand. Re installin might just be the only way here.

 

That may take a while though since I and the family have been thinking about getting a new computer anyway. Remember I have a max budget to purchase a computer of 1500 dollars. But like I said that would be at least a few months off anyway.

 

I do have their stuff like e-mail address books and such backed up. I think they've done all their pictures and have them either on discs or memory sticks. So I'm just trying to think what would be best for them since I don't wnat to interupt thier stuff.

 

So maybe the best thing would be to get the new computer have everything of theirs on there so they are operational and then go back to this one and work on it since by doing so it will be less important.

 

I hope the XP disc will work. Doesn't it have that thing that prevents you from putting it on multiple computers? So if it does I wonder if it will allow me to install it again on the same computer.

 

Yeah directions would be great since I've never uninstalled XP and doing so would mean no Zoomtext during that tme. So directions would be good so they can help be my eyes while I do the process.

 

Yeah it sucks for me, but hey they matter more than some game.

 

So why do you need to reinstall XP every year? Will I have to do that with their Vista? Where did you aquire this knowlege? These sound like proven good habits to learn.

[SD Nihil]

So my questins were:

 

1. Will the XP discs work on the same computer you installed them on since they don't allow you to install it on another computer will it still allow you to install it on this computer again?

2. I never knew you needed to re-install XP every year. Where di you hear this? And why? Will I need to do that with Vista?

3. Please let me know when you have a new computer for me to purchase that does not cost more than 1500 dollars. Will that computer play EaW/FoC, and Starcraft 2? Just so I can know when I do the new computer of what to put on it and what besides K1-2 to keep on XP.

4. The directions will need to be less techy sounding since with my visually imparedness, a family member will need to read the directions and be my eyes while I do the process becasue during this I'll not be able to use Zoomtext until XP is re-installed. These directions need to be specific so I don't run into unknowns like with the recent task here where I didn't know not to do those plug and play and not use the disc things. Just so I can be prepared step by step what to expect. I don't want to screw up ever again.

5. I'll need to know how to do the new computer's card and this I assume with the old computer I won't need to do anything different when I re-install windows.

 

Thanks.