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Alliance Help needed


The Seeker

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I recently switched video cards from the one built in with my PC to a GeForce 2 MX400 64MB Card. Since then, when I launch Alliance, then close it down, I can not get back in the game to play without re-booting my PC.

 

This is the message I get when I try to re-open Alliance after I have already played and shut it down: "This Program has performed an illegal opperation and will be shut down." Then, when I ask for details, it says this:

"XWINGALLIANCE caused an invalid page fault in

module <unknown> at 0000:b00dc190.

Registers:

EAX=d8eb7000 CS=0167 EIP=b00dc190 EFLGS=00010286

EBX=00000004 SS=016f ESP=00d4f67c EBP=00d48696

ECX=00000cbe DS=016f ESI=d7cc8684 FS=015f

EDX=00d4f674 ES=016f EDI=d8eb1a27 GS=0000

Bytes at CS:EIP:

 

Now, I have no idea what this means, and no clue why this only started when I got a better 3D card.

 

Any help would be great.

 

And my stats here:

 

500 MHz AMD K6-2 Processor with the afor mentioned graphics card. 192MB of RAM and a 40X Max CD-ROM

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Have you manually disabled the onboard video? (In the BIOS)

 

Are you using the most up-to-date drivers for the new card?

 

Did you re-install the game after you installed the new card?

 

If the answer to any of those is 'No', then I suggest you take the respective steps (disable the onboard video, etc.).

 

That's all I can think of at the moment - if I come up with anything else, I'll let you know :)

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Originally posted by Wacky_Baccy

Have you manually disabled the onboard video? (In the BIOS)

 

Yes

 

Are you using the most up-to-date drivers for the new card?)[/b]

 

Maybe. But, I'm not entirely sure what you mean. I am running on DirectX 6 I think.

 

Did you re-install the game after you installed the new card?[/b]

 

Yes

 

That's all I can think of at the moment - if I come up with anything else, I'll let you know :)

 

'K Thanks. I have the same question in with LEC, and the Alliance forums, so hopefully someone can help me for sure.

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you think thats bad? my alliance #1 cd developed a crack in it, about 3/8 in long, and right in the middle, touching no edge, its really annoing... it like to play with me because i can install the game but i cannot play the first 5 (or whatever) missions on the first disk... oh the agony.... well, at least i can play MP or skirmishes with the second disk...

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I had a horrible feeling you might ask that... I have absolutely no idea, as I've never downloaded drivers for my TNT2 before, but I would guess that the drivers will have a pre-determined directory that they will automatically d/l to... checking it now :)

 

[edit]

"Self Extracting Installer" - that sounds promising :)

[/edit]

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Originally posted by acdcfanbill

you think thats bad? my alliance #1 cd developed a crack in it, about 3/8 in long, and right in the middle, touching no edge, its really annoing... it like to play with me because i can install the game but i cannot play the first 5 (or whatever) missions on the first disk... oh the agony.... well, at least i can play MP or skirmishes with the second disk...

 

Go to the site below and download a pilot file editor. You can then start at any mission.

 

http://www.darksaber.freeserve.co.uk/

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Originally posted by JediKnight_114

Okay, I got the driver installed and everything, but that didn't fix the problem. I still get the same error message every time I try to re-launch Alliance after I have already played it and shut it down.

 

Any other ideas?

 

Just for the record, I would have tried updating my vid card drivers first too. I believe that your error might not be specifically related to your video card as an 'Invalid Page Fault' has more to do with a program that reads or writes to a certain location where that program does not have permission to read or write from. I'll list a Microsoft link so you can read it as they have it. I think that perhaps something in Win98 might have been corrupted some how. It's probably not your vid card at all. Now, I'm not saying reformat your HD and freshly install Windows for one game, but if you have other problems or your system is not running as stable as it used to anymore, you might want to think of that as a last resort. If you have Norton Utilities or Norton SystemWorks, they I would try running ‘WinDoctor’ if you have not already done so. Personally, I would format my computer at least twice a year or more and restart fresh just because things start to slowly build up over time especially if you’re installing, uninstalling things constantly. Since I have WinXP now, Windows is infinitely more stable than the older Win9x OS's, Even WinNT and Win2000! Anyway....I don't think this is a vid card problem. The following link is about Internet Explorer but it does describe what a Invalid Page Fault error does under the 'Summary' heading (you'll see it, it's in bold letters) for any program so I think this is your problem.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q276393&GSSNB=1

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Originally posted by Bowen

Now, I'm not saying reformat your HD and freshly install Windows for one game, but if you have other problems or your system is not running as stable as it used to anymore, you might want to think of that as a last resort. If you have Norton Utilities or Norton SystemWorks, they I would try running ‘WinDoctor’ if you have not already done so. Personally, I would format my computer at least twice a year or more and restart fresh just because things start to slowly build up over time especially if you’re installing, uninstalling things constantly.

 

Okay, I ran several diagnostics, defragmented my system, un/reinstalled Alliance, and my system checks out as okay, but I still get the same problem with Alliance. Also, as you said, my system isn't running very smoothly anymore (it freezes constantly, etc.) So, what would reformating the HD (?) do exactly? Would I lose any of my programs or saved information (documents, games, etc.?) And, how would I do it? Thanks

 

What kind of video card were you previously using? Did you uninstall the drivers for that card first before you installed your new one?

 

My old one was onboard graphics from TridentBlade. I did disable that one before installing my new one, but I don't know about the drivers. Where would I check?

 

Thanks

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Okay, LEC Tech support responded with this letter:

 

Thank you for your message. After reviewing your Direct X diagnosticinformation It appears you are running with an older driver for your audiocard. Some older driver versions may not be compatible with newer versionsof direct X. I would suggest obtaining the latest Direct X 8.0 compatible ESS ALLEGRO PCI audio card driver from either your system manufacturer or

directly from the chipset manufacturer.

I would suggest making sure you have no background applications running when

installing and running this game as these can seriously impede the function

of the game.

you may also want to try the following.

- Click on the Windows Start button and choose Run.

- Type MSCONFIG and click OK.

- Please select " Selective Startup "

- Please remove the check marks next to Process Config.Sys, Process

Autoexec.bat (if applicable) and then remove the check from Load Startup

Group Items.

After making these changes, you will need to click OK and then restart the

computer for these changes to take effect.

Launch your game.

 

So, I'm not running anything in the background, I tried the "- Click on the Windows Start button and choose Run.

- Type MSCONFIG and click OK.

- Please select " Selective Startup "

- Please remove the check marks next to Process Config.Sys, Process

Autoexec.bat (if applicable) and then remove the check from Load Startup Group Items."

 

All that stuff was done already save the "remove the check from Load Startup Group Items." What would that do exactly if I were to uncheck the box.

 

 

It appears you are running with an older driver for your audiocard. Some older driver versions may not be compatible with newer versionsof direct X. I would suggest obtaining the latest Direct X 8.0 compatible ESS ALLEGRO PCI audio card driver from either your system manufacturer or

 

Okay, what does that mean? Do I need to buy a new sound card entirely, or is it another driver thing that needs downloaded.

 

Thanks again.

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All that stuff was done already save the "remove the check from Load Startup Group Items." What would that do exactly if I were to uncheck the box.

 

It depends what you've got in your startup folder. Just load up Windows Explorer, and go to that directory. The only thing I have under there is Office Startup (cos I've got MS Office installed on my PC). I doubt you'd have anything under that directory anyway...but anything under there would just be prevented from running on startup.

 

I don't really see that you should need to cut out all TSR's etc., on bootup just to get this game running - especially if it was running before.

 

Okay, what does that mean? Do I need to buy a new sound card entirely, or is it another driver thing that needs downloaded.

 

Yep...it means another download, and that would depend on whether ESS even have an updated driver. I have to say I had problems configuring a friend's machine that had an ESS card, and the ultimate solution was...get a different card. :(

 

However...as I said before, if your game was running prior to installing the new graphics card, then it seems odd that they would suggest messing with the sound drivers...

 

A classic case of clutching at straws, perhaps, in the grand tradition of technical support gurus... :rolleyes:

 

I'm sorry I can't come up with a solution to your problem...there's nothing more frustrating than having a game that won't run properly...and believe me, I've had plenty of those. :(

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However...as I said before, if your game was running prior to installing the new graphics card, then it seems odd that they would suggest messing with the sound drivers

 

My thoughts exactly. I mean, before, it always ran great...and it still does, the first time I start it up. But when I shut it down, I click on Play Alliance now, and I get that error message before it even gets into the game. So, the sound is fine, everything is fine the first time, so I don't see what the sound has to do with it.

 

Yep...it means another download, and that would depend on whether ESS even have an updated driver. I have to say I had problems configuring a friend's machine that had an ESS card, and the ultimate solution was...get a different card.

 

So, assuming I have to get a new card, is the process similar to installing a vid card? Meaning just slip it in to the expansion slot and follow the instructions, or is it ever more complicated?

 

there's nothing more frustrating than having a game that won't run properly...and believe me, I've had plenty of those.

 

Yeah, tell me about it. If I got a in game message, it would be one thing, but this doesn't even let me into the game, so I don't even know where to start to fix whatever is wrong.

 

But, thanks for all the help anyways. For now, I'll just reboot every time I want to restart Alliance. :rolleyes:

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Yes, getting a new soundcard and installing it is similar to replacing a video card. Just uninstall the existing sound drivers - you may have to install the new ones prior to inserting the card (best to check the manual for little details like that ;) ) - and then install the new card, boot up, and follow the instructions. :)

 

Going back to the game problem...if it runs the first time fine, and then won't run immediately afterwards...it sounds more like a memory management problem. Perhaps there's a memory glitch with your new graphics card...or your system. Maybe it's not clearing the data out of memory before trying to restart the game. I know I've experienced a similar problem in the past, where a game won't run the second time, and I've put it down to the poor memory management in Windows.

 

What chipset do you have on your motherboard, BTW? Have you got an AGP slot, and if so, have you got the latest BIOS updates or patches for it? I know the VIA chipsets have caused problems in the past to do with AGP slots, etc. Also, what version of Windows 98 are you running? I've found Win98SE is more stable than plain old Windows 98 with it's patches... I wouldn't recommend Windows ME because I know some people who've had problems with that.

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