Armageddon 1.2 unable to start error

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Technical Problem

I have a technical problem that I need your help with please.

Game Version & Patch (incl. publisher): HOI2 DD:ARM 1.2 - PI - Gamersgate

OS & build/SP: XP Pro SP3

Computer, CPU & speed: 3G Celeron

RAM: 2G

Free HDD space: 40G

Video (brand, model, driver, memory): Radeon 9550 256mb 8.31.0

Sound (brand, model, driver): SB Audigy 5.12

DirectX Version: 9.0c

Other:

I read the stickies but I still have the following problem:

I have been playing HOI2 DD 1.3b on and off for awhile. At least the past couple of weeks fairly heavy. I get no errors. ( no major errors anyway )

I check up on what HOI3 is doing and decide to get Armageddon just because it looks stable.

I download it from Gamersgate. Get the 1.2 patch.

Game loads up fine but crashes when I start the scenario ( any scenario ).
It just goes to a black screen and then throws up an error box to send to MS.

Tried uninstall, then reinstall several different times. Used different levels of patches. Did all the different re-boots and steps of stopping other software. All fail when applying the Arm 1.2 patch.
All work without the Arm 1.2 patch.

( This means complete uninstall/reinstall, both DD and Arm )

After some testing I can get every other version to work fine, all the way up to Arm 1.1, but 1.2 does not work for some reason.

The application of the 1.2 patch causes some type of failure.

I have tried the same 1.2 patch from two different sources and get the same result ( Gamersgate and the PI patch section ).

Thanks.

Also I have the Doomsday CD from its initial release ( Not anthology:Not Gamersgate )

 

[blue emu]

...
Video (brand, model, driver, memory): Radeon 9550 256mb 8.31.0
...
DirectX Version: 9.0c
...

Radeon 9550 supports DirectX 9 but not 9.0c
Could this be a problem?

 

[jdrou]

Radeon 9550 supports DirectX 9 but not 9.0c
Could this be a problem?

Very unlikely (although that card won't work with EU3/Rome/HoI3).
Make sure the patch is installing to the correct folder; do NOT trust it to pick the right path by default. (Same with Arma itself: it needs to overwrite the Doomsday files, not install in a separate folder.)
Have you tried renaming the movies folder?

 

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Scenarios will not start with Arma 1.2.

That is a better description.

The game loads fine under all patches. The scenarios launch and I can play under all patches except 1.2.

I did a marathon of installs/re-installs/re-boots... something is going wrong with
changes made in the 1.2 patch?!

After looking around, this looks like I am going to be one of the ones left in the lurch for this one. I see a ton of people using 1.2 with few problems.
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I checked to make sure that the files are loading to the right folder with a time stamp search. That looks to be okay. I also think it is okay because the HOI2 DD 1.0 works, ARMA 1.0 works, then when I apply ARMA 1.2 the scenarios fail to load, but the game front end still loads fine.

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On my video card:
Okay, I am going to look for a driver just because. But I wasn't sure this is a problem since the card worked fine with DD 1.3b for at least a week prior to getting Arma ( maybe longer ). I think it worked with EUIII too, but I don't remember. I didn't play EUIII for long and sold it to someone else.

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Right now, I am just playing Arma 1.1 and everything is going good. I even threw that GIP mod on it. Which is pretty cool for someone that is used to playing the stock DD game for so long.

 

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OKAY!! Back in business.

Thanks fellas ( or gals ) for the help.

-Updated ATI driver to 8.552 Catalyst package
-re-downloaded HOI2 DD 1.3a ( just in case my old one degraded )
-used Paradox HOI2 DD:ARM 1.2 patch

-uninstalled everything with ADD/REMOVE
-manually deleted folder
-reboot
-Installed HOI2 DD from CD
-reboot
-Installed HOI2 DD 1.3a patch
-reboot
-Installed HOI2 DD:ARM from Gamersgate
-reboot
-Installed HOI2 DD:ARM 1.2 patch from Paradox
( although I suspect the gamersgate copy is the same )

BAM everything works fine

Now I have to put the Mods back in.

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Final analysis:

Strongly suspect ATI driver causes some type of intialization error in ARM 1.2.

Did find that I screwed up the install process a couple times with my own doing. HOI2 1.3 patch looks like DD 1.3a patch. Not too sure how many times I did this, but I did enough tests to know that I didn't everytime ( loaded and played a few minutes for each install step ).

WOOOOO hoooooo!!!! A new campaign tonight... I am pretty stoked about it too, since I got so much extra stuff to play the game with this weekend.

P.S.

There was some post around here that said I didn't need the 1.3a patch for Armageddon. I am thinking that is bad advice, at least it seemed to be in my case.

P.P.S.

If any Paradox employees read this stuff.... You really should have all of the patches and install order in ONE place linked on your product homepage.

There is a link on the page but it is not active.

I don't care if I am at fault, or if you have some screwed agreements with publishers and tech support in different departments. The bottom line is that, me as a customer, I am already pissed off that my game is not working and it annoys me to another degree to have to hunt for patches.

Makes TEX mad! Tex SMASH!! Bad Bjorns, BAD. Bork, bork, bork....