EU2 crashes almost immediately :(

[magicpiper97]

Finally just got the game today, I installed it along with DirectX 8, but when I tried to run it, it crashed to the desktop at the loading screen (at Loading Sounds, I think). Then I remember to get the patch, and tried again, but the same thing happened. I tried running it again, but this time I just barely made it to Loading Interface when it gave me a blast of some digital noise and crashed again, this time saying that ddhelp performed an illegal operation or whatever. I tried again and this time the screen went black (as if the game was starting) but it crashed immediately, saying that eu2 performed an illegal operation. I tried a few more times, but it was just the same instant CTD.

So I restarted my comp, and the cycle repeated... first I made it to the Loading screen a few times, then eventually it just decided to give up right away.

I've reinstalled several times, tried it both with and without the patch, tried changing resolutions and turning off music, but I still can't get it to do anything else. I think I wouldn't mind the occasional CTD during the game, but I'd like to at least start playing first Any help at all would be much appreciated...

by the way, here are my specs:
Pentium II 733 MHz
Windows 98
256 MB RAM
I have 2.5GB available on my hard drive (with EU2 uninstalled)
Video Card - Winfast GE Force 2 MX
Sound Card - Creative SB Live!
CD-Rom - Pioneer DVD-ROM DVD-115

I tried doing the things described in Running Problems, the only thing is that dxdiag doesn't seem to work, and I can't find my video driver (i get errors when i try to download it), but my video card is brand new, I'd assume that the drivers that came with it should be alright. Let me know what you think!

Thanks a million...

 

[viper37]

The latest Nvidia drivers can be found here:
Nvidia 21.83 WHQL drivers for Win 9x/ME
These drivers will work for your card. They are "generic" but are often better than your card's manufacturer drivers that were supplied.


For DXdiag try the following command line:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DXDIAG.EXE
simply paste it in the run box.

By installing the latest drivers, it should solve your problem. It's not because the card is new that the latest drivers are included.

Once the driver are installed you can try re-installing DirectX (from your CD or from the Web, version 8.1). I have had one user reporting to me that his game didn't work with DX 8.1, so you might want to be careful with that one. However, my beta runs fine.

If DX Diag doesn't even work after that, I doubt your game will work, so come back here and we will try to find something else to do.

 

[magicpiper97]

ok here's how it went
i managed to get my dxdiag to work, the problem that I was having before was that it would sometimes just crash as soon as i opened it up. then, the next time i'd open it, it told me that there was a problem with the direct draw part and asked me if i wanted to bypass that. so i did, and it worked fine, i did all the tests and they were satisfactory... except for the Direct Draw test (trying to do that one crashed dxdiag again). So I'm assuming that, because of this and because of that ddhelp error message I was getting, my problem has something to do with Direct Draw? I went ahead and got the new drivers, and I also got directx 8.1, but the same stuff is happening.

also, i'm not sure if it makes a difference, but i installed the game to a different directory than the default one... i dunno...

anyway, thanks again for your help...

 

[viper37]

also, i'm not sure if it makes a difference, but i installed the game to a different directory than the default one... i dunno...

It shouldn't make a difference, but it just might. Try uninstalling it and reinstalling it in the default dir (it is not in the default dir on my machine and it never crashed, nor did EU 1 with the latest patch).

If you have a crash while testing DirectDraw, then you have a problem. My guess would be a screwed up DLL somewhere, a DLL that got replaced by an older version when you install something. It's hard to diagnose this remotely. Try getting the latest updates from Windows using the Windows Update feature, but if it still won't work, I think you should reinstall Windows and see how it goes.

 

[magicpiper97]

hi again
i tried installing to the default directory, that didn't help
i used the windows update thing and downloaded anything that seemed relevant, but that didn't really help either

also, i'm not sure if this is related, but when i first run the game, i can hear the cd-rom start to spin for a few seconds, but then it stops, and after that the game loads up. i dunno, the sound of it stopping just sorta worries me

as for the DLL's, do you know if there's a way that I can just grab all of the latest ones in a one big clump? or is that what the windows update was?

if i have to reinstall windows, i will, but it worries me a little bit, as I've never done something so big before. what does it entail? am i going to have to back up my files and stuff?

thanks again...

 

[Jos Theelen]

If the problem is related to directdraw, then you could first look at these files. If you search on your HD for files dd*.dll, you get some files. Maybe you should check if one of those files has a date/time stamp that is very late. Especially ddraw.dll and ddrawex.dll.

 

[magicpiper97]

alright, here's another update on my situation...
i have no idea what i did today, but i was playing around with the settings again (resolution and music, etc) and IT WORKED!!! I haven't the slightest idea why, but if I have the music on, then I get all those problems, but with the music off, it seems to work fine. That's odd, I could have sworn I tried it without music before, but who knows... So far I've gotten it to work twice in a row, I think it should be fine from now on, but I can only dream

Anyway, I'm a tiny bit disappointed about the music cause I heard it was really good, but as long as I can play, than I'm as happy as can be.

Well, thanks a lot for the help, I really appreciate it!

 

[viper37]

I was to come back to edit my post, 'cause I believe reinstalling Windows can be avoided.

The direct draw failure can be due to some old files left by a previous installation of your drivers VS the new NVIDIA ones.

This a link to a utility that will help you do a clean uninstall of your drivers so you can reinstall the new ones and be sure nothing is conflicting.
http://www.guru3d.com/detonator-destroyer/

Follow the instructions on this site and try again with the Directdraw tests. If they don't fail, enable the music and try again.

 

[Miwi]

Originally posted by magicpiper97
...if I have the music on, then I get all those problems, but with the music off, it seems to work fine. That's odd, I could have sworn I tried it without music before, but who knows... So far I've gotten it to work twice in a row, I think it should be fine from .../QUOTE]

OK, too late I just wanted to give this recomendation because I had the same problem. I switched the music off and - voilá, it worked.
I have a Terratec 512Digital, nothing special, but it has some sort of 3D sound (that I dont use because I only have 2 speakers connected) but per default the 4 speakers are always enabled. Maybe it will help to play AND hear the music if I switch off the 3D sound, but not tested yet. What is your soundcard ?