ATI Graphics

[James Beil]

I'm running Windows 8 with an AMD Radeon 6670, and whenever I start MTW or STW, I get a CTD immediately after the opening video - no error message, apart from the usual 'Windows has detected an error' blarney. I've done everything I can find on the internet to rig it into working, and I'm really starting to get towards the end of my tether: help?

Crash report:

C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST
C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST
C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST
C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST
C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST
C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST

[drone]

Welcome to the Org, James Beil!

I'm not very familiar with Windows 8, or how it handles MTW. You will definitely want to run it in either WinXP or Win2000 compatability mode (assuming that even exists in 8 ). I would also suggest bypassing the opening movie, create an empty file called "skipcredits.txt" in the top level MTW directory, and the game will not run the movie. Generally the game can get to the main menu before problems start on newer systems, so this does not look good.

[James Beil]

I can get to the Main Menu now, and I can start a campaign, but it only ever reaches about one-third of the way through the loading bar before it crashes to desktop. This is progress, but not much - I managed to get one campaign (Early, Danes) to work, but now even that doesn't cooperate.

C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST is still present in the errorlog.

[LordK9]

This sort of thing will keep happening until Microsoft gets some competition. They made a business decision not to make an effort to support older games with Win 8.

[Stazi]

Make sure strat map resolution is 800x600. Try button fix. If button fix won't help there is a very little hope for you. Your problem is not about ATI card (Radeon 6850 here) or driver version. Your true problem is shitty win8. Get yourself 7 and you're good to go.

[James Beil]

I'm afraid both the resolution and button fixes have already been tried - I've got a windows ME package on my desk, if I can find an old machine I'll set her up and see how that goes. Thanks for trying, everyone.

[James Beil]

Crash Dump file:

MEDIEV~1.EXE caused an EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION in module <UNKNOWN> at 0023:004061A6
EAX=00000000 EBX=00000000 ECX=00000000 EDX=00000087 ESI=00000000
EDI=00000000 EBP=00000000 ESP=0018BE54 EIP=004061A6 FLG=00010246
CS=0023 DS=002B SS=002B ES=002B FS=0053 GS=002B
(null)

Error log file:

Errors for session started: Sun Dec 01 18:13:05 2013

C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST
C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST
C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST
C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST
C:\Source\VikingsPatch\Crusaders_TW\frontend_base.cpp(956) : DirectX call : DDERR_SURFACELOST

If these are any help, let me know. I really don't want to have to buy a laptop just to play this game, but it looks like it's my only option atm.

[drone]

Looks pretty similar to the problem described in this Microsoft thread, which does not have a happy ending by the looks of it.

Would it be possible to "downgrade" to Win 7?

[daigaku]

Hi @James Beil,
had similar problems with newer hardware. My solution isn´t that popular, but works smooth as a baby´s ass: Get an old rig, something like ABIT BX133Raid, a 1Ghz Coppermine, 512RAM and something like Geforce4 TI4200 and run the game on Win98SE!! Have a comparable setup (ASUS BXboard), and no problems at all, not even lagging with epic battles. Hardware all together some 80€, and you´re playing happily along ;-)

greetings daigaku

[Stazi]

Get an old rig, something like ABIT BX133Raid, a 1Ghz Coppermine, 512RAM and something like Geforce4 TI4200

But be sure that your video card has some decent amount of ram. I've made a few tests some time ago and found out that battle of two full armies that contain 32 different unites (totally different textures) on a map with big castle and some buildings can consume up to 100mb of video memory (battles 4vs4 go up to 270mb). So, if you want to play in high-res I'd recommend a card with at least 128mb of ram. Something like ATI 9800 pro or better. AFAIK the latest cards that works flawlessly with MTW (even without button fix) are ATI X8xx and GF 6xxx and probably 7xxx (but I'm not sure if they need button fix). ATI X18xx and newer are good too but they need button fix.

[Dellathane]

I hope your still trying to get it working James.

I only have two, rather feeble, suggestions. Firstly try this resolution fix here.

My other suggestion is possibly a virtual machine running that windows ME pack you have on your desk. Does anyone have any experience with running M:TW on a virtual machine? I don't have much hope in that particular solution though I'm afraid

I've never run a virtual machine myself so I can't help you setting one up. These two links are very interesting though because they detail setting up the in-built virtualisation in Win8. This one explains what it does, and this one seems helpful too. The process looks... lengthy, to say the least. You'll also need a not-home version of 8 apparently. If not you can always try VMware or VirtualBox, which I think are both free