Weird, weird....

[zer]

Hello and a happy new year to everyone from Greece
I seem to have maybe the most weird problem you ever heard about the game so , please, bear with me as ai try to describe it.Three days ago my nephew( i am 35) came home with my brother, bringing a handfull of PC games for the family reunion.We spent the night installing, playing, uninstalling etc...A game that stood above the rest was Medieval:Total War, which i decide to go and buy the very next day.So i bought BATTLE COLLECTION which have the expansion too.Only that it wouldn't startThe same game we played for hours a day ago at the same PC.I tested the cd on a friend's PC and everything was OK.So i gave my nephew a call who said that it could have something to do that HIS copy being cough... not-so-genuine.
Now, being a freelance profesional i hate piracy as amuch as i hate working on something and not getting paid, but please remember that I BOUGHT the collection.The question is
Can the installation- Uninstallation of the copy alter some settings in such manner that the game doesnt recognise the original one? Can you think of something else?
It goes without saying that i have uninstalled the old copy as completelly as i knew.
My specs are Win 98SE, DirectX8.1, Geforce 4 MX440, 224 Mb Ram,but i think thats irrelevant because the game played in the first place.

[zer]

I forgot to mention that i applied patch 1.1- it didnt help.I also tried to install Viking Invasion ontop, nothing.The game installs ok but when you double-click the icon , all i get is a small black recangular box at the center of the screen showing some spears, then nothing. Many thanks in advance

[Field Marshal]

Install DirectX 9, if that doesn't work then I'm out of ideas.

[Sun Tzui]

Hi and welcome to the org zer http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

Nasty problem you got there. I know how frustrating it can be, have this game in particular and not being able to play it

Here's my 2 cent worth of advice...

First of all there's no problem with spec's, I think i had a similar problem once (but with another game), what i did was:
1-use the unistall option,
2-once the uninstall is complete, manually remove the remaining installation folders,
3-reboot (just to make sure&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif,
4-install the directX version that comes with the game,
5-install the game,
6-try to play the game.

After that you may want to install VI, and the TW patch that comes with it, i think this will get your game running.

Hope you start playing soon

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

[zer]

Thanks for the advicesSun Tzui, i just finished doing the steps you mentioned-STILL NOTHINGThe black square appears in the screen, the cd spins in the player but nothing happens.Computer doesnt even freezes or hangs- just nothing
Come on guys, its New Year Eve. Can you think of something to help me???

[Demequis]

I don't know much of anything about computer science, but I know that sometimes sound can do weird stuff (at least for me). Try running the game from safe mode, or disabling your sound card.

If you upgrade to Win XP, it seems like you will be able to play MTW...not to imply anything, but perhaps this same nephew can solve this problem in a pinch?

Lastly and most importantly, you should contact Activision tech support. I've never dealt with them personally, but it's been my experience that all software/game companies promptly and reliably answer and fix my problems.

Good luck Sorry that I have no new ideas, http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

[chilling]

I know it sounds weird but try starting it from the start menu rather than the desktop icon, if you haven't already.

When I installed Viking the last time all I got with the desktop icon was a Medieval Total war splash screen and then nothing. Sounds very like your problem.

I just made a new icon and it worked, weird but worth a try.

[ichi]

MTW VI comes with DirectX 9.0, and as the Field Marshal suggests, should be installed.

I had the same deal as chilling, where I installed VI but still had the old MTW desktop icon. I went to the menu to start and it worked fine. Wierd.

Run a little maintenance on your comp. Delete some of those games you loaded the other day. Run defrag and disk cleanup.

Try the disk on another comp, just to make sure its not the prob.

Finally, you might uninstall MTW, run RegEdit and look for MTW entries, delete them, then reload.

Good luck

ichi

[zer]

Happy new year everyone Thanks for your answers. Problem is i tried them all without result.I deleted old entries at registry, updated to Direct X 9, updated to Nvidia 41.09 drivers (from 30.82).Nothing. I can not run neither MTW nor MTW VI.I tried the cd in another PC and runs ok.
What could make it install fine and then not run despite the cd spinning?Any more ideas? Thanks

[MiniKiller]

Maybe you got a bum disc? I cant really give any more advise then was already given. Post this in the tech support forum. Many techs guys there. I'm sure someone can help there.

[Ashen]

Happens to me with Diablo 2 (my former best reason for owning a PC) - Because it has a small scratch, maybe 2-3mm long, thats it.

Carefully check the disc. if its flawless, contact support on phone (theres a number to call in your manual.)See if they can help. if not, return the game and get a replacement copy. Its perfectly within your rights assuming you kept the receipt

[Bezalel]

Welcome Zer. Well, one would think deleting entries in the registry would've done the trick. So, since it isn't working I have some advice that is probably a longshot.

1) Did your nephew put a crack on it? If so go to 2 If not go try an uninstall reinstall.
2) Unintsall your version then delete the entire total war file heirarchy. Look for files that the crack may've put on and delete those. Some cracks modify the registry w/ a file that stays in that folder so, it may work. Restart comp.
3) Reinstall then try it again. If that doesn't do it I can't add anything that others have already adviced. Since you messed w/ your registry, you seem pretty computer saavy so, you could probably dink around w/ your comp for awhile doin' trial and error. Maybe a patch would do something.

[zer]

Bezalel yes , he did install the crack in order to play the game.Now , i run RegCleaner and deleted all relevant entries i could see.Are there hidden ones?
BTW, i checked the discs, they are perfect, without scratches...Again, thanks for your answers
My guess is that it has something to do with the damn crack.Something changed, something i cannot see...

[Voigtkampf]

First of all, welcome to the Org, zer

I hope that it will turn out fine and that you will have many more hours of good fun with M:TW

Weird, indeed…

Try your battle collection on another computer, at a friends place perhaps, see if it works there. If not, complain at the store.

I also recommend a completely new installation of your OPS, not necessarily right now, but some every four to six months, helps getting you free from all the trash that piles up.

It’s always hard to give an advice from far away, other respected members gave some good tips, but it’s always guessing in the dark… Never had any of those problems myself…

Anyway, good luck

[zer]

Can i re-install Win 98 SE ontop of everything?Because i do not want to format the hard disc...

[Quokka]

Before you try re-installing Win98 I have one option that might work.

Go to your Medieval - Total War directory, C:\Program Files\Total War\Medieval - Total War, and put a blank text file called skipcredits in there. Just right-click, select new text file and rename it skipcredits.

This will take you straight from the small splash screen to the campaign options parchments. I had the same problem as you and all this does is skip the intro videos. I have no problems now.

[zer]

Thanks for your answer Quokka. Tried it but still all i get is the splash screen...
Someone i've been talking told me it could have something to do with ''Firmware. Anybody know something about that?

[Quokka]

Sorry that didn't work out for you.

Try reading this thread in the Apothecary (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=2;t=2069), it may sort some of you problems. nVidia cards and MTW are finicky I guess. I tweaked mine and it improved play but that was of course after it loaded...

If the card tweaks don't work then try this thread. (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=2;t=7244) The second from the bottom sounds familiar.

Check out the rest of the Apothecary for other answers

[spud_gun]

This probbabaly won't help but try it anyway, run the direct x diagnostic tool under win98, Start -> Run -> dxdiag. This may should show any errors with your installation of DX 9.

[Voigtkampf]

Quote[/b] (zer @ Jan. 02 2004,03:14)]Can i re-install Win 98 SE ontop of everything?Because i do not want to format the hard disc...
Mostly you don't get by without reformatting the hard. Next time you install the OPS make a partition on your hard for the OPS alone, that should save you some trouble…

If your computer is running on the same installation of your operational system for a longer time (about year or more) and you install/uninstall a lot of programs, a new fresh installed OPS would be highly welcome…

I forgot to ask, have you defragmented your hard lately? If not, do so, often it's the best and the easiest solution to many problems.

[Phatose]

Have you tried cleaning out both C:\windows\temp and C:\program files\installshield information (or something like that?) I've found that occasionally after an install, the program will leave little ghosts behind, which can seriously much up an install.

[Lord Azriel]

Hi zer,

So the game worked before with your nephews crack installed? If so I guess it could be your cdrom drive is not detecting the MTW cd correctly and so not running the game. If you had it running before I think your graphics and sound system should be fine as most cracked games do not need the CD I suspect your CD-ROM drive may be to blame. The firmware your friend suggested is to update the cd-roms builtin software so that it might be able to read the cd correctly. Incidently I had to reflash my new DVD-ROM drive to get it to work with some disks I had. You need to get this firmware from the manufacturers website and they should have further instructions there. If this doesn't work the only other possibility is that the cracked version has messed up your system as it were although i think it unlikely.

good luck http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[zer]

Thanks for all your answers guys-Thanks for the support you keep giving me.
I tried the advices mentioned here.Installed directX9b, run dxdiag, cleared Win\Temp, changed graphic card drivers...
Nothing.Same splash screen.
I contacted my nephew last night.Please listen to what he proposed: I should make a clean installation of the game, apply patch 1.1, and then apply a fixed exe of the patch, which according to my book, seems like another crack
Then try to run the game(with the genuine cd of course,thats all i have) See what happen, then if works do the same with VI.He also gave me an adress...
I do not want to apply cracks to play my game and i am also afraid that this can mess my system worse.
Opinions ,PLEASE???

[Sun Tzui]

When there's only option left, even tough it might sound ilogical....welllllll.....than that might just be the way to go... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

Try it out zer, it can't be any worse than it already is. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Quote[/b] ]When there's only option left, even tough it might sound ilogical....welllllll.....than that might just be the way to go...

Try it out zer, it can't be any worse than it already is.
True. If you can't get it to work any other way, do it. It might just work.

BTW, welcome to the ORG, zer http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[zer]

IT WORKED IT BLOODY WORKED
It's totally illogical:Apply a fixed exe over the 1.1 patch, then run the game like it is same kind of copied one...But plays perfectlyI even applied the Medmod1.85, which i understand is for MTW without VI - it worked too.I haven't downloaded the VI fixed exe for patch2.1, but i will probably tonight.
Any comments? Do you think i should play the game with Medmod applied?Can you play in Internet with that? Now i think of it , i didn't try MP...Hmmm, maybe i should.Do you see any problems coming?
Again, i want to thank everyone for the support you gave all these days

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Quote[/b] ]It's totally illogical
Stupid as it seems, most computer problems are... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif



Quote[/b] ] Do you think i should play the game with Medmod applied?
Try it.



Quote[/b] ]Any comments?
Just another dumb Win-PC related problem http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif


Enjoy the game http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

[Gregoshi]

Hey zer, just let us know if you live happily ever after. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Enjoy your MTW and you know you can ask any questions you have about gameplay too.

[Voigtkampf]

I remember the words of a certain editor of a computer magazine, spoken over a glass of beer on a break… I hate computers. Vicious machines.

Weird stuff comes up every once and a while… I had my hard disk lowering its operational mode down to PIO mode a week ago, for no apparent reason, and it took me quite some time to figure out what was happening.

Well, I'm certainly glad you fixed it. Try the original M:TW until you waste all its appeal (this one can last a loooooong time), than start with few mods (Medmod is quite good, try Napoleonic as well) and by the time you are through you will have R:TW with expansion on your hands - if not even more

Have a better one

[Sun Tzui]

Enjoy the game zer

You deserve it after this odissey... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[Lechev]

Oh I love happy endings...enjoy your game Zer and welcome to the Org. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif