I need some help with STW and XP

I am new to STW and also to this site. Someone on another site told me I could probably get help with the problems I am having trouble playing STW on windows XP. I have a fairly new computer running Windows XP SP 2. 3.2 gig intel pentium, 512 MB RAM, and NVIDIA Geforce FX 5200 card with 128 video memory. I bought the game from Sold-Out video and everthing installed alright. It is the Warlord Edition. I also installed the STWWF_v1.02b patch that came on the game CD. I have encountered a couple of problems.
1. Sometimes when I click the game icon to start the game my computer restarts. I am then able to play the game by clicking the icon again.
2. Lately the game has been freezing up when I try to start or leave the game. The screen goes blank and I have to use the off switch to restart.
3. The game will always crash if I attempt to use the battle screens. The one where you lead the battle yourself. When the battle is over and it gives you the result screen, when I try to leave that screen the game crashes.
The person who referred me said something about using Windows compatibility mode???
Sorry for the long post. I don't know much about computers. I might be better off playing Rome, Total War. I just found out about it and am assuming that my computer could handle it. :help:

Hello Swilly53, and welcome to the Org. Hopefully the moderator will see this and move or copy it to the Apothecary, where you are more likely to get good technical advice.

I read that one of the recent Windows service packs wreaks havoc on many games, including TW games. I'm not sure if it was SP2 or not. I'm sure others here will know. I have not experienced the problems you've described, and I'm running quite a different plat, so I'm not much use in this situation. But, I thought I'd drop you a line to say that you are more likely to get help and find a resolution to your problem here at the Org than anywhere else, I would think.

Long post? Lol ... not at all. In a troubleshooting situation more information is usually better. Again, welcome. :bow:

Welcome smitty53! :bow: ~;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Swilly53

Sorry for the long post.

You should see what togakure himself posts sometimes. :book:

might be better off playing Rome, Total War.

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. . . awwww, maybe we lose another STW player to RTW . . . :bigcry:

For the technical part, i'm a disaster with computers too, i'm sure other people will help you.

Copy placed in apothecary: https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=44609

Thanks for the help. I see now that I posted to the wrong board. Now that I know where you are I will have to pop over and visit once and a while. I like STW but have never tried to play a game online. My son does it quite frequently but I think I would probably get smoked!! ~:)

For STW tech posts, I find it's best to double post them here and in the apothecary. You can get help with the general tech parts of your question there and with the shogun specific stuff here.

ok i play stw on xp no probs...
compatibilaty problems...
Right click the short cut you use to play game .
say properties.
find target.

The file that it highlights in a new window,
Right click it
properties
compatabilaty.

Now the geforce 5200 . I actualy returned that card cos of the gfx problems it caused and bought a ati radeon 9250 power colour for £10 - aprox $20 less.

Now seeing as your using a geforce card id imagin that your having a compatibilaty problem ith your chipset,
This usualy happens when you have a via chipset mother board.

You can fix this by downloaing the via 4 in 1 drivers or vhipset updates for your chipset.
Find them at via's web site,
try upgrading your direct x.
and changing display options in the game.

Dissable videos fauna and smoke exetera,
Run the game at 800x600.
Make shur you have no programs running in the back ground,

Dissable virus scanner,

right click your task bar (that thing with a clock and start on it)
then make shure its not set to stay on top of other windows,

Defrag and scandisk your pc, and make shure that your pc is virus and other malware free.

www.majorgeeks.com is a good site where you can ownload Regestry cleaners ( id recomend you clean your regestry) Virus scanners (also recomended) and spyware addware remoovers (You guessed it recomended)

Please dont give up on this game. Ive resently set up a server with a back up server for it.
and its much better than romew total war in my oppinion,

I hope this helps and im more than willing to help you with your pc if you cant get it working,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ME

You can fix this by downloaing the via 4 in 1 drivers or vhipset updates for your chipset.
,

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thats ment to read "downloaing the via 4 in 1 drivers or Chipset"

oh and by the way ip adress for my server is ShogunTW.no-ip.info
add it to the 1st line of your internet cfg. (after making a copy of it) leave the port number the same, :duel:

It seems to be a video/graphic related problem. Also, may be Video/Mainboard compatibility issue (common for the lowend FX card).

1. Use the same resolution for your campaign map and battle map (I use both 1024x768, same as my desktop resolution). Try to keep it close to your desktop resolution (minimize the reset when start/leave the game or switch between campaign/battle map). Also, set your monitor refresh rate between 72 to 85. This will not likely to fix your problem, but it could help.

In the game options - video menu, set your display to the primary display driver then test it. The screen should go black with the Shogun mask then return to the menu. If your PC crash or freeze, try to update your video driver.

2. Update your video card driver (more likely to help). This site may be the best place to get all of the video drivers you need. I use ForceWave 67.03 for my FX line cards. While your are there, get the Detonator Destroyer or Detonator RIP in case you need to change your video driver later (very useful tool).

3. If you have a VIA MB, difinitely get the more up-to-date VIA 4in1 driver (from the same site as above).

4. Run dxdiag (Start - Run then type dxdiag then press enter or click OK). Go to "display" tab and test both DirectDraw and Direct3D to see if there is any problem

That's all I could think of now.