The Official ETW Hardware Problem Solving Thread

[quadalpha]

Windows should be able to recognise and get basic functionality out of any graphics card without specifically installing a driver.

[Subotan]

It doesn't. I've still got a big black screen when I get to the login screen. Does anyone have any ideas on how to solve it? I'm guessing that this isn't a graphics card problem, and may have something to do with me disabling the wrong thing. If so, how would I be able to reactivate this thing (Which I am not sure what the name is) without having to login, or bypass the login screen?

[Subotan]

No help? :(

[Greyblades]

*grumble*At least yours was answered instead of ignored.

[Subotan]

That's cause mine presents a challenge =p

[quadalpha]

S: Disabling the wrong thing? What did you do to disable things? (What were you trying to disable?) Are you sure you're seating the cards properly? That used to be a problem with AGP cards. Can you boot into safe mode? Can you see the POST checks? Get into BIOS?

G: Do you have UAC on? Tried running it as administrator? Steam offline?

[Subotan]

S: Disabling the wrong thing? What did you do to disable things? (What were you trying to disable?)

We were trying to disable the old graphics drivers, in both the old card and the motherboard. We unistalled something from the "nvidia Desktop Manager", which I suspect was not the nvidia driver. And disabled what we think was the motherbaord graphics driver. We went into Add/Remove programs and Device Manager.

Are you sure you're seating the cards properly? That used to be a problem with AGP cards.

Yes.

Can you boot into safe mode?

Nope.

Can you see the POST checks?

We don't even know what they are.

Get into BIOS?

Yes, we are messing with that now. Any advice on how to get graphics drivers up and running from there?

I really appreciate your time and help on this.You don't know what a big favour you are doing!

[banick]

Hi i am just writing to see whether you think i will have any problems. My computer specs. are:

Windows XP Home
AMD Athlon 2600+
1.512 GB RAM
128 MB Dedicated INVIDIA

any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Banick

[Barkhorn1x]

Hi i am just writing to see whether you think i will have any problems. My computer specs. are:

Windows XP Home
AMD Athlon 2600+
1.512 GB RAM
128 MB Dedicated INVIDIA

any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Banick

Your specs are very low and you do not have a real video card - you have an "integrated' video card with your mobo. You will not be able to play with that sety-up.

[chris111]

Already posted this in the guild-new members-entrance hall section:

Hello everyone, I've joined the forum just for this...
Everytime I try to load a game in Empire it crashes to desktop and I get a:

AppName: empire.exe AppVer: 1.0.0.0 ModName: empire.exe
ModVer: 1.0.0.0 Offset: 0015e15c


What to do?
My DxDiag:

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: Radeon X1950 Pro
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x7280)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_7280&SUBSYS_207217AF&REV_9A
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play-bildskärm
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6925 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 2/25/2009 22:41:10, 325120 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: Saknas
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 2/25/2009 23:58:57, 3565568 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-31C0-11CF-126F-78003BC2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x7280
SubSys ID: 0x207217AF
Revision ID: 0x009A
Revision ID: 0x009A
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV8_B ModeWMV8_A ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A
Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{3C5323C1-6FB7-44F5-9081-056BF2EE449D}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{552C0DAD-CCBC-420B-83C8-74943CF9F1A6}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

Yes I've updated my driver for the gfxcard.
And yes I can load an earlier saved game but it still crashes when the turn ends (after the pirates have moved) and I don't have an earlier save so the only solution seems to be to start the campaign all over. Very frustrating!

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease help me

[Babblearossa]

Already posted this in the guild-new members-entrance hall section:

Hello everyone, I've joined the forum just for this...
Everytime I try to load a game in Empire it crashes to desktop and I get a:

AppName: empire.exe AppVer: 1.0.0.0 ModName: empire.exe
ModVer: 1.0.0.0 Offset: 0015e15c
/snip/
Yes I've updated my driver for the gfxcard.
And yes I can load an earlier saved game but it still crashes when the turn ends (after the pirates have moved) and I don't have an earlier save so the only solution seems to be to start the campaign all over. Very frustrating!

how much memory do you have?
if you have enough and get that error, maybe this link is useful http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=238484

if it's not memory you may be stuck until they get the next patch out, your video card can handle playing at that resolution and the error shows up in empire.exe so it's not your video card. And I assume you have some free disk space..

[Rynewulf]

I've been having tonnes of CTD's. At least one every other turn, sometimes severel during a turn. I've tried following a fix to do with memory but that hasn't solved the CTD's, although I believe I am now having less CTD's due to the memory fix found at http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=238484. These CTD's are so bad I uninstalled the game very quickly after buying it because the CTD's make the game virtually unplayable, and I've only just reinstalled it after many months in order to try and fix it.
Can any wonderful and amasing person help me?

[Rynewulf]

To clarify my copy of Empire may CTD if I select a unit on the campaign map (such as an agent, army or navy), when I select click one of the faction screens (finance, policies, ministers, etc), when I click on the diplomacy screen, and the technology screen, when I end a turn and when I begin a turn. The CTD's are not guaranteed or constant, but as you can see when the massive amount of things that can cause a crash, I can barely play Empire Total War.
Any help?