Game Refusing to load

[bovi]

You could install Filemon and use it to see what files it's accessing right before crashing.

Please also try to run vanilla RTW in the given installation to verify that that is running without problem.

Just in case, you should try the oasis temporary fix too, but I don't really think this is the problem as most have got error messages about it while you get none.

You may want to check your RAM using Memtest (google it) overnight if the game is crashing at erratic times. It will suggest solutions if there is a problem.

[Harald Hardrada]

OK first Vanilla RTW runs fine. So does RTR (I installed it after EB wouldn't work and then uninstalled EVERYTHING and started over and same problem).
Filemon is not compatible with Vista (apparently) and so I used Process Monitor instead. Its supossed to be basically the same thing. I'll get back to that in a second. Also RAM I think is fine because EVERY other program runs great and without a hitch and also this crash isn't irratic. It is perfectly consistent. It happens midway through the loading of a new campaign with any faction. Ok so back to Process Monitor. I didn't really know what to include so I hust captured a whole bunch and then slected the last bit before and then some after the crash:

457767 10:29:27.7403650 AM RomeTW.exe 2228 CreateFile C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\terrain\aerial_map\tree_models\eb_CONIFER_A_IMPASSABLE_WINTER.CAS SUCCESS Desired Access: Generic Read, Disposition: Open, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Non-Directory File, Attributes: N, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
457768 10:29:27.7403968 AM RomeTW.exe 2228 QueryStandardInformationFile C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\terrain\aerial_map\tree_models\eb_CONIFER_A_IMPASSABLE_WINTER.CAS SUCCESS AllocationSize: 4,096, EndOfFile: 1,606, NumberOfLinks: 1, DeletePending: False, Directory: False
457769 10:29:27.7404066 AM RomeTW.exe 2228 ReadFile C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\terrain\aerial_map\tree_models\eb_CONIFER_A_IMPASSABLE_WINTER.CAS SUCCESS Offset: 0, Length: 1,606, Priority: Normal
457770 10:29:27.7404392 AM RomeTW.exe 2228 CloseFile C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\terrain\aerial_map\tree_models\eb_CONIFER_A_IMPASSABLE_WINTER.CAS SUCCESS
457772 10:29:27.7405628 AM RomeTW.exe 2228 CreateFile C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\terrain\aerial_map\tree_models\palm_B.CAS SUCCESS Desired Access: Generic Read, Disposition: Open, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Non-Directory File, Attributes: N, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
457773 10:29:27.7405962 AM RomeTW.exe 2228 QueryStandardInformationFile C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\terrain\aerial_map\tree_models\palm_B.CAS SUCCESS AllocationSize: 4,096, EndOfFile: 3,605, NumberOfLinks: 1, DeletePending: False, Directory: False
457774 10:29:27.7406058 AM RomeTW.exe 2228 ReadFile C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\terrain\aerial_map\tree_models\palm_B.CAS SUCCESS Offset: 0, Length: 3,605, Priority: Normal
457775 10:29:27.7406443 AM RomeTW.exe 2228 CloseFile C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\terrain\aerial_map\tree_models\palm_B.CAS SUCCESS
457793 10:29:27.7496368 AM svchost.exe 888 Thread Create SUCCESS Thread ID: 408
457794 10:29:27.7498016 AM svchost.exe 888 RegOpenKey HKLM SUCCESS Desired Access: Maximum Allowed, Granted Access: All Access
457795 10:29:27.7498234 AM svchost.exe 888 RegOpenKey HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read
457796 10:29:27.7498374 AM svchost.exe 888 RegCloseKey HKLM SUCCESS
457797 10:29:27.7498486 AM svchost.exe 888 RegOpenKey HKLM SUCCESS Desired Access: Maximum Allowed, Granted Access: All Access
457798 10:29:27.7498592 AM svchost.exe 888 RegOpenKey HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender SUCCESS Desired Access: Read/Write
457799 10:29:27.7498738 AM svchost.exe 888 RegCloseKey HKLM SUCCESS
457800 10:29:27.7501204 AM lsass.exe 588 RegOpenKey HKLM\SECURITY\Policy SUCCESS Desired Access: Read/Write
457801 10:29:27.7501344 AM lsass.exe 588 RegOpenKey HKLM\SECURITY\Policy\SecDesc SUCCESS Desired Access: Read
457802 10:29:27.7501476 AM lsass.exe 588 RegQueryValue HKLM\SECURITY\Policy\SecDesc\(Default) BUFFER OVERFLOW Length: 12
457803 10:29:27.7501577 AM lsass.exe 588 RegCloseKey HKLM\SECURITY\Policy\SecDesc SUCCESS
457804 10:29:27.7501665 AM lsass.exe 588 RegOpenKey HKLM\SECURITY\Policy\SecDesc SUCCESS Desired Access: Read


So anyway, all the RTW stuff appears to be running ok but then there is some OS glitch or something. I wouldn't really know, I'm just going off of the success verus otherwise status area. I would love a more expert opinion and a solution if possible. Thanks so much for all your time.
-Harald

[bovi]

I didn't know that Filemon was incompatible with Vista, thanks for the tip about Process Monitor. Its output seems pretty much identical, so it's good .

So, did you try that oasis fix? The last file the game reads is the palm model, which is used in the oasis, so I think it just might work. Please try it if you haven't already!

Anyway, you should filter to only include RomeTW.exe, and only in your RTW folder (+subfolders, of course). Posting on this board, [CODE] tags will be good for the output to prevent wrapping of the lines.

[Harald Hardrada]

OK so I reisntalled the permanent fix and the temp fix (oasis fix) and deleted the map.rwm file and still had the same issues. This is the process monitor record, filtered to be just RomeTW.exe. Sorry if I post this imporperly but I couln't quite understand the format instructions you gave me in the last post. Sorry. I am not all that good with this stuff (I have never used a program like procmon/filemon before).

476626 8:13:19.3035561 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\msvcrt.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\msvcrt.dll
476627 8:13:19.3035919 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\urlmon.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\urlmon.dll
476628 8:13:19.3036344 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\ntdll.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\ntdll.dll
476629 8:13:19.3036716 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\lpk.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\lpk.dll
476630 8:13:19.3037078 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\Wldap32.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\Wldap32.dll
476631 8:13:19.3037452 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\nsi.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\nsi.dll
476632 8:13:19.3037809 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\user32.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\user32.dll
476633 8:13:19.3039095 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 Process Exit SUCCESS Exit Status: -1073741819, User Time: 28.3765819, Kernel Time: 11.4972737

If you need more of the process monitor results I have these saved and can always run it again if needed.

Thanks so much again, sorry this isn't working out quicker.
-Harald

[Foot]

Like this
[code]

[/cod]*

* should be /code

So it will look like this:

476626 8:13:19.3035561 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\msvcrt.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\msvcrt.dll
476627 8:13:19.3035919 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\urlmon.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\urlmon.dll
476628 8:13:19.3036344 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\ntdll.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\ntdll.dll
476629 8:13:19.3036716 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\lpk.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\lpk.dll
476630 8:13:19.3037078 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\Wldap32.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\Wldap32.dll
476631 8:13:19.3037452 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\nsi.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\nsi.dll
476632 8:13:19.3037809 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\user32.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\user32.dll
476633 8:13:19.3039095 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 Process Exit SUCCESS Exit Status: -1073741819, User Time: 28.3765819, Kernel Time: 11.4972737

Foot

[Harald Hardrada]

[code]
476626 8:13:19.3035561 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\msvcrt.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\msvcrt.dll
476627 8:13:19.3035919 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\urlmon.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\urlmon.dll
476628 8:13:19.3036344 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\ntdll.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\ntdll.dll
476629 8:13:19.3036716 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\lpk.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\lpk.dll
476630 8:13:19.3037078 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\Wldap32.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\Wldap32.dll
476631 8:13:19.3037452 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\nsi.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\nsi.dll
476632 8:13:19.3037809 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 QueryNameInformationFile C:\Windows\System32\user32.dll SUCCESS Name: \Windows\System32\user32.dll
476633 8:13:19.3039095 PM RomeTW.exe 3556 Process Exit SUCCESS Exit Status: -1073741819, User Time: 28.3765819, Kernel Time: 11.4972737

[bovi]

You need to close the CODE tag, with [/CODE], and open it with [CODE]:
[cod]
Filemon output
Filemon output
Filemon output
Filemon output
Filemon output
Filemon output
Filemon output
Filemon output
[/cod]
Where cod should be code.

And please filter to only read the RTW directory. I'm not sure if it's changed in Process Monitor, but in Filemon you find it in Options=>Filter/Highlight. Add the directory and RomeTW.exe to the includes:

C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War;RomeTW.exe

And any other process that clutters it up to excludes.

As the last couple of lines are usually just RTW cleaning up after the crash, you can't see what's the problem there and you'll need to post more of it here. Say, the last 200 lines or so. Please experiment with using the CODE tag until you get it right first though, as it's a pain to read otherwise.