Ground Contol Problems

[Exorcist 0]

Hi,

 

Think I posted something about this 7 or 8 months ago. Couldn't fix it so gave up.

 

Anyway, reinstalled Ground Control today, patched it to 1.0.1.1, and still get the same error. Installing GC comes up with "hasn't detected DX7, won't run without DX7" thing, but I have the latest DX8 installed. Running GC brings up a black screen with a dialogue box titled D3DX Error and DDERR_GENERIC in the box. The event log gives this as the error;

 

Application popup: D3DX Error: gc.exe - Application Error : The instruction at "0x004350b2" referenced memory at "0x00000000". The memory could not be "read".

 

Any ideas on what I can do? - System specs are below, and everything has the latest drivers available.

 

Regards,

 

Mark

-----

AMD Athlon 700Mhz

Asus K7M Mobo

256mb PC133 SD-RAM

Hercules 64MB GeForce 2 GTS (v7.52 Drivers)

Soundblaster Live! Platinum

37.5Gb IBM Hd

DX8 (v 5.01.2258.0400 (All tests working)

[Wolf87 0]

Get a patch from Game Copy World.

[Exorcist 0]

I've already tried that, well, not the latest 1.0.1.1. Not sure how a "fixed .exe" will sort my problems out, but I'll give it a go.

 

Regards

[Wolf87 0]

Also try running the game as Administrator. This has to do with the defective copy protection scheme on the GC disc. Detection is buggy and may fail if you are not logged in as Administrator.

 

The copy protection scheme also fails with a number of well-known CD-ROMs (Kenwood) until a Firmware update is applied.

 

Check with Via for the latest upgrade to the AGP GART driver (later than the one included in Via 4in1 2.8) which solved problems. Either you need it or an AMD driver so check carefully on both sites for instructions.

 

Last and in despair, apply the application compatibility Toolkit from Microsoft and run QFixApp:

 

http://msdn.microsoft.com/compatibility/act.exe

[Exorcist 0]

Ok. I'm running the game as Administrator. My CD-Rom ain't a Kenwood, I've downloaded the latest Via stuff, installed that - no luck.

 

Tried that fixed .exe, that didn't work. So at the moment, I'm waiting on Sierra to get back to me. Hopefully they'll know what it is.

 

Regards

[Wolf87 0]

Here is a last attempt to identify the cause, in case it is not a bad CD disc.

 

Use c:\Winnt\system32\dxdiag.exe and run all the DirectX tests. Remove debugs levels and bring Sound Acceleration a notch to the left. In Display properties, Advanced, Troubleshouting also bring Acceleration a notch to the left. Switch graphic resolution to 640x480 at 16 bits. Restart and try to start the game.

[Exorcist 0]

Oh well, it sounded a good idea. But exactly the same problem, and exactly the same error messages

 

All upto Sierra now methinks

 

Regards

[Exorcist 0]

Well, Sierra were totally useless. Gave me the usual crap "Make sure everything is updated - if that don't work, tough" answer. I did see mention of the DDERR_GENERIC in MS help, and on the KB, both say to lower desktop res/colours which should fix it, but it doesn't. So, now I'm currently scouring the net for anything which may help.

 

Further suggestions very welcome.

 

Regards

[Exorcist 0]

Sierra got back to me again;

 

This error is due to the ability of a given systems ability to decode the "BINK" movie from the game. Basically "BINK" is a video

file like AVI or MPEG and needs to have the proper codec installed.

The maker of the BINK compression has a tool for up[censored] systems to work with their video compression. The tool for this is available at hptp://www.smacker.com/down/bink/radtools.exe. Please read all instructions that are included with this tool as Sierra can not

support their products.

 

So, I download it, install it - can't see anything in the help files which is even remotely related to this or codecs, etc. I can run BINK files by double clicking them, but Ground Control still refuses to run with the same error.

 

Very close to reformatting to just my GF2 installed, DX8, SP1 and 7.52 drivers just to see if it'll run. May even try other driver sets, 6.50 ones and maybe even the 6.54 WHQL ones.

 

Regards

[Wolf87 0]

Smacker tools have been around for years and I never heard of a game that did not play because the set installs with the game.

 

By the way, Indeo tools (video and audio streaming) can be downloaded from Ligos to whom Intel sold it more than a year ago:

 

http://www.ligos.com/index.phtml?pi=103

 

Net Meeting can be uninstalled if you do not use it. It creates lots of bugs.

 

DirectX 8a is fine with Ground Control and runs better than DirectX 7, due to fusion of Direct 3D and Direct Draw functions.

 

Ground Control not running and the box on the screen point to a Direct 3D problem.

 

Maybe checking once more if you have the latest AMD AGP patch and all up to date drivers would be worth it. The 3D graphic engine is certainly involved.

[Wolf87 0]

The Microsoft test in this matter:

 

"Disable DirectDraw in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window:

 

Click Start, and then click Run.

 

In the Open box, type dxdiag, and then click OK.

 

Click the Display tab.

 

Click Disable under DirectX Features (next to DirectDraw Acceleration).

 

When you receive the following warning, click OK:

 

This will disable hardware acceleration of DirectDraw for ALL display devices on your system. It will also make any Direct3D acceleration unavailable.

 

Click Exit."

[Exorcist 0]

Yup, disabling hardware DirectDraw using the slider bar works fine. The game starts up fine.

 

Although it's now slightly useless as it doesn't use hardware acceleration now. (Although it's a definite improvement)

 

I'm going to format, and install it on DX7, 6.50 drivers...and see if it works.

 

[This message has been edited by Exorcist (edited 02 March 2001).]

[Exorcist 0]

An update!

 

I re-installed, just Win2k, SP1 and 6.50 drivers. Installed GC, rebooted, patched to 1.0.1.1, rebooted - fired it up.

 

And...

 

It works!!!

 

But now the tough bit, do I reinstall DX8/7.52 drivers and risk it not working again?? - argh!

[Wolf87 0]

Safest bet is to keep DirectX 7 while playing the game and later upgrade since DirectX 8 cannot easily be uninstalled from Windows 2000.

 

Nvidia Detonator drivers 7.52 are too good to be put aside and uninstall easily.

 

If you try both, tell us how it goes

[Exorcist 0]

Well, installing 7.52 drivers means everything is still running smoothly. There was some stuttering in the GC movies, but I haven't had time to check it out properly since I upgraded it to 7.52. Not entirely sure what to do with DX8, may do that bit tomorrow.

 

Regards

[Exorcist 0]

I bit the bullet last night, and reinstalled DX8a (Redownloaded from MS site, just in case).

 

Of course, I didn't test GC last night, and only this morning did I find out that starting it up caused the GC logo to appear, and not the all-too familiar DDERR_GENERIC thing which used to come up.

 

/me is pleased :-)

 

Cheers to all.

 

Regards,

 

Mark