Author Topic: Need computer help (Read 712 times)

Fridaddy · « **on:** February 15, 2003, 12:40:01 AM »

I posted this in the hardware and software forum, but got no comments. Sorry if I am posting in the wrong area but I am getting desperate and need help.
I love this game.... But

Out of ten times I start the game I get about

5 lockups as soon as the game starts
3 times the game starts and locks up at random times later
2 times the games runs, but at randoms times it just ends, it goes black then back to windows

Any, and I mean any info you have will help.

This is my system

----EASy System Summary--------------------------------------

Video Card : S3 Graphics ProSavage
Video Driver : s3_8m.drv
Driver Version : 4.13.01.3070

Sound Card : VIA AC'97 Audio Controller (WDM)
Sound Driver : viaudio.SYS
Driver Version :

DirectX : DirectX 8
Operating System Windows ME 4.90.3000

----EASy System Output---------------------------------------

Computer Name : family
BIOS Info
Name : Award
Version : Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
PNP : Plug and Play BIOS
Manufacturer : (Standard system devices)

CPU Info

CPU Count : 1
CPU Type : 949 MHz AuthenticAMD Duron

RAM : 119 MB Total
36 MB Free
Virtual RAM : 1928 MB Total
1807 MB Free

Operating System : Windows ME 4.90.3000

Default Browser : Internet Explorer
Version : 6.0.2800.1106

Temp Directory : C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\
Size : 278 MB

------------------------------------------------------------

----Display Info--------------------------------------------

Number of Displays : 1

Current Mode (Primary) : 800x600 32
Refresh Rate (Primary) : Adapter Default

Primary display device

Description : S3 Graphics ProSavage
Manufacturer : S3 Graphics, Inc.
Video Memory : 8 MB

Main Driver : s3_8m.drv
Version : 4.13.01.3070
Provider : S3 Graphics, Inc.

Supported Display Modes

| 16 | 256 | 16 bits| 24 bits| 32 bits
---------------------------------------------------
640 x 480| | * | * | | *
800 x 600| | * | * | | *
1024x 768| | * | * | | *
1152x 864| | | | |
1280x1024 | * | * | |
1600x1200 | | | |

------------------------------------------------------------

----Sound, Video and Game Controllers-----------------------

Description : VIA AC'97 Audio Controller (WDM)
Manufacturer : VIA Technologies, Inc.

Main Driver : viaudio.SYS
Version :
Provider : VIA Technologies, Inc.

Description : HID-compliant game controller
Manufacturer : (Standard game device)

Main Driver : vjoyd.vxd
Version : 4.08.01.0881
Provider : Microsoft

Description : Gameport Joystick
Manufacturer : Microsoft

Main Driver : vjoyd.vxd
Version : 4.08.01.0881
Provider : Microsoft

Description : Microsoft Kernel System Audio Renderer
Manufacturer : Microsoft

Main Driver :
Version :
Provider : Microsoft

Description : Gravis Analog Joystick
Driver : msjstick.drv
Version : 4.08.01.0881
Attached : No

Description : WingMan Attack 2
Driver : joyhid.vxd
Version : 4.88.01.0881
Attached : Yes

------------------------------------------------------------

----Direct X------------------------------------------------

DirectX Info
Version : DirectX 8

DirectDraw Info
Version : 4.08.01.0881
Certified : Not certified

DirectSound Info
Version : 4.08.01.0881
Certified : Certified

DirectPlay Info
Version : 4.03.00.1096

DirectInput Info
Version : 4.08.01.0881

------------------------------------------------------------

g00b · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2003, 12:59:58 AM »

No offence... it's really just time to upgrade...

air_guard · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2003, 04:06:30 AM »

with a 8 mb videomem you will have big problems playing the game.
I tried with my laptop that had a onboard 16mb videocard (nvidia2chip) and a celeron 1000 cpu + 256sdram.

That system felt so slow that i never tried it on AH again.
And I think the main reason for that was the videocard.

Yes If yore gonna play AH I think you need a uppgrade

kbman · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2003, 04:17:15 AM »

Two things right off, that video card is awful and probably choking your system. Second, WinME is the absolute worst choice for a gaming box. Other than that, your system is somewhat dated but far from obsolete. I would get a better video card and a stable OS, format your drive abd start over on a clean install of either Win98(still the fastest gaming platform) or XP. Do NOT upgrade from ME to XP, it will merge your registry and carry over whatever issues you are currently having. Painful perhaps but you wont run well on that card and ME is just headaches. Good luck!

kbman

beet1e · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2003, 05:50:10 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by kbman
Second, WinME is the absolute worst choice for a gaming box.

I have two systems in one box (2xHDD). W2000 Pro for all my work stuff, and WMe for Aces High. I keep WMe up to date. I have been running like that for nearly two years. Absolutely no problems with WMe whatsoever. A7V133 mobo with 4.37 VIA drivers. Game frame rate up to 85fps- Elsa Gladiac Ultra vid card.

Not flaming, just demonstrating that WMe is not the problem. I have never had an ounce of trouble from it. W98 was the REAL pig.

Revvin · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2003, 05:55:30 AM »

8MB graphics will not get you very far I'm afraid, that S3 graphics chipset does'nt cut the mustard anymore

You might also consider upgrading your memory.

BTW Beet1e I'd have to disagree on the OS, while I don't think it's the problem here I always found WinMe to be the b*****d child between Win98 and Win2000/XP when I had it installed it would fall over with alarming regularity but yet the same system with Win98SE or Win XP was a far more stable system. Horses for courses I guess just giving my POV.

beet1e · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2003, 06:08:04 AM »

Revvin - acknowledged! But then how do you explain the fact that I've never had a problem? All I'm trying to demonstrate is that WMe is NOT the problem. Other factors are at play. BTW My vid card is 64MB - forgot to say last time.

Revvin · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2003, 06:59:25 AM »

Your guess is as good as mine, MS BETA testing must be awful as my system was nothing out of the ordinary, all branded stuff in my system ie no cheap soundcards or hdd's etc. A few friends who like I upgraded to WinMe either went back to Win98SE or struggled on till XP arrived one even cooked his WinMe CD in his microwave

Maniacal81st · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2003, 07:55:40 AM »

Fridaddy,

I have to agree with the clan on the 8mb vid card. Good idea to upgrade; HOWEVER, this should not be the sole cause of your problems.

Do you have any applications running in the background while trying to play AH?

If so, try closing out of EVERYTHING that you don't need to play AH. Hit Ctrl + Alt + Del one time, go to task manager and end task on things like (instant messenger, weatherbug,etc...)

Any processes running in the background eat up your system resources, thus taking those resources from the game.

WME is not a preferred OS, and is known to have multiple issues. Some folks us ME w/o any problems at all, but history has shown that ME is the source of many problems for people.

What Antivirus program are you running? When you install programs, are you closing out of everything first?? Again, Ctrl+Alt+del out of everything accept Systray, Explorer when installing programs. This will reduce the ability of any conflicts during installation.

Always do a reboot after making any changes to your pc.

If you decide to upgrade your OS, don't do an upgrade, but do a "clean install."

Let me know what you find out. I provide tech support for a living, and would be happy to try and get you running smoothly again.

<> Capt. MaNiaCaL

~*81st*~ Krewsaderz

ROOKS!!!!!!!!

beet1e · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2003, 08:12:29 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Revvin
one even cooked his WinMe CD in his microwave

ROFL Kevin!

I have upgraded the OS to WMe on the PCs of about three friends, and they are still friends! One of them was a lady whose son had a Lego game which featured some sort of webcam - would not work at all with W98. WMe and DX 8.1 solved all problems. Had to buy a new modem though.

Yeah, I see what you're saying. I personally swear by Asus boards with the VIA chipset - I can hear a few of you sucking through your teeth!

And Asus boards seem fairly quirk tolerant. I just make sure I have up to date mobo drivers and BIOS, and... I never have a problem.

Revvin · « **Reply #10 on:** February 15, 2003, 08:42:28 AM »

Mmm I always used to swear by A-Bit mobo's but when I scrape some cash together I'm thinking of the Asus Nforce2 board as a base for a system and shock horror even contemplating an ATi Radeon 9700 Pro as opposed to the latest Nvidia offering.

vorticon · « **Reply #11 on:** February 15, 2003, 10:34:22 AM »

just upgrade your vidcard (gforce 2 class minimum) thats the only thing wrong with your machine...it should hold out for maybe a year or more now... cant see anything wrong with it except its a little dated (not much though) and the video card is a POS

beet1e · « **Reply #12 on:** February 15, 2003, 10:58:51 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by vorticon
just upgrade your vidcard (gforce 2 class minimum) thats the only thing wrong with your machine...it should hold out for maybe a year or more now... cant see anything wrong with it except its a little dated (not much though) and the video card is a POS

...and also upgrade to DX 8.1 (or higher). I doubled my frame rate by doing that. Click here for review.

Siaf__csf · « **Reply #13 on:** February 15, 2003, 11:06:14 AM »

Beetie, Revvin.. In a way you're both right.

The compatability of OS'es depends of a huge amount of factors, your driversets, hardware etc.

Beetie you can just consider yourself lucky since you are in the minority of people who can actually say they have no trouble with Wme. It seems your box has a good match of hardware and drivers to work with Me. Revvin obviously didn't.

That being said, W98SE or W2k are much safer choices compatabilitywise. I personally hate XP to the bone. Especially the home version is just clumsy in many aspects.

beet1e · « **Reply #14 on:** February 15, 2003, 11:29:26 AM »

Siaf_ - yes, good post. There were actually four people I upgraded to WMe - in each case the reason I didn't go to W2000-Pro was because their systems were on the elderly side, and I didn't think they had enough oooomph for 2000. And - of the four, three were reformat and clean install jobs.

I agree about W-XP. I don't want it and I'm not going to have it.

I might try Aces High on W2000, but the OS is installed under C:\WINNT and my MS Prec Pro stick has drivers which rely on the OS being installed at C:\WINDOWS - hard coded in the MS PrecPro driver installation.