A little PC gaming help.

[omega 616]

Just as note before reading the meat of this thread, this is the only forum I go on, I don't fancy making a whole new account on a new "fixing" forum for one lousy post and since a lot of you are PC gamers and I don't visually know the difference between a graphics and a sound card, I thought you guys and gals would have a clue, so 'ere goes ...

I bought the C&C first decade ages ago and it worked well, all the games ran perfectly etc.

Then my hard drive went belly up, so after changing it I fancied a skirmish on zero hour and it went a little something like this ... I put the disk in, the launcher came up I click on zero hour, crash, CTRL+ALT+DEL, end programme, double the click shortcut, click zero hour, crash, CTRL+ALT+DEL, end programme, double click the short cut, click Yuri's revenge starts up and off I go.

To this day zero hour and generals still don't work but I now have a job so I can now start to sort this problem out, do you guys have any idea's?

Any help would be appreciated.

Edit: I am kicking it slightly old school with the OS, I am on windows XP.

Another edit: you guys are all kinds of awesome, thanks again for the help

 

[Counterwise]

Yuri's revenge was an awesome game.... Has your operating system changed? From XP to W7 maybe?

 

[Continuity]

what version of windows are you running?

 

[omega 616]

Yuri's revenge was an awesome game.... Has your operating system changed? From XP to W7 maybe?

what version of windows are you running?

Never changed from windows XP. I'm a litle bit old school, the way I see it "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

 

[Continuity]

should be fine then, maybe try updating your graphics card drivers, also if you get any error message that might help. Mybe look in the event viewer to see if you can spot what is causing the crash e.g. a driver.

 

[Counterwise]

Or you could reinstall the games, or a clean install of XP. Clean installs make your computer totally clean of different crap that has been accumulating. Made my old comp with XP run 2x faster(Clean install after 3 years). Backup your files though.

 

[omega 616]

should be fine then, maybe try updating your graphics card drivers, also if you get any error message that might help. Mybe look in the event viewer to see if you can spot what is causing the crash e.g. a driver.

Nope, no error messages pop up. Were is the event viewer?

Or you could reinstall the games, or a clean install of XP. Clean installs make your computer totally clean of different crap that has been accumulating. Made my old comp with XP run 2x faster(Clean install after 3 years). Backup your files though.

How do I do a clean install?

I know, total computer noob.

 

[megalomania]

should be fine then, maybe try updating your graphics card drivers, also if you get any error message that might help. Mybe look in the event viewer to see if you can spot what is causing the crash e.g. a driver.

Nope, no error messages pop up. Were is the event viewer?

Or you could reinstall the games, or a clean install of XP. Clean installs make your computer totally clean of different crap that has been accumulating. Made my old comp with XP run 2x faster(Clean install after 3 years). Backup your files though.

How do I do a clean install?

I know, total computer noob.

I would reinstall the games but a clean XP install is more effort so it should be further down your list of stuff to try.

I would check out the DirectX requirements for the older games. If you have a newer graphics card you may be running DirectX 10 or 11 which often kills older games. You can force DirectX to run in an older mode if that is the problem - its an easy googling to let you know how to do that with idiot proofed pictures and stuff!

 

[omega 616]

should be fine then, maybe try updating your graphics card drivers, also if you get any error message that might help. Mybe look in the event viewer to see if you can spot what is causing the crash e.g. a driver.

Nope, no error messages pop up. Were is the event viewer?

Or you could reinstall the games, or a clean install of XP. Clean installs make your computer totally clean of different crap that has been accumulating. Made my old comp with XP run 2x faster(Clean install after 3 years). Backup your files though.

How do I do a clean install?

I know, total computer noob.

I would reinstall the games but a clean XP install is more effort so it should be further down your list of stuff to try.

I would check out the DirectX requirements for the older games. If you have a newer graphics card you may be running DirectX 10 or 11 which often kills older games. You can force DirectX to run in an older mode if that is the problem - its an easy googling to let you know how to do that with idiot proofed pictures and stuff!

I know how to reinstall games, I was only asking how to do clean install 'cos I don't know how to, I would try reinstalling first though.

C&C works perfectly as do all of the others including tiberium wars, Kanes wrath and renegade, it's just generals and zero hour that freeze.

 

[Zeromaeus]

should be fine then, maybe try updating your graphics card drivers, also if you get any error message that might help. Mybe look in the event viewer to see if you can spot what is causing the crash e.g. a driver.

Nope, no error messages pop up. Were is the event viewer?

Or you could reinstall the games, or a clean install of XP. Clean installs make your computer totally clean of different crap that has been accumulating. Made my old comp with XP run 2x faster(Clean install after 3 years). Backup your files though.

How do I do a clean install?

I know, total computer noob.

You aren't a noob. The hundreds of guys claiming to know what they're doing while talking out their collective asses are noobs. You are a newb. You are unfamiliar with the material and as a result are inexperienced. You did have the maturity to admit your faults, however, and have elevated yourself from even close to the realm of noobishness.

 

[Daedalus1942]

Just as note before reading the meat of this thread, this is the only forum I go on, I don't fancy making a whole new account on a new "fixing" forum for one lousy post and since a lot of you are PC gamers and I don't visually know the difference between a graphics and a sound card, I thought you guys and gals would have a clue, so 'ere goes ...

I bought the C&C first decade ages ago and it worked well, all the games ran perfectly etc.

Then my hard drive went belly up, so after changing it I fancied a skirmish on zero hour and it went a little something like this ... I put the disk in, the launcher came up I click on zero hour, crash, CTRL+ALT+DEL, end programme, double the click shortcut, click zero hour, crash, CTRL+ALT+DEL, end programme, double click the short cut, click Yuri's revenge starts up and off I go.

To this day zero hour and generals still don't work but I now have a job so I can now start to sort this problem out, do you guys have any idea's?

Any help would be appreciated.

Alot of old games like System Shock II and Deus Ex don't work on dual cores...
Have you tried going into your task manager, and changing the affinities to only use a single core for that program?

 

[Daedalus1942]

should be fine then, maybe try updating your graphics card drivers, also if you get any error message that might help. Mybe look in the event viewer to see if you can spot what is causing the crash e.g. a driver.

Nope, no error messages pop up. Were is the event viewer?

Or you could reinstall the games, or a clean install of XP. Clean installs make your computer totally clean of different crap that has been accumulating. Made my old comp with XP run 2x faster(Clean install after 3 years). Backup your files though.

How do I do a clean install?

I know, total computer noob.

I would reinstall the games but a clean XP install is more effort so it should be further down your list of stuff to try.

I would check out the DirectX requirements for the older games. If you have a newer graphics card you may be running DirectX 10 or 11 which often kills older games. You can force DirectX to run in an older mode if that is the problem - its an easy googling to let you know how to do that with idiot proofed pictures and stuff!

I know how to reinstall games, I was only asking how to do clean install 'cos I don't know how to, I would try reinstalling first though.

C&C works perfectly as do all of the others including tiberium wars, Kanes wrath and renegade, it's just generals and zero hour that freeze.

They freeze five minutes in? Yes... ding ding ding I think we have a winner.
Chances are they can't run on more than one core. Alot of old games do this. Try altering the number of cores they use in Task manager.
-edit- Incidentally, what graphics card are you running? Some specific brands have issues with some games (for me, not at all with Nvidia, but ATI gave me many a compatibility issue).

 

[Aur0ra145]

Just as note before reading the meat of this thread, this is the only forum I go on, I don't fancy making a whole new account on a new "fixing" forum for one lousy post and since a lot of you are PC gamers and I don't visually know the difference between a graphics and a sound card, I thought you guys and gals would have a clue, so 'ere goes ...

I bought the C&C first decade ages ago and it worked well, all the games ran perfectly etc.

Then my hard drive went belly up, so after changing it I fancied a skirmish on zero hour and it went a little something like this ... I put the disk in, the launcher came up I click on zero hour, crash, CTRL+ALT+DEL, end programme, double the click shortcut, click zero hour, crash, CTRL+ALT+DEL, end programme, double click the short cut, click Yuri's revenge starts up and off I go.

To this day zero hour and generals still don't work but I now have a job so I can now start to sort this problem out, do you guys have any idea's?

Any help would be appreciated.

What OS are you running? That would help give me a clue as to your problem.

 

[megalomania]

should be fine then, maybe try updating your graphics card drivers, also if you get any error message that might help. Mybe look in the event viewer to see if you can spot what is causing the crash e.g. a driver.

Nope, no error messages pop up. Were is the event viewer?

Or you could reinstall the games, or a clean install of XP. Clean installs make your computer totally clean of different crap that has been accumulating. Made my old comp with XP run 2x faster(Clean install after 3 years). Backup your files though.

How do I do a clean install?

I know, total computer noob.

I would reinstall the games but a clean XP install is more effort so it should be further down your list of stuff to try.

I would check out the DirectX requirements for the older games. If you have a newer graphics card you may be running DirectX 10 or 11 which often kills older games. You can force DirectX to run in an older mode if that is the problem - its an easy googling to let you know how to do that with idiot proofed pictures and stuff!

I know how to reinstall games, I was only asking how to do clean install 'cos I don't know how to, I would try reinstalling first though.

C&C works perfectly as do all of the others including tiberium wars, Kanes wrath and renegade, it's just generals and zero hour that freeze.

It still could be a DirectX issue - you never know what little graphical boondoggles they added and took away; the oldest game maybe not be the one that doesn't work.

Try this: Start -> Run type 'cmd' then enter. In the cmd box type 'DXdiag' and press enter. A box will pop up and it will tell you what directx you have. If it is 9.0c or newer it could be a conflict.

Once you have a new install of the game try running forcing the old directx to run. It won't take long and if it doesn't work you can cross it off your list without having wasted much time.

Also try googling your problem - you never know what old forum post you might pick up with an answer.

 

[omega 616]

They freeze five minutes in? Yes... ding ding ding I think we have a winner.
Chances are they can't run on more than one core. Alot of old games do this. Try altering the number of cores they use in Task manager.

No, I click and when I go into task manager it says "programme not responding" a few seconds after clicking, the game doesn't even load.

should be fine then, maybe try updating your graphics card drivers, also if you get any error message that might help. Mybe look in the event viewer to see if you can spot what is causing the crash e.g. a driver.

Nope, no error messages pop up. Were is the event viewer?

You aren't a noob. The hundreds of guys claiming to know what they're doing while talking out their collective asses are noobs. You are a newb. You are unfamiliar with the material and as a result are inexperienced. You did have the maturity to admit your faults, however, and have elevated yourself from even close to the realm of noobishness.

Why thank you!

 

[omega 616]

snip

Windows XP, sorry.

It still could be a DirectX issue - you never know what little graphical boondoggles they added and took away; the oldest game maybe not be the one that doesn't work.

Try this: Start -> Run type 'cmd' then enter. In the cmd box type 'DXdiag' and press enter. A box will pop up and it will tell you what directx you have. If it is 9.0c or newer it could be a conflict.

Once you have a new install of the game try running forcing the old directx to run. It won't take long and if it doesn't work you can cross it off your list without having wasted much time.

Also try googling your problem - you never know what old forum post you might pick up with an answer.

It is direct 9.0c, I will google now. Thanks.

 

[aseelt]

I will tell you I had the same problem with Generals. I had to uninstall it and come back to it later, where it magically worked without fault.

No help I know, but you aren't alone!

 

[Aur0ra145]

snip

Windows XP, sorry.

I know how to reinstall games, I was only asking how to do clean install 'cos I don't know how to, I would try reinstalling first though.

C&C works perfectly as do all of the others including tiberium wars, Kanes wrath and renegade, it's just generals and zero hour that freeze.

It still could be a DirectX issue - you never know what little graphical boondoggles they added and took away; the oldest game maybe not be the one that doesn't work.

Try this: Start -> Run type 'cmd' then enter. In the cmd box type 'DXdiag' and press enter. A box will pop up and it will tell you what directx you have. If it is 9.0c or newer it could be a conflict.

Once you have a new install of the game try running forcing the old directx to run. It won't take long and if it doesn't work you can cross it off your list without having wasted much time.

Also try googling your problem - you never know what old forum post you might pick up with an answer.

It is direct 9.0c, I will google now. Thanks.[/quote]

Don't know if you've tried this but:

Put the CD in.

Explore it with the windows explorer.

Select the install (maybe all files if you have to)

Right click it.

Click on the compatibility's tab on the top.

Select the operating system the game is supposed to run in.

Click apply.

Then try selecting and running the installer off the CD.

After installation, select the launcher and do the same as above and make it run in compatibility mode for the operating system the game was designed for.

Notes: This is how I've gotten alot of my older games to run. I run an AMD dual core and this works for me 90% of the time.

If this doesn't work you might want to look at DOSBox or some simular software.

EDIT: I'm running XP as well at the moment.

 

[omega 616]

snip

How do I explore with the internet? I right click and it just says explore.