Ground Contol Problems
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.
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)
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)
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Responses to this topic
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
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
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.
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.
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
Further suggestions very welcome.
Regards
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
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
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.
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.
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."
"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."
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).]
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).]
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
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
