Armada 2 for newer computers

Cadet 2nd Year Joined: May 20, 2006 Posts: 38

I just recently bought a new laptop with Windows 7 and tried playing Amrada 2 on it. I keep getting a message that I need to make sure there is availible 50mb and to check my virtual memory. Has anyone else experienced this, and what did they do to play Armada 2 on their "newer" computer?

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 11:24 pm

I had nthis problem all you need to do is run the game in compatibility mode

Ensign Joined: May 23, 2009 Posts: 408 Location: NY State

I am going to be getting a new laptop very soon since my 3 year old Toshiba Satellite is slowly dying. It's overheating is catching up with it. It freezes now doing simple things and sometimes the wireless card works other times the laptop gets a wireless signal but won't connect to the Internet when my iPod Touch does (which I'm using now). My laptop also freezes on Screensaver and won't wake up at all. When ever it freezes it doesn't respond to "Ctrl" "Alt" "Del" to even bring up the Task Manager in Windows Vista. Instead I have to do a "Forced Shutdown" and then restart the computer. It's getting to be annoying since it freezes to almost everything that used to work including typing and transferring files from the computer itself to the External Hard Drive; it now only responds to creating .ZIP (zipped) backups to transfer over.

I have noticed that newer computers and especially laptops are now 64-Bit Editions instead of 32-Bit Editions when it comes to Windows Operating Systems. Is this a good thing or a bad thing for Star Trek Armada 1 and 2?

Also, do I have to first install the game on to my new laptop when I get it or can I just play the game from my full/complete backups saved onto my External Hard Drive?

Lastly, I got one final question: What will be the best brand of laptop, system specs, RAM and Hard Drive space to be able to play Star Trek Armada 1 and 2 on Windows 7?

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 3:15 am

Well as for upgrading to Windows 7 32 or 64Bit is a good thing. I'm using Windows 7 Home Premium 64Bit on my tower and it works a treat with older games including Star Trek Armada 1 & 2. BUT YOU MUST use the compatibility mode or it won't work. But I love using Windows 7 because with the service pack 1 installed it acctually loads quicker than Vista.

Any more questions?

Ensign Joined: May 23, 2009 Posts: 408 Location: NY State

I've recently heard that 32-Bit Editions are being phased out and you can only get 64-Bit Edition computers because newer Software and Hardware are only going to support 64-Bit Windows Operating Systems so really if you don't want to be behind the times, you have to have a 64-Bit Edition Operating System.

I know all about running Armada 1 and 2 in compatibility mood, actually I've never had to use it yet, even on Windows Vista. I think it might have something to do with Armada II's Patch Projects' 1.2.5 Patch and Armada I's Patch Projects' 1.3.0 Patch. I know after getting a new laptop and it being Windows 7 I might have too. I think though you missed my question for the games and Windows 7:
"Do I have to install the games on to my new computer for them to work or could I just transfer from my External Hard Drive a backed up version of Star Trek Armada I (I don't have the disc anymore since I borrowed my friends and it plays just fine using the Armada II disc)? On the same track and same thought, can I do the same with my backed up version of a modded Star Trek Armada II?

I guess my only questions still are:
"What laptop Brand (Toshiba, HP, Compaq, Dell, etc.) is the best laptop to get for running Armada 1 and 2? What System Specs (Processors, speed, performance) is better? What is the best amount of RAM to get? What is the best amount/size for Hard Drive space to go with?

Cadet 2nd Year Joined: May 20, 2006 Posts: 38

I had that problem, with compatiblility on my old one which has a crack from one corner to another but still works. But some how it got switched from windows XP to windows 98. Now which compatibility setting did you have to use on yours?

Jetnova, at the moment I find that my toshiba satellite, even with the corner to corner crack (story behind that) does wonders for star trek armada 2. i have yet to get it working on my new HP lappie, so I cant compare the 2

Ensign Joined: May 23, 2009 Posts: 408 Location: NY State

Star Trek Armada 1 and 2 worked just fine on my laptop but eventually started overheating like all Toshibas (they are all prone to it I found out). That is why I need a new computer. It destroyed it's internal hardware by overheating, namely the connection wires, their installation/covering is plastic and that's what melts and causes damage. Running/playing Armada II for hours when bored didn't help matters, it unknowingly made matters worse.
If the fan was removeable on the Toshiba Satellite L350 Series laptops this might have been avoidable.

I'd prefer to know what laptops aren't prone to overheating since that is what Toshibas are known for, it just takes awhile to happen. What is possibly a good laptop for gaming but also at the same time everyday use for checking e-mail, Facebook, school/college work, and recreational purposes?

Cadet 2nd Year Joined: May 20, 2006 Posts: 38

I to found out that with my Toshiba Sat. P305 it over heats faster when playing A2 then when I'm not playing it. Here I thought it was because it was getting old or me overplaying A2 lol, maybe I should have asked about over heating myself.

Ensign Joined: May 23, 2009 Posts: 408 Location: NY State

It's something Toshiba doesn’t broadcast about their computers; sometimes if it happens right away it’s written in reviews for the computer with a low rating. If it happens down the road months to (well for me 2 years later), it’s hard to actually know that when getting the laptop. I only found out because my Toshiba always kept automatically shutting itself down in the middle of doing something, at times well editing ODF files for modding or just browsing online.

At the time I just thought nothing of it and just turned the laptop right back on. It got to being a weekly occurrence that I finally started Googling "Toshibas and Automatic Shutdowns" and that led to a page where I found out that Toshibas eventually overheat and when they do, they get to a point where they automatically shut themselves down for protection and to cool down. But like I think many people would do when that happens, I turned on my laptop and was like: "Work! There is nothing wrong with you, don't shut down again."

****
Hopefully nothing happens with your Toshiba that drastic but just know, don't turn it back on right away if it ever shuts itself down automatically. Just check by the side vents for how hot it is and underneath as well. A few times I didn't even need to touch the bottom of the laptop that close to feel the heat!

Cadet 2nd Year Joined: May 20, 2006 Posts: 38

I have actually experienced those automatic shutdowns. But with mine if i were to try and start it up again it would just shut off again and I'd have to wait anywhere from an hour to a whole day for it to cool down

Ensign Joined: May 23, 2009 Posts: 408 Location: NY State

I wish my laptop would have choosen to do that but it didn't. Three times it shut itself down about 10 minutes after being turned on again. After finding out it was related to overheating I bought a portable fan to place under the laptop it worked but not perfectly. (That fan was so cheaply made it seems that it broke, the USB came right out of it near the base of the fan itself.

Ever since I learned that Toshibas overheat for some unknown reason it doesn't shut itself off automatically as much. It did prevent Armada 1 and 2 and Star Trek Legacy from playing for half a year and might be the reason for some unexplained crashes with Armada II and connected to the annoying "Black Desktop Background" problem that happens (the game will crash and for some reason replace my desktop background image with a black screen with the icons still there.)

Now I think everything is connected to the computing itself. I think this because both my Star Trek Armada II - Spanning The Generations Mod and my StarGate Armada - StarGate Rise To Power Mod are freezing on the loading screen after setting up a game and it happens to be happening to races that have used to work perfectly.

Cadet 2nd Year Joined: May 20, 2006 Posts: 38

Its a real hassel at times. Especially when working on some Guyver fan fiction or working on school work.

I know I have to fight with some of the USB ports to not wiggle while something like a thumb drive is installed in them.

As to Eddy, can you please specify what compatiblility you are using? I tried all the options and all I got were messages saying "Star Trek Armada 2 has stopped working" or that "Sorry, there is not enough memory to continue. Please make sure that you have at least 50MB on your hard drive and that virtual memory is not disabled."

Cadet 2nd Year Joined: May 20, 2006 Posts: 38

WOOOO HOOOO! I got Armada 2 working on windows 7.... 3 weeks after I bought my new HP laptop.

For those who in the near future when you install Armada 2 on your new computer, what I did yesterday was not only install Armada 2, but I installed the 1.1 patch and the 1.2.5 patch as instructed in this youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnR2yhl3FaY
However I did not have to submit a bug report.

Also Jetnova, Since I got Armada-2 workin on my HP it has run flawlessly. The picture, images, videos, and audio is alot crisper than on the Dell I rented at one time and even more crisp than on my Toshiba. I havent experienced overheating yet

Ensign Joined: May 23, 2009 Posts: 408 Location: NY State

Angilas wrote:

WOOOO HOOOO! I got Armada 2 working on windows 7.... 3 weeks after I bought my new HP laptop.

For those who in the near future when you install Armada 2 on your new computer, what I did yesterday was not only install Armada 2, but I installed the 1.1 patch and the 1.2.5 patch as instructed in this youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnR2yhl3FaY
However I did not have to submit a bug report.

Also Jetnova, Since I got Armada-2 workin on my HP it has run flawlessly. The picture, images, videos, and audio is alot crisper than on the Dell I rented at one time and even more crisp than on my Toshiba. I havent experienced overheating yet

Everyone really knows about those patches, lol. It actually was the only way to get Star Trek Armada II to run on Windows Vista without any problems.

As for overheating, HP's laptops aren't known for that, Toshibas are and will do it the most.

Cadet 2nd Year Joined: May 20, 2006 Posts: 38

Oh ok. kill my high why dont ya Razz

My folks have a SONY Viao. Dont know the year it was made and they say it doesnt heat up. Those are the only laptops we have experience with. Hopes that helps in your quest to replace yours