Windows 7 problems/solutions please post them here

[thunderchero]

note; no crash log will be created if program goes non responsive/ hangs up. Only with "crash to desktop" will a crash log be created.

thunderchero

[Borg]

I will redownload it and try again

[civilphil]

Hi everyone,

1st, great stuff on here. BOTF is an all time favorite game of mine. Nice to see others still love it as much.

I recently tried playing BOTF on my Windows 7 PC only to have many of the problems described here. After some tinkering with different parts of your advice, I thought I had solved my problem . . . when to my dismay, the game freezes up.

It does this consistently in all of the Mods I've downloaded (which all look awesome) as well as the base game. It occurs typically around turn 10. If I save it prior to a freeze (e.g. on turn 9) I can then quit and load the saved game, which gets me around another 6 turns before the freeze.

Here some info you may need to help me with this problem:

Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit - SP1
Intel i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67 GHz

ATI Radeon HD 5700
Two Cards, normally setup in crossfire mode


To preempt some of your questions and suggestions:

1. I disable crossfire before running the game
2. I am using the vanilla install (no hades)
3. Yes I tried using the hades/Direct3d options and switching up the ini file setting
4. I am running the game in XP SP3 compatibility mode with the following options checked:
-Run in 256 colors
-Run in 640x480 screen resolution
-Disable visual themes
-Disable desktop composition
-Disable display scaling on high DPI settings
5. Yes I have the most updated/current video drivers
6. Yes I used the multi-mod installer
7. Yes I tried running the game in 98/ME compatibility mode - I get horrendous screen flicker on all screens when using that mode

I have tried the following mods and I have this issue with each:
All the Ages
Balance of Power
Ultimate Dominion Mod

Help? Suggestions? I'm sure you understand how badly I want this game to work . . .

[thunderchero]

Hi civilphil,

1. unchecked the "Run in 640x480 screen resolution" BOTF runs in 800x600. also I do not think others need to be checked. Mainly just run in XP SP3 compatibility mode.
2. Sometime the newest/latest drivers may not be the best. make sure the driver used is WHQL "Windows Hardware Quality Labs" certified
3. Did you uninstall main multi installer or only change INI settings? reinstalling is suggested to install proper files for software mod.
4. some have tried running as admin? (this is mainly a saved game issue)

also can you describe when the game freezes at turn process? in battle? ect
also check to see if there is any crash log and if so post them.

thunderchero

[civilphil]

Hi thunderchero, Thanks for the quick response!

I tried your first suggestion, unchecking the compatibility options you described. I still got the freeze up.

The drivers all state: Digital Signer - Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher. I cannot find anything that refers to WHQL

After trying changing INI settings, and finding that not to work, I did a clean install from the main multi installer (removing everything and stating again new) Do I need to uninstall the main game to get the mods to work?

Yes, I tried running it as an admin, it did not resolve the issue . . . forgot to mention that in my previous post.

Previously I had only gotten the freeze during a turn (e.g. as I click a planet, ship, build text, etc). However after reading your post I started a game and intentionally picked the first fight I could. The game froze up at the end of battle as I was looking at my ship (moving the camera around)

I checked the crash log and it is blank.

Any other thoughts or suggestions? Any other info I can provide to help diagnose the issue?

[anjel]

Hello civilphil, welcome !!
Be sure and recheck to change and save the 3D setting in the ini file to SOFTWARE.
Hope it helps !!!

[HsojVvad]

Hello civilphil, welcome !!
Be sure and recheck to change and save the 3D setting in the ini file to SOFTWARE.
Hope it helps !!!

This is what I was going to say. It has helped me when I crashed and froze alot. Also this seems to fix 90% of peoples problems.

So check your ini file and have 3D=SOFTWARE as Anjel says. Good luck.

[civilphil]

The ini files already said 3D=SOFTWARE . . . but for the heck of it I deleted and retyped that line and saved it. No change. Still freezes (screen, mouse movement, sound) after 6 - 10 turns.

Anything else to suggest? Any other info I can provide to help diagnose the problem?

Is it just a problem with my ATI card/driver?

[thunderchero]

is this happening on mods only or also the original version too?

but yes it does sound like a very strange driver problem. since the problem does not start until turn 6 or so (first time I heard of this type of problem) it could be some sort of memory problem to.

I would suggest setting a older system with XP but most people that is too much of a hassle.

one other thing I will suggest it could be a directX problem I am guessing this is newer system and uses directX 11 or 10?

you could download and install

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/de ... px?id=8109

this is directx 9 redist package this will not change your current version of directX but update any missing files for direct play that directx 10/11 no longer supports.

thunderchero

[civilphil]

ok, so now it's getting weird . . . . or at least to me it is. Maybe this will make sense to you guys.

I downloaded and installed the directx package you suggested thunderchero.

With that done I tried playing the "All the Ages" Mod as the Federation, and it froze up in 4 turns.

So I tried the "Large Ultimate Dominion Mod III" as the Federation, and it froze up after 6 turns.

On a lark, I tried the "Ultimate Dominion Mod III" as the Dominion, and it has been running just fine for 70turns!!!

I couldn't figure out what was different . . then I looked at the compatibility settings for the "Ultimate Dominion Mod III"

I had left it set at Windows 98/ME . . which hadn't been working for me before.


SO apparently the solution for MY problem was to install the DirectX package you suggested thunderchero PLUS setting it to Windows 98/ME rather than Windows XP SP3. (Plus not running in crossfire mode)

I have since tested this out on the "All the Ages" mod and the "Balance of Power" mod and both work fine under these settings.

THANK YOU ALL(particularly thunderchero) SO MUCH!!! I am very excited to spend some free time playing BOTF again!!!


((If I ever find any other issues, I certainly know who to come to!)))

[Maasu]

Has any one had any experience running botf on a 6990 gfx card? I'm trying to set it up on my main gaming machine bu I keep getting the crossfire issue with the mouse trails and screen flickering, the only issue is there is no option in amd control centre to disable cross fire, the card is effectively two 5870's stuck together so it is possible that is what is causing the problem and I might just be screwed, but before giving up I just thought I should ask in here.

[Borg]

Hi there all I have just got around to get BOTF working again and just one thing to aks do I need to download the this is directx 9 redist package to get BOTF working 100%? Becouse I have try it up to turn 50 and its working fine up to now, but knowing my luck come back to play on and all gose worng for no good resion lol.
The cards I have are x2 6970 also I know not to run BOTF in crossfire mode, but up to now this are ok but I still have to try a full game on it yet.

[KrazeeXXL]

hm interesting. Just surfed around a bit and found out that the 10.10 driver from ATI (the last ATI one, after that it's AMD) seems to be the last one where you can deactivate Crossfire.

I don't have crossfire but I use the 10.10 as well, for stability reasons.

@Maasu: you can't deactivate Crossfire on a Dual-GPU graphics card like the AMD 6990

edit: well, obviously there is a way to run just one GPU. Check out this thread:

http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33975578

so, now I've googled enough for you

[Borg]

hm interesting. Just surfed around a bit and found out that the 10.10 driver from ATI (the last ATI one, after that it's AMD) seems to be the last one where you can deactivate Crossfire.

I don't have crossfire but I use the 10.10 as well, for stability reasons.

@Maasu: you can't deactivate Crossfire on a Dual-GPU graphics card like the AMD 6990

edit: well, obviously there is a way to run just one GPU. Check out this thread:

http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33975578

so, now I've googled enough for you

Keep in mind tho that the 6990 was not out yet when I got my new PC, but am happy to say the BOFT is working fine
The down side that I have read about the 6990 that it over heats very quickly and alos 6990 is only two 6970 rolled in to one card with a little more in it and high cost, but like I have say the 6990 was not out when I got my new pc, it came out I think 6 weeks afdter when I got my new pc.

[KrazeeXXL]

Keep in mind tho that the 6990 was not out yet when I got my new PC, but am happy to say the BOFT is working fine
The down side that I have read about the 6990 that it over heats very quickly and alos 6990 is only two 6970 rolled in to one card with a little more in it and high cost, but like I have say the 6990 was not out when I got my new pc, it came out I think 6 weeks afdter when I got my new pc.