HELP PLEASE: Immediate Error Message; I'm told others have problem too

[Elvis_III]

When clicking the desktop icon, or the .exe file from windows explorer, I immediately get this message:

Error CreateProcess[c:\windows\TEMP\~ef7194.tmp]
The system cannot find the file specified.

I was told by live Infogrames support personnel that this may be some sort of copy protection issue with how my CD ROM reads, and that some laptops are having the same problem(presumably CD-ROM related).

I have a desktop which far exceeds minimum and recommended specs(850 mhz, 128 RAM, etc.)

The Tech I spoke to seemed knowledgeable(and was certainly friendly), but implied that despite the fact that others are having this problem, no patch would be available for this $50 game before the end of November.

He even suggested getting a no cd crack(laugh - I hope our conversation wasn't monitored, he'd probably get in trouble for that one).

I'm wondering if anyone else is having or has heard of this problem, possible solutions, etc.

A weekend of dickering with settings, installations, re-installations, driver updates, reloading Windows 98SE, followed by the first live support available(weekdays only) has still left me unable to play.

Please help and thanks in advance.

[Elvis_III]

Btw, I have read all(most) of the postings on this forum, and tried all the solutions. Sadly, none has worked for me.

Odder still, even the no-cd crack doesn't work for me; everywhere I download winace 204 from gives me a bad version of that. Thus I have no way to "unace" the fixed .exe file. And yes, I have tried the links to winace in the "help" threads. (Anyone know of a reliable "unacer" that isn't winace? I'll try anything at this point.)

I am starting to go mad.

Sure sounds like a fun game, I hope I get to play it someday(soon).

[LordTerrin]

Hey.... I just wanted to tell you that I am having the same problem.... The strange thing is though, that for the first few days I owned the game it worked FINE.... now though, (even after doing all the things you did... reinstall, reboot, re-everything) the game still gives me that gay message when I try to start it... dah! What the heck is wrong!

[Elvis_III]

OK - I admit it. I have finally gone mad.

I can't even get the fixed .exe file to unzip, unace, unwhatever properly. All programs tell me it's a bad or corrupt archive. I know that some people have reported in this forum that they have solved their problem that way; unfortunately, I can't seem to.

Besides, certainly "Firaxis/Infogrames/Whoever Is In Charge Of This Stuff" can't officially tell people "Go get the crack". That would be ridiculous. I BOUGHT THE GAME!

I'd really appreciate some help on this one. Obviously I can't even return the game: I HAD TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE BOX TO INSTALL IT!

Help...