Crash to desktop on start

[Tichothewolf]

I read the other threads about getting ctp to work on xp, and none of them helped me. I'm using a p4 1.7ghz dual core, 2gb ram and 128mb nvidia geforce 8500gt. I install the game and when I go to play, I see the hand cursor on a black screen then crash to desktop.

Compatibility mode, 256 colours, driver rollback, installing max/min with high and low settings, none of these work.

At first I thought it was my video card not letting me reduce the resolution below 800x600 but then the userprofile.txt made me think I could run it in that, I set my colours to 16bit just in case too but same problem.

Then I thought maybe I didn't have the indeo codecs so I got them, and again I see the hand cursor before going back to desktop.

I read somewhere that it could be my audio drivers so I will try that next but is this game simply incompatible with my current setup? That would be a real drag.

[Keygen]

I do play CTP in Windows XP for years now and never had to force myself into any sort of trick to play.

I'm not sure what causes other people having this kind of trouble, it could be hardware compatibility, different versions of CTP than the original (if there is any), drivers, can't say for sure.

[Tichothewolf]

Well patching to 1.2 didn't help any, and I thought it was the only other version. I really think it has something to do with my video card but I don't know which version of forceware to get if that's the case.

What are you system specs Keygen?

[Tichothewolf]

Also on minimum install I noticed my cd drive doesn't even start spinning to load the intro movie.

[Keygen]

I have a relative old system.

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (2,0 GHz)
RAM: 1024 MB (Kingston)
Graphics Card: Asus Extreme AX700 (Radeon X700)
OS: Windows XP Home with Service Pack 2
Graphics Card Driver: Catalyst v7.12
DirectX version: 9.0c

[Tichothewolf]

I'm almost certain now it's my video or sound card driver, if ANYONE has a forceware version they can suggest, please do, I'm helpless when it comes to these things and I've already come close to screwing up my computer totally getting the wrong drivers. I am very upset with my video card manufacturer for not providing backwards compatibility out of the box for my favorite game.

Processor: Intel Pentium Dual 1.7ghz
Ram: 2048mb
Graphics: Nvidia Geforce 8500GT 128mb
Sound: Realtek HD
OS: XP Pro
Graphics Driver: Forceware 169.21
Audio Driver: R1.84
Directx 9c

Just to reiterate, I pop in the cd, hit play, see the hand cursor then get tossed back to desktop with no error and no task in the manager. I am pretty sure I have to get an older driver, I just do not know which version for my hardware.

[Keygen]

It worked with my GeForce2 MX that I had installed in my previous computer a couple of years ago so if it is a driver issue then it should be a pretty old version of the forceware (or detonator back then). I found the version 77.77 in my hard disk so I guess those were the latest drivers I had installed back then though I can't be sure.

[Tichothewolf]

I saw in another forum 84.21 would work but when I tried to install it the setup program said I had no compatible hardware, I don't know what version the 8 series started with.

Do you think I'm just not able to play with my current video card?

[Tichothewolf]

I have upgraded my windows media player and rolled back the video drivers but still no luck.

Argh this isn't fair, next I'll try slowing down the cd speed just in case it's skipping over some mistake.

[Keygen]

Perhaps you should also consider using virtualization software or if you have an older computer somewhere use it.

[Tichothewolf]

I've never even heard of virtualization until now, and it sounds pretty complicated. My old computer has a fried power cord and the manufacturer is heartless.

I'm going to my friend's to try it on her older pc and hope it works.

[Keygen]

Any news Tichothewolf?

[Tichothewolf]

It's not the cd because it runs perfectly on an older setup.. This is a backwards compatibility issue that I'm probably going to have to take to the big scary nvidia forums.

I saw somewhere forceware 84.21 would run it, but I am only able to install versions 150-current

[Keygen]

Originally posted by Tichothewolf

I've never even heard of virtualization until now, and it sounds pretty complicated. My old computer has a fried power cord and the manufacturer is heartless.

If the problem with your old PC is just a fried power cord then why don't you buy a new power cord from any store that sells PC parts?

As for installing and setting up a virtualization software to your machine is pretty straightforward, all you need to do is follow the instructions.

Here are some links to the most popular software of the kind:

VMware
Microsoft Virtual PC
Parallels

[Tichothewolf]

Originally posted by Keygen


If the problem with your old PC is just a fried power cord then why don't you buy a new power cord from any store that sells PC parts?

You make it sound so easy but the store I got it from told me I had to contact the manufacturer, whose specialty is refridgerators so the people in the department taking care of the computers really don't are about their jobs it seems.

If I could just jam a random cord into the back, I'd be happy.

Oh, did I mention it was a laptop?