Microsoft Error...please help!

[duckman398686]

Has anybody ever gotten one of those annoying microsft error messages when starting up a game on pc? Ive recently gotten this message on 2 games ive tried to install on my laptop. Installation was fine but when i try to start them up it gives me one of those microsft error messages that gives you the option of send/ dont send.

[DrRosenRosen]

Any more info or error message boxes?

Got Service Pack 2 installed?

Everything updated?

Got the latest video drivers for your card installed properly? If recently updated, you might want to get a driver cleaner program to wipe them all out and re-install the latest.

Does your card support the games you are installing? (What are they?)

Just trying to figure out where you're at. Might be able to help.

[duckman398686]

The one ive been trying to play is knights of the old republic 2. it goes through the startup logos for the game and everything and then right b4 it goes to the startup screen the screen goes blank and gives the error report.

[rwemyss]

Have there been compatability issues reported /w KOTOR2 and SP2? That could be the issue... try upgrading your video card drivers as well...

[duckman398686]

i just found it strange becuase knights of the old republic 1 ran well. what exactly is service pack 2 by the way??

[rwemyss]

Originally Posted by (duckman398686 @ Jan 12, 2006 12:39 AM)

i just found it strange becuase knights of the old republic 1 ran well. what exactly is service pack 2 by the way??

It was the second major update to Windows XP. It was supposed to fix any number of security holes, and added the Windows Firewall, etc. When it was released Microsoft said that some software would not work /w SP2, but I've never had a compatability issue myself...

What video card do you have? What version of DirectX? It sounds like one of those needs to be updated, especially if you didn't have a problem with KOTOR.

[duckman398686]

directx is fine. its 9.0 and it said it passed on the setup but my video card is SiS661MX. it said it failed the video test when i scanned the hardware for the game. it also failed under the category of opengl which is an SiS 2.1. But I think it failed both of these tests on the the first game and i just set my screen to 1024x768 and all the texture to low quality and the game ran fine. but when i configure those settings for this one the error stil comes up..

[rwemyss]

There's the problem. That is an "on-board chipset". It's not actually a separate "video card". These are usually horribly underpowered as a 3D accelerator. Recent chipsets designed by ATI and Nvidia are exceptions to this rule. The SiS' is not. My cheap laptop has a SiS mobile chipset, it can't even run Google Earth.

I suggest looking at a Nvidia or ATI card for around 100 bucks... it wouldn't be primo, but those cards offer the best performace/price ratio; that is, if playing this game is that important to you... or ANY modern 3D game. If you want a top notch card, you can wind up investing about 400 bucks in a card... only for guys that have machines to go /w them, in my opinion.

[duckman398686]

i dunno if i wanna play it THAT badly. just kinda pisses you off if you get somethin and cant play it. waste of money.

[TennesseeVols317]

I tried reading that conversation, and now I have a headache. But more power to you if you know all that, I really only play Starcraft on my PC, its just too slow.

[rwemyss]

Originally Posted by (TennesseeVols317 @ Jan 13, 2006 3:41 PM)

I tried reading that conversation, and now I have a headache. But more power to you if you know all that, I really only play Starcraft on my PC, its just too slow.

3D games require a video card that has a GPU these days... don't worry if you just like the RTS games, however, some of the newer ones of those are 3D as well...

Sorry duckman, but I'm almost positive that's your issue. Check the system requirements on the box, and it'll probably confirm this.