Need assistance

[Swindle11]

So, I try to launch the game, and nothing happens. My cursor shows that it's loading for a couple of seconds, then stops. I checked Task Manager, and ToW.exe shows up for a very short time, but that's it. It only recently began to do this, too. What do you think is wrong?

[Schrullenhaft]

Have you made changes to your computer (hardware) ? Is there anything different about your security software (anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-malware, firewall, internet-security) ? Did you need to use DEP settings to get the game running in the past ? Make sure that these are still in effect if you did need them.

With security software it may be possible that some elements of the game have been quarantined, though we haven't heard of any particular issues lately with TOW 1. You may want to double-check the quarantine of your security software and/or temporarily disable your security software to see if it has any effect on running the game.

[Swindle11]

I did everything the site talked about, and I checked task manager at the start, and ToW.exe gets to about 12 MB of RAM, then disappears. (I changed the DEP settings and rebooted numerous times) And, no, no changes regarding antivirus or hardware have been made since the last time I played.

[Schrullenhaft]

What security software are you running (anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-malware, firewall, internet-security) ? If you didn't need changes to your DEP settings to initially run the game, then they shouldn't be necessary later unless you've made changes to your computer, which you say you didn't.

How long ago did the game last work ? I'm not aware of any particular updates to Windows or video drivers that would have caused a problem. Typically though, if the game will not run (and the executable has not been corrupted, which should usually give you a different sort of error), then the issue tends to be DEP or security software.

Perhaps try reapplying the 'uber patch' (1.10.0.81) and see if things behave any differently.

[Swindle11]

The game worked about 3 or 4 months ago without DEP settings changed, I believe. Also, I use Norton's anti-virus software. If it actually matters, I also bought ToW from GamersGate. Also, I attempted to reinstall the game and uberpatch, didn't work.

[Schrullenhaft]

If you didn't need DEP settings in the past on this same computer, then it shouldn't be necessary now to my knowledge. The Norton Anti-virus MIGHT be interfering. You may want to see about making 'exceptions' (or however Norton terms it) so that the application executables are not blocked (including the 'Runservice.exe' file in the '\Windows' directory). The 'Runservice.exe' file will only exist if you have successfully activated the license key (or another eLicense game) on this computer and OS.

You may also want to check to see if the 'LicCtrl Service' is running in the Services control panel (Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services). If this is not running, then the game will not run.

If you install the Gamersgate version, does it run ?

[Swindle11]

I think the problem may be related to LicCtrl Service, since it's not running, and when I try to start it, it says that the file could not be found.

[Swindle11]

I actually got it to work, I reinstalled ToW one more time, installed the uber patch, then restarted, and now it starts. Thanks for your help.