CMBO Special Edition and system lock ups

[Thomas Goetz]

I have a very odd and incredibly frustrating tech problem with my CMBO special edition disk. I recently had to do a complete system re-format and re-install, for unrelated reasons. In addition to various frustrations too numerous to mention, I got a very nasty shock when I went to install CMBO. The special edition version installed just fine, but when I went to start it up as a test, I got a message saying that a Windows protection errror had taken place, and that I needed to restart the computer. OK, no problem, been getting a lot of that during the rebuild.

However, when I went to reboot, I got a message that a Windows Protection Error had occured, and that the loading of Windows had halted. Rebooting put me in Windows Safe Mode, where I attempted to find and fix the problem. None of the fixes worked, always giving me the same "Windows Protection Error" on reboot.

So I ended up having to do another format and reinstall. Some experimentation showed me that it was indeed the CMBO Special Edition install that was causing it, as I got exactly the same problem a second time.

Yet another format and reinstall later, I am wondering exactly what is going on. I have never had problems like this with any CM game. Sometimes they wouldn't run until I got an upgraded system, but I've never had one totally wreck my entire system, which this did. I'm running Windows ME on a 2.4 gig motherboard, with 1 gig of RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce 4MX card.

Any ideas, help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated - before I pitch my computer out the window and then jump up and down on the pieces.

Tom Goetz

[Schrullenhaft]

I don't know what CM could install on your system that would cause it to crash on a restart. Do you have more details about the 'Windows Protection Error' ? Also when you mentioned you were getting "a lot of that during the rebuild" were you speaking of 'restart requests' or Windows Protection Errors ?

What DirectX version and what Nvidia driver version do you have installed when you attempt to install CMBO ? Have you installed the chipset driver for your motherboard (Intel, VIA, SiS, ALI, etc.) ? What originally prompted you to do a re-format and re-install of your OS ?

With Windows ME you can set a 'restore point', which may prevent you from having to reinstall everything all over again. I suggest setting a point right before you install CMBO.

I'd suggest running all applicable updates on your OS (drivers, Windows updates, etc.), then setting a restore point and then installing CMBO. Reboot after installing CMBO to check that something hasn't installed that would cause problems. Now attempt to play CMBO and see if the problem occurs again.

One other thing, I'm not sure exactly how well Windows ME handles system memory over 512Mb.

1Gb Win9x/ME memory limitation and another memory limitation article.

1.5Gb Win9x/ME memory limitation, though it doesn't seem to be the problem you're experiencing.

An article to review if you're unable to create a restore point.

[Thomas Goetz]

OK, more information. I started the system rebuild because an engineer friend of mine had convinced me to install all kinds of security software. I'd never had a reason to need it before, but I gave in to his greater experience. As far as I could tell, all those different "protection" programs did was get into arguments with each other and lock up my system in the process - usually repeatedly during a single session. Lots of tweaking and program removal failed to correct the problems, as I think the various programs had corrupted the system settings, and certainly don't know enough to dig around in there. So I decided to wipe it clean and start again.

As for "getting a lot of that", I meant requests for system reboots, along with the occasional lock up in the process. But these were always resolved with an additional turn off and reboot, and were never a serious problem.

All of these have been installed every time I've tried to get the system up and running again. Chipset drivers installed from the chipset utilities disc. Using Direct X 9.0b, from the Microsoft website. The NVidia driver is 4.14.10.6176, which is dated 7/12/04, and is the most recent one available at NVidia's website. In both previous cases, the Windows Update site was visited and all relevent updates and programs dowloaded and installed. I've no idea of how ME might handle a gig of RAM, but none of the other programs have experienced any problems.

As for details on the "Windows Protection Error", I'd like some myself. What would happen on a reboot was the system would process normally up until the "Run DMI Pool" message in the boot sequence, then I'd get the blue screen of death, telling me I had a Windows Protection error, and that I needed to reboot my system. No other information available, at least not there.

Rebooting would take me to the Safe Mode of Windows, and call up the Help screen. All of the various fixes suggested by the screen were tried, without avail, until the "Remove Windows and reinstall", which I couldn't do, since ME was the base system. Rebooting from safe mode put me back to the blue death screen, and then back to safe mode, in a never-ending cycle of frustration. Thus, a format and reinstall.

As for restore points, there were already multiple ones in Windows, from the various hardware installations prior to beginning the software installs. I tried several of them, and none worked - the system would freeze up before it was able to look for the restore points. I tried the closest one to the game, a middle one, and the very first one. Same result everytime.

I will check out the articles you've linked about ME and RAM, and see if they have anything relevent. I'd hate to have to take the extra RAM out, as it really speeds up the system, but I will if that is the only way I can get it to work again.

I too am mystified as to what is causing this. I've played all three CM games over many years, and never with anything like this. Had an install problem once with a CMBB special edition disc, but that was a scratch on the disc, not a software issue. I've also installed and played CMBO from this disc on this same system prior to the format and reinstall. I will let you know if the articles turn up any information.

Thanks for the help.

[Thomas Goetz]

Further updates on the problem, which, as you may have guessed, has not yet been resolved.

At first it did seem as though it was a RAM issue. I did some checking, and there is no question that ME is unstable with more than 512 megs of RAM. I tested that by installing on of my more RAM intensive games - the flight sim IL-2 Sturmovik. With the full gig of RAM, it was jerky, slow, and unplayable. But when I went into the msconfig utility and limited Windows to only 512 megs, and after that it ran smooth and clean.

So I tried out CMBO again under the new settings. No luck. Wouldn't run, and again corrupted Windows. I was able to do a system restore this time, though. So I pulled the extra RAM chip, deleted CMBO and reinstalled, and tried again. Same result - a freeze, and a reboot that corrupted the system again. This time it needed a format and reinstall.

'But now I've got it', I thought. A format and install with only the original 512 megs of RAM. So I did a minimal install, just Windows, and drivers for the trackball, graphics card, chipset, and sound card. This time I opted for some variety, and installed CMAK, which is the Battlefront version, not a CDV special edition like my CMBO disc.

Exact same result - a freeze and lockup, with system corruption. This makes at least the 5th time I've had to completely wipe my C drive and start fresh because of this problem with a Combat Mission game. Any other game I've installed has run fine, subject to some instability from the extra RAM. But the RAM issue never actually stopped the game from running, or corrupted Windows, just made some games twitchy and spastic.

About the only thing I did get from this was a listing of the error when the CM game froze before playing and then destroyed my system. That is as follows:

File name: VDD(03)+0001816

Error: 00 : 0028 : C0231D9E

Tomorrow, when my head is a little clearer, I'm going to go to Microsoft's website and see what I can find about those codes. I'm not holding my breath, though.

This whole thing has got me mystified. Everything is the same, as far as I can tell - I had all 3 games installed on this computer, and played all of them with no problems, before the format. It is obviously something in the games themselves that is causing the problem, since I get exactly the same error code no matter what CM game I'm trying to play. Maybe its a driver issue/conflict with the latest NVidia driver? I'm using the most recent driver from their website - less than a month old - and that is more recent than the one I had before, which was over a year old. I believe I gave the driver number in my previous post.

Bottom line seems to be that if you can't come up with a solid fix, I'm going to have to put aside all my CM discs, unloaded and unplayed. This is a step I would hate to take, as I love the game, but there is no point in having a game on my system that not only will not let me play it, but when I try it ruins my entire system, forcing me to do a complete wipe and rebuild.

Please, Please, Please see if you can find a fix. I'll go though withdrawal if I can't do my Combat Mission. And worse, my best friend will kill me if we can't do email games any more.

Oh, and one other odd little question. I've been a member for a number of years, although I don't often post. Yet in logging back in, especially after updating my email address, I note that I now have a member number in the 6000's, instead of my original one, which I thought was in the 1000s. Is there anything to be done, or must I look like a CM newbie from now on?

Thanks

[Thomas Goetz]

Another update.

No luck whatsoever on Microsoft's website with any part of the code I got when my system locked up. I really hope that someone can come up with something, because for now, Combat Mission in all its incarnations is unplayable on my system.

Oh, and never mind that bit I included in my last post about the member number. I think I was nearly brain dead last night when I wrote that.

Thanks.

[Schrullenhaft]

I believe the 'VDD' you mentioned in your error is the Virtual Display Driver (vdd.vxd), which is Microsoft component of the display driver.

Double-check some of your driver settings to make sure everything is fine from Microsoft's end. This article mentions installing the Microsoft specific drivers - Microsoft's missing files.

What you're running into sound extremely strange. I wouldn't expect running a game like CM to actually corrupt your Windows installation. It shouldn't really be performing writes to your hard drive as it loads up (at least very little).

I can't remember what codec the CDV/Special Edition of CMBO needs. It may be the Indeo codec, which is no longer included with Windows. Perhaps launching CM with the Shift key depressed may help. However that wouldn't be a problem with the BFC versions of the game, so it most likely isn't the answer here.

What version of DirectX did you have installed before you did your reformat/reinstall ? DirectX 9.0c is the latest version, though 9.0b has worked for plenty of users on this forum.

What resolution and color depth are you running Windows ME at (I assume it is over 800x600 at 16-bit color) ? If you do a Ctrl-Alt-Del what is running in the background before you launch CM ?

The latest drivers should be fine with CM, however you may want to uninstall them and try something a bit older to see if they work. Maybe some of the earlier 5x.xx series NVidia drivers may be a place to start.

Have you changed anything about your BIOS/CMOS setup during your reformat/reinstall ? I'm not exactly sure what AGP/memory settings would work for IL-2, but not for CM though.

[Thomas Goetz]

YES!!!!

The problem has been identified and, if not solved, at least worked around.

I did check on, and install, the "missing" Windows drivers, which helped. At least when the game refused to run, it didn't hang the entire system.

However, the game still did hang up, generating the same error message. So on to step 2, checking the older video drivers. And what do you know? They worked like a charm! All games are back to full functionality! Hooray!

Just to verify that it was the driver causing the problem, I re-downloaded the latest NVidia driver and installed that. Presto! Game wouldn't run, same error message, and I even got the same system freeze from before. Thus a final format and re-install. But this one done with a lighter heart, as the solution was at hand.

So, to the good folks at Battlefront, I provide the following alert - the NVidia GeForce driver version 61.76 causes massive game crashes and system freezes with Combat Mission, at least on my system. They must have changed something major in it, because the two previous versions (53.04 & 56.64) work just fine with the games. These crashes and freezes apply to all CM games, and are nasty enough that I'd suggest some testing to see what has happened.

I really appreciate all the support and advice - it would have been mission impossible without it. Thanks - you guys are the best. You certainly can't get tech support like this at the corporate giants!

Tom

[clifton]

I have the exact same problem. Only with a different game(Counter Strike). Im on format# 3 right now.

The weird thing is that My game ran fine after i installed my new drivers, but after i had to format the first time(because of other reasons) Thats when I had the "VDD" error.

Im going to try the older drivers.

1.5G P4

WinME

512RAM

Geforce4 Fx 5700 256Mb

[clifton]

wow it worked. I guess NVidia hassome work to do. Or mabye I need to upgrade to XP. no cash

[jwh1031h]

i have that same problem clifton has... i went to the nvidia website to try and download the older versions of the video drivers, but they are not here... any suggestions on where i can find them...? any help is appreaciated thanks

[Thomas Goetz]

JWH:

If you want a copy of one of the older drivers for NVidia, I can provide a copy of the two previous ones. Just let me know and give me your email address. I can send them as file attachments.

Tom Goetz

[Schrullenhaft]

Here's the Nvidia Driver Archive for Windows 2000/XP from Nvidia's website. And here's the Nvidia Driver Archive for Windows 9x/ME, also part of Nvidia's website.

[jwh1031h]

nice, thanks finally got it working..