Video driver problems

[ironbar]

After running CMAK and CMBB with no problems for almost 3 years, (mostly CMAK, I would pop the CMBB disc in every couple of months for a game or so) I started having a problem: total lock up- usually mid way through a turn, the video would stop, couldn't move the mouse pointer, couldn't minimize the screen, quit the scenario or the game. I would have to shutdown completely, I'd get a error report citing video drivers, (Sis 650's).

Only happens in CMBB, I've reinstalled the driver fixes available on the Battlefront website- done a reinstall on CMBB and patch 1.03. Still happens; CMAK is totally unaffected, any ideas?

[Schrullenhaft]

That's very strange. CMAK and CMBB are essentially identical in their video requirements and capabilities. CMAK only adds 'dust' as pretty much the only graphical difference.

Does the lockup happen with any scenario in CMBB or only certain ones ? Does the size of the scenario have anything to do with it ? Where did you get your copies of the game, BFC (internet) or retail (anywhere else other than BFC) ? Basically the only technical difference there is one of copy protection, which should only be an issue at the time of starting the game.

I assume that the SiS 650 chipset is the video that you're using with CM, correct ? Unfortunately the newer drivers from SiS somehow completely screw up the CM series (usually a black 3D screen), so an update to those is probably out of the question.

Do you run CMAK and CMBB at the same resolution and refresh rate ? If not, then delete the Prefs file for one or the other (probably CMBB's) and try to match the settings between them. I have no idea how much that may help, but at least it will get them both operating in the same manner.

Go to the Start Menu > Control Panel > Administrative Tools (assuming that you're running Windows XP) > Event Viewer. Click on either 'Application' or 'System' and see if you can find the error regarding the video driver crash. If you can find it (the errors will be date and time stamped), double-click on it and write up the Description of the error (however much that may help).

When you get the 'error report', at what point would this happen if you're experiencing a total lockup, once you reboot (and get back into Windows) or before ?

[ironbar]

It's only started recently;

It started in a medium sized scenario, as oppossed to the really big ones I play in CMAK.

I run both in a identical fashion,,, I get the error message after the total reboot.

The first time it happened it was a medium sized scenario, with snow and a lot of smoke and flame. After doing the reinstall it last happened in a small sized scenario with minimal smoke/weather graphics.

I bought both together directly from BFC, installed them at the same time, went thru the SiS 650 fix, and never had a problem after that.

Could there be a problem with the disc itself?

[Redwolf]

Is that the BFC or CVD release?

[Schrullenhaft]

Since only CMBB is having problems and your install of CMAK is having none, that would suggest that there is something corrupt/wrong with your CMBB install. Basically a problem with video, CPU or memory should show itself in either game, but that doesn't appear to be the case here.

There might be something wrong with the CMBB disc, but I would normally assume that you would run into a read error during the install if that were the case. I suggest copying the entire file off of the CMBB disc to your hard drive and then perform the install from that file.

If you have the disk space, you may want to install CMAK to a different directory and attempt to play that particular copy and see if you run into problems with that particular installation. Run the games first and see if they work, then patch them with the appropriate patches - 1.03 for CMAK and possibly 1.01, 1.02 and 1.03 for CMBB depending on what your initial version is. CMAK can just have 1.03 applied to any version since it is cumulative, while CMBB does require every version. So if you're running 1.01 of CMBB, you'll need to install 1.02 and 1.03 to get all of the fixes.

I'd suggest that you turn off/disable any anti-virus utilities you may have running and also close as many utilities, programs, etc. that may be running just to minimize the amount of interference that may be occurring.

Can you give us some more details on the error message that pops up after reboot ?

[ironbar]

OK, took your advice, copied the CD to the hard drive and installed from there; seems to have worked ran a small QB of 30 turns with out a problem.

Just some odd things I've noticed from the multiple installs I've done; there is no "uninstaller" present, unlike my CMAK install,

also I end up with 2 identical, fully functional desk top icons. Thanks for the help.

[Schrullenhaft]

CMBB & CMBO only "extracted" themselves to a default/user-specified directory and didn't "involve" Windows in the install process. This made them real easy to move around and delete without hassle. CMAK on the other hand used a Windows Installer program that listed the program in the Add/Remove Programs control panel. It also doesn't really add files to other directories and does a minimal amount of registry inserts, but it does list itself for uninstallation for those who prefer it that way.

Glad that things are working again.