Ryan Crierie Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 Due to DELL making their copy of Windows ME into a personalized version, only DELL PCs running OEM Win ME exhibit this strange behavior in Combat Mission: The fast forward button does not work, instead causing the time to read like: 00:-12342 And the turn goes on and on and on and on and on.... This is not a problem unique to Combat Mission. Space Empires IV also has a problem with Win ME as provided by DELL, and from that game, I know the proper name: "Range Check Error" The solution to this problem is simple: Let your PC run for about 30 minutes to an hour before playing CM:BO or CM:BB and everything will work properly.... BTS, fix or do somefink! I can't wait an hour just to play CM:BB properly when it arrives! [ September 18, 2002, 01:08 PM: Message edited by: Ryan Crierie ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaBellum Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 Originally posted by Ryan Crierie: Due to DELL making their copy of Windows ME into a personalized version, only DELL PCs running OEM Win ME exhibit this strange behavior in Combat Mission... BTS, fix or do somefink! I can't wait an hour just to play CM:BB properly when it arrives!Souldn't that be: Dell, fix or do somefink! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 Hm, I've got a Dell and WinME, but I don't have this problem. Could this be related to US only? Martin 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 Originally posted by Moon: Hm, I've got a Dell and WinME, but I don't have this problem. Could this be related to US only? MartinIm in the US, play CM on a Dell running WinME, and also do not have this problem. So sucks boo. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Panzer Boxb Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 I was on a Dell with ME and started out not having that problem. One day it just up and decided to start doing it. Really annoying. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sitzkrieg Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 A coworker has a Dell with Windows ME that exhibits this error as well. However, I don't think this is an operating system issue, especially if you let the machine "warm up" and it works fine. Probably something related to the BIOS or a low level driver (chipset, etc.) or the motherboard itself. Check the Dell support site, enter your service tag and get all the latest drivers and BIOS updates you can and apply them. Then see if you still have the same problem. Keith 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrano Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 The clock wonkiness is usually also associated with strange, stilted running on the part of your soldiers...almost as if they're skipping frames of animation. Why do I know this? Because I have TWO Dells running WinME at home. This is a "known issue" and I agree with the original poster that the only sure solution I have found is to run your PC for about 1/2 hour. Works every time. I will admit, though, I was very sad to note the problem when I booted up the CM:BB demo. Ah well, cheap at twice the price. Regards, Jim :/7) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWDWD Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 Aha! I've always had this issue and have been meaning to post about it, but I figured everyone would just think I'd been drinkin' again. I guess I'm not as crazy as I thought. To me it looks like the soldiers are goose- stepping around the battlefield. Thanks for the info. Guy 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauCoupDinkyDau Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 Originally posted by Ryan Crierie: The solution to this problem is simple: Let your PC run for about 30 minutes to an hour before playing CM:BO or CM:BB and everything will work properly.... BTS, fix or do somefink! I can't wait an hour just to play CM:BB properly when it arrives!Just upgrade to XP like I did. And you don't have to wait to play. But whlie you're still with ME, just don't touch any button except for "done" after you hit "go." You can play through turns like this. The only bummer is if you want to see something happen in the turn again, you have to rewind the whole thing insted of ten seconds or you fall into that bug again. :cool: I loved watching tanks drive off the map (one rotated in place), and the troops' heads twich like they were on something. I don't miss it tho. [ September 18, 2002, 12:01 PM: Message edited by: Vader's Jester ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 Hm, certainly odd this. Anyway, moving to the Tech Support Forum... Martin 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Crierie Posted September 18, 2002 Author Share Posted September 18, 2002 Originally posted by Moon: Hm, I've got a Dell and WinME, but I don't have this problem. Could this be related to US only? Could you post the stats for your computer setup? Never Winter Nights also needs this computer to run for about an hour...my brother says it's something about the ethernet card IRQ conflict.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zipper Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 I have a Dell laptop (8100) running WinME and I've seen this problem, too. The workaround for me is to just click the rewind button as its playing. The turn restarts a plays correctly. I associated it with larger turns, not uptime of my computer, but anything's possible. Zipper 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Crierie Posted September 18, 2002 Author Share Posted September 18, 2002 From PEST PATROL: http://www.safersite.com/Support/Revision_History.asp A Range Check Error can occur on DELL computers running Windows ME with software using the Windows function GetTickCount. In such systems, this function is not returning the elapsed time since system power on, and the value returned can be enormous, causing a range check error. Dell's Range Check Error affects timeGetTime as well as GetTickCount. A third timing function, therefore, has been used in PestPatrol, PestPatrolCL, and PPUpdater.Do CM and CM:BB use GetTickCount? OOH found another one: http://www.safersite.com/Support/FAQ/Troubleshooting.asp Range Check Error The Range Check Error can occur on DELL computers running Windows ME with software using the Windows function GetTickCount or TimeGetTime. In such systems, these functions are not returning the elapsed time since system power on, and the value returned can be enormous, causing a range check error. Versions of PestPatrol posted since Feb 11 contain this fix for the Dell/ME bug.So the bug CAN be worked around......BTS, look into this possibility as soon as is BFCally possible.... [ September 18, 2002, 01:06 PM: Message edited by: Ryan Crierie ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Crierie Posted September 18, 2002 Author Share Posted September 18, 2002 http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22Windows+ME%22+%2BDell+%2B%22range+check%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&selm=akn31o%241m65%241%40ddt.demos.su&rnum=1 A Range Check Error can occur on DELL computers running Windows ME with software using the Windows function GetTickCount. In such systems, this function is not returning the elapsed time since system power on, and the value returned can be enormous, causing a range check error. Dell's Range Check Error affects timeGetTime as well as GetTickCount. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmatt Posted September 19, 2002 Share Posted September 19, 2002 Very interesting...I will pass ahead this info to Charles for review. Madmatt 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Crierie Posted October 6, 2002 Author Share Posted October 6, 2002 Originally posted by Madmatt: Very interesting...I will pass ahead this info to Charles for review. MadmattBUMPITY BUMP......has Charles found anything on this? Do you use timeGetTime and/or GetTickCount to do the timing in CM:BB? It's getting annoying having to say: "Let me check my comp to see if it will work" when I want to TCP/IP with someone... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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