Installation crashes!

[Andrew H.]

Help; CMAK keeps crashing most of the way through the installation.

Here's what happens: I put the CD in the drive and everything appears to copy from the CD to the computer. Then winrar starts extracting the files; it goes through all of the BMP files, and most of the .wav files, but then it stops and eventually crashes somewhere in the middle of the .wav files. At one point I got the message "Common.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. Any unsaved data will be lost."

After the crash, I still have several CMAK files on my computer, including all of the BMPs and most of the .wav files. I can hit the "common" file (it's there, too) and it will start re-extracting the files. But then it will crash somewhere in the middle of the .waves. It doesn't crash at the same place all of the time; once I made it to the file starting with 0009xxxx; the last time I only made it to 0006xxxx.

So, any suggestions? I have an AMD xp 1800+ w/ 512 MB of Ram and XP Home.

[Schrullenhaft]

I assume that this is the BFC version of the game ?

If you have the disk space, can you copy all the files to your hard drive and attempt the installation that way ?

If there is anything that has been added to the Add/Remove Programs listing for CMAK, I suggest running that uninstall first before attempting another install.

Do you have anything running in the background, including anti-virus or any other utilities loaded up ? I suggest turning them off/killing them before running the CMAK install. You may also want to do a Ctrl-Alt-Del and check to see what Processes are running in Task Manager and kill anything that has your logon as the User (except Explorer and Task Manager).

There's no way to tell at this point, but there may be some problems for some people with the CDs. Someone else has experienced a problem extracting the files (though it was only one particular sound file).

[Ted]

I’ve done all of what Schrullenhaft has suggested and still….

The install goes smoothly until what I think is the end of loading the file common.exe.

I ignore this and the 1st file I see loading is wav.5000

I ignore this and again the install stops at english.exe

At the end, I get the error message:

Unable to execute file Common.exe

Create Process failed; code 2

Cannot find specified file

Says the same for english.exe

Then the install window locks up

I’m running windows xp

2 gig athalon

Edit: I get the exact same results if I load from the cd or the hard drive

[Andrew H.]

Yep, it's the BFC version. I have something of a workaround; maybe this will work for you, too, Ted.

There didn't seem to be any problem loading from the disk; the problem came with the extraction. After the crash, I could find the directory the install created and look at the BMPs and .wav files; I just couldn't play the game. If I clicked on the "common" icon, the install program would start extracting programs again, but it didn't use the disk.

What I did was use windows explorer to go to the CMAK folder after the crash; I clicked on the "english" icon and it extracted several additional items, including the cmak exe. I was then able to play the game normally; in fact, I just soundly thrashed the canadian AI. But I digress.

So the game works, but I'm pretty sure I don't have all of the wav files. My wav files only go to 90702 - there are probably more.

Also - and maybe this is the root of the problem - there is some weirdness around the 5000s. Specifically, in my wav directory, there are programs (not files; programs) called 5000.exe, 5001.exe, 5002.exe, etc. up to 5007.exe...plus there is a 5010.exe. I *also* have a 5001.wav and a 5002.wav...but no more .wavs in the 5000's. The programs *seem like* maybe they were supposed to extract more wav files, but somehow didn't.

New discovery - when I click on the programs, they extract the missing wavs in the 5000.

So, I hope this is helpful to someone. And if someone could tell me what wavs I am missing, I would be happy to get them.

Thanks for your help.

[Ted]

I don't have an english icon.

Maybe because I get an error when the install reaches the english.exe file.

[Schrullenhaft]

I haven't seen the installation CDs myself, but if it is using the same compression software as previous versions, you can use WinRAR to extract the files. However BFC may be using a Windows Installshield installer and its .CAB files won't open with any of the popular compression/decompression programs.

It's tedious, but if one of the compression/decompression programs can open up the files, you can possibly compare what you're missing to what you have extracted. More than likely however, if the self-extracting archive had problems extracting, then the compression/decompression program will likely have problems too.

[ December 04, 2003, 11:27 PM: Message edited by: Schrullenhaft ]

[Madmatt]

The installer is much more different (and complex) than before. It actually uses a program called InnoSetup and I do not know of any program that will allow you to extract the files from the setup.exe

Even though the CD has a single Setup.exe file, it is actually made up of several large self extracting Winrar archives but you can not manually extract them from the setup.exe, or if you can, I do not know how.

The main one is COMMON.exe, it contains the bulk of the graphics, most of the sounds and support files.

There are also three language specific self extracting Winrar archives called English.exe, French.exe and German.exe. Each one includes the manuals, language specific graphics and scenarios.

Next there are a few sound effects that are packed as self extracting .exe's using a program called "Wavpack". That is the 0005000.exe and 0005001.exe etc, files you saw.

When Setup.exe is launched, either manually or with the autorun script, it first copies itself to your harddrive. It then extracts Common.exe, and whatever language file you selected.

Common.exe then runs and creates all the folders and begins extracting the graphics and sounds. Once that completes, the language specific archive launches (for example English.exe) and extracts the scenarios, manual and remaining localized files.

Lastly, each of the eight wavpacked sound effects (between 00005000 and 00005010) runs in a small dos window and extracts itself into the Wav folder.

Once those files are extracted the installer cleans up all the archive files and should exit.

One thing to be sure of though, is to NOT install the game into an existing folder. Let the installer create a new directory when it runs. It might be a good idea to just stick with the default location and see if that works and then move the entire CMAK folder after the game is installed it's not where you want it.

Be sure you turn off your virus checker as well during the install, it might be keeping one of the archives or the wavpacked sounds from properly running and extracting themselves.

Also, If you try and install the full game into the demo directory it could cause a problem and halt the installer. It shouldn't but thats the only thing I can think of offhand that might be causing what you are seeing.

You should be able to access the full common.exe (598 megs)and English.exe (7.50 megs) after they have been unpacked from the Setup.exe but before they themseleves begin to extract or possibly while they are extracting but I believe if you cancel the installer manually, it will clean up (delete) all the files that it had originally unpacked.

Madmatt

[ December 05, 2003, 12:06 AM: Message edited by: Madmatt ]

[Andrew H.]

Thanks Matt,

My game seems to be running fine after kickstarting the english.exe program. But could you tell me if there are .wav files beyond 90702? I seem to have 2299 files in my WAV folder, if that helps.

[Madmatt]

You should have 2833 waves in the Wav folder so you are missing some it seems.

Looks like you are missing some Polish and all of the New Zealander speach files.

If you can access the COMMON.exe file, it is a normal winrar archive you should be able to open manaully and try and extract those files.

Madmatt

[Kiltie Lad]

I am getting a problem upon install, unlike those of you with extraction problems. I was brushing up on my "Knight's Cross" bio of the DF while the computer munched merrily away on the download. Things went awry during the Common Files portion. I tried twice to "Retry" and had to end up "Ignoring" the problem. Fingers crossed as the install wrapped up. Would it be wreaking cordite and diesel next on my screen or the dreaded "Error" message.

I got the latter. Immediately came here to see what the boyz is sayin. Hope there aren't major problems for a lot of people. CMBO AND CMBB are still polished up on my desktop. I have a Dell Inspiron 8200 (that can, I admit, do with a visit to my neighborhood whiz kid). I've used a GForce4 on the other games including CM and had no probs. I noticed that there were only a couple of .wav files instead of dozens. I can't find the "English" file ya'll are talking about. GForce should be OK, as I upgraded it from it's website to load Call of Duty (a great shooter).

If you can spare any ideas, I'd love to get going. It's snowy in DC and I have a hankerin for some gamin from home tommorrow. Thanks in advance.

[Kiltie Lad]

Also getting an "Openplay.dll" not found, reinstalling may fix. Or some such. Where can I find "Openplay.dll?" Thanks!

[Kiltie Lad]

Sorry guys. Just noticed, too, that when I try to boot CMBB the game looks as though its going to start and then just returns to the desktop. Earlier, to create space for CMAK I did delete the original CMBO, which I had independent on the hard drive and not in Program Files where CMBB resides. I goobered up something.

[Madmatt]

K. Lad, if it says Openplay.dll is not found than the installation is not complete. Also its not dozens of waves files you should have but THOUSANDS. Try and copy the complete Setup.exe file off the CD to your computer first, make sure you have at least 2 gigs free on your hard drive and then run it.

Madmatt

[Ted]

OK. Seems that no matter what I do I get the same error everytime

“Error:

C:\Program files\Battlefront\Combat Mission Africa Korps\common.exe

An error occured while trying to copy a file:

The source file is corrupted.

Click retry abort…..etc”

I’ve disabled the anti-virus and Ad-ware and rebooted.

I’ve tried loading from the disc.

I’ve tried moving all the files from the disc to the hard drive and then running setup.

I’ve removed all files that were installed after each load attempt.

I tried installing into a custom folder and the default folder.

No other application is running in my task manager.

I’ve cleaned the CD.

I’ve tried all of the above in both my CD and DVD drives.

Help!

Edit: I've moved this to it's own thread.

[ December 05, 2003, 10:54 AM: Message edited by: Ted ]

[Kiltie Lad]

Thanks Matt. Uninstalled and now reinstalling from C drive. Hope it works as I'm ready for the new game. You guys are terrific, like extended family now after all these years. All the best for the new engine and all your endeavors. Any chance you guys will do a CM-style Civil War game? Sid's stuff, while great doesn't hold interest anything like CM. You guys spoil us for other games, you know.

Sincerely,

Shawn

[Andrew H.]

Okay, all of my install problems seem to be fixed; the game plays fine and I have all of the proper .wav files.

I think my problem was - somehow - caused by the wavpack files; they did not automatically unpack, but after I clicked on them and they ran their little dos programs, and after I clicked on the english.exe icon, I was able to click on common again and this time it properly unpacked *all* of the wav files.