Now My Game Won't Work

[rwd59]

Not sure about XP, when I click on my icon at the top of start page and go to user accounts, it says :

Randy Dudley
Computer Administrator

[kingcharlesxii]

Originally Posted by rwd59

Not sure about XP, when I click on my icon at the top of start page and go to user accounts, it says :

Randy Dudley
Computer Administrator

OK, it sounds like you're not logged in as "true" Administrator. Try this:

1) Go the Start menu, select Logoff.

2) Logon as "Administrator" (without the quotes)

3) Password should be blank unless you set one up when you installed XP.

Try running OOTP6 under that account. If that doesn't help, I'm afraid I'm out of ideas.

[rwd59]

When I logged off the only option I had was to log back on under my name there was no Administrator choice. Still getting this error message: The instruction at "0x6bc050f3" referenced memory at "0x028b0014". The memory could not be "read". Click on Ok to terminate the program

[rwd59]

Anyone got an idea what that error message means?

[kingcharlesxii]

Originally Posted by rwd59

Anyone got an idea what that error message means?

Can't tell based on that. All that does is say that a program in Windows tried to access bad memory. Does it mention a filename at all?

[gubaru]

This error in Windows usually means a file name or other string is too long and Windows can't handle it. When are you getting it? Only when starting OotP?

[rwd59]

The game seems to crash after the completion ofr a game. When it crashes and I open it back up the game it completed shows up as not having been played. All the other games played before that are still there. Once again, I ask is there any way to find out what files the game accesses to try to pin down if a needed file has been altered?

[Henry]

rwd,

I know you don't want to hear this - but it happens all the time here at work, and we make a recommendation yet the client refuses to follow it.

Somewhere, somehow, the Windows registry got corrupted. There is a pointer or setting that is causing OOTP to conflict with something else. Since the registry is thousands of lines long, and much of it is "encrypted" in the sense that no one knows what some of the entries are, it's almost impossible to know where to look or what to change.

Our usual recommendation is to save off all your data and reformat - rebuild your machine. 99% of the time, this takes care of the problem.

I think your going to be running around in circles trying to figure out what got messed up - and never find it, but a rebuild will almost assuredly fix it.
find it, but a rebuild will almost assuredly fix it.

[rwd59]

Well it looks like I'm gonna have to go this route (reformat) as bad as I hate it. I have never done this before and know nothing about how to do it. Is there anywhere one can go to get help with this subject? This crap really started when I installed a RCA mp3 player.

[Henry]

Originally Posted by rwd59

Well it looks like I'm gonna have to go this route (reformat) as bad as I hate it. I have never done this before and know nothing about how to do it. Is there anywhere one can go to get help with this subject?

Do you know anyone that's "in the business" or really good at this as a hobby ? If not, your local computer store will rebuild Windows, but you would have to take everything (data) off first.

[kingcharlesxii]

Originally Posted by rwd59

Well it looks like I'm gonna have to go this route (reformat) as bad as I hate it. I have never done this before and know nothing about how to do it. Is there anywhere one can go to get help with this subject? This crap really started when I installed a RCA mp3 player.

The main things I would do are:

1) Download XP SP1 from Microsoft's website ahead of time. This will save you from possible virus infection later.

2) Backup all files you would deem important to CD. For me, this includes documents, saved games and my MP3 collection (I had no desire to re-rip gigs of music).

3) Download the install files of your favorite programs ahead of time.

I bet that once you reformat your system will feel much faster and this problem will go away (try playing before you reinstall that MP3 player, I bet it messed with a file that OOTP uses).

[rwd59]

Originally Posted by Henry

Somewhere, somehow, the Windows registry got corrupted. There is a pointer or setting that is causing OOTP to conflict with something else. Since the registry is thousands of lines long, and much of it is "encrypted" in the sense that no one knows what some of the entries are, it's almost impossible to know where to look or what to change.

OK Henry, I read your game crash synopsis and the above quote. But this causes another question, if it is a registry problem, then why does OOTP5 not work as well? This seems to lead me to a needed file being changed/removed or something along these lines. I would prefer trying to chase down that file/s befroe reformatting. Again I ask (and no one has tried to answer this question for me) is there any way to find out which files other than OOTP files that are accessed by the game?

[Henry]

Originally Posted by rwd59

OK Henry, I read your game crash synopsis and the above quote. But this causes another question, if it is a registry problem, then why does OOTP5 not work as well? This seems to lead me to a needed file being changed/removed or something along these lines. I would prefer trying to chase down that file/s befroe reformatting. Again I ask (and no one has tried to answer this question for me) is there any way to find out which files other than OOTP files that are accessed by the game?

OOTP uses IE routines, but only Markus knows which ones.

[rwd59]

Thats what I figured. I figure it must access some windows files as well. I am going to try some steps I found to repair IE6. I know u have told me to reformat and if I don't have any luck soon I probably will but would it not seem like a file problem that the game tries to access since OOTP5 will not work as well? Oh, by the way, I really appreciate your attempts at help. Still think the game could use some official customer support.

[Night2000]

Originally Posted by rwd59

Thats what I figured. I figure it must access some windows files as well. I am going to try some steps I found to repair IE6. I know u have told me to reformat and if I don't have any luck soon I probably will but would it not seem like a file problem that the game tries to access since OOTP5 will not work as well? Oh, by the way, I really appreciate your attempts at help. Still think the game could use some official customer support.

I haven't followed this thread lately so maybe you already tried this? If you try and repair IE6 and it still doesn't solve your problem. Then if you haven't tried it yet. Perhaps re-installing IE6 may solve your problem? If you do try this rout. Make sure to get all the IE6 updates too. So your IE6 is patched up to the latest.

[rwd59]

Originally Posted by Night2000

I haven't followed this thread lately so maybe you already tried this? If you try and repair IE6 and it still doesn't solve your problem. Then if you haven't tried it yet. Perhaps re-installing IE6 may solve your problem? If you do try this rout. Make sure to get all the IE6 updates too. So your IE6 is patched up to the latest.

Night, I reinstalled IE6 and all the patches. No luck. I know a reformat is probably coming one day, but I refuse that option right now.A question that has yet to be answered is why did OOTP5 and OOTP6 both stop working. Still want to believe a windows file got corrupted or changed, but if so why no other problems. If it is a registry problem why would the OOTP5 pointer have changed when I haven't played that game since OOTP5 came out? Some file or process the game (both versions) is using is causing my problem and it is only with this game. Markus is the only one who really can help me or so it seems, that hasn't happened and considering that this has been going on for over a month and no attempts from him to help, doesn't look like it is going to happen. **edited** If I was more comfortable with a reformat it would have already happened. The lack of an official customer support person(s) is really discouraging. Maybe that will change with the SI version. Henry has tried, but he is quick to point out that he is not a company employee, just a volunteer. I again thank you for your attempts to help.

[Henry]

Originally Posted by rwd59

A question that has yet to be answered is why did OOTP5 and OOTP6 both stop working. Still want to believe a windows file got corrupted or changed, but if so why no other problems.

Because V5 and V6 use the same Windows files. Your probably correct that the file in question probably got changed, but like I said earlier - trying to figure out which one would be a massive undertaking.

Is your machine a brand name? The reason I ask is becasue most brand name machines have a recovery disk to put the machine back to factory release. That would go a long way in making things easier.

[kingcharlesxii]

Originally Posted by rwd59

Night, I reinstalled IE6 and all the patches. No luck. I know a reformat is probably coming one day, but I refuse that option right now.A question that has yet to be answered is why did OOTP5 and OOTP6 both stop working. Still want to believe a windows file got corrupted or changed, but if so why no other problems. If it is a registry problem why would the OOTP5 pointer have changed when I haven't played that game since OOTP5 came out? Some file or process the game (both versions) is using is causing my problem and it is only with this game. Markus is the only one who really can help me or so it seems, that hasn't happened and considering that this has been going on for over a month and no attempts from him to help, doesn't look like it is going to happen. It looks like I am SOL. If I was more comfortable with a reformat it would have already happened. The lack of an official customer support person(s) is really discouraging. Maybe that will change with the SI version. Henry has tried, but he is quick to point out that he is not a company employee, just a volunteer. I again thank you for your attempts to help.

No doubt a Windows file got messed up. Unfortunately, that only narrows it down to a couple thousand files.

A system reinstall really isn't all that painful (my completely computer illiterate sister has done it before with no problems) especially if you have a system restore disk like Henry says. The reinstall should fix your problem. The only other solution I can think of is to manually reinstall every Windows file one at a time until you find the offending one. This would take far, far longer than a complete reinstall.

A suggestion I often make is to make a System Restore point in Windows XP right after the reinstall. This way, you can basically do a reinstall with the click of a button in the future.

It would be great if OOTP had a full-time paid customer support rep but I can't imagine it's economically feasible at this point in time. I also don't think you're "SOL" since you have been given a solution that should fix your game. Sure it's not the most fun solution ever but it should work and you could be playing OOTP again in a few hours rather than waiting a long time for a personal reply from Markus which may never come (these problems are almost impossible to diagnose unless you're sitting right in front of the computer in question).

Good luck and I'll try to help if you have more questions. Like I posted before, system reinstalls are a breeze if you back up your web browser bookmarks, email, saved games and any documents/spreadsheets you have.

[rwd59]

Originally Posted by Henry

Because V5 and V6 use the same Windows files. Your probably correct that the file in question probably got changed, but like I said earlier - trying to figure out which one would be a massive undertaking.

Is your machine a brand name? The reason I ask is becasue most brand name machines have a recovery disk to put the machine back to factory release. That would go a long way in making things easier.

It is a Dell.

[kingcharlesxii]

Originally Posted by rwd59

It is a Dell.

I know quite a bit about Dells There should be a disk called "Reinstallation CD" that has your operating system and some Dell-specific programs on it.