Ubi SH5 packaging says Win7 supported-Any new ideas?

[Nordo130]

Hi folks,

Was happily playing SH5 on a WinXP/MCE system, as well as SH3 & 4 previously. Retail packaging on SH5 says game supported on Windows 7 OS. Okay. Good to go for upgrade, right?

Upgraded machine (i7-930, Win7-64bit, 470GTX (drivers 266.58 aka newest), 6GB RAM, latest DirectX updates.

Previous SH5 install didn't work. Reinstalled SH5 to continue happy hunting in the north atlantic. Loaded to own folder in C: 32 bit drive.

When installing to include automatic upgrade to 1.2 (and subsequent re-re-re-installing) it then says insufficient RAM, and video driver too old.

When starting new campaign I get black screen with my buddy saying "returning to course Captain..." in the background and then game crashes to desktop.

Have tried "3GB switch" selected on & off, and WinXP SP2 and WinME compatibility modes to no effect. No mods yet, just retail game.

I've tried everything I can think of short of registry mod, and don't have much faith there. Out of ideas. Anyone? Anyone?

Thanks in advance for ANY new ideas you may have. My appologies to those who have already posted potential solutions, but nothing I've read here seems to work for me.

Nordo130

[BigBANGtheory]

It sounds to me like the root of your problem was doing an inplace upgrade of WinXP/MCE to Win7 (x64) as opposed to a clean/new install of Win7.

Have you got a 2nd hard disk to test a clean install on?

[Bilge_Rat]

running it with win 7 64 bit here with no problems. just installed it to its own folder, no compatibility mode.

upgrade v. clean instal may be an issue, especially since I understand SH5 did not run on your XP instal?

[capt-jones]

:salute: WINDOWS 7 here no problem,sounds like you have a problem :ping:

[Kentrat]

Win 7 64 bit with no problems here too

[Wilcke]

Concur best to do clean OS installs. The upgrading of an older OS is sketchy and I stopped that practice many versions ago!

[Webster]

windows 7 is NOT compatable to upgrade from xp (it says so right on the box)

you have to reformat the drive its on and do a clean fresh install

windows 7 has no issues with where you load things and will be fine to use all the default loading places software is sset up for, where needed win7 will automaticly create special folders and install locations. (its pretty much a "automaticly do it all for you" OS)


win7 64bit with 4GB ram and 460 GTX here and sh5 installed by simply letting it install normally (you will need to install DX9.0c AND the DX stuff that comes with the game

EDIT: to clarify, IIRC you can upgrade from XP or ME to Vista and you can go from a non upgrade version of Vista to Win7 but you CANT upgrade from XP or ME to Vista and then go from an upgraded version of Vista to Win7

[Seeadler]

When starting new campaign I get black screen with my buddy saying "returning to course Captain..." in the background and then game crashes to desktop.


Make sure that the Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable 9.0.30729.4974 are not installed on your system, check it via control panel -> programs and features (any version below .4974 is ok )

If installed, deinstall the Redistributable 9.0.30729.4974 and install the ones from the SH5 DVD(installer: \Support\VCRedist\vcredist_x86.exe)

[Nordo130]

Hmmm... Hearing that it works on your Win7 installs actually makes me less happy... Means I got a glitch somewhere.:damn:

My bad for not including the fact my install was a "clean" on a reformatted drive. I just played HD musical chairs with existing folders/back-ups before the rebuild.

I did try the install to seperate folder, and the driver roll-back to oldest one on nVidia site, obviously with no effect. I'll try that DX redistributable suggestion next.

Thanks to ALL for your inputs! At least I know it CAN be done at some point so I'll continue on. (Great forum)

[Nordo130]

Half day later.....

Tried C++ redistributable re-install, newest & oldest nVidia driver (266. & 197.), DirectX 9.0c update, as very first program on a new Win7 install. Still crashes CTD at begining of campaign just past cut scenes.

The fact that others are getting a functioning product under Win7 is somewhat frustrating.

Out of ideas.

[THE_MASK]

sound card drivers ?

[wingtip]

its not sound card drivers... again as everyone has tried to tell him, win7 is a whole different hiarchy totally different to vista and 20 year old xp... DO A CLEAN INSTALL OF 7 dude....

[Nordo130]

Thanks. Did do a clean install, checked disc, ran defrag, then loaded SH5 as very first program, to avoid any conflicts. No effect. Then tried another clean install and set SH5 as own folder on C:, still no improvement.

Installing SH5 I typically get the SH5 "hardware checker page" or whatever they call it and it still gives a caution for only 2GB of RAM eventhough I have 6GB physical and 3GB switch turned on, and second "incompatible" for video driver being too old "168(?) or better is required" eventhough I'm using 197 which is oldest nVidia archives. Did try Win7 install disc default video drivers, but that wouldn't even start cut scenes.

I think I've spent more time trying to fix it than I did playing when it was running under XP/MCE.

About time to give up and call my $60 a learning experience. Thanks for all the help folks.

[TheDarkWraith]

Installing SH5 I typically get the SH5 "hardware checker page" or whatever they call it and it still gives a caution for only 2GB of RAM eventhough I have 6GB physical

that right there should clue you into a memory problem. Yes, you might have 6GB physical hardware wise but I don't think it's 'working'. What happens when you check start-->Control panel-->System? What does it say for Installed Memory (RAM)? I suspect it's going to tell you 2GB. If it does you have something wrong with either your mobo or one/some of the memory sticks.

[pants_marshall]

you can download memtest > HERE (http://www.memtest.org/), which runs tests and will tell you if you have a problem with your ram. It is a free program and would be a good starting point - it wont be the fact that your using win 7, i run sh5 on win 7 64bit without the issues you have ;)

[wingtip]

Wraith raises a good point.. If your sysinfo doesnt show all the ram you have installed you might power down the machine and remove the ram and re insert... I have experienced a similiar issue during a windows install and couldnt figure out why i kept getting all sorts of errors and someone said just re insert everything and bam, windows installed without a flaw with no errors...


Hope you get it fixed... cause then you can look forward to the suffering of modding sh5 to death just to make it playable lol....

I still enjoy my sh3 and sh4 but have yet to buy sh5 yet.. especially after reading so many people with 50 plus mods just to make it "enjoyable"..

[nikimcbee]

running it with win 7 64 bit here with no problems. just installed it to its own folder, no compatibility mode.

upgrade v. clean instal may be an issue, especially since I understand SH5 did not run on your XP instal?
That's good to hear. I have win 7 x64bit. I'd hate to flush $4.60 down the toilet.:haha:

[L_DOG]

Try adding ur old hard drive to the machine and using WinXP as a second OS , install the game in the Winxp hard drive. see if it will work.

[GT182]

Sounds like a memory problem.... bad cards or not seated properly. Could be a motherboard problem too.

SH5 runs on my XP computer. Also SHIII is running from the HDD out of my old computer which I've added to this computer.

The SH5 Compatability scan will show that some very good graphics cards need upgrading. Ignor it and install SH5..... it's what I did. That's the only way to find out if you card will work ok. Happend with my Zotac 8800GT 1GB DDR3 memory graphics card.... which runs SH5 just fine.

[Nordo130]

TheDarkWraith had a great point I hadn't thought about checking....but alas (post check)...system does "see" 6GB... Swapping drives, rubbing my tummy while patting my head & singing show tunes... just too much for a game..... Great Game... but a game none the less..

FUDGE!!! Double-FUDGE!!! and I mean that in a very unprofessional caustic Anti-Bill Gates sorta' way (...sorry 'bout that Billy-G, just angry.. love your work, dude......hello ...anyone...?)

[Nordo130]

Tried Nikimcbee's idea as well... no effect...

[Webster]

i just had "issues" with a new upgrade to a 460 GTX and it may not help you out but this is how mine was resolved:


ok, final update because im pretty sure its fixed now

after "JrRacinFan" suggested the older drivers i tried the oldest i could get to work which was the 261.01 that was on the disk that came with the card then i reinstalled directX 9.0c (for about the fifth time) but that didnt fix it so i realised what i did not do before was use the video card disk to download directX 10 & 11 (since directX 11 comes with win7 i figure there was no point) then i updated it to the latest 266.58 driver from Nvidia website.

something in this combination did the trick because now it works fine AND things seam to be running faster so it was possably a DirectX issue but i think it was also missing some Nvidia files too so i guess the Nvidia download was only meant as an upgrade and only included the display driver and maybe there were some other "needed" files that i must have only gotten from my disk.

i'm just so used to tossing the disk aside and going straight to Nvidia because all the times before this i never needed anything besides the download they offered and we all know the disks that come with cards are never up to date.

the changes i noticed to my computer files was that before when it didnt work all i had was just one Nvidia folder in the main C drive directory called "NVIDIA"

now that it does work i still have the folder in the main C drive directory called "NVIDIA"
but now i also see 2 more Nvidia folders that were not there before, one is in the "Programs Files (x86)" and is named "NVIDIA Corporation" and the other is in "Programs Files" and is also named "NVIDIA Corporation"

thank you to everyone for all the help and advice

bottom line of what you should do:

install the CD driver package that comes with the card and only "then" should you upgrade your drivers, dont just go straight to the latest driver download. (which is what i always used to do and never had any issues until now)

next install ALL versions of DirectX 9.0c, DirectX 10, and DirectX 11 yourself and dont depend on whats supplied in Win7. (i installed DirectX 9.0c and the driver CD with the card had DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 on it so i installed them from the disk).

take note of how i had files that werent there before and see if you have those files or if you are missing them as well.

and finally its basic info but easy to forget, reboot after you finish before deciding if it works or not

[ingsoc84]

Hello Webster.interesting post..Ive read enough and am building a new system..confindent windows 7 will run the game fine...I just need a bit of advice re the direct x installations..part of it is my own ignorance. I understand Windows 7 will on its own install Directx 11 (I will be going the 64 routhe and think windows 7 runs only in 64 bit) however..how do I specificially install windows 9c and 10 after windows installs 11? I was under the impression VERY likely wrong..that once your system installs directx 11..that is a permanent install.and you cant install what many now would consider to be these "legacy" direct x version..9c and 10...so.....how do I physically install the earlier versions..and say..if I do a "run" command dxdiag..will it show ALL versions of direct x installed ..that is.11 10 and 9c? thanks

[TestyPilot]

@Nordo

If this is an upgraded machine, do you have an older GPU that you can try? I know driver uninstalling, cleaning, reinstalling is a pita sometimes (especially after all the other things you have already tried :o).

As an example of where I am going: Some GTX 460 owners can't play the Valve Left4Dead series - it's just not supported (some can, of course, but the ones that can't, will never on that card in that machine). Some previous owners of decent (for the time) ATI and nVidia cards would crash out of a popular RPG.

In other words, sometimes you are doing everything right, and everything IS clean... it just doesn't work. I am hopeful you will solve it, and many of the posts have already covered the troubleshooting chart. I didn't see a "swap" so I'm adding it because that's next if the parts are all "true".

Good luck!

[Rykaird]

I have a brand new 64 bit machine I built, 6Gbs of RAM. I also get the "insufficient RAM" warning when installing SH5. In my case the memory is there and working fine, and the game runs really well.

So not sure if the specific issue on "not enough RAM" is with your machine or the Ubi checker program itself.

Or I'm bugged in some new and unforeseen way, which happens to me a lot.

[Nordo130]

Thanks all for the input! Really appreciate it. I have an 8800GT that SH5 ran well on in previous build. Will try swapping out my 470 tomorrow to at least test concept. Hope it works, on the other hand the rest of my programs including SH3, SH3GW, and SHIV, etc., all work great "As Is" so it won't be a permanent fix.

I did add a brand new bare 1TB drive, I'd planned for as B/U. Figured nothin' to lose, so I started at initial format through Win7 install with SH5 as the very first program, even before AV, and it still CTDs when starting campaign just after the voice says "returning to course Captain" as your character is looking up from his bunk.

I considered buying a pre-patched download copy from Steam, just to see if that'd make a diff, but not till they come down off of the $30 they're asking now. On the positive side, it's forced me to go back to SH3 w/ the GW mod for first time in ages. Except for the graphics, it's been a blast.

Again, thanks all!

[Nordo130]

Did the experiment. Results on my rig turned out to be the video card. I rolled back driver to older version (196-ish) and re-installed 8800gtx. Works great! Swapped card back to original 470GTX and it bombs outs as soon as you enter campaign regardless of drivers and other settings.

In short

i7-930, Win7 64, Asus P6X58D Premium, 6GB Corsair Dominator RAM

Old nVidia 8800GTX = Happy
New nVidia 470GTX = Very much foul language!!

This all inludes trying with newest nVidia drivers (270.XX) with same results.

Oh well. Now I know for sure. Older programs like SH3 & SH4 and newer all run better on 470 so I just have to walk away from SH5.

Anyone out there running it on a 570? Just curious.

Cheers!

[TheDarkWraith]

Running it on a EVGA GTX480 with no problems :up:

[Nordo130]

Argh!..... (insert heavy sigh here!)

Whatcha' got goin' on RAM and CPU if I may ask?

Currently running i7-930, ASUS P6X58D, PNY GTX470 (pretty much just reference card), 6GB, Win7 64, etc., current then old drivers, clean install on HD.... it should be smokin. I'm stumped and so is UBI.com.:damn:

[TheDarkWraith]

Argh!..... (insert heavy sigh here!)

Whatcha' got goin' on RAM and CPU if I may ask?

8GB OCZ with AMD Phenom II X4 955 BE OC'd to 3.9GHz. Motherboard is Asus Crosshair Formula III. Win7 Ultimate 64bit for OS.

[Nordo130]

DW,

Thanks for the help! (Love this forum)

Yesterday I'd also read an article referencing 8GB was "the ticket" to Win7 64 bit gaming based on page files, VGA card memory, etc., so I just ordered a 12GB kit to replace my 6GB based mostly on your specs.

While I respect your amazing contributions to this game and forum, please understand, I will be telling my wife the RAM kit was YOUR idea not mine.

Besides, it's cheaper than a new vid card.

Thanks again!

[rickidoo]

I love my 16gig ram. (Win 7 64bit)

Here's a trick if you have that much ram:
Go to http://www.dataram.com/ and get the free ramdrive
Create a ramdrive, say 1MB.
Turn on Readyboost for that drive
Save the "ram data file" and then check "load file automatically on startup"

What this does is make WIn 7 readyboost use the ram drive. Now, Windows must deal with a lot of tiny files, and it normally stores them on a typical readyboost drive which is a "USB Memory" chip when Readyboost is configured the way they suggest. But aiming it at the ram drive seems to make more sense, and with the scheme I outlined above, works quite nicely.