A new career save game problem?

[Redbear]

Hi all. I'm about ready to do a reload of the game (again), but before I do I was wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this one: I had been progressing through a career with no problems, and was up to August 1940. I loaded the latest save from the career screen and just after getting the 'initializing' message, the screen went black, followed by a CTD. OK I thought, it happens, so I restarted the game and when I went to the saved career screen I noticed that the latest save had the correct date, but the PREVIOUS save now had the current date (as if it happened later than the most recent save). I tried loading an EARLIER save, to get behind the 'problem' and it kept happening, always changing the save prior to the one I was trying to load to the current date. I finally dumped my old career folder and started a new one. The first save out of port went OK, but when I tried to load it today, the same thing happened. Now my first save 'in mission' is dated 8/21/11 (correct) and the 'in base before mission' is dated 9/3/11! Every load of the latest save gives me a black screen - CTD. No recent mods, etc. to cause any changes. Anyone seen that before? :damn:

[theroc44]

Hi all. I'm about ready to do a reload of the game (again), but before I do I was wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this one: I had been progressing through a career with no problems, and was up to August 1940. I loaded the latest save from the career screen and just after getting the 'initializing' message, the screen went black, followed by a CTD. OK I thought, it happens, so I restarted the game and when I went to the saved career screen I noticed that the latest save had the correct date, but the PREVIOUS save now had the current date (as if it happened later than the most recent save). I tried loading an EARLIER save, to get behind the 'problem' and it kept happening, always changing the save prior to the one I was trying to load to the current date. I finally dumped my old career folder and started a new one. The first save out of port went OK, but when I tried to load it today, the same thing happened. Now my first save 'in mission' is dated 8/21/11 (correct) and the 'in base before mission' is dated 9/3/11! Every load of the latest save gives me a black screen - CTD. No recent mods, etc. to cause any changes. Anyone seen that before? :damn:


System specs
what mods your running
and what windows are you running

[Osmium Steele]

That has happened to me. My only remedy at the time was to go back to the "In Base Before Mission" save and start there. It was still glitchy, but was fine after I saved that one and restarted, leading me to believe the glitches were from not rolling back SH3 after the initial crash.

I use the automatic rollback on exit option in Commander.

[Redbear]

Well, it's gone from bad to worse. I tried to reload after uninstalling the program (including the SH3 folder in 'my documents'). I managed to relaod the program, but it won't allow me to successfully patch up to version 1.4b. I'm getting a '0x1a000008 menuID not found' error when I try to run the program after patching (successfully according to the patch). I re-downloaded the patch verifying it is the correct one for my SH3 version (US DVD). I then tried to 'bypass' the patch by copying over the contents of my 'data' folder from a prevous bach-up disc (done in April, when the gane was running OK, it includes the 1.4b patch, I think, unless the patch modified files outside of the data folder). That allows me to open the game, and navigate to all the screens and make changes (like the language preferences), but when I try to open a single mission, the loading bar stops just prior to the end and the computer locks up, finally giving me an 'sh3' error message. I then copied over the entire menu folder from the 'clean' reload (which I made a copy of), but that also locks up trying to load a mission. Has anyone found a way past the 1.4b pact error message? What I don't understand is that I have successfully reloaded and patched the program using the same files before! :damn:

I have an old P4 2.5 GHz PC running XP SP2. 1G RAM and a ti4600 video card. It's old, but it has rn SH3 very well over the past 6 years. As far as mods go, there aren't any when I'm trying to patch a new relaod to 1.4b.

[Sailor Steve]

How new is your copy? If it's newer than a couple of years ago it's already patched, which would be why it won't let you patch it. If it's older you can get a fully patched protection-free copy cheap.
http://www.amazon.com/Encore-16560-Silent-Hunter-2/dp/B0017HIH6O/ref=sr_1_5?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1315251409&sr=1-5

I you choose that route click the Subsim Amazon link in my sig before ordering. That way Subsim.com gets a cut.

[Jimbuna]

I'm afraid your current installation is corrupted beyond repair...

Uninsatall (preferably using the disc option), delete the SH3 folder in C\MyDocs then perform a registry clean with the free trial option here:

http://www.regvac.com/fregvac.htm

Now reinstall.

[Redbear]

Thanks for the replies all. Sorry for the late response, but I only have a little time on weekends to do this.
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jimbuna, I did exactly as you suggested, including using the registry cleaner you provided a link to. The game then loaded, and the patch 'worked', but when I tried to run the game, just before the red loading bar reached the end on the main loading screen the screen went black and CTD'd. The error message was for 'simData.dll'. I tried replacing that file with the original 'pre-patch' one, but the game won't even attempt to load in that case. This is sooooooooooooooo frustrating! I can't get a working 1.4 version. Has anyone else had this problem and found a solution? I'm about out of ideas
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Sailor Steve, I think I will try a parallel path as you suggest. My disc is definately the old unpatched version. I just can't understand why it patched OK at one time but won't now.

[Redbear]

jimbuna....It worked!!!!!!! I had a minor 'brain cramp' when I tried your suggestions the first time. Although I uninstalled the game from the disc successfully, there was still a Ubisoft/Silent Hunter III folder left behind with files in it. They must have interfered with the re-load - patch. When I tried again and also deleted the entire SH3 folder, it worked. I now appear to have a working 1.4 version because I was able to load up and run a single mission. Thanks so much for your help!!! I have been 'on dry land' much too long. :yeah:
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Sailor Steve, I ordered a new copy of the game through the subsim Amazon link. For a few dollars, I don't think it's a bad idea to have another option with an already patched disc. Thanks for the tip!
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See you both in the Atlantic!

[Sailor Steve]

Sailor Steve, I ordered a new copy of the game through the subsim Amazon link. For a few dollars, I don't think it's a bad idea to have another option with an already patched disc. Thanks for the tip!
Cool, and glad you got it working. Here's a suggestion, though. Clean everything out and reinstall it with the new disc, as it also doesn't have the Starforce copy protection on it, which has been known to eat the occasional disc drive. Then do a system search for Starforce, and physically remove every trace of it. I've been using the new disc for several years now, but intil someone mentioned it I never considered that it might still be on my computer.

[Jimbuna]

Pleased your sorted http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Redbear]

I'll do that Sailor Steve. New disc is on it's way. Thanks again!