Need some help with error messages please.

[HolySdrJR]

This is what I would do if I were in your situation (bear with me here, I know you've done some of these):

1. Uninstall (w/restart) - reinstall (w/restart) w/o patches
2. Uninstall (w/restart) - reinstall (w/restart) w/1.1 patch
3. Uninstall (w/restart) - reinstall (w/restart) (apply 1.1 patch, then 1.2 - don't skip over 1.1)

You said it works with out any patches? This suggests the patches are currupt.

1. Download a new patches, following same routine as above.

Still not working? Before I go any further, I want to make sure it's my PC not the program...

1. Grab another PC and try the install on that one. Since we're getting the error during the install now, it doesn't have to be a PC that will run the program, just one that will install. Although - getting as close as possible to your PC would be "experimentally" correct.

Installs on the new PC?

1. Try to run it (again, it helps to have another PC similar to your own). Run it for an hour, sit and play it at that computer. Tell your wife/brother/mother/uncle that you are commandeering their PC for research reasons - they might let you use it for a while. On second thought, maybe not ;-)

Still not working? Check your directX and driver installation.

1. Start->Run...->"dxdiag"
2. Go to the Sound tab
3. Test sound at the current level (there are four - something like off, low, med, high) - if you get a driver issue here, update your directX - or reinstall
4. Turn OFF Sound acceleration and try the game.
5. Check your System hardware and see if there are any '?' or '!' - and then fix the problem.
6. If you just updated your drivers, roll them back.
7. Defrag
8. Disk check
9. Memory check (my opinion: at least 24 hours of constant memcheck is needed to 'find' any errors)
10. Back up your data and do a fresh install of your chosen operating system. Update the drivers, update the O/S, install the game. DO NOT INSTALL anti-virus or anything else until you know if the game works/doesn't work

There might be more stuff to try too, I had a bunch in my head before I started this, but I keep getting sidetracked by children... I know it might take a while to try all this stuff, but look at it this way - there might be a 1.3 patch out by the time you figure out that there was nothing wrong with your PC, and it's just another bug in the software... ;-)