Help - can't play GWX - SH3 causes reboot :(

[DerXL]

Hi Vikinger

Thanks for your advice.

I do indeed have a legit copy of XP (though only with a recovery CD, no full version), but the last time I tried to upgrade to SP2 something went wrong (and I don't know what), but it cost me a lot of sweat, swearing and almost tears before I got my rig running again, so if I can avoid it (upgrading that is), I will.

Otherwise I must admit that I've been a bit sloppy and don't have the latest ATi-drivers etc. Though until now it has never given me a problem.

As a matter of fact, I thought I had solved the problem by taking out the RAM and videocard, clean the connectors and putting them back in. Because I've played GWX for several days without a problem.

Sadly, at one point the crew decided to ignore me and would not speak to me anymore . Although other sound effects continued to work without a hitch.
I read about missing sound effects in another thread so I did a full uninstall and installed everything again, but sadly, the crew still would not speak to me.

But I was happy enough to finally play GWX, so I decided to ignore it. Until yesterday. Once more upon entering the conning tower (F4) the system crashed and rebooted.
So for now I've decided to put SH3 aside and maybe when I feel like it I'm going to try and solve my problems.
I'm just a bit disappointed (in my system that is), as GW1.1a worked perfectly.
When I feel like tackling this once more, I'll certainly try your advice Vikinger.

Regards,
Axel.

[SquareSteelBar]

Hi panthercules,

sometimes it's helpful to update the chipset drivers of the mainboard:hmm:

SSB

[panthercules]

Well, the long travail comes to an end at last. And, I must say, the StarForce guys deserve the credit for pointing the way to the solution, and it looks like it probably turned out not to be their fault after all.

They actually did respond to my e-mail, and asked me to do some things to collect error messages and minidump files to give them some info about the crashes. When I did so, I finally saw an error message that made reference to what looked like an nVidia graphics card driver. That caused me to remember that I was using a beta set of video drivers that I had installed to fix a graphics glitch problem I was having with IL-2/FB/PF, so I installed the latest "official" video card drivers and voila! - SH3 works again!!!!!! (The StarForce guys' later response to the info I'd sent them also indicated that they thought the nVidia drivers were the probable source of the problem - I'm still not crazy about their protection system but gotta give them credit for helping out when they didn't have to)

I can't believe it turned out to be that simple, but I'm loving it anyway - loaded up GWX with my personal tweaks last night, and it looks awesome so far (just barely pulled out of port so far, but still - AWESOME!)

Only thing I can figure was that I never actually tried running my fresh install on this machine - I copied in my old tweaked GW1.0x install right on top of it before I ever ran it, and my opening sequence may have been modded/tweaked in that install in some way that allowed it to work with those beta drivers somehow, whereas something about the stock game intro sequence caused some hiccup with those beta drivers. Whatever it was, I'm glad it's over and I can get my Kaleun back out to sea

Thanks to all you folks who offered help and suggestions, here and in PMs - this community is the best I've seen since my old IL-2 days for helping out in a pinch - much obliged!

To anybody else having a similar problem - word to the wise - check your video drivers !

[bigboywooly]

Glad you have it sorted Panther

Yes video and sound drivers can have a bearing on SH3
And its usually the last place we look

Good hunting