WinXP crash on start, even with latest patch

[x-nert]

Okay, gang...

I solved the Darwinia-won't-run-on-my-HP-Pavilion-laptop problem!

I'm probably going to make a mess of this description since it's been a month or two and I don't remember the details -- but if you search through the other variants of this topic on this board, you should be able to fill in the blanks.

Basically, I downloaded and installed the "Omega" (?) graphics chip drivers, then edited the config file to bypass the intro menu and put me straight into the first board. Once I did that, Darwinia came up and ran just fine. Surprisingly, once I completed the board, I was even able to get back to the main "world menu" without the game crashing!

The only problem I've had is that the new drivers didn't allow video clips (on websites OR locally right here in Windows Media Player) to animate properly -- so I have a situation where I have to "switch drivers" depending on whether I want to watch video clips OR play Darwinia. It's a small price to pay, though.

Good luck...

XN

[Ahnospell44]

OK, So I have read this forum up and down searched and the like, and the best I could come up with is that this file is the cause of darwinia failing "atioglx1.dll" I have a Gateway S4SE, or something like that. and this is the read out I recieved from that download earlier in the forum.

Renderer:
RADEON 7000 SW TCL x86/SSE2
Version:
1.3.1010 WinXP Release
Vender:
ATI Technologies Inc.

Does anyone know of a new driver update? Windows said that there was no later update for the driver. Here is my current preference.txt file posted.

ServerAddress = 127.0.0.1
BypassNetwork = 1
IAmAServer = 1

TextLanguage = english
TextSpeed = 15
HelpEnabled = 1

SoundLibrary = dsound
SoundMixFreq = 22050
SoundMasterVolume = 255
SoundChannels = 32
SoundHW3D = 0
SoundSwapStereo = 0
SoundMemoryUsage = 1
SoundBufferSize = 512
SoundDSP = 1

ScreenWidth = 1024
ScreenHeight = 768
ScreenWindowed = 1
ScreenZDepth = 24
ScreenColourDepth = 32
ScreenRefresh = 60
RenderLandscapeMode = 2
RenderLandscapeDetail = 1
RenderWaterDetail = 1
RenderBuildingDetail = 1
RenderEntityDetail = 1
RenderCloudDetail = 1
RenderPixelShader = 0

ControlMouseButtons = 3
ControlMethod = 1
BootLoader = random
UserProfile = NewUser
RenderSpecialLighting = 0
Difficulty = 1

If anyone can atleast post a link to a 'newest driver' for my 7k series for a laptop I would be all for it. I've tried all the hotfixes throughout the forum, and I'll still keep looking, but just seeing if I can get a good link out of this post.

[NeoThermic]

Well, a Radeon 7000 won't be enough to power Darwinia. Plus ATi stopped making drivers for it about a year ago, so you're fresh out of luck I'm afraid.

NeoThermic

[broadcloak]

But why was a radeon 7000 enough to power the demo just fine but not the actual game? That's why I went out and bought the thing and then found it won't work.

[Montyphy]

Each level has different requirements.

[trickfred]

Each level has different requirements.

I believe it's because the world map makes several OpenGL calls that the regular game levels don't, IIRC. I remember NeoThermic writing something about that with regards to old, crappy ATi cards. (I suppose saying crappy and ATi in the same sentence was redundant...)

Try loading Demo2, and then leaving the level partway through - not quitting the demo, mind you, but selecting 'Reset Level' or 'Leave Level' from the menu (click Esc to see it). You'll be sent out to the world map, and if it crashes, then that's probably your problem - your card doesn't completely support OpenGL (or something).

[TinFoil]

(I suppose saying crappy and ATi in the same sentence was redundant...)

Don't hate, trickfred

OpenGL is, to my knowledge, supported on the 7000. However, the current version of OpenGL is OpenGL 2.0. The 7000 is either OpenGL 1.0 or 1.1, methinks.

[trickfred]

(I suppose saying crappy and ATi in the same sentence was redundant...)

Don't hate, trickfred

Sorry, I don't hate; I just call them likes I see them.

I have had a few ATi cards in the past, and they all wound up either being sub-par, or having driver/conflict issues. Since I've stopped buying them out of habit, I've heard about many other people having problems with them, though I'm certain there must be people that use them problem-free, or they wouldn't sell so damn many of them. Crappy is a subjective term, and I choose to subject ATi to it.

[Ahnospell44]

Sorry, I don't hate; I just call them likes I see them.

lol, whale biologist?

Yea I have to agree, They all cause problems as far as I can see. It ran perfect on my desktop, which had an Nvidia GF4 Ti 4600. But then my computer mysteriously had a problem with the computer not turning back on, so I have moved onto my plans to build a new desktop. However, the odd part was, I was able to run Doom3 on the 7k, just on really low graphics. So, I guess I'll just have to wait till I complete the new desktop to play the cyber goodness.