Darwinia Bug - Black Screen Game Crashes shortly after Start

[aphelion]

I've bought Darwinia and Defcon over Steam shortly. But I can't start the games, the error is the same for both games. If I try to start them, it comes a black screen for a few seconds and then it returns to windows (seems like the game crashes). I don't see any game menu or something like that.

I've also tried the hint with the preferences.txt file and the RenderLandscapeMode. I've tried all three settings (1,2 & 0) but the game doesn't start either. It only changes that the black screen appears in a window instead of full screen.

There's no blackbox file in the darwinia directory. My system specifications are as follows:

AMD Athlon processor, MMX, 3DNow, 1 Ghz
512 MB RAM
Microstar International Co. Ltd.
MS-6330
Nvidia GeForce 6600 (256 MB RAM)
Terratec Sixpack Soundcard (with latest available Driver)
Samsung SyncMaster 940B LCD Screen

Microsoft Windows XP Prof. SP 2 (with all Updates)
Direct X 9.0c (December)

So what can I do to play the games? please help!

[NeoThermic]

Updated your nVidia drivers? This appears to be a classic example of outdated ones.

NeoThermic

[aphelion]

yes, although I've first used the latest ngo modified nvidia drivers, I've now tried to use the latest whql certified forceware driver from nvidia... v. 93.71, but the game doesn't work, I'm only getting a black screen for seconds and then the game crashes.

[sirvoks]

Try an erlier driver. The lastest drivers aren't always working.

Also, if you do not live in US, are you using the international driver ?

[aphelion]

I've the same Problem with Nvidia Forceware WHQL v. 81.98, I guess the error is not due a problem with the graphic driver, cause with 3 different drivers I had the same problem.

[Montyphy]

You don't happen to be using some form of theme program like Winstyle or Winblinds, do you?

[aphelion]

no... there's only running the web accelerator from google, avira antivir, logitech setpoint.

[sirvoks]

Post your preferences.txt file. Is it ONLY Darwinia and Defcon ? Do other games work ? Does it only happen when you play ?

[aphelion]

It's also happening with Uplink. Uplink has created an Error Report, I've sent it. (CRASH REFERENCE CODE: 52557cb0). I guess I can't post the error log here, it's too long.

With GLTron it's the same Problem, but it's a Beta Version of a Freeware Game. Half Life 2, HL 2 Episode 1 and Half Life Source does work.

the content of the preferences.txt file:

RenderLandscapeMode = 1

[sirvoks]

Pastebin the whole preferences file. http://darwinia.pastebin.com
Also pastebin the error log. Then post the links.

It's a little slow.. but uh, just have patience.

[frenchfrog]

It's also happening with Uplink. Uplink has created an Error Report, I've sent it. (CRASH REFERENCE CODE: 52557cb0)

My reply to his crash report before reading this thread.

I just received your Uplink crash report and it's crashing in the
nVidia driver (nvoglnt.dll), it seems your nvidia driver is version
81.98 (12/10/2005) which is not the latest, I would recommend that you
update your nVidia drivers.

If it doesn't works, you could try to use software rendering by
putting http://www.uplink.co.uk/test/opengl32.dll in your Uplink
directory.

It seems all games based on OpenGL or SDL crash on your box. Perhaps try creating a new profile in your nVidia driver for Uplink or Darwinia with anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering and v-sync truned off.

Perhaps try to get the latest driver for your motherboard.

Name: VIA CPU to AGP Controller
Device ID: PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_8305&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_00\3&61AAA01&0&08
Driver: C:\WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\VIAAGP1.SYS, 5.00.0000.3430 (English), 7/24/2002 04:30:00, 32128 bytes

You could even try playing with AGP Aperture size in the BIOS.

[aphelion]

hy, I've now again installed nvidia forceware win xp 2k International whql v. 93.71, same error. also with turning anti-aliasing, anisotropic filterung and v-sync off.

I've again sent a new error log with the new graphics driver with uplink. The error seems to be the same as before... (Uplink caused an Illegal Instruction (0xc000001d) in module nvoglnt.dll at 001b:6957d78f.)

the latest recommended driver for the motherboard is installed on my system (via 4in1 v. 443). I've tried to set the agp aperture size to 128 or 256 mb.

[aphelion]

some interesting thing... if I put the opengl32.dll which frenchfrog has published, in the darwinia directory, the game starts, but extremely slow, unplayable, with fps 1 or something like that.

[sirvoks]

Quite interesting.

I'd say heatproblem, or an error with some of your hardware. Could be tons of things.

[frenchfrog]

Nah, the game is crashing too fast to be a heat problem, also HL2 works.

As for the opengl32.dll file it does the rendering in softwae which need a lots of CPU cycles, which you don't have with your AMD 1 Ghz computer.

I have a system similar to yours, 1.33 Ghz AMD, GeForce 4, with a VIA chipset motherboard and I must say that this combo simply doesn't works for some games (probably because of some incompatibility between the VIA drivers and the nVidia drivers). If I remember correctly, I was force to ignore the whole 70 series of nVidia drivers because HL2 wouldn't work with them. Currently, I run the nVidia driver 84.21 with some AMD agp drivers (because my board as a hybrid amd/via chipset solution ) but I remember trying the via drivers 4in1 v. 443.