Can Someone Please Help Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Meiyo]

Hello all. I'm going crazy. Several months ago I bought TR3, 4, and 5, and all 3 have problems. I've called Eidos direct MANY times trying to figure what's wrong, but nothing is working. Here's a quick run-down on the problems:

TR3 - Game play is fine; the opening movie works sporadically; movies between levels don't work at all; Lara's walkthrough instructions in her house don't work at all.

TR4 - Game seems to install and the status bar for loading the game appears, but once the bar crosses the screen I'm kicked back to desktop. I took the game to my work system and it won't install there either.

TR5 - Game seems to install and the opening movie works fine. But, once the status bar crosses the screen I'm kicked back to desktop, just like TR4.

I'm going a little crazy trying to find what's wrong. TR1 and 2 have no problems at all. I'm running Windows 98, and have updated all drivers. I'd appreciate any suggestions or ideas.

[John Carter]

Need more information on your system. Post your dxdiag output, please. ("Run", type "dxdiag", select "save all information", cut and paste the txt file output into the post).

Have you patched TR III and TR 4?

[Muad Dib]

Are you running Windows XP? Sounds like problems I encountered when I upgraded from Win ME to Win XP. If so you need to get the XP patched "TOMB" exe's. Don't count on Eidos to help since they "don't support XP" just like they don't support TR1 anymore either.

Try

http://www.tombraiderchronicles.com

They have patched XP exes which worked for me (WIN XP Home ed.). Some quirks I found even with the patches (don't ask me why!):

TR3 - Run in Win 98 compatibility mode even if they say you don;t have to. Also put it in your lowest letter drive.

TR4 - Run in Win 98 compatibility mode but you had best find the patch that speeds up the level loading if you want to finish the game in your lifetime. Send me an e-mail if you can't find it (someone in this forum has it, as I recall that is where I got it). Beware of the patched exe, any saved games from the un-patched exe will not work right.

TR5 - DON'T run in Win '98 compatibility mode even if they say to do so.

I all cases after copying the XP patched exe's into place first execute the setup routine before attempting to play the game, and set/unset the resolution and full screen mode setting until they work. My hardware likes the full screen on some and not on others, again don't ask me why, but I think it the Win XP.

I managed to get TR-1 thru 5 all to work in XP and even off virtual drives as well. It;s noce to have a <1 second load!

Good luck,

[CyCro]

Originally posted by Muad Dib
Are you running Windows XP?

Originally posted by Meiyo
I'm running Windows 98

[Muad Dib]

Meiyo,

Without any other information...

Is your Win '98 system fully patched, especially the video and audio drivers for your hardware? Go to Windows Update and let them scan for new updates, do it soon MS is "dropping support for Win '98". If you have not done this in a while be prepared. I did it for a school where I do volunteer work, one machine needed 14 critical and 9 recommended updates, a lot of fun over a dial-up.

What are your hardware specs?

Are you starting the game through the setup programs and still getting dumped out back to '98? Your symptoms sound like a problem when the Tr's try to initialize the video card. Not enough information to be sure.

1) If you can, start using the setup programs, ensure the lowest resolution (640x480) first.

REMEMBER- Some TR's reset to the default settings every time setup is run so you will have to make alterations uniformly and EVERY time you get consistent test results,

2) If you can start using the setup program and select 640x480 resolution AND the software graphics drivers (not the best way to run but it may isolate it as a problem with your card/driver).

3) Get to your device manger window (Hmmm... '98... it's been a while.... START>SETTINGS>CONTROL PANEL>SYSTEM>DEVICE MANAGER maybe? Or try HELP and search for "device manager").

See any yellow question marks or red "X" es? If so, where?

Muad Dib

[Bazzabazz]

Hold it hold it hold it!

I had exactly this prob. It all starts when u try to run the game from the auto-start CD startup, after choosing options and doing the setup, you expect it to run the game, but it bombs. Instead, put in the CD without auto-run (or cancel if it comes on), then run it from the Start bar entry (or from the C:/... program). This should work just fine.

It drove me nuts 'til I tried it this way, and I've had no problems since.

Bazz