New EU player seeks enlihtenment on why game has crashed his whole computer?

[unmerged(4443)]

Hello,

I just got EU on 15th and when I installed it, i was able to play it.
All good and well so far.

When i closed the game, It gave me a message about the download patch 1.09 and then tried to restart my computer. I just switched off at the box (I'm not computer literate, just a user)and thought nothing more of it.

Since then, my computer will not function. When I start it up, I get an error message that Explorer (I use Windows 98) has caused an invalid page fault at explorer.EXE at 0167:00401f31 and then alot of detail about Registers, Bytes and stack dumps.

At other times the startup involves Scan disk telling me that it has "detected an invalid long file name"

Under either scenario, none of my icons opened and the computer is unusable.

My brother in law is an IT help-desk guru and he was able to tell me how to replace explorer with program manager in the start up routine, which I have since used to open AOL and contact you. but I cannot get my Control panel to run in order to delete EU which i assume is causing the problem.

I'm advised that it may be something to do with an AOL update that i accepted at a recent Login to AOL. my own fear is that I downloaded the 1.09 patch (or tried to) but never unzipped it, before i installed the game.

I'm facing the prospect of having windows fully reinstaled (which is not too much pain luckilly enough) unless another slution presents itself.

Is this a problem that anyone else has had or an I just unlucky (or plain stupid)?

I'm going to be away on holiday till next saturday, so if some kind soul does have any helpfull suggestions, please don't be offended by my lack of response.

please help, I'd like to be able to play EU sometime!

 

[unmerged(4443)]

Paulo
Just a reminder and I know it's late, but next time, use a spellcheck!!

 

[Emre Yigit]

Exactly the same thing happened to me.

Fortunately, I had my system files on one hard drive and the really important stuff (games, etc) on the other.

After extensive research on my own and extensive technical help, I still do not know whether EU was the problem or something else.

I reformatted and switched from Win98 to Win ME.

Now the game only crashes as I exit.

 

[dudmont]

I'd recommend running an update program. Bigfix(free download) or Cnet(also free) has an updates page as well. These programs will check all your installed programs and will give a list of new updates that you can download. I'd also think about re-installing the OS, or running system file checker.

 

[Paradox Interactive]

I wish I could help you out here in an easy way.

It seems that something has messed up your system big time. I can promise you that it isn't EU and the update. It won't touch your system files at all. The only thing it does is that it writes some strings to your registry and those are never used by any other program at all. I would guess that your AOL update may have done something.


Patric

 

[unmerged(1095)]

..........and switching off "at the box" whilst the HDD was being accessed is *not* recommended either!
I advise that you ask your Brother in Law to do a complete system format and reinstallation. Do not try yourself -
In the meantime make sure that you have all the sound, graphic etc drivers Discs ready. I assume that you havent a bootable floppy so ask him to provide one.
One the system is going again then do a Scandisc to see if there was any damage to the HDD.
Not unzipping ( or even downloading) the 1.09 patch would not have caused this. I believe that you switched off whilst the HDD heads were hovering above a platter. When you switched off the head may have touched the surface and damaged it. Scandisc will tell you once you have the thing going again.
If it wont go again then - heck - HDDs are pretty cheap nowadays!

"The quickest lessons learnt are those learnt from expensive mistakes." - K Wells(1942-)

 

[unmerged(4443)]

Dear all,

Many thanks for responding to my pleas for aid. Also it was good to see that I am not alone with my problems.

The good news is that I downloaded a new upgrade from AOL and as if by magic my systems started to work again.

There is a lesson here: beware friendly AOL bearing upgrades!!

That said, like Emrit I then suffered crashes when i exited the game, but reading other mails, I will now try to use the CNTRL-ALT-DEL route instead.

Finally, I am hoping to upgrade from 98 to WinME which sould also help matters.

Only one question remains.

Why can't I save a game in the tutorial? I am able to in the grand campaign, but not the tutorial. Any takers?

Many thanks again.

 

[unmerged(1095)]

Probably because you have to use the 1.09 patch.
There was no save game with the tutorial originally.
Try patching it again.
AOL have a bad name this side of the Atlantic for messing systems up - there are better, home grown options.