Info: Windows 7 *GUARANTEED* fix

[Render]

Don - This is/was a fresh download, with all the patches, plus the wide screen beta fix.

I may have also DL'ed NCrawlers fix prior to the beta (I'm guessing the beta would overwrite that?). It's not in my notes, so its possible I may have thought about it and then skipped right to the beta.

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15 years ago I might have been upset at losing the ALT-Tab/boss key. Now I'm just glad its still here to lose. I'm the boss now, don't need the boss key anymore.

HOME
IS
GOOD,
R

[JamesG]

Just an update, I finally figured out what I was doing wrong. It seems that I didn't read the posts right, I was trying to run the game with the options screen, instead of the 'new' Batch file. Now everything is excellent! Thanks again.

[DRG]

This is starting to become hopelessly confused. I posted the BETA fix to this thread becasue it was related to the topic but that was obviously a mistake

The BETA fix that we posted contains a GameOptions.exe that runs a CMD file so running from that, the game starts the way we intended it to start, from the game options screen.

Please tell me which post on this thread you thought confused you into thinking it was the other way around. With this BETA fix what should happen is you click on "Play winSPMBT" the CMD file will run in a small black box and the game will start.

Right now it is not clear if you are using our fix or the original NCrawler fix which only uses a CMD file to start the game directly or if you are trying to start the NCrawler fix from game options which will not work. What it sounds like is you have put in the NCrawler cmd file and tried to run the game from Game Options

What is the name of the CMD file you are using to start the game ??

Is it Win7SPMBT.cmd or win7fix.cmd ???

Don

[JamesG]

Sorry for the confusion, when I would run WinSPMBT from the 'new' options file, the game would load and run and when I quit, for some reason the 'run explorer' wouldn't start. I run the progam directly from the
win7fix.cmd. I did see the small box in the background, so I was assuming that when I launched the program from the options screen the program would close correctly. That was not the case, so what I had to do was select my options, then quit options and then run from the 'new' batch file. I hope this helps.

[JamesG]

Oops, I meant that I am using Win7SPMBT.cmd, NOT "win7fix.cmd". Thanks again.

[oracbob]

Hi,

I have tried the fixes recommended here, including the ones from IMP, Nitro and NCrawler - all to no avail. I seem to have a slightly different problem. I can get the game to load and run ok but am unable to save a PBEM game.

I went back and completely deleted everything and reinstalled the game from the CD reloading all the patches (in order). This generated the same issue - game loads Ok.

The game plays Ok as well and I can run the PBEM turns sent to me perfectly well. It all looks good until the end of the turn and then once the game has completed its routines, only the .cmt file is updated. the .dat file vanishes.

I am running Windows 7 Ultimate on a Dell Inspiron Laptop XPS L701X - Quad 4 Core 8 threads, 16GB Ram and its 64 bit. I am suspecting the 64 bit thing might be an issue as that has caused us a few issues with the software we use at work as well.

Note also that the widescreen update for this game hasn't worked for me - I ended up with the fuzzy odd coloured graphic issue. I then uninstalled everything and reinstalled it and ended up back where I started.

I don't have any XP machines left either unfortunately.

Any way - has anyone else come across this particular issue?

Cheers

[DRG]

When you re-installed the game did you re-install it in the default Program Files folder ?

If yes, re-install in your C: drive. As is mentioned in the read me's in the patches and on these forums Vista and Win7 changed the way files that are installed into the Program files folder and has an annoying tendency to save files elsewhere and this problem goes away when the game is installed outside program files.

There may be a setting that will get Win7 to behave itself and save files where they should be but for now the solution is to install the game outside program files and your .DAT files will no longer "disappear"

Try a file search for SpEml*.* and you'll probably find them stored in some temp folder someplace

You do not tell us if you are trying to run the game windowed or fullscreen in regard to the fullscreen patch.

For the record ALL of the patches for the last couple of years all have this information

HERE ARE SOME QUICK TIPS FOR VISTA AND WIN7 USERS

-Install winSPWW2 in a separate Games folder, NOT in the Program Files if you're on 64 bit Vista . However you WILL need to remember this when installing patches such as this. If you are using Vista 32 it is OK to use the default, Program Files folder.

-Disable the intro. It the first line on the GameOptions screen.

- After installing the game right click on your winSPWW2 Icon and go to the Compatability tab & select Disable desktop composition.

Don

[oracbob]

Thanks DRG - I am away from home for a few days (and the CD) so will have a crack at reinstalling in a separate folder when I get back. I will report back any results. A search for SpEml*.* and also for all .dat files returned a nil result.

The game was installed/reinstalled in the c:/programfiles directory. I will check back on the windowed/full screen question - I think it was both (i.e I experimented with both options) but I will confirm when I have time for testing.

Thanks again for the feedback.

[DRG]

The attachment is a revised **experimental** CMD file to be used **ONLY** by players who have tried the gameoptions BETA we issued a few weeks back but

A/ Still had trouble running the game

or

B/ The first one worked but want to provide feedback for us to make the game better for everyone


If you have installed the BETA game Options for MBT to correct problems encountered running FULL SCREEN mode in windows 7 you will also have a file named Win7SPMBT.cmd

save your original Win7SPMBT.cmd either by renaming it ( such as XXWin7SPMBT.cmd ) or copying to another folder then run the attached Win7SPMBT.cmd and let me know if you see any difference.

ALSO, I would ask anyone who may have had occasional problems running windowed mode to try running the game in GDI MODE and let us know if running GDI makes any positive difference. Andy found in preliminary tests with his new Win7 laptop that using the GDI setting eliminated the occasional occurrence of "Psychedelic screen palette" while in windowed mode.


Just a reminder this needs to be extracted to your main winSPMBT folder

Thanks

Don

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by DRG

The attachment is a revised **experimental** CMD file to be used **ONLY** by players who have tried the gameoptions BETA we issued a few weeks back but

A/ Still had trouble running the game

or

B/ The first one worked but want to provide feedback for us to make the game better for everyone


If you have installed the BETA game Options for MBT you will also have a file named Win7SPMBT.cmd

save your original Win7SPMBT.cmd either by renaming it ( such as XXWin7SPMBT.cmd ) or copying to another folder then run the attached Win7SPMBT.cmd and let me know if you see any difference.

ALSO, I would ask anyone trying this to run one test with GameOptions set to GAME MODE - DirectX and one test with it set to GDI and let me know if running GDI made any positive difference. Andy found in preliminary tests with his new Win7 laptop that using the GDI setting eliminated the occasional occurrence of "Psychedelic screen palette"


Just a reminder this needs to be extracted to your main winSPMBT folder

Thanks

Don

Remember though

1) The command file is for FULL SCREEN mode in windows 7.

2) Using GDI as an option is for WINDOWED mode psychedelic palette problems in Windows 7.
On my new W7 laptop GDI mode is rock stable - and as a bonus no compatibility mode switches need be set (thus no irritating UAC advisor dialogue box).

Andy