XP, No games

Running Win XP Pro SP3, DX9c. Machine will no longer allow me to run any of the older games (Doom, Pod Racer, Viper racing, UT3, Flight simulator). Games will either not start, crash system on start of game, look for older version of DX, or just won't load, won't recognize video card.

Tried to install some of the games with just SP1 and it still wouldn't work. Used to have them all installed with SP2 before I formatted and redid the drives. Have a matching system, that works perfectly. Any ideas?

Soyo KT880 V2.2
Athalon XP 3200
4 gigs ddr 400

 

did you try with compatibility enabled?

 

I did try with SP1, no luck, with SP3 it is no longer avaliable. At least on this instalation. I've never had to use compatibality mode before for these game programs.

 

um install sp2 ?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

 

I have installed SP1, updated to SP2, updated to SP3. Now that SP3 is installed, SP 1&2 are no longer in Add/Remove. If I do a restore, I lose about 10 hrs of having to reinstall my CAD programs, they didn't play well with SP3. Games did not work with SP1or 2 on this computer. As an aside, did install Kyodai Mahjong, plays great, but maxes out the CPU while memory cruises along at 20 to 25 %. All drivers have been up dated with the exception of the 2600 video card. It does not play well with newer drivers, but with supplied drivers it is a superb card for rendering my CAD.

 

you did't need to install sp3

as for your issues with your game there is more going on then a service pack issue

 

you did't need to install sp3

as for your issues with your game there is more going on then a service pack issue

Granted, just cannot figgure what is going on, and I'm at a loss as where to start.

As far as installing SP3, it was a senior moment. Other than my CAD programs, nothing else seems to be affected. As for the CAD and SP3 all we could determing is that earlier versions of XP Pro suffered when SP3 was installed. Newer versions were not affected to any great extent.

 

does your system make the system requirements for that game in my experience those "free/shareware" puzzle games are loaded with all kinds of bad stuff and Program bugs wherein this is the case with yours i am not sure yet

 

Requirements; the system is more than adequate for games. Guess next step is to swap out the MB with a spare I have, but I doubt that will solve the issue. Other alternative is to wipe and start over. Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions.

 

I don't think its a hardware issue sounds more like a driver issue or maby your system just needs a good defrag/cleaning up there are tons of freeware tools on MG that will do this

defrag: http://www.majorgeeks.com/IObit_SmartDefrag_d5318.html

system cleaner : http://www.majorgeeks.com/CCleaner_Slim_No_Yahoo_Toolbar_English_d4191.html

 

rjc862003, thanks for the links, but have them all. System is cleaned, defraged, etc. on almost a daily basis. Sys runs 10 HD's, six in a RAID 1 config, so keeping it secure and clean is upmost. One side note, my wife reminded me that I have not been able to install the older games since I added the two RAID Raptors to the system. The Raptors contain the OS and only program files. Any thoughts?

 

naaaa .. newer hard drives wont have any effect on the programs . if anything a raid 1 should be faster but 10 hard drives ? what kind of system ya got a server ? with that many drives i'd be lookin to see that your psu is AT least a 500 WATT "Bare min" full system specs plz

 

rjc862003, specs

Soyo KT880 V2.2 MB
Thermaltake 720W PSU
HSI 2600XT 512 AGP
4 gig Kingston 3200 Dual channel
2 Silicon Graphics 24" CRT (Sony)
4 80gig Raptors (one pair in RAID 1)
6 80 to 250gig Maxtor & West Digital (2 pair in RAID 1, matching drives)
2 120mm Panaflow
2 90mm generic
6 Hot swap trays with two fans each
2 DL DVD burners
Coolermaster Copper heatsink with heat pipes and fan
chipset fan
Win XP Pro SP3
Server/ATX Full tower case
Battery back up
dedicated 20 amp service

All dirvers are up to date with the exception of the graphics card, it won't play nice with the newist drivers by ATI.

There you have it, hope it will help.

 

/droolz

nice ..

as for any games

the only issues I might see are Older pre windows 2000 games

 

I have had them all running with XP previously. They still run on some of the other systems which have XP Pro, but the systems are a little long in the tooth, not that this one isn't. One of the other systems is basicly the same except it has a 3000+ CPU, and they play fine, except that it is my wife's.

Guess I'll just have to wait till Xmas when things slow down and tear this unit down and start over again. As I stated earlier, I do have a spare 880 MB, 4 new 1 gig sticks, and two spare raptors. If I could find a MB that would handle all our IDE drives as this one does, I might even consider upgrading. But from what I've seen, there just isn't any thing out there yet that will fit my needs. I could use PCI cards for the IDE drives, but I need the slots for my printer cards for my CAD printers. No win situation.