13-01-2005 03:03									#1
	CTP won't run in Win XP Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Hi there,

I've recently installed CTP for the first time in about 4 years on a Windows XP SP2 machine... The copy I have was purchased in 1999 and I last installed it on a Windows 95 machine.

A problem is occuring when I try to run it. I get the play/more/exit splash screen select play and the screen goes black, then my desktop reappears, the screen goes black again for a little longer, then finally the desktop reappears again. The game never starts.

Can anyone help me with this problem?

Thanks

	13-01-2005 07:57									#2
	CTP on XP SP2 Put an end to popups!

My CTP was purchased about the same time and I ran it on either WIN 95 or 98. I'm now running on XP SP2 without any significant problems. Apparently you can rule out XP SP2 as the problem and look elsewhere.

	17-01-2005 00:58									#3
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

I am having the same problem here as the original poster. Worked when I had 98, but now that I have XP, it just goes back to the desktop with no error when I press play.

Note: The same thing happened yesterday when I tried to play Alpha Centauri. I found a patch for that tho and everything is ok now. Is there a patch to use CTP on XP as well?

Chris

	17-01-2005 03:24									#4
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

maybe its possible for a compatibility match..go to the folder where it is installed and right click on the icon for ctp and find cmpatibility mode and try it on 2000..might be worth a shot?

Gramps

	17-01-2005 03:31									#5
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Hi again,

thanks for all the replies. I've found the solution for my machine at least. I obtained an updated video card driver from windows update. I found using the compatibility settings caused more problems in the end. The game is working perfectly now as far as I can tell.

Thanks

	17-01-2005 03:56									#6
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quote: Originally posted by henryp1973 Hi again, thanks for all the replies. I've found the solution for my machine at least. I obtained an updated video card driver from windows update. I found using the compatibility settings caused more problems in the end. The game is working perfectly now as far as I can tell. Thanks

great

I too found the uselessness of the compatibility mode but saw it reccommended and well..thought maybe it was some good?

come join us in pbem sometime..look forward to seeing ya there

Gramps

	17-01-2005 04:57									#7
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

I updated my video driver and it did not help =( Any other suggestions?

Chris

	17-01-2005 05:14									#8
	Suffering from ads?

I'm pretty sure if you have the same symptoms as I that it will be a video card related problem... Are you sure you have the latest drivers from the card manufacturer?

Apart from that I can't help you... good luck!

	17-01-2005 05:22									#9
	Put an end to popups!

quote: Originally posted by Firebreak I updated my video driver and it did not help =( Any other suggestions? Chris

I would suggest you try several tries at installing if not try a different drive for the CD install

Hope this helps

Gramps

	17-01-2005 07:06									#10
	Remove this text

quote: I would suggest you try several tries at installing if not try a different drive for the CD install

I didn't have any trouble installing, just seems to quit out when I hit play. (Game already installed)

Same thing happened in Alpha Centauri, but I found an XP patch for that. That's why I was thinking that XP was causing this. Also, for AC I had to modify the config file because it was telling me my CPU was unsupported. (Also a known bug I found info on, problem with Prescotts)

Chris

	17-01-2005 07:10									#11
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote: Originally posted by Firebreak I didn't have any trouble installing, just seems to quit out when I hit play. (Game already installed) Same thing happened in Alpha Centauri, but I found an XP patch for that. That's why I was thinking that XP was causing this. Also, for AC I had to modify the config file because it was telling me my CPU was unsupported. (Also a known bug I found info on, problem with Prescotts) Chris

I was just thinking that maybe something on the disc didnt take..like a splash screen popup..which would cause a ctd

Just trying to cover all bases

Gramps

	17-01-2005 08:12									#12
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It's working now, had to put it on 98 in compatibility mode.

Chris

	17-01-2005 08:14									#13
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote: Originally posted by Firebreak It's working now, had to put it on 98 in compatibility mode. Chris

sweet..so the compatability has some usefullness after all

	01-02-2005 09:08									#14
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Hello all. I am new here, but I saw this thread and couldn't help responding, because I am having a similar problem...but, not exactly the same.

I recently also upgraded to a new computer with Windows XP (when I say "recently", I mean I got the computer last Thursday) and my copy of Call to Power used to work just fine on my older machine with Windows 98; now, it no longer works. Same problem.

But, with a slight difference: When I start up the game, the screen goes blank for a minute and I get the lights flashing along the bottom of my monitor for a few seconds, then I get the splash screen just fine, and the first movie will play. But if I hit enter to skip the movie and get to the main game menu screen (or just let the movie play all the way through), the screen goes blank with the flashing lights along the monitor...permanently, until I control + alt + delete out of there...BUT...this is the bit that nobody else has mentioned yet: The _music_ for the opening screen is playing. I can hear it just fine; I just can't see anything.

I'm not sure if I need new drivers or if my video card just plain won't work with this game (that was the problem with Age of Mythology, after all...) I've already tried the different compatibility things; they all give me the same result. (Although I never even knew about that option before reading this thread: thanks! )
I looked at the Device Manager and I still can't even tell what kind of video card I _have_ (this computer was custom-made for me at this place in town and my brother chose all the stuff for it, I have no idea what all he ordered; he did it while I was out of the room). I'm a real newbie to Windows XP and _very_ nervous about fiddling with my computer, especially a new one like this, so please, any advice you give me...make it _detailed_.

Also, I have no idea where to download new drivers _to_, folders-wise, which ones I need, or whether downloading the ones that would make Call to Power run would mess me up so that _other_ stuff no longer works. You can see why I'm nervous...

Anyway, ANY help you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated. This is one of my favourite games ever and I'd hate to lose it.

Thanks in advance!

...Notorious

Last edited by Scheherezade on 01-02-2005 at 13:41

	01-02-2005 19:15									#15
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Well, to use the aforementioned compatibility mode you need to find the CTP executable ([CTP install folder]\ctp_program\ctp\ctp.exe) using explorer, right click on it, go to properties, and on one the Compatibility tab, set it to use Windows 98 compatibility mode - this should affect nothing but CTP.

	02-02-2005 05:14									#16
	Inflate your Upload Space

Hmm. I tried setting it to Windows 98 compatibility mode first thing; no dice. I tried all the other modes for the heck of it, same thing. Do I need to change the colours to only 256 and the screen resolution way down? I don't _remember_ the game looking THAT primitive, but I'm willing to try whatever it takes...

It would help if I even knew the _name_ of the video card I have or what drivers it has, but I tried looking it up and nothing actually says "Video Card: So-and-so brand" anywhere.
(Obviously it's not the sound card; 'cos the sound works just fine. Gotta be something to do with video.)

Sigh...

...Notorious

	02-02-2005 18:57									#17
	Increase Your PM Length

If all else fails, to determine what video card you have you can open up the case and google for any promising-looking numbers you see on the graphics card itself.

	03-02-2005 04:45									#18
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

Erk. Not sure if I, especially with my total lack of technical expertise, want to rip open the guts of a brand-new computer. Tell ya what: If I post whatever paltry technical specs I _can_ find out, can anybody here make heads or tails of them? I mean, when I look it up on the Device Manager.

Okay, according to this, my "display adapter" is something called a VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP. Is that a card, or a driver? Well, I guess it's the card. You know, I'm not _stupid_ or anything, but it would help me figure out what my computer has in it a _lot_ easier if they would flipping CALL it a Video Card. I mean, the heck is a "display adapter"? Do computer components feel they need to be "politically correct" these days as well, or something? :P
("Oh, no, I'm not a BUS port. I'm a _Public Transportation_" port." (snicker))
I make and run my own websites, I'm not _completely_ technically inept; you tell me it's a video card and then I'll know where to find out what kind of video card I have. But "display adapter"? Sheesh.

Anyway, anybody know if that kind of...video card, I _think_, is compatible with CTP, or where I can look such information up? I'd Google it, but I'm not sure how to even _phrase_ the question...

Sorry to be bugging you guys here like crazy about this. Normally I'd also try at the Home of the Underdogs forum; they have all _kinds_ of threads about "(Older Game) won't work in XP, help!" and you can even download Windows 95 emulators from there and everything, BUT, their forum has been down for oh, approximately...forever. That's why I'm bothering you guys. I apologise if I'm being annoying.

...Notorious

	03-02-2005 04:57									#19
	Full PM-box? Change here!

your not annoying we are here to help..

Gramps

	03-02-2005 19:24									#20
	Increase the size of your Attachments

quote: Originally posted by Scheherezade Okay, according to this, my "display adapter" is something called a VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP. Is that a card, or a driver?

I think that's probably a card. The reason they are called display adapters rather than video cards is, at least in part, because some of them aren't cards at all (e.g. those built into motherboards).

	04-02-2005 04:50									#21
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Okay...so that's my video card, or the equivalent thereof, is what you're saying. So...any idea how I can find out whether or not this is compatible with CTP--I mean, at _all_, even with different drivers? I mean, I don't think I'll find much on Google (or anywhere else) considering that CTP is sort of an out-of-print, semi-obscure game; I doubt anybody has really done that much research on it, that it's been _tested_ with that many different cards and other types of computer configurations. When I typed in "Call to Power" + XP the only thing that came up...was this forum.

Any chance it could be something else instead, by the way? I'm trying to think of what else would affect this. If you can think of any other part of the computer that would cause the game to install just fine, play the movies, but only play the _sound_ of the game instead of the picture, let me know. I doubt it's anything to do with the processor being too fast or too slow, and the CD-ROM drive works fine for _other_ games (including, oddly enough, Civ 2...)
That's what gets me, with this new computer--some of my older stuff, including even Civ _1_, will work just fine, but the newer stuff that has movies and realistic sounds and at least somewhat 3Dish graphics...won't. You'd expect it to be the other way around...

Anyway, glad to hear I'm not annoying you guys...yet. One way or another, we WILL get to the bottom of this!...I hope. :P
(Of course, "the bottom of this" could be that the game simply WON'T play on this computer, ever, at all, unless I majorly change its actual hardware. But as long as I _find out_ for sure either way, I'll count that as a useful answer.)

Shutting up finally...

...Notorious

	04-02-2005 18:59									#22
	Increase the size of your Attachments

Here is indeed basically the only place where CTP is discussed, and I'm fairly sure this particular problem has never been mentioned, so I think you're exploring new territory.

Another possible culprit is something DirectX-related (in combination with other factors, presumably, since people with up to date DirectX are able to play), but since it's essentially impossible to downgrade one's DirectX version, that would be difficult to determine.

	05-02-2005 09:13									#23
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Huh. I seem to be really _good_ at having problems with software that nobody else has ever had, or even thought of. One of these computer places oughta hire me as a beta-tester one of these days... (This is not the first time I've had a "unique" problem with something--it happens to me all the TIME...)

Well..I downloaded the latest version of Direct X, and that didn't fix anything. I am still thinking it might be something to do with the video card or drivers. The box for CTP says that you need your whole computer system to be _100%_ Windows 95/98/NT-compatible--including the drivers for the CD-ROM drive, sound card, video card and input devices. _Man_, that's a lot of things to check, a LOT of things that could be wrong! It'd be just my luck that my new computer just happens to have _everything_ not compatible with Windows 98, at the hardware level.

I tried looking up the website for the manufacturer of my video card, and it seems they do have Windows 98 drivers for it there...BUT...is that going to screw up the rest of my computer? How do I know which one is the exact one for _my_ exact, specific, video card, and will it make _everything_ run in Windows 98 mode, visually, take over the computer, or crash horribly when it meets up with the Windows XP everything else and toast this brand new machine? How can I uninstall it? Is there some way I can have the Windows 98 drivers SEPERATELY, so that they can be used when needed, and not just save _over_ the Windows XP stuff? And last but not least, will this driver even WORK with my particular sound card?

They just don't give you enough _information_. I'm not gonna download programs with scary names full of weird numbers, programs that I don't even understand, and install them on _my_ system without knowing exactly what they do! Nuh-UH!

This is just too scary...it's way too technical to go through for just one game. I might as well give up. Because I can't do this myself, and there is NO WAY I'm going to risk frying my computer. I would have _no_ idea how to get the old drivers back. None.

Sigh...

...Notorious

	06-02-2005 14:19									#24
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

Sorry to hear about your troubles. It must be frustrating to know that others run CTP on XP without any problems. I've been tracking the thread hoping that someone could suggest a solution. I still use Window's '98 and cannot speak from experience about XP.

I do know that you don't want to use Windows '98 drivers with XP. The drivers are written for the operating system. You want the latest (most recent) drivers for XP. You need not fear "frying" your computer with the wrong drivers, but it could cripple the system (meaning you could only get it to run in safe mode) until the proper drivers are installed.

XP is not mentioned on the CTP box because it didn't exist when CTP was released.

Is there any chance that the company who built the computer could help you?

While it's highly unlikely that you could harm the hardware with any kind of software (drivers included), I can appreciate not wanting to risk it if you're not sure of what you're doing.

It's a tribute to CTP that you have tried so hard.

Keith

	06-02-2005 17:03									#25
	Tired of ads?

Well, I was already planning on asking my brother next time he comes over here, about "Can this video card possibly be compatible with Windows 98 games, ever?", stuff like that. As for the latest drivers...I seem to _have_ them, and it's doing no good. It's gotta be the card, but since (a) this computer is brand new and (b) I consider taking out actual hardware components to be a Last Resort that should only be done for Important Reasons (such as: the hardware is broken), I guess I'll just never get to play this game again. Sigh.

And it's the ONLY Civ game that lets you go into the _future_, for real, and have visible, useable, practical Future Techs as well!
Didja know, I am using this screen name because it's the name I used when I played the best Civ game I've ever had? Persians, female leader, default name....GUESS which game! Yep. I built _all_ the wonders, had HUGE totally clean advanced cities, my citizens were so happy they were partying _every turn_ and whenever I took over an enemy city, _they_ started partying the very next turn! My screen name...is from the game I can't play anymore. Sigh again...

In other news, Civ 3 _and_ Alpha Centauri won't work on this new computer either. It's the first two games for me, and that's it. Lucky me, to have a computer that's just so _very_ up to date... (rolls eyes)

Anyway, thanks for trying to help, you guys. I appreciate it.

...Notorious

	06-02-2005 20:47									#26
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

hang in there we may find an answer yet

your bro may be able to shed light

	09-02-2005 15:31									#27
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Well, I've got Win XP with SP1 only and CTP in both English and Italian Versions.
I've installed the English one that is 1.0 or 1.1, cant remember, but, it works and quite good, I've installed Beta map editor and it works as well, but when i've installed the patch 1.2 and apolyton pack then it did the same of you, on the load screen with play etc it comes back to the desktop, it might be a patch problem or an incompatibilty problem, you could try to install it again and firstly load it without any mods or patches, then if something well or bad try to install one thing at a time, that's my strategy to find the problem... it works 80% of times....

	09-03-2005 11:58									#28
	Tired of ads?

Under Winxp my game didn't work. Nothing happened when I ran the game. In taskmanager no file was running and no blinks or anything on the screen just nothing at all.

Tried the compatability for the .exe file suggested here and game worked immediately so thanks to the people who suggested this.

	13-03-2005 20:06									#29
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

we be one big happy family with a a firm but fair us vs HIM commitment to succeed



Gramps

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	01-05-2005 06:23									#30
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

If your copy of XP is registered with Microsoft and you click on automatic updates, it will automatically update your video card with the latest MS aproved driver.

Otherwise you can go to the MS update site and do it manually. The site will have already searched your computer and knows exactly what you have.....scary.