Spyder

NKF, thanks for the response. Let me try and clarify what you want me to do.... Download the slowdown uitility. Open a DOS window (RUN> 'cmd'). Execute the slowdown utility (I assume it runs TSR) Then execute the ufo.bat file. Right?

Ok, my directory tree looks something like this (using periods because the boards compress all whitespace): D:\MPS\UFO\ ....dos4gw.exe ....install.exe ....intro.exe ....mpscopy.exe ....setup.exe ....install.dat ....install.gif ....pkunzjr.com ....ufo.bat (this is the game startup dos batch file) ....readme.txt ....\runexe ........run.exe ....\ufo2exe ........tactical.exe ....\ufoexe ........black.exe ........geoscape.exe ....\game_1 (and 9 other save game dirs) ....\geodata (some .dat files in here) ....\geograph (graphics files in here) ....\maps (some .map files in here) ....\missdat ........dum.bin ....\routes (some .rmp files in here) ....\sound (some .cat files and....) ........sndend.exe ........sndstart.exe ........sound.cfg ........music.com ........sound.com ........soundrv.com ........vector.com ....\terrain (some graphics files) ....\ufograph (some more graphics files) ....\ufointro (some .lbm & .fli files) ....\units (some graphics files) Ok, Before applying the patch, when I click the ufo.bat file, the intro plays through, the geoscape window opens and prompts for my first base. When I click to place the base, the program crashes with an error: After I extract the fodder patch to my D:\mps\ufo directory, I get three more directories and two more files: ....ldr_xcom1.exe ....musfix.dll ....\source (source code) ....\xcom1 ........ldr_xcom1.exe ........musfix.dll ....\xcom2 ........ldr_xcom2.exe ........musfix.dll After applying the patch, when I click on the ldr_xcom1.exe that appears in the upper directory, I get a "cannot CreateProcess" error in a tiny window. I get the same error when I move the other two ldr_xcom.exe files from their directories to the main directory (D:\mps\ufo) and then click them. In case you're interested, here is what is in the UFO.BAT file: @echo off cls %1ufoexe\black %1sound\sndstart %1intro %1 %1ufoexe\black %1ufoexe\geoscape "0" %1 if errorlevel 2 goto begin goto end :begin %1ufoexe\black %1ufo2exe\tactical "1" %1 :geo %1ufoexe\black %1ufoexe\geoscape "1" %1 if errorlevel 2 goto begin :end %1sound\sndend I appreciate any help anyone can offer Spyder

Well, I was under the impression that the slowdown utility didn't have anything to do with it running or not, just in how fast some things happened in the game. I could try it, I guess...I'll give it a go tonight. That reminds me of a funny story (the CPU speed thing).... Back when my XT overclocked at 12mhz was blazingly fast and everyone was envious, especially those AT folks who were running at 8mhz I had purchased a game that had little ships crossing the screen and you had to shoot them with a stationary gun. The tiny little PT boats were fast and the bigger ships were slow and they cris-crossed the screen as you shot them. Well, the newest AT came out running at an unbelievable 25 mhz, I took this cute little game over to a friend's house who had bought this blazingly fast PC, and he loaded it.... Well, the speed of the ships was keyed to clock cycles....You couldn't even see the pt boats and could barely see the other ships...don't even talk about hitting them :lol It was very funny....back in the day

Well, unfortunately, I don't. I do rollling family upgrades about once a year and everyone is at least an athlon 950. we've got one 950mhz, one 1.2ghz and two 1800+ (which is actually 1.5ghz), all using ddr memory except the 950 who has almost 1gb of pc133 memory and she runs nearly as well as I do with the 1800+ with 512mb of ddr We'll probably upgrade again next summer when Horizons (www.artifact-entertainment.com/horizons) goes live. Spyder

Graphics card is geforce 4 mx with 64mb of memory. I wouldn't think that is what the problem is because it seems to go through the intro ok.... Spyder

Back at work now.... Well, doggone it.... Do you think its an Athlon bug? Something else that occured to me....my sound card, SBLive (yes, sound is disabled, but it may make a difference anyway), is set at IRQ 12. The config program will only go up to 9. I was thinking that, even if its disabled, it may still check IRQ 5 and cause an exception when it hits whatever currently owns that interrupt (don't know, didn't think to check). Spyder

Ok, I've re-reinstalled it. I got the same crash error noted above. I unloaded the Fodder patch and am getting the same results. I'm still not confident that I'm using that patch correctly, though.

Well, yes, I've tried that But, I'll try again over lunch (here in a few mins when I head home) to be sure that this isn't the problem. The biggest question I have at the moment is "Am I using the Fodder patch correctly?" The patch came with three subdirectories, Xcom1, Xcom2 and source. I extracted all, then copied the contents of xcom1 over to my UFO dir, clicked the ldr_xcom1.exe and got the results mentioned above. I then copied the contents of xcom2 over to my UFO dir...same thing. I then copied the contents in the root dir of the zip file to my UFO dir and still the same error. So, anyway are we having fun yet? Heading home for lunch, will post from there in a few. Spyder

Anyone have any help to offer? Am I using the Fodder patch correctly? I have a boot disk which I made using Windows 95 dos. I can't even get this to run when I boot up under dos using this diskette. Spyder

Ok, I downloaded the Fodder patch. But, everytime I execute either of the ldr_xcom?.exe files, I get a "Couldn't CreateProcess" error. I move both the ldr_xcom1.exe & the ldr_xcom2.exe files into the d:\mps\ufo directory along with the accompanying .dll file and neither seem to do anything except generate the above error. There aren't any real instructions in the Read.me on how to set this up. I assumed that you take one or the other set of files (xcom1 or xcom2) and put them in the game directory and try to run them. This is what I've done, but, no luck

I also am having problems getting X-Com to start up. I have sound disabled (another problem for later ) and the intro runs fine. I get to the "Select a Base" screen and when I click a spot and it crashes with this error: The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction CS:0000 IP:0077 OP:f0 37 05 0e 02 I have set every .exe file I could find to run as Windows 95 compatible. It seems to be running 3 different .exe files: black.exe, geoscape.exe & tactical.exe. I believe it's crashing on geoscape.exe, but, I can't really tell. My system is An Athlon XP 1800+ with 500mb memory, Geforce 4 mmx 64mb. Some of the pointers mentioned in this thread sound like they might work, but, I'm not that clear on exactly what they're saying. I've forgotten all my DOS knowledge and I'm just a user when it comes to Windows. I'll prob need a slow-down utility and that's not a problem, but I need to get it to run first Spyder Chairman of the Arachnid Consortium pmason4@kc.rr.com pmason@cerner.com