What is that clown doing?

[ignore my tentacles]

Before I start, let me assure you that I have checked other your other support forums, I might have missed something- but don't get huffy!

 

I recently 'ramped' up my computer hardware and decided to make it a complete waste of money by playing all my old favourites, including Apocalypse, as opposed to something system taxing (i.e. new). The game was bought on budget ages ago and it would appear to be the Dos version, but has Windows icon shortcuts in it's folder to 'run' from desktop should you wish.

 

Upon installation, it specifies the requirement for Files/Buffers ratio to be 20/20, but my system only has 20/12- dang! Naturally it does not want to run (except once bizarrely, but then I had the usual sound cards probs, but one thing at a time, eh?) Being rather ignorant as to the wonderous machinations of my system, my knowledge limited to the fact it runs off some thing called 'elastic-trickery' (I think). Anyways, how do I alter these values, specifically the number of buffers? In your reply, please pretend you are addressing a five year old- I might be able to follow it then.

 

Uh, sometimes people want to know sys specs= as follows if it will help-

Athlon AMD Processor, slightly over 1ghz

GeForce Ti 4600

512mb RAM

VIA AC97 Audio (Wave)- built into the motherboard so I'm told.

Windows '98

 

Please help

[Alan]

the funny thing here is.... it actually tell you how to fix that in the install bit

 

theres something about editing the config.sys file to specifiy files/buffers... but of course, usual warning: be careful editing stuff you dont understand...

 

it goes along the lines of add lines (or edit them if they are there)

files=20

buffers=20

 

(or more ofcourse)

still, check this in the install bit

 

ie: go to install the game.

when it checks your computer to see if its good enough it will find insufficient files/buffer and highlight that requirement in yellow (or red)

click on it and click 'suggest fix'

 

read.

 

anyway, if that does not help then i guess you'll have to wait for someone else to help you (as my brain mildly fried is)

[ignore my tentacles]

Thanks Alan,

 

I should've mentioned that I was aware of the suggested fix, but am ignorant of the best way of modifying the code- where do I do this? I can't seem to get into the config.sys. This is because I shouldn't be allowed to use a computer due to ignorance. Just call me Mr Luddite. My brother was the expert on the these things and I was able to draw on his skills until he rather selfishly moved away to have a career. There's no respect for family values anymore

 

I appreciate that you shouldn't fiddle about with stuff you (meaning me)don't understand, but once the procedure is apparent, surely it would be simple matter to reverse?

[NKF]

Well, open up a text editor of your choice, notepad or MS-Edit'll do, or use whatever word processor you want, just remember to save the file as a plain text file.

 

The config.sys file should be in the root directory of your hard drive (in most cases C:\ ). Windows likes to hide .sys files, so you either type in the file name manually, or go to your explorer properties and tell it to display 'all' files. Then go looking for it.

 

Alternately, try running 'msconfig' from the run menu or the dos prompt(a bit pointless, since it is a windows app, it'll open anyway).

 

Once you've done with your tinkering, reboot the computer.

 

- NKF

[Spaceman42]

sysedit works VERY well for modification of those critical system files - autoexec.bat, config.sys, system.ini...

[BladeFireLight]

if you installed 98 from scratch when you upgraded. It does not create a autoexec.bat or config.sys. It uses the defauls in the registry for commen config and autoexec settings. just using the start > run > sysedit options should open a blank new file for you to add to.

 

here is what mine look like. you can cut and paste the below into the file. and it should work.

 

(btw the extra junk on the end of emm386.exe gives me a lot of convetionaly memory. )

 

config.sys:

 

device=c:\windows\himem.sys

device=c:\windows\emm386.exe i=b000-b7ff ram 16384 d=64

dos=high

dos=umb

file=40

buffers=20

lastdrive=g

[ignore my tentacles]

Thanks for all your help peeps,

 

Sadly the plot thickens :crazy:

 

I was able to follow NKF's advice, but my computer seems to ignore any alterations made, at least as far as X-COM's diagnostic is concerned. (uh, yes I did reboot)

 

So I tried BladeFireLight's idea and may have found what the root problem could be. When opening the appropriate file, it show the following contents:

 

rem

rem *** DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE! ***

rem

rem This file was created by the System Configuration Utility as

rem a placeholder for your CONFIG.SYS. Your actual CONFIG.SYS

rem file has been saved under the name CONFIG.TSH.

rem

 

Going back to NKF's suggestion, I managed to alter the contents of this .TSH file to suit (interestingly I can only access the .TSH file through a text editor, any other way simply pops up a message asking if I want to add the contents to the registry) and reboot, but it seems my computer ignores the file, at least as far the XCOM installation diagnostic is concerned- no values have changed. I've repeated the process a couple of times in case I made an error, but no effect

 

ahem, ARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH

 

Is the need to exterminate the insidious alien forces such a bad thing? Why am I being punished? Answers on a postcard, or perhaps more appropriately a forum response.

 

Thanks again for your time

[ignore my tentacles]

Typical. Literally within seconds of writing the above, I discovered the problem. Upon checking MSconfig from the 'Run' command, I discovered that in the general menu, my computer was not instructed to apply the config.sys contents on startup. A tick in a checkbox later and we're away!

 

Eat hot electric death alien scum! Don't bother screaming though 'cos I got sound problems!

 

Never mind, this a topic covered previously, so I'm sure I'll sort it out.

 

A big thanks to all those who took some time to try and help my incompetant self to resolve what is, uh was, undoubtably a simple problem.

[Spaceman42]

"Set blaster" command? "Set blaster" command?

[ignore my tentacles]

oops, spoke to soon. Now the damn thing won't even load- in any permutation, through windows 98, DOS prompt or DOS itself (yes I do have a mouse driver for DOS)

 

It just hangs after showing the first two lines of text "Rational systems 1994-1997" etc.

 

OH well, perhaps it was just never meant to be... *sniff*

[DragonHawk]

Heh, this is a new problem, as far as I know. Has anyone else encountered it?

[BladeFireLight]

What are your hard ware specs?

 

how do you boot indo DOS? (I know how I would do it. but in whant to know what your doing.)

 

At what time do you see this message and is it in large letters?

 

what game and what patch version are your running?

 

 

-Blade FireLight

[ignore my tentacles]

The message displayed is the first two lines of the standard game's initialisation text, which has always appeared irrespective of the method of starting, i.e. through desktop, start menu or through dos. Presumably it is some guff from the distributor or publisher. The seems to be nothing unusual about the text size or font, just standard DOS parameters

 

" DOS/4GW Professional Protected Run-Time Version 1.97

Copyright © Rational Systems Inc. 1990 - 1994"

 

Then just hangs. If run through a window, including DOS prompt, I can exit the window through standard keyboard shortcuts. If run properly through DOS the computer has to be rebooted by resetting (soft-boot doesn't work).

 

In answer to BDF's question, I generally restart the computer into DOS, via the start/shutdown menu. In all cases though I have tried to run the game through all formats, i.e. Through the game's own windows-to-DOS init. shortcut, through the start menu, from the DOS prompt and DOS itself.

 

I have lost the game packaging, but it was bought (promise!) as a 'classic' (but not a 'SoldOut' product) about 4 years ago. The disc itself states 'Powerplus' aswell as Microprose. Umm, as for patches I know I ran one for my original version, but I re-installed the game at the start of my troubles a few days ago to ensure I was using uncorrupted data and have so far left it as is. I'll of course use any recommended patch from the experts! (If you ever bought Fallout2 and enjoyed the subsequent saga with innumerable worthless patches then you'd understand my caution

)

 

My computer specs are to be found in my first 'post' at the top, but if there is anything specific you need to know, let me know.

[NKF]

I sometimes have a similar problem with the game hanging just as the dos4gw dpmi extender message pops up. It usually resolves after a reboot.

 

You could try running the game and skipping the intro sequence. For the life of me, I can't remember the command line parameter... I think it was '-skip'. I believe it's mentioned in the readme.txt file.

 

And if you haven't you might want to tell the game to use 'no sound' from the sound card settings menu. It always seems to be the root of most of my startup problems with Apocalypse. It's rather picky about the sound card settings.

 

- NKF

[ignore my tentacles]

Nice one NKF- that did the trick! Little bugger runs along nicely now. Now that you mention it your advice sounds familliar- perhaps you noted it somewhere else on this excellent support forum? That would mean I didn't take it first time round- shame on me!

 

 

 

 

Anyway cheers- I can live without the sound if need be (The missus keeps looking at me strangely when I make my own "Zap! Peeeeeow! Dakka-dakka" noises. Can't blame her.