Error Code 18

[Andrew Williams]

I run free zone alarm on my Vista and XP systems.

I can run CoI/CCMT/WaR/tLd without any problems in single player or multiplayer.

[Shaun Wallace]

Andrew,

I had the bought version, full ZA security suite, that seemed to be what gave me the problems.

ZA free will not work on 64bit. [Thats why the developed ZA Extreme]

Cheers - Shaun

[Andrew Williams]

cheers Shaun

Also note all Close Combat Development work is being carried out on Vista machines to ensure future compatibility.

[RD_Piper]

Sorry guy's this problem still exists. I brought the game on 20-07-09 I have a AMD/ Ati machine and i'm running vista home and I get error code 18 and I don't have ZA or AVG. I attempted the CTRL while clicking the short cut and I get unable to find data error message...........I get all the issues that are mentioned in the other posts but nothing works. I've also asked for support but nothing for days...........This is a real pain in the ass

[Andrew Williams]

I was on the support line... i don't know if it is still functioning.

[Andrew Williams]

RD_Piper

Does your video card support Transform and Lighting?

What display and video card do you have?

[RD_Piper]

I have ATI Mobility Radeon HD3650 with AMD Turion X2Ultra Dual Core Mobile ZM-80 @2.10Ghz with 4GB of ram

[RD_Piper]

Some more input for you guy's I spent the morning yesterday paying for micrsoft support (£60) they tried many things looking for an answer, we tried windows defender and UAC but they were unable to fix the issue (so i got my money back) but they were very insistant that the problem was coding from matrix. I've e-mailed customer support (at matrix) but no reply. What is going on? I see others have given up attempting to play on their lap tops, and after paying so much for a game I love, Its looking like my love affair with close combat is finally over. I feel so let down by matrix. I just can't believe that after so many people have picked up this problem there is still no patch!............

[berndn]

HP notebook nx6325 with ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 and 128 MB shared memory and XP. 1400*1050 and no problem with CCTLD single player.

This is not meant as an 'Look here, should run' but my card is very low end. AMD Turion 64 X2 too. I tried to run Vista but harddisk and overall performance is so bad that I reinstalled XP.
I have a standard PC with Vista 64 bit and no issues with CCTLD.

Strange how different PC systems act. Sorry that I have no real help to offer.

PS: Forget to mention. On my PC I have only Kaspersky AntiVirus (the version without added firewall) and on my notebook is Trend Micro Office Scan. Again without firewall module.

[RD Oddball]

RD_Piper the patch is in beta version for Matrix Club members.  Your continuing input would be helpful so please, if you have the time and desire, get the beta patch and let us know if you experience any improvements.  In the meantime I'll have the programmer look at this in the hopes he'll be able to offer some additional input to your situation.  I know he's going to ask for DXdiag file so if you get that togther that'll help.  Any and all details will be helpful.
 
I know it's frustrating when this stuff happens and nobody seems to be able to provide any help of substance or seems indifferent to your plight.  Rest assured that it matters to us and that these things take time including the patch.  It's not something that can be turned around in a matter of days.  Testing takes time to be sure you've ferreted out all possible bugs.  Some occur under very unique circumstances that can only be found by stumbling upon them.  I'm not saying that's what we're dealing with here.  Just giving you background about the gaming industry since you aren't familiar with it.

[SteveMcClaire]

To clarify this issue: The message "There is an error with your serial number as entered ... error code 18" has nothing to do with video cards or video drivers. The error indicates that the startup code is unable to find a file.  When troubleshooting the issue you'll want to focus on other software that involves files access and I/O, such as access control software, anti-virus, disk compression or optimization software, etc.

You might try:

1) Re-installing to a different drive or directory (i.e. try C:\Program Files\Matrix Games\... instead of the default "C:\Matrix Games\...."

2) Check your security for the install folder (via the Windows Explorer, right click the folder and choose "Properties", then go to the "Security" tab).  Make sure you have (under whatever account you're logged in on) permission to Modify, Read & execute, List folder contents, Read, and Write in that folder and all sub-folders.

I will see if I can find out the status of this issue from Greg's successor.  Possibly it got lost in the transition.

Steve

[Erik Rutins]

This definitely got lost in transition. Who were you e-mailing at Matrix? Our official support is not by e-mail, it's on the Help Desk here:

www.matrixgames.com/helpdesk

I'm not aware of an "Error 18" code, but I do know that if it has to do with the security system, it would mean that either the game did not install properly or that something is preventing it from working properly. Our experience with these kinds of issues in the past, 99.99% of the time it has to do with a piece of third party software that either interfered with the installation or is interfering with the security check. I would turn off ALL anti-virus/security software as that's the usual culprit if it's set to be too aggressive, then uninstall/reinstall, then see if it runs (with all that anti-virus/security software turned off). If that works, then start turning them back on and see what the cause is.

Since we apparently missed this one during transition, you are welcome to e-mail me directly at erikr@matrixgames.com if you have further questions.

Regards,

- Erik

[Andrew Williams]

see the image displayed when the error occurs erik



piper, you don't say what OS you are using

[RD_Piper]

Sorry for not getting back to you so soon but i've had a very busy day.......I've played with MSCONFIG all day. I took onboard some of your points...installing to a new directory and things like that, I toyed with my anti virus software........the issue is 100% with windows UAC and windows defender, nothing worked until I got rid of these two offenders......Once they were taken out things started working. The other issue is once they are removed it took some of my CC5 save game files out, I started both programmes up again and they re appeared. Thanks for your support guy's and I hope this will help out in the future for all those other error code 18 issues.......One more thing once I stopped those two programmes (defender and UAC) I got error code 18 with WAR but after a re install it worked fine.....Kind regards Piper...

[Andrew Williams]

UAC is the 2nd worst feature microsoft has introduced.

[SteveMcClaire]

Piper,

Glad to hear you have things working.  Just to be sure I understand what you did, did you turn off UAC and Windows Defender just to do the install of TLD, and then turn them back on? Or did you turn them off after doing an install with them on?  Or just turn them off entirely?

Thanks!

Steve

[RD_Piper]

Yeah I turned them off to install then run the game to test it works, but when I turned them back on again I got error 18, so I turned them off for ever. I have sent All my screens to Microsoft support, One good thing is Nod32 works fantasticly with the game, no need to open any ports manually......Thanks again guys

[SteveMcClaire]

Ok, thanks for the information.  If you wouldn't mind doing another test for me, could you turn everything back on and then right click CCE.EXE directly and select 'Run as Administrator'.  I am curious if that will get around the error 18 too.

[RD_Piper]

Ok done that for you, I didn't get the error 18 code I got unable to find data, but after I attempted to run the game again I got error code 18, and then I was unable to run the game again, So I disabled the two offenders again, completed a clean install and again it works fine.....Hope that helps.....Vista what a pain in the ass. Vista was the best sales advert XP ever had.....LOL

[Shakakoz]

I was having the same problem. I'm running Win7-64, so after reading about the compatibility issue here, I fixed my problem by running CCE.exe in XP compatibility mode. Simply right-clicking on the CCE.exe and choosing "Run as administrator" wasn't good enough. Instead, I right-clicked and selected "Troubleshoot compatibility", chose the recommended settings, and then started the program. Then everything worked fine. I later tried this by right-clicking the desktop icon, and following the same steps, and this also worked.

I'm not sure if Vista has a similar feature. Hopefully this helps someone else who was having the same problem.

- Martin