EF, WF, Rising Sun won't launch all of a sudden

[Crossroads]

I've had my W7 64bit rig for quite a while, with no issues apart the need to set the Desktop Composition off. I've played JTCS for years with it. I think I bought it like 2010 or something like that. Maybe even a year earlier.

Now, all of a sudden, I can't launch the exes anymore.

If I launch them by clicking the East Front / West Frong / Rising Sun exe, the result is the same: a black screen with nothing happening.

If I launch them by clicking the EF WF RS exe, it opens the game in a standard mode for playing a new scenario, which is no good if I want to play a PBEM or say a Hot Seat scenario.

If I launch the JTCS main menu, it shows the window with 'hot spots' for selecting East Front, West Front, Rising Sun, etc, it shows the Matrix logo screen when I click one but won't advance any further, resulting in the same black screen.

I had some bad sectors on my HDD where I had it installed previously, but now I have a fresh HDD with a fresh new install (no mods or anything in place, just the vanilla JTCS as it comes out of the box).

Any idea what's going on? Anyone else having this issue?

[Warhorse]

Hey Petri, you only just replaced the HDD, nothing else? Also, check to make sure the resolution on your PC isn't too high, and also maybe the Antivirus might interfere as well? I assume you had to reinstall windows as well, or was that on another HDD?

[junk2drive]

For PBEM on Win8 I have to set up a desktop shortcut, then right click and select run as admin, then click the popup to allow changes to my computer. All this so that the game can save the new turn files.

[Josh]

So the problems occurred after the HD change? You're sure you installed JTCS in the proper directory or partition? "old games" can be picky about that, when you install it in say drive D: or E: instead of the usual C: they sometimes refused to launch. Also like Mike says check your videocard resolution, too high a desktop resolution can cause troubles. Other than that I wouldn't know except than maybe a new fresh install... just to be sure.

[berto]

You are generally better off installing your games in a separate C:\Games (or whatever drive) folder, not in the (suggested? default?) C:\Program Files (or C:\Program Files (x86)) folder(s), which typically has special security protections applied to it. Games attempting to modify and save files in the protected C:\Program Files* folder(s) sometimes fail. All in all, doing your game installations elsewhere than C:\Program Files* is generally a good idea. Solves a host of problems.

Not saying that's the root cause of your particular problem, Crossroads. But it's among the first things to consider.

[berto]

Another guess: A malicious Microsoft (auto) Update "upgraded" your video driver or DirectX (or something video related). Try doing a Windows Restore.

Another suggestion. Windows 7 (& 8) have a System Image option. Make use of it.

Where possible, I always back up/image my Windows systems using as many as four different techniques (one of them involving Linux). With Windows, you can never be too careful.

[Crossroads]

Thanks guys, working on this. I did try to launch the exes directly, as a Sys Admin, that did not help. Something else going on as everything else works...

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Warhorse

Hey Petri, you only just replaced the HDD, nothing else? Also, check to make sure the resolution on your PC isn't too high, and also maybe the Antivirus might interfere as well? I assume you had to reinstall windows as well, or was that on another HDD?

ORIGINAL: Josh

So the problems occurred after the HD change? You're sure you installed JTCS in the proper directory or partition? "old games" can be picky about that, when you install it in say drive D: or E: instead of the usual C: they sometimes refused to launch. Also like Mike says check your videocard resolution, too high a desktop resolution can cause troubles. Other than that I wouldn't know except than maybe a new fresh install... just to be sure.

I had the problems prior to HD change. I had the game on D: drive, and that was the disk I replaced. OS was and is on C:

I continue to have the issue even with the new disk. Before putting the new D: in place, I uninstalled the few games I play, and installed them after the disk was replaced. I am running a CCclean now to check the registries and stuff.

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: berto

Another guess: A malicious Microsoft (auto) Update "upgraded" your video driver or DirectX (or something video related). Try doing a Windows Restore.

Yes, this is what I am suspecting as well... Although it would relate only to East Front / West Front / Rising Sun exes...

ORIGINAL: berto

Another suggestion. Windows 7 (& 8) have a System Image option. Make use of it.

Where possible, I always back up/image my Windows systems using as many as four different techniques (one of them involving Linux).

Sound advice. I will study the options.

ORIGINAL: berto

With Windows, you can never be too careful.

Amen, brother!

[Crossroads]

OK, I hope I am safe now...

The thing is that during the past ten days, the game worked on two occasions, once with the old HD (that was definitively dying), and again today when I booted up. But on all other times, it did not. Something very suspicious in my system...

Anyway, ran the CCleaner, found a ton of issues in the registry (after all I've used the rig for some four five years now). I let the tool fix the issues, and amazingly, JTCS continues to work...

Inhaling only now, when playing.... gusp...

[berto]

Since you have a working system again, do a Windows System Image (you'll find it in the Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore, first item on the left). Strongly recommended! You should force a Windows Restore point now. Also strongly recommended!

[Crossroads]

Yup, got it. Thanks!

[Crossroads]

I think the CCleaner solved the issue. There's a similar thread at the Blitz forums of this problem, if anyone is experiencing similar problems it might be worth reading too. Here it is: http://www.theblitz.org/message_boards/ ... ?tid=64393