Matrix Games Forums

Hey, just a heads up, I think something might be messed up with the included XNA and .net installers

Had the same issue with being unable to start, uninstalled all of it, installed XNA and .net seperatly, ran back through the installers with the redist's unchecked and now it works

I had the same problem yesterday under Windows XP SP3. Tried everything mentioned here and in the FAQ. Uninstalled and reinstalled several times, updated my drivers. Didn't work at all. After six hours of trying around (net framework takes forever ...) I requested a refund at midnight last night - I was really frustrated ...

So, after a night of sleep I tried again and finally got the game running! I uninstalled the game again. Also I cleared every registry entry that I found while searching for "Distant Worlds" (F3 is your friend). I deleted all remaining folders manually and I reinstalled my sound driver. Then I reinstalled the main game and all three addons. Very strange behavior for a game.

Short summary of what I did:
- Cleanup your .net-Installation with the Tool suggested in the FAQ
- Cleanup your Distant Worlds installation. Uninstall the game, clear the registry from all "Distant Worlds"-entries. Delete all "Distant World"-Folders on your PC (backup savegames and mods if you need them!)
- Reinstall .net-Framework 3.5 and 4.0 + all patches (Windows Update)
- Get all Windows Updates
- Reinstall all drivers (Board, Sound, GFX, NIC ...), get the newest non-beta-versions
- Disable your Anti-Virus!
- Install Distant Worlds Main Game, check if it runs
- Install Distant Worlds Return of ..., check if it runs
- Install Distant Worlds: Legends, check if it runs
- Install Distant Worlds: Shadows, check if it runs
- Patch Distant Worlds to the newest version, check, if it runs
- Enable your Anti-Virus
- Have fun

Maybe it is time to migrate to a newer OS ... 12 years is quite old for an operating system [;)]

ORIGINAL: HariSeldon

Maybe it is time to migrate to a newer OS ... 12 years is quite old for an operating system [;)]

XP is still officially supportet and I have no gain from migrating to another OS. XP fits my rig very well. Also the problem occurs under Windows 7 as well, when I read this thread correct.

But yeah, it is time for a new PC in general But I mostly play older games on PC, so I will a little longer (telling me this for 2 years now )

still cant start Shadows .. here my dxdiag

waaaaah still not running

Hi Golgri,

What steps have you tried so far from the ones listed in this thread and the Tech Support FAQ? What exactly happens when you try to run Shadows?

Regards,

- Erik

i deinstalled distant worlds and reinstalled it often....
i restarted my pc between. Then i started the 2 programs called in the Thread, too.
Nothing helped. I start Distant worlds then a Window opened but only short then it colse.

Dont know what to do else.

I installed Distant World .... Shakturi.... Legeds and then Shadow

it still not work... tomorrow i get a NVIDIA Grafik Cart... could this be useful?

ORIGINAL: Golgri
I installed Distant World .... Shakturi.... Legeds and then Shadow

it still not work... tomorrow i get a NVIDIA Grafik Cart... could this be useful?

Hi Golgri

Sorry I didn't see this report until now.

Your system specs from your DxDiag report look fine for running DW.

Do you have a DW crash dump file in the following locations?
Unpatched: C:\Users\[YOURUSERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Code Force Limited\Distant Worlds\1.9.0.0\DW_CrashDump.txt

With latest patch: C:\Users\[YOURUSERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Code Force Limited\Distant Worlds\1.9.0.10\DW_CrashDump.txt

If so, please post the contents of that file here in this thread.

If no crash dump file exists, are there any entries relevant to Distant Worlds in your computer's event log? (Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Event Viewer)

Thanks
Elliot