Matrix Games Forums

Hi Everyone

This is my first message to this board - and I could really need some help.

I have a problem with the version 2.0 and 2.1 of Pacific War as I cannot start the game.

I have tried on two difference machines

An NT 4.0 SP6. When starting the program I get the intro screens - then a black screen. No keyword inputs / mouse inputs etc. give any results - other than to terminate the program.

A Win98. When starting the program I get the intros - then an error code stating a DOS error.

Are more information needed - if so - which information.

Thanks

Claus

Your probably out of conventional memmory. Get to a dos prompt and type mem and hit enter and see if you have 600k or more free. Remember this is a old dos program and needs that lower memory to launch.

If your low try renaming config.sys and autoexec.bat That's what I had to do. Look in the archives for old posts.

I'm pretty new here too but I've been lurking for a while and not to many of the vet's seem willing to help us newbies. Pretty sad.

Hi rudbeck, Tony

I think you can find this information elsewhere also as Tony mentioned but with this setting on a machine running Win 98 SE I don't have any memory problems. Not even when checking aircraft on carriers.

Autoexec.bat:
mode con codepage prepare=((850) C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850
keyb sv,,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\keyboard.sys
LH C:\WINDOWS\ASP4DOS.COM

Config.sys:
DEVICE=C:\windows\himem.sys
dos=high,umb
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE noems frame=none I=B000-B7FF
DEVICEhigh=C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
devicehigh=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\display.sys con=(ega,,1)
Country=046,850,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\country.sys

I think the most important is the DEVICE line in config loading himem, that DOS is high and to use DEVICEHIGH and LH (Load High) as much as possible.

Good luck
BPRE

Sorry,

I forgot to mention that the Autoexec line LH C:\WINDOWS\ASP4DOS.COM
is specific for my sound board so you don't need it.

/BPRE

Originally posted by rudbeck:
Hi Everyone

This is my first message to this board - and I could really need some help.

I have a problem with the version 2.0 and 2.1 of Pacific War as I cannot start the game.

I have tried on two difference machines

An NT 4.0 SP6. When starting the program I get the intro screens - then a black screen. No keyword inputs / mouse inputs etc. give any results - other than to terminate the program.

A Win98. When starting the program I get the intros - then an error code stating a DOS error.

Are more information needed - if so - which information.

Thanks

Claus

I too had problems running under win98. If I boot msdos with the same boot disk I use for MOM, I can start the dos version. On my older computer (dos6.22 and qemm) I can start fine as long as I don't drop below 600k conventional mem. Version 2.0 seems to run very fast that way as well, I started the 41 campaingn in an ai vs ai sim and it was all the way to 45 in less than 6-7 hours, when it started in with the building a bombs, it would then wait for a keypress when before going on to the air repair phase, and this was on just a 486-66. I also have ver 1.0 on the same machine and intend to check how it compares in speed. When I ran the same sim years ago I seem to remember that it took over 24 hours to do the same.
thanks, John.

Originally posted by Tony Capriglione:
Your probably out of conventional memmory. Get to a dos prompt and type mem and hit enter and see if you have 600k or more free. Remember this is a old dos program and needs that lower memory to launch.

If your low try renaming config.sys and autoexec.bat That's what I had to do. Look in the archives for old posts.

I'm pretty new here too but I've been lurking for a while and not to many of the vet's seem willing to help us newbies. Pretty sad.

Have the same problem you are trying to solve with this fix. Checked and I have 588k of conventional memory. What does this mean? and is this part of the problem running PacWar (Win 98).

Originally posted by nittany:
Have the same problem you are trying to solve with this fix. Checked and I have 588k of conventional memory. What does this mean? and is this part of the problem running PacWar (Win 98).

Its not easy to explain the arcane magic involved in maximizing free space for DOS programs.

The only thing I can think of, is for you guys having the problems to post a message with the contents of your autoexec.bat, config.sys, and the output from the DOS mem.exe program. For mem do this at the DOS prompt: "mem.exe /C > output.txt", and include the contents of output.txt in your post. Maybe some of the grognards around here can help you optimize it. No guarantees though.

Originally posted by Ed Cogburn:
Its not easy to explain the arcane magic involved in maximizing free space for DOS programs.

The only thing I can think of, is for you guys having the problems to post a message with the contents of your autoexec.bat, config.sys, and the output from the DOS mem.exe program. For mem do this at the DOS prompt: "mem.exe /C > output.txt", and include the contents of output.txt in your post. Maybe some of the grognards around here can help you optimize it. No guarantees though.

thanks a bunch for the idea. however, i have given up on this fix (i'm a child of windows not good a dos). i'll have to wait for the new pacwar game the matrix is working on. thanks again. mike

Nittany - There are a few simple entries you can make to free up conventional memory, and it can be done quite well from a DOS box. If you want to make another try, say the word and I'll post the config and autoexec settings which give me more than enough convnetional memory to run PW from the command line. Actually, with a tweak or two, I run straight from a shortcut, without having to go into a boot to the DOS command line, but if I had a memory problem, I know the command line is always available.

One question here: You are starting the game from Pac.exe, arent you???

Let me know, it will take you all of five minutes to set up the shortcut to an "Exit to DOS". Worth a try,

Bing

This may help with some of the memory related problems in the game.First find your pacific war folder look in it for the file Pac.Exe right click select properties then select memory tab look for convential memory change setting from auto to 640k.apply this exit out to the folder.right click on Pac.exe again make a desktop shortcut drag to desktop.This worked for me i found the game would crash when i displayed details of carrier airgroups.This is on a machine using windows 98 SE.Also check your cofig.sys file on your hard drive and make sure that the himem.sys and emm386.exe lines are present usually first two lines use notepad to open this in windows and edit it if needed.below is a example config.sys.NOTE your config.sys file is specific to your own machine it may have other lines included relating to cdroms,virus software other hardware and usually a keyboard and country entry do not edit these lines as they will stop the related items from working.if you must then at the start of the line type REM followed by a space this will disable that line to restore it just delete the REM command and the space.Hope this helps .

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM
BUFFERS=40,0
FILES=40
DOS=UMB
LASTDRIVE=Z
FCBS=4,0
DOS=HIGH

Hey, Bing---I'd appreciate the help. Do any of the previous postings sound like they would work? I'll have to download the game again. I tried to run the game from the shortcut at first. Later, tried with the blue box pac.exe, that's I got into trouble.
If, I can get pacwar to work on my system, I'll kick some butt.

Originally posted by nittany:
Hey, Bing---I'd appreciate the help. Do any of the previous postings sound like they would work? I'll have to download the game again. I tried to run the game from the shortcut at first. Later, tried with the blue box pac.exe, that's I got into trouble.
If, I can get pacwar to work on my system, I'll kick some butt.

Set up a shortcut, on the Cmd Line I use this:

C:\Windows\Command.com /k mode co80

You may not need the switches, depends upon your particular computer's BIOS and settings.

Then select "Advanced", then MS-DOS mode, then "Specify a new MS-DOS configuration."

Config.sys entries:

DOS=HIGH,UMB
Device=C:\WINDOWS\Himem.Sys
DeviceHigh=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.Exe frame=none
REMDEVICE=C:\DOSDRVRS\CDROM\ECSCDIDE.SYS /D:CDROM01 (my CD-ROM doesn't work in DOs, to play PW you won't need it anyway.)

Autoexec.bat entries:

SET TMP=c:\windows\temp
SET TEMP=C:\windows\temp
SET PROMPT=$p$g
SET WINBOOTDIR=C:\WINDOWS
SET winbootdir=C:\WINDOWS
SET PATH=C:\PROGRA~1\WIN98RK;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;D:\
SET BLASTER=A220 I2 D1 T4
LH C:\DOSDRVRS\MOUSE\MOUSE.COM
If your Mouse.com is in a different directory, substitute that for the above.

I don't know about the other suggestions. I know what works on my computer, the above gives me 630,528 free bytes in conventional memory, more than enough to play PacWar

When you are finished playing, I believe you will have to "EXIT" from DOS, if you three-finger reboot, it may go right back to the DOS Mode.

I don't think any of the settings will cause a problem with your computer, but one never knows. This is what works for me.

I play computer games. Kicking posteriors is something in the past for me. To each his own,

Hope this helps,

Bing, thanks again. I have yet to try any fixes. Kicking posteriors, is just an expression. Looking for opponents, due to the fact that the computer is not bright. For example PzGen II is just not a challenge anymore. HPS' Panzer Campaigns are more of a challenge, but still none to bright. Mike