Matrix Games Forums

Can anyone help me, I have just found this game on the net (I used to play the original many years ago).
I cant get it to work.
I am running with XP and a ge-force3 ti500
I can start the game but after the credit screen it just goes blank.
Has this happened to anyone else?
Can anyone give me a clue, do i need to be running a specific screen size or colour setup?
Thanks in advance

I can't tell you how to fix it but I have learned that DOS based games and windowns XP don't mix very well. I suggest going to microsoft web site and reading their work arounds for it. Also, the latest gaming magazines had some articles on the problems with dos based games and win XP.
If I remember, one solution was to set sound to internal speakers because dos treated sound and video different but I don't know how to do that in PACWAR.
THe article did mention that win XP and NVidea G force video cards together really have a problem with dos based games.
Again, check the microsoft website. It's not your hardware or the game's problem but Win XP.
Good luck

[ January 05, 2002: Message edited by: gdpsnake ]</p>

Thanks i'll try microsoft and see what i come up with

I also had thist problem at first. I use WinXP and Geforce 3 based card. I fixed the problem by giving PAC.EXE it's own config.sys and autoexec.bat files. To do this go to PAC.EXE (with explorer) properties by right clicking on the PAC.EXE and selecting properites. Then select Program sheet, then Advanced. The two editable lines should read something like this: %SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT and %SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.NT . These are two lines you have to change. Make a referece to any file. It doesn't even matter what's on the files. I used my Win98 Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files but also files that just had one line worked for me. If I remember correctly same thing works with Windows 2000. I am not sure if this works for you, because I really don't understand it myself, but it's worth a shot. Hope this helps. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

I really appreciate your help, I don't want to seem like a complete dummy (I am by the way)
but when you say make a reference to any file could you explain what you mean.
Thanks again.

You just give the path where the file is. For example your autoexec.bat is your C-drives "root" you give a referece to it like this: C:\autoexec.bat . Like I said I don't know what the file should contain. You can make file and write something in it and give it Autoexec.bat or Config.sys name. You can do this by right clicking (on explorer again) selecting new and text document. Write to each file for example REM. And rename them to Autoexec.bat and Config.sys. Then just make the reference like I instructed on my previous post and start PAC.EXE. I am not sure if it works for you, but we have similar Graphic cards and same OS (WinXP). Write again if it doesn't work. If it works for you it might help others that have the same problem. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

Thanks again i have tried what you say but the computer tells me they are not dos files and the try to close me down.
As i have said I may be the dumbest computer operator on this planet.
I'm not sure if i am because i am too dumb!!!
(My wife seems to think so)
Really wish i still had my old 286.

When does it say that they are not DOS files? Do the splash screens (SSI, Matrix etc.) show before this happens? If you have e-mail I can send some picture along if there's something you don't understand with my explanation. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

sent you my email in a private message.
Appreciate your help alot

To anyone with this problem Bradders got the game working now (blank screen after credits with WinXP). If someone needs more detailed instructions you can find them here And if I remember correctly same method can be used with Windows 2000 and possibly WinME. <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

I would just like to chime in and say that I have had to employ this fix on win2k and winxp every time I have installed pacwar, and it has worked every time. It also fixed out of memory errors when looking at air groups on CV's, another common problem.

Im my case, the special config.nt and autoexec.nt files I used execute no commands at all. I took the examples provided with the OS and REM'ed out every single line. After that.. no problems with the game whatsoever.

(C'mon V2.3!!!!! I cant wait to play again!)

Bradders' problem is why I'm still using winblows 95 and winblows 98.