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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:55 am 
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Well, I'm the poor Reb who started the thread on "Battleground Games not running in Windows XP". Now it looks as if it deserves a new thread title and alas the title says it all.

I have tried just about everything and Battlegrounds will just not install. That's nine different Battleground Games and they all fail. Searching the web I encountered a discussion in 2003 dealing with similar issues and the person even tried the drastic step of reinstalling Windows XP. The trouble was the thread was not complete and although they did say it did not work the thread did not continue.

The person DID mention that all the trouble started when they installed Service Pack II and I DO have that on my system.

Mike Kaulbars has come up with a "perhaps" solution that he is going to try for me but at this point I am not hopeful. He is going to transer the files of one Battleground Game to the Hard Disk (of his computer), Patch it, upgrade to 32 Bit, make a copy and then give it to me. We will see then.

It's a darn shame that with every 'upgrade' of a Microsoft product something is always lost. Can you imagine what it would be like if audio cassettes you purchased in 1969 didn't work on your stereo player of today? VHS tapes too. What about our CD's? Will they play 10 years from now. Sounds cynical, but this experience has made me rather urked at Microsoft in General. Considering the Battleground Games represent close to $450 of software that I have purchased over the years AND STILL WOULD LIKE TO ENJOY.

Anyway, I guess this is the "Surrender at Appomattox" for this Battteground Playing Reb.


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 1:26 am 
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i have SP2 on my box nad had no problems at all installing battlleground games...

Major General John Corbin
Commanding officer
Army of The James


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:32 am 
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Yes, this sounds very strange indeed. My own computers run on Win XP with SP2 and DirectX 9, and all the current drivers, etc, and all of my Battleground games works just fine on both of them. I had some problems installing East Front, West Front, etc on my computers, but now they too works just fine. Maybe it has something to do with the computer itself? Maybe some drivers that needs updating? I dunno....

Anyway, soon they will all be re-released by Matrix, fully XP compatible....

Regards

MajGen Atle Jenssen
CO 2nd Division
XXth Corps
Army of the Cumberland
USA


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:22 am 
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Sir,
I have installed a program--I think it is called "boot magic" which asks me during the boot process which operating system I would like to run. For games, I most often open win98, unless it is a more modern game. I am sure there are other ways to do it, many have claimed to have no problems loading the games witht he more up to date operating system, but it works for me. If you are interested in more information feel free to send an e-mail, and I will make sure about the name of the product.
MG Michael Laabs
3/III A of M


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 4:15 am 
Sir,

I have XP Home with SP2 running, and can run patched Battleground games just fine using the game launcher program that one of our members developed where you install all of the Battleground games into one main Talonsoft directory and install the launcher program, replacing the original individual .exe files with the new one for the launcher program, then run all of those battleground games from the launcher instead of the individual programs. Works like a charm. If you have not tried that yet, give it a look. I can't remember where you can download it from, but I'm sure someone around here will know what I'm talking about and where it is located.

Good luck!

Regards,

Col. Alan Lynn
2nd Div, II Corps, AoA

Signal Corps, Assistant Editor

"The only accurate news is well researched history."

God Bless <><


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:54 am 
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Having run all the BG games in nearly every version of Windows from 95 to XP Pro SP2, and on multiple computers from desktops to laptops, AMD and Intel, ATI and Nvidia, I've never had an issue with it runing properly. And, I've never had to resort to compatibility settings either. It's most likely that any problem you're having is unique to you, either because of corrupted files or some other general flakiness in your Windows setup. The BG install problems are probably just a symptom of a problem with your system.

You say that Mike will send you a patched version of a game. Previously I described that you can do that too by just copying the CD to your hard drive. You don't need to install it to run the game. If you run the patch(s) yourself in the game's directory on your HD, it will update it. Have you tried this? Will the patch program run or does it fail to initiate too? As I said, after I copied (not installed) the game's directory from the CD to the HD, I was able to run the game in it's original form, patched form, and finally 32-bit form simply by clicking on the bg_start.exe of the game. I'm certain you can run the games if the bug in your Windows installation is fixed.

One last thing. Does your CD drive see your game disk? My new Toshiba DVD burner got so finicky about seeing disks I had to replace it with a BenQ drive. The BG disks were ones it had trouble seeing. Anyway, I wish you luck in your troubleshooting. I know how frustrating it can be. Let me know if there's anything I can help you with!



Major General Dirk Gross
XIV Corps/AoC


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 10:59 am 
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ALL:

Unfortuneately, all the options you are mentioning have already been tried. The most promising was to copy the CD to the HD and either run setup or try the EXE file. Neither worked. (With the BG series, if you do not actually run the install, I think you still have to make an INI file. I never tested that out, but I think you would.)

All virus software had already been removed and he searched to make sure there was nothing residual that happened to not be uninstalled. Still no luck. He just installed new virus and new spyware programs and ran scan on both just in case there was some odd virus or adware gumming up the works, but there were not serious hits.

Alan's Suggestion about the LAUNCHER is a possibility that he has not tried and I have the program. That might be something to try.

My latest suggestion was threefold:

1. Give up trying to play BG games.

2. Try to REPAIR WINXP.

3. Reinstall WINXP.

I gave all the caveats about the repair and about the more drastic re-installing.

Right now, he is waiting for the options Mike Kaulbars has provided.

One other point that I am not sure Gilbert has mentioned on the boards, but this is a clean install of WINXP on a new machine. So there are no lingering remnants of WIN98 that might cause problems.

Hopefully, one of us will hit on a solution.[:D]


<b><font color="gold">Ernie Sands
LtGen, Commanding, Army of Ohio
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 11:20 am 
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I'm a dabbler in all this, but I have two CD drives on my PC and if I recall I had to have the BG CD in the drive I origianlly loaded the program from for it to run. I don't know why or whether it is relevent, but something else to consider.

If everything else does fail, why not just get an older PC with an earlier version of windows, network them together, so you can transfer the email game files, and play until you or Mircrosoft figures out a more elegant solution.



Lt Gen Bob Breen
Commanding XIX Corps, AoS
"Defenders of the Right"


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 11:44 am 
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by bobbreen</i>
<br />I'm a dabbler in all this, but I have two CD drives on my PC and if I recall I had to have the BG CD in the drive I origianlly loaded the program from for it to run. I don't know why or whether it is relevent, but something else to consider.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

That is true. Even with a WINXP install, an INI file is generated and this file "tells" the operating system to "look" at drive "D" or "E" or whatever drive it was installed from. However, you CAN modify the INI files to look at ANY drive.

<b><font color="gold">Ernie Sands
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:29 pm 
You know, it just could be some quirk about your system. On my main gaming machine, I could not run Matrix's Uncommon Valor without frequent crashes to the desktop. I pestered Matrix. I upgraded PC drivers and patched the game till my eyes were crossed. I sent Matrix game save after game save. Nothing worked. Now that program had its problems when it released, and I was one of those people who was an old PAC War fan (the Gary Grigsby predecessor to UV) so I ended up with UV 1.0 and eventually downloaded literally dozens of patches, all to no avail. Then... My wife bought a new PC. I adopted her old computer, set it up in the basement next to my gaming machine, loaded the game on my new/old PC and UV has run without a hitch on it ever since... Old un-updated drivers and all. So... I heartilly endorse the idea of picking up some old half decent Win 98 machine and runing the BG games on it. They should very affordable. I mean if you can buy a new PC for $400 bucks these days, and considering that the Talonsoft games will run on any PC that has the resources to run Win 98, you should not have to spend much money on an old W98 PC. Heck, you may be able to adopt one if ypou know someone who is replacing theirs with an XP machine... And for that matter, you can move the game files from one PC to the other without even getting a NW card if you don't care to spring for that. Just my two cents, and worth every penny...

Regards and Good Luck
Gen Thos. Callmeyer
4th Bgd.-1st Div.-XV Corps-AoT

P. S. Regarding your subtext about forced obsolecence in electronics... I'm still pissed about the forced obsolecence of non-digital TV's. I currently own five analog TV's around the house (including an old Watchmen) all of which get used from time to time depending on what room I am in and what I am up to. In fact, when I am doing chores areound the house (and the wife not home) I may have three or four on simultaneously tuned to the same channel. The sound may also be blaring through the house over my four speaker-sets from the stereo so I can keep track of the game or whatever while I work. I am not happy at all about the fact that I am expected to replace these with digital sets once their legally mandated obsolesence comes to pass. No I'm not getting four or five converters at one or two hundred dollars a pop or whatever to enjpoy the privledge of continuing to use televsions I already own. Grrrrrr.... Let's see. Who was the guy who championed the digital TV mandatory obsolecence timetable? Wasn't it that same guy who "Invented the internet?" At least Washington is terrible at keeping to their own schedules.


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:47 pm 
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Ernie, I did test copying BG Bull Run to my laptop and it ran perfectly by executing the bg_start.exe on the HD directory. Even played video, music, and sound effects too. I was surprised it worked without an ini but it did. I couldn't run the 16-bit patch though unless it was executed in the game directory. Appently it needs the path to the game, but it executed in the game directory just fine. I think the 32-bit patch just overwrites the 16-bit files so no problem there either.

Another thing to try:

Go to Run and type MSCONFIG. Go to the startup tab and select the Disable All button. Then reboot and try a normal install. This will shut down all background programs that may be interfering with the install. I've had to do this to uninstall programs before that refused to go completely because some part of them stayed active. After you're done you can simply go back and select the Enable All button.

Major General Dirk Gross
XIV Corps/AoC


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 11:32 pm 
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OK - PARTIAL SUCCESS!!! IT'S ONLY A TACTICAL WIN IN THE BATTLEGROUND VS WINDOWS XP FIGHT - But can we change it into a Decisive??

Mike Kaulbars took four of the Battleground Games - Shiloh, Chickamauga, Antietam and Bull Run and applied the patch to each, then upgraded to 32 Bit and then transferred the whole works to a single disk.

I took the folders as he created them and dragged them to my Games directory. I then used the "start.exe" and nothing. I thought for sure that would work. I then used the "bgn.exe" and the games STARTED AND RAN PROPERLY!

So we have a big win there. Problems. It does ask me to put the original CD (no problem with that) in "my other" drive, the one I don't usually use but I guess that can be fixed. But the other problem might still bar me from ever playing them in e-mail play which is the whole point. This is because the menu that the game starts from (bgn.exe) has no options for "e-mail" play. That seems to be only on the "start" execute button. I suppose if some other player initiated an email game I would probably be able to play them but I don't see a way of actually starting an email game. The other thing is starting from this menu I have no info on the scenarios, only a scenario number.

That is all minor stuff because the main thing was to get the darn games at least started and that worked, so there is hope.

Other updates: I contacted my computer manufacturer and they are helping me in the sense that they believe the Windows installer program has been corrupted somehow and have given me instruction for a "repair" installation of Windows XP. In view of Mike's breakthrough I have not tried it yet but will do so.

Microsoft "help" did reply but I got the exact answer I suspected I would get from them, virtually 'no help' and blame it on your computer. Contact computer manufacturer etc....Answers like that always make me feel like I am the only on in North America (or maybe the world) that has a problem like this. They did say "to get back to them" so maybe I am being a little hard on them, but I don't think so. They did not even mention the "Windows Installer Repair" option like Medion did.

Michael, I would be interested in that program called "boot image" but at present I will pursue these angles first, but if you could send it along I would be grateful.

Ernie, if I change the drive letter in the 'INI' file will this force the game to boot from the proper CD drive? (and thank you again for the continuing help)

Alan, One of the crazy problems that I was having was the fact that even after dragging all game files onto the hard drive the "patch" would not work. I now realize it is probably because it is looking for the BGN.INI file which is created when you install the game, which of course isn't there. I didn't try the "running from one disk" option because, if I can't even install the games that option would never come about.

Dirk, as mentioned. The biggest problem was that the game would not install so I could never "fix" anything and it does appear it absolutely needs the win.ini file. I will keep your fresh install idea in mind by unchecking start up items but already no virus or firewall or anything like that was operating.

TO ALL: Can you just arbitrarily "create" a BGN.INI file in Notebook or something to "Make the game work"?

TO ALL: Thanks for your suggestions, it's looking a lot more hopeful.

MIKE: A special thank you for the 'tactical victory' that we may yet turn into a decisive.

I can see now why Matrix games may pick up the whole Battleground Bundle and re-releasing them.

I have a feeling I will NOT be in the mood to "upgrade" to Windows VISTA next year.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 2:59 am 
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by gcollins</i>
<br />OK - PARTIAL SUCCESS!!! IT'S ONLY A TACTICAL WIN IN THE BATTLEGROUND VS WINDOWS XP FIGHT - But can we change it into a Decisive??

Mike Kaulbars took four of the Battleground Games - Shiloh, Chickamauga, Antietam and Bull Run and applied the patch to each, then upgraded to 32 Bit and then transferred the whole works to a single disk.

I took the folders as he created them and dragged them to my Games directory. I then used the "start.exe" and nothing. I thought for sure that would work. I then used the "bgn.exe" and the games STARTED AND RAN PROPERLY!

So we have a big win there. Problems. It does ask me to put the original CD (no problem with that) in "my other" drive, the one I don't usually use but I guess that can be fixed. But the other problem might still bar me from ever playing them in e-mail play which is the whole point. This is because the menu that the game starts from (bgn.exe) has no options for "e-mail" play. That seems to be only on the "start" execute button. I suppose if some other player initiated an email game I would probably be able to play them but I don't see a way of actually starting an email game. The other thing is starting from this menu I have no info on the scenarios, only a scenario number.

That is all minor stuff because the main thing was to get the darn games at least started and that worked, so there is hope.

Other updates: I contacted my computer manufacturer and they are helping me in the sense that they believe the Windows installer program has been corrupted somehow and have given me instruction for a "repair" installation of Windows XP. In view of Mike's breakthrough I have not tried it yet but will do so.

Microsoft "help" did reply but I got the exact answer I suspected I would get from them, virtually 'no help' and blame it on your computer. Contact computer manufacturer etc....Answers like that always make me feel like I am the only on in North America (or maybe the world) that has a problem like this. They did say "to get back to them" so maybe I am being a little hard on them, but I don't think so. They did not even mention the "Windows Installer Repair" option like Medion did.

Michael, I would be interested in that program called "boot image" but at present I will pursue these angles first, but if you could send it along I would be grateful.

Ernie, if I change the drive letter in the 'INI' file will this force the game to boot from the proper CD drive? (and thank you again for the continuing help)

Alan, One of the crazy problems that I was having was the fact that even after dragging all game files onto the hard drive the "patch" would not work. I now realize it is probably because it is looking for the BGN.INI file which is created when you install the game, which of course isn't there. I didn't try the "running from one disk" option because, if I can't even install the games that option would never come about.

Dirk, as mentioned. The biggest problem was that the game would not install so I could never "fix" anything and it does appear it absolutely needs the win.ini file. I will keep your fresh install idea in mind by unchecking start up items but already no virus or firewall or anything like that was operating.

TO ALL: Can you just arbitrarily "create" a BGN.INI file in Notebook or something to "Make the game work"?

TO ALL: Thanks for your suggestions, it's looking a lot more hopeful.

MIKE: A special thank you for the 'tactical victory' that we may yet turn into a decisive.

I can see now why Matrix games may pick up the whole Battleground Bundle and re-releasing them.

I have a feeling I will NOT be in the mood to "upgrade" to Windows VISTA next year.








<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

The creation of a BGN.INI can be done but it needs to be placed ( I think ) in the windows registry as well.

Major General John Corbin
Commanding officer
Army of The James


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 3:05 am 
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by gcollins</i>
But the other problem might still bar me from ever playing them in e-mail play which is the whole point. This is because the menu that the game starts from (bgn.exe) has no options for "e-mail" play. That seems to be only on the "start" execute button.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

That's not a problem. Select "Play by Email" from the "Special" pulldown menu. Then use "new" or "open" in "File".

Gen. Walter, USA
<i>The Blue Blitz</i>
AoS
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 3:31 am 
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When you mentioned windows installer corruption I dug around until I found this

http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... -us;555175



Major General John Corbin
Commanding officer
Army of The James


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