Use DXDIAG to remedy
Hi:
Check out this cross post which points out using the DXDiag tool and using different drivers. I don't think the different configs should make a difference here. The Direct X diagnostic tool should show you where the problem lies.
I have solved some nasty video problems lately with Unreal Tournament. When I first experienced these problems, I checked out this troubleshooting message boards and there were some fine ideas out here, however most of the replies stated that we we're all having the same problems and we just couldn't find the smoking gun.
I have spent about 10 hours trouble-shooting problems such as:
Lock-ups and game startup
sound and no video
critical errors at game start-up
general protection faults at game start up
I have had them all !!
Well - I think I got the fix and you can do it too.
First of all, I can't get the damn game to work with the 420 patch AT ALL, and I don't care anymore. I deleted the whole game and reinstalled it with the 413 patch with favorable results. Perfect stability.
Its no surprise to realize that most of these problems are video driver related, however it runs a little deeper than that. For example, I got the latest detonator drivers for my TNT 2 video card (version 5.33). These drivers caused problems with Direct X. How do I know? Try this - go to your program files folder and go into the Direct X folder and look for the file (or shortcut) called "DXDiag". This utility will tell you if you have any problems with any aspect of you video & sound drivers. The most typical problem is where DXDiag reports that the bla bla bla file is "uncertified". This may not be problem, but you have to hit the test button on each window within DXDiag to determine if a problem exists. Sure enough my 5.33 detonator drivers were causing a video look-up when I hit the test Direct 3D button. This was causing all the problems.
I went to the following website and downloaded the 3.79 WHQL detonator drivers and went into DXDiag again. Every video driver was certified and their test functions worked perfectly. Sure enough, the god-damn game now worked. DXDiag also tests all your appropriate sound card aspects as well. I have one uncertified sound card file that apparently is not causing problems because the test worked and the games work.
By the way, I tried 5 video drivers and nothing worked with the 420 patch.
Hope this helps.
http://www.reactorcritical.com/download.shtml
my set-up is as follows:
PII 450
32 Meg TNT 2 running at 2x AGP
128 Mb cas-100 memory DIMM
ASUS P3V4X Mother board
Sound Blaster Live
