Games in Windows XP home edition

[Osagehero]

I have recently tried to load a video program Disney/Pixas/Cars. My computer exceeds all the minimum requirements. I have a Compaq Presario S5000CL running a bundled Windows XP Home Edition. Each time I try to load the program it stalls out at 43%. A second attempt stalls out at 86%, and finally a third attempt loads up 100%. When I attempt to play the program an error message is displayed saying "Cars.exe has encountered a problem and need to close. Please tell Microsoft about this problem. I tried to contact Microsoft for help but became so confused in the amount of machine generated questions and responses that had nothing to do with the problem that I gave up. The install log shows the following opening line: Install.com.installshield.product.actions.Files,err, java.io.IOException: Data error (cyclic redundancy check. STACK_TRACE:20. I have run the diagnostics on my computer, checked the registry and repaired all errors, and checked the Game disks and found them without error. I will appreciate any help offered.

[DaveB]

Hi

If you have sufficient hard disk space, you could try copying the cd files onto the computer, and making an installation from there.

Otherwise, I would be inclined to ask your retailer for a replacement CD.

Regards, David

[Osagehero]

Thanks David, I'll give that a try.

[Adfaw]

I'm going to have to say it's just your graphics card. The only reason I can think for a computer freezing up like that over something is if the graphics card or RAM memory wasn't compatible or enough. Would you mind telling me what graphics card you have in your computer and the RAM? Remember that a lot fo times even if your computer is up to the specified speed and memory limits a lot of graphics cards aren't supported by certain games, you really have to be careful sometimes, especially with games that aren't very popoular like Disney games for example. they often don't have the graphics card support that they need. Just because people don't buy them as much as the others. Just some ideas.

[Osagehero]

My graphics card is a Nvidia GeForce 6600 AGP 128Mb of video RAM. THQ, the game maker, says they only support Nvidia and ATI cards and the ones they recommend are 64 Mb of video RAM.

I contacted THQ Support and they referred me to contact SeCuRom Support with the analysis log that is generated on Disk 2 of this game. SeCuRom responded that after inspecting the analysis log and based on my description of the error that the issue is not with SeCuRom and to contact the game publisher for specific support. I forwarded the SeCuRom e-mail to the publisher of the game and so far I have been ignored.

I didn't buy this game - my daughter did for our grandsons - I avoid this publisher since I've had less than a satisfying expierence with them on a previous occasion.

Thanks for your advice.

Regards, Osagehero

[Osagehero]

I copied the files from the Game Disk 1 to my hard drive and attempted to install the program from there. The install wizard quickly stopped and exhibited this message:
efb7b08e614e8cee478d2f435aa0azd4 data error cyclic redundancy check.

Is this one of the opening lines of software in the install program and therefore my problem is not with my system but with the software writer.

My system works well with other games and since I haven't the time or patience to probe into this $20 game, I'm going to chunk it in the waste basket and forget it.

[lol_hacker101]

hey

nice approach. i think many people would be just as frustrated, and i for one would be too. good on you, mate.

lol_hacker101

[Osagehero]

hey nice approach. i think many people would be just as frustrated, and i for one would be too. good on you, mate. lol_hacker101

Hey hacker101, from your reply I gather you are an Aussie. Having lived there for 5 years back in the 1960's i recognize the 'good on you, mate' as a familiar reply.

Regards,
Osagehero

[lol_hacker101]

ha.

I do that to people. Sry if I made you think that, I'm from South Korea, the land of programmers and video games. I couldn't help signing up on DaniWeb for this blog..so tempting.

lol,
lol_hacker101

[lol_hacker101]

ha.

I do that to people a lot. I'm sry, but you're wrong. I hail from South Korea, the land of programmers. I can sound Aussie(good on ya, mate), British(good day), French(ON GUARD!!), and just plain teenager American(yo, what's up, homie?)

lol,
lol_hacker101

[Ceroie]

Hello I have the same game and have the same problem at the moment but I havnt put my video card in yet so I will do so later when I have the time, the game specs say that the minimum requirement for ram is 256 mb ram and you stated before that your ram is only 128 mb ram so that may be your problemyou should have a strong enough video card to play it but maby you should think of upgrading your ram it is usaly pretty cheap these days just if you have a pentium 4 beware of 'High Density' ram it most likly will not work with your mother board and will cause conflicts, what you need to look for is 'Low Density' ram because it is compatible with all machinces that support the matching slot for the cards/sticks i dunno, THe choice is up to you see you.

[jbennet]

It means a scratchd disk i think

I got "cyclic redundancy error" installing command and conquer the first decade game because it was scratched. I copied the whole DVD to a fodler on my hard disk and ran setup from there and it worked just fine.

[Suspishio]

What I reckon the software company have done is to stamp a bad block to the game disk. This means that their production technique is crap as they apparently don't CRC check their image to the stamping machine. The bin's the right place for the disk.

When I was in Oz, goodonya was only used in the pub for the person buying the round. Otherwise it was whinginpom most of the time. Oh well, Sheila's Wheels!

[Ceroie]

Hello again I bothered to install my nivada video card into my new machine the other night and the game worked for me like i said before you need to meet all the requirements to be able to run the game, The game isnt that bad but has not to great graphics and i don't think it would be a bad staped dvd because they are made for only dvd just that.

minimum system requirements
-Windows 2000/xp
-DirectX 9.0c (included on the disc)
-1.2 GHz Pentium III or equiverlent AMD Athlon XP processor
-256 MB RAM (512 MB required for 6-[layer multiplayer games
-1.2 GB free hard drive space
-DVD-Rom
-Geforce 2 - ATI 7500 or better with at least 32 MB of video RAM (Video card)
-DirectX 9.0c Compatible sound card
-Keyboard, Mouse

Macintosh
-MAC OS X 10.3
-G4 1.2 GHz
-512 MB RAM
-Geforce2 or Radeon7500 (Video card)

[FragFighter]

ha. I do that to people a lot. I'm sry, but you're wrong. I hail from South Korea, the land of programmers. I can sound Aussie(good on ya, mate), British(good day), French(ON GUARD!!), and just plain teenager American(yo, what's up, homie?) lol, lol_hacker101

Hey, only REAL teenagers get to do that!
(And that's stereotypic, because lots of teens don't!)
ARRG!

[Ceroie]

what? I am Australian.