LucasBarton

I use a CRT HD projection tv. From what I've read recently it's a problem for a lot of people because of the way it v-syncs. So, I have to live with it or find something else.

Oddly enough, that file is not in that folder or anywhere. I've got all hidden files and folders showing, but there is not a file named that in the folder. It's weird. I even re-downloaded the Vivanonno emulator, put it in it's own folder on my desktop, and it still will not open at all, giving an immediate error message. Not sure what to do on this one. Mednafen is just too much of a pain in the ass to use. It looks nice but the lack of a GUI makes it a headache.

Ok, so I've been using Nestopia for quite a while and I figured out why I sucked at Mike Tyson's Punch-Out after having once mastered it long ago. Turns out that having V-Sync turned gives you a terrible control lag that throws everything off by a millisecond. Turning it off makes controls very accurate but gives you horrible screen tearing on side-scrolling games like Super Mario Bros. I decided to give JNES, FCE Ultra, and VirtuaNES a try but they all have issues, either the same kind of lag or screen tearing even with vsync and buffering. Any recommedations on how to resolve this? Another problem. Ever since my video card went bad and I had another installed I keep running into little issues. I like the emulator Vivanonno because my PC isn't the fastest and it runs the Namco racing games very nicely. However, since I installed the new video card it will not run. I get a Windows error message when I click on it. Looking at the error report it comes up with a file at this location which I can't seem to locate: c:\DOCUME~1\user\LOCALS~1\Temp\9db8_appcompat.txt . I've looked high and low for this file and can't find it. What is the whole ~1 about? Should this read as c:\DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\user\LOCAL SETTINGS\Temp\9db8_appcompat.txt ? I can't make head or tails out of this. Seems like it's a constant cycle of getting everything working great, hard drive goes bad, spend forever getting it working again and enjoy it for a year, then the video card goes bad, repeat cycle over and over again. It's weird because my internet PC has lasted forever. Leave it on all night over and over and it's still ticking. My gaming PC, play it for an hour or two a week and something is always going wrong. Thanks for any help you all can offer.

Thanks for your help. I actually forgot that I had everything backed up on a seperate hard drive that I keep all my game stuff on. I copied and pasted all the GameEx stuff over and it fixed the problem. Still have to tweak a couple of emulators to work with the new video card but it's back up and running. Thanks!

If I move the data.mdb and then install a new GameEx, will that allow me to keep my old settings, paths, etc.? I do not want to redo all the stuff again.

No, that didn't work. Here's the full log: 7:33:18.1 7/31/2011: GameEx: Version 10.36: Starting Log 17:33:18.1 7/31/2011: Operating System Platform: Win32NT 17:33:18.1 7/31/2011: Operating System Name: Windows XP 17:33:18.1 7/31/2011: Operating System Version: 5.1.2600 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: Checking for versions of .net Framework installed 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: .net Framework 1.1 Installed 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: .net Framework 2.0 Installed 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: .net Framework 3.0 Installed 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: .net Framework 3.5 Installed 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: Intel® Celeron® CPU 2.80GHz, 1022MB 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: 2.8Ghz 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: Running Randomize() 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: Loading PlugIns 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: Checking for applications to Launch On Startup 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: Running Misc startup tasks 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: Setting Menu types 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: Opening Configuration File 17:33:18.2 7/31/2011: Getting Configuration Values 17:33:18.3 7/31/2011: Using Theme: Default - Future Retro 17:33:18.3 7/31/2011: Checking for alternate Image Directory for Theme: Default - Future Retro 17:33:18.3 7/31/2011: Launching HideOS.exe 17:33:18.3 7/31/2011: Initialising Video/MNG DLL's 17:33:18.4 7/31/2011: GameEx will check for media insertion (may affect performance) 17:33:18.7 7/31/2011: Hiding Taskbar 17:33:18.8 7/31/2011: Is Media Center running? 17:33:18.8 7/31/2011: Checking/Creating LCD Registry values 17:33:18.8 7/31/2011: Check Media Center Exit/Start Mode 17:33:18.8 7/31/2011: Media Center Mode 2 17:33:18.8 7/31/2011: Video previews on. Warning: Only recommended on modern systems 17:33:18.9 7/31/2011: Custom Game Device Input enabled: Getting custom codes 17:33:18.9 7/31/2011: Snap Delay set to: 4 17:33:18.9 7/31/2011: Get other settings 17:33:18.9 7/31/2011: Desktop set to Hide ICONS and set Background to Black 17:33:18.9 7/31/2011: Set: Find emulator artwork on best match basis 17:33:18.9 7/31/2011: Start work for Form 17:33:18.9 7/31/2011: Getting Original Screen Size 17:33:18.9 7/31/2011: Opening Database Connection 17:33:20.1 7/31/2011: --**-- 17:33:20.1 7/31/2011: Error: Unrecognized database format 'C:\Program Files\GameEx\GameEx\DATA\data.mdb'. 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnectionInternal..ctor(OleDbConnectionString constr, OleDbConnection connection) 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnectionFactory.CreateConnection(DbConnectionOptions options, Object poolGroupProviderInfo, DbConnectionPool pool, DbConnection owningObject) 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.CreateNonPooledConnection(DbConnection owningConnection, DbConnectionPoolGroup poolGroup) 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.GetConnection(DbConnection owningConnection) 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionClosed.OpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory) 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection.Open() 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: at j.a(Boolean A_0, String A_1, Boolean A_2) 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: at j..ctor() 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: Disposing Plugins 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: GameEx is exiting with errors 17:33:20.2 7/31/2011: Deleting search cache 17:33:21.4 7/31/2011: ERRORS DETECTED: EXITING

I haven't reinstalled Windows at all. I was having some resolution problems after putting the video card in and I had a tech look at it and he installed all the latest drivers. He did however try to get GameEx to open and he said he thinks the data.mdb is corrupt. So, what exactly does that mean? Do I have to re-install GameEx? I won't be able to post my entire log until tomorrow.

Hi all, I'm back again looking for help. Unfortunately the video card I've been using in my gaming PC went kaput so I had to get a new one. Due to being unable to find another one of the same card I had before I had to get a different one. Of course, after installing it and all the drivers now GameEx is throwing up some errors. I'm not sure how to fix it and I really don't want to re-install everything so I'm hoping there's an easy fix that you guys can point out. Here's the error log I'm getting when GameEx crashs. Any info would be greatly appreciated. 3:54:11.2 7/31/2011: Loading PlugIns 03:54:11.4 7/31/2011: Checking for applications to Launch On Startup 03:54:11.4 7/31/2011: Running Misc startup tasks 03:54:11.4 7/31/2011: Setting Menu types 03:54:11.4 7/31/2011: Opening Configuration File 03:54:11.4 7/31/2011: Getting Configuration Values 03:54:11.4 7/31/2011: Using Theme: Default - Future Retro 03:54:11.4 7/31/2011: Checking for alternate Image Directory for Theme: Default - Future Retro 03:54:11.5 7/31/2011: Launching HideOS.exe 03:54:11.5 7/31/2011: Initialising Video/MNG DLL's 03:54:11.6 7/31/2011: GameEx will check for media insertion (may affect performance) 03:54:11.6 7/31/2011: Hiding Taskbar 03:54:12.0 7/31/2011: Is Media Center running? 03:54:12.0 7/31/2011: Checking/Creating LCD Registry values 03:54:12.1 7/31/2011: Check Media Center Exit/Start Mode 03:54:12.1 7/31/2011: Media Center Mode 2 03:54:12.2 7/31/2011: Video previews on. Warning: Only recommended on modern systems 03:54:12.2 7/31/2011: Custom Game Device Input enabled: Getting custom codes 03:54:12.2 7/31/2011: Snap Delay set to: 4 03:54:12.2 7/31/2011: Get other settings 03:54:12.2 7/31/2011: Desktop set to Hide ICONS and set Background to Black 03:54:12.2 7/31/2011: Set: Find emulator artwork on best match basis 03:54:12.2 7/31/2011: Start work for Form 03:54:12.2 7/31/2011: Getting Original Screen Size 03:54:12.2 7/31/2011: Opening Database Connection 03:54:13.1 7/31/2011: --**-- 03:54:13.1 7/31/2011: Error: Unrecognized database format 'C:\Program Files\GameEx\GameEx\DATA\data.mdb'. 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnectionInternal..ctor(OleDbConnectionString constr, OleDbConnection connection) 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnectionFactory.CreateConnection(DbConnectionOptions options, Object poolGroupProviderInfo, DbConnectionPool pool, DbConnection owningObject) 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.CreateNonPooledConnection(DbConnection owningConnection, DbConnectionPoolGroup poolGroup) 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.GetConnection(DbConnection owningConnection) 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionClosed.OpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory) 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection.Open() 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: at j.a(Boolean A_0, String A_1, Boolean A_2) 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: at j..ctor() 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: Disposing Plugins 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: GameEx is exiting with errors 03:54:13.2 7/31/2011: Deleting search cache 03:54:14.3 7/31/2011: ERRORS DETECTED: EXITING

Well guys, it appears that I've solved the puzzle. I was going through the ArcadeVGA settings in the GameEx configuration and noticed that it was trying to stretch games to various resolutions during certain situations so I decided to just turn them all off and everything seems to be working great now. Donkey Kong, Galaga, Gaplus, etc. all look great and run smoothly. Thanks for helping me out, even if I stumbled onto the solution myself. I guess I've been using GameEx for around 5 years now and I've received a ton of help on this board. Thanks again!

I can't update to a newer version of Mame32 because I don't have access to the newer sets of roms. Like you said, later versions of Mame have updated roms which would break a lot of games for me. Here's the weird thing. After deleting all the .ini files in the ini folder, I went and played a few games like Strider and noticed some screen tearing. So, I went into the Mame32 default game options, checked off wait for vsync, played the game in both Mame32 and through GameEx and the screen tearing was gone. Also, putting the Rad Mobile and Outrunners .ini files back into the ini folder, GameEx recognizes both of those .ini folders and plays fine with the custom resolutions I want with those games. So, if GameEx will recognize the changes I made with Outrunners and Rad Mobile, as well as me checking the vsync option for Strider, why the heck does it ignore the .ini settings for the vertical games? It makes absolutely zero sense. None. Zip.

Thanks for your suggestion. It fixed part of the problem but not all of it. The choppiness was coming from the triple buffering in the commandline. Removing that in GameEx fixed the choppiness but it still will not keep the resolution settings from MAME32. I added the -readconfig in the GameEx commandline and it didn't work. There is no CORE CONFIGURATION OPTIONS line in my MAME32.ini file in the .ini folder. I posted my Mame32.ini file a few posts up. However, I did go ahead and add it in but it made no difference. The problem only seems to be with games I'm using custom resolutions, vertical games and Sega System 32 games, the latter which I now have working. Everything else works great. Here are two different Galaga .ini files I've used. When the game starts up in GameEx, it uses Direct3D, the switch resolution option becomes unchecked, and the resolution is messed. Keep in mind it works fine outside of GameEx. Perhaps you can find an issue with them: galaga.ini galagaaa.ini

Ok, apparently the problem is the .ini files I created with the ArcadeVGAres tool. Playing games using those .ini files through the MAME32 GUI alone they all worked perfect but playing them through GameEx it would not recognize those .ini files for who knows what reason. So, I deleted all the .ini files from the MAME32 ini folder, which reverts all games back to default settings. GameEx then runs all MAME games correctly using the default settings like it should. BUT, without those custom ini files, If I go to the default settings of each game through the MAME32 GUI, you cannot use a custom resolution. It only says AUTO. However, if you use the ArcadeVGAres tool to make .ini files for your games and put them in the .ini folder, then you can select from a long list of different resolutions through the MAME32 GUI. It's odd as hell. So, if I don't use the custom .ini files I get smooth framerate but the top and bottom of the screen cut off because I can't use the correct resolution. If I use the custom .ini then the screen is the right size but it's choppy as hell. It makes no sense at all. I gone through the .ini file and all the options are what they should be. Think of it this way: The MAME32 .ini folder is empty. I select to play Donkey Kong from the MAME GUI. Donkey Kong starts up, it plays smoothly but the top is cut off. I then end the game and close MAME32. I play it through GameEx and it plays fine other than the top being cut off. I close GameEx. I put the Donkey Kong .ini file with the correct resolution into the .ini folder, start the MAME32 GUI up and select to play Donkey Kong. It plays perfect, screen size and all just like I want it. I close the MAME32 GUI and start GameEx and select Donkey Kong. Now the screen is the correct size but the game plays choppy as hell. I've gone through the .ini before hand to make sure that DirectDraw is turned on, triple buffering, v-sync, and all other options that would slow it down are turned off and it doesn't help. What could GameEx possible be seeing in the .ini file that MAME32 alone isn't? That's what is driving me nuts. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

here are the ini files Mame.ini MAME32ui.ini

No, there isn't one. There is a MAME32.ini in the ini folder which has all the video options and they are correct. I copied and pasted it outside into the MAME32 folder and it didn't change anything.

What config are you talking about? One located in the MAME32 folder or in the GameEx folder? I've looked in all the config files I can find and don't see anything. If I go into the MAME32 .ini file all the settings are correct. If I go into the individual .ini files everything looks correct. I can't find any MAME config files or settings located in the GameEx folder that could be edited to fix the problem.

Well, kinda sorted out. Those few games are working good now but I just edited the .ini files for a few vertical games to fit better on my monitor and once again, they look great in MAME32 but GameEX will not recognize the changes. It's weird. Every other emulator, GameEx just starts them up and whatever settings you have within the emulator is how it comes out. Not in this case though. Why the hell is GameEx overridding my MAME32 settings? I've looked high and low throughout the GameEx folder for some kind of config file that has saved previous MAME settings and can't find anything at all. Changing ArcadeMode didn't do anything, just mess with the font size within GameEx. I opened GameEx and MAME32 up at the same time, ran Donkey Kong Jr. on each one and it works fine in MAME32 and not in GameEx. Where the hell is this file in GameEx that has saved old settings? It's a pain in the ass to go through a whole list of vertical games on MAME32 to fix the settings only to have GameEx not recognize them.

I got it to work. Well, actually it just started working for no reason whatsoever. Didn't change anything in GameEX, the MAME.ini, or anything. That's computers for you. Thanks for the help.

Not sure exactly which you need so here are 2 different config files in the GameEX folder. Thanks GameEx.ini gameex.default.ini

Hi all, back again looking for help. Ok, so for the longest time when I played Rad Mobile, Outrunners, and other System32 games on my arcade monitor these games would not fill the screen. Now I figured out how to get them to fill the screen by changing the resolution settings in MAME32 and they look great now. However, when I try to play them through GameEX it keeps trying to use the old setting. I've gone back to MAME32 to make sure they saved and they did. If I play the games outside of GameEX they look fine but once I try to play them in GameEX it's back to the shrunk screen size. I've looked for some config file to delete but can't find anything. I've updated the list, everything I can think of. Keep in mind I'm using an older version of GameEX. Any ideas? Thanks

I use an ArcadeVGA video card so I can connect to an arcade monitor and it has issues with the Nebula Model 2 emulator. It seems to be a common problem so that is why I had wanted to play the Model 2 games through MAME.

Yeah, somewhere around there. I'm wanting to get a new motherboard and cpu, more ram, and a bigger hd. Would something like this do the job, not enough, or overkill? : http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.798714

Hi, I'm getting ready to upgrade the PC I use to run my emulators and I need some advice on what to get. My main concerns are getting something fast enough to run games like Daytona USA, Rave Racer, and the Atomiswave games at full speed through MAME. Any processor or ram recommendations? I'm not looking to spend that much, maybe $400 all together. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks! That did the job. Once again the GameEx forums have answered my question. You all have never let me down and I appreciate it.

Here it is: ;Configuration file for the Capcom System 3 emulator ;All text to the right of ; is ignored (use as comments) ;Add your rom directories here (max 10) ;ROMS subdirectory in the same folder than the exe is always scanned when searching for roms ;(remove the ; form Dir1) [RomDirs] ;Dir1=c:\cps3\roms [Renderer] ForceSync=0 ;Force directx to lock to vsync refresh SoftwareVertexProcessing=1 ForceManaged=0 ;Forces the DX driver to use Managed textures instead of Dynamic. Use it if the emulator ;crashes after loading or doesn't show anything FilterTilemaps=1 ;Perform bilinear filtering when stretching in fullscreen FullScreenWidth=640 FullScreenHeight=480 ;These options are configured from menus so don't touch FullMode=1 Sound=1 Frameskip=-1 AutoFull=1 Filter=0 [CPS3] Region=3

The funny thing is that when I go into the .ini it clearly says the resolution is 640x480. I make it read only, start the emu and poof, it's running at 800x600. I may have to wait until I upgrade the PC I'm running in the cabinet and play it through MAME, which I plan on doing in about a month anyway. I'm using an old PC that struggles with some of the newer games like Daytona USA, Killer Instinct, Ridge Racer, etc. so I'm going upgrade.