[RESOLVED] Cannot Launch GameEx

[KeNnO]

Hello,

I've now installed GameEx on Windows XP Professional however, it crashes right after the 'loading' screen.

The system I'm running is pretty old but above well above the minimum specifications listed.

CPU: VIA C3 1GHz

RAM: 512MB PC3200 DDR RAM

GRAPHICS: 64MB onboard

Microsoft .net framework installed

Microsoft Direct X 9.0c installed

Have tried XP with 16 and 32 bit color

I've tried disabling as many options as possible - karaoke, dvd, videos, enhancements and tried several themes.

I note the line regarding the DirectX crash:

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: NOTE: Windows/Microsoft Update does not contain the latest.

Do you know which update this would be referring to?

The following is the log file from the crash, hope you can help. Thanks!

22:13:04.3 6/20/2012: Opening Configuration File

22:13:04.6 6/20/2012: GameEx: Version 12.67: Starting Log

22:13:04.6 6/20/2012: Operating System Platform: Win32NT

22:13:04.6 6/20/2012: Operating System Name: Windows XP

22:13:04.6 6/20/2012: Operating System Version: 5.1.2600

22:13:04.7 6/20/2012: VIA Nehemiah, 447MB

22:13:04.7 6/20/2012: 1Ghz

22:13:04.7 6/20/2012: Running Randomize()

22:13:04.8 6/20/2012: Loading PlugIns

22:13:04.8 6/20/2012: Checking for applications to Launch On Startup

22:13:04.8 6/20/2012: Running Misc startup tasks

22:13:04.9 6/20/2012: Setting Menu types

22:13:04.9 6/20/2012: Getting Configuration Values

22:13:05.0 6/20/2012: Using Theme: Default - BlueEx - Arcade800x600

22:13:05.0 6/20/2012: Checking for alternate Image Directory for Theme: Default - BlueEx - Arcade800x600

22:13:05.0 6/20/2012: Launching HideOS.exe

22:13:05.0 6/20/2012: Initialising Video/MNG DLL's

22:13:05.0 6/20/2012: Arcade Mode is on

22:13:05.0 6/20/2012: GameEx will check for media insertion (may affect performance)

22:13:05.0 6/20/2012: Hiding Taskbar

22:13:05.1 6/20/2012: Is Media Center running?

22:13:05.1 6/20/2012: Checking/Creating LCD Registry values

22:13:05.1 6/20/2012: Check Media Center Exit/Start Mode

22:13:05.1 6/20/2012: Media Center Mode 2

22:13:05.3 6/20/2012: Video previews on. Warning: Only recommended on modern systems

22:13:05.3 6/20/2012: Snap Delay set to: 2

22:13:05.3 6/20/2012: Get other settings

22:13:05.3 6/20/2012: Desktop set to Hide ICONS and set Background to Black

22:13:05.3 6/20/2012: Set: Find emulator artwork on best match basis

22:13:05.3 6/20/2012: Start work for Form

22:13:05.3 6/20/2012: Getting Original Screen Size

22:13:05.4 6/20/2012: Opening Database Connection

22:13:06.2 6/20/2012: Initializing Component

22:13:06.5 6/20/2012: Loading Controls.ini map file

22:13:06.7 6/20/2012: Applying Language/Text

22:13:06.7 6/20/2012: Text/Language: English

22:13:07.3 6/20/2012: Loading Custom Emulators

22:13:07.3 6/20/2012: Loading Emulator 1: [Console] Nintendo N64 (Project64)

22:13:07.3 6/20/2012: Loading Emulator 2: [Console] Nintendo NES (Nestopia)

22:13:07.3 6/20/2012: Loading Emulator 3: [Console] Nintendo SNES (ZSNES)

22:13:07.3 6/20/2012: Loading Emulator 4: [Console] Sega Master System (Dega)

22:13:07.7 6/20/2012: Using 2D Animations

22:13:07.7 6/20/2012: Retrieving resolution setting

22:13:07.8 6/20/2012: Using General Font: Trebuchet MS

22:13:07.8 6/20/2012: Using Title Font: Joystix

22:13:07.8 6/20/2012: Initialising Direct3D

22:13:08.9 6/20/2012: Mouse Input is disabled

22:13:08.9 6/20/2012: Applying GameEx is Loading Image

22:13:09.1 6/20/2012: Setting Resolution to 800x600 16 bit color

22:13:09.2 6/20/2012: Creating Surfaces

22:13:09.7 6/20/2012: Creating Primary Surface - Full Screen Mode

22:13:09.7 6/20/2012: Creating Back Buffer

22:13:09.7 6/20/2012: Loading graphic Surfaces

22:13:09.8 6/20/2012: Display is running at: 800x600 16bit color, 60hz

22:13:09.8 6/20/2012: Adapter: VIA/S3G CLE266

22:13:09.8 6/20/2012: Max texture size: 2048x2048

22:13:09.8 6/20/2012: Available texture memory: 94MB

22:13:10.2 6/20/2012: --**--

22:13:10.2 6/20/2012: Error: Error in the application.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: at Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3D.Texture..ctor(Device device, Int32 width, Int32 height, Int32 numLevels, Usage usage, Format format, Pool pool)

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: at Direct2D.Direct2d.Surface.CreateSpriteAndTextureIfNothing()

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: at Direct2D.Direct2d.Surface.a(Bitmap& A_0, Device& A_1)

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: at Direct2D.Direct2d.Surface..ctor(Bitmap Image, SurfaceDescription Description, Device Device)

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.a(Boolean A_0, Boolean A_1, Boolean A_2, Boolean A_3, Int32 A_4, Int32 A_5, Int32 A_6, Boolean A_7, Boolean A_8)

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.f(Boolean A_0, Boolean A_1, Boolean A_2)

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.a(Boolean A_0, String A_1, Boolean A_2)

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: at GameEx.GameEx.mainform..ctor()

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012:

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: It was detected you experienced a DirectX error.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: Please note the following for possible solutions to your problem:

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 1. Ensure you have the latest version of DirectX installed.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 2. Ensure you have the latest Manufacturer provided video card drivers.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: NOTE: Windows/Microsoft Update does not contain the latest.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: NOTE: Manufacturer normally means ATI, NVidia, or Intel. Not the brand.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: www.ati.com www.nvidia.com

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 3. If you do not have a modern video card try the following. 1. Turn off advanced Graphics. 2. Try a lower resolution. 3. Try turning on and using 16-bit colour

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 4. Ensure any required video codecs are installed.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 5. Try a different theme, or try running the theme at the resolution it was designed for

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 6. Try the latest version of GameEx. GameEx is updated all the time.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 7. If you performed an auto update to this version. Try performing a manual download and install.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012:

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: Closing database connection

22:13:10.4 6/20/2012: Disposing Plugins

22:13:10.4 6/20/2012: GameEx is exiting with errors

22:13:10.4 6/20/2012: Deleting search cache

22:13:12.9 6/20/2012: ERRORS DETECTED: EXITING

22:13:13.6 6/20/2012: Bye

[Draco1962]

Here are the minimum system requirements recommended for running GameEx:

Minimum System Requirements:

Pentium 3 800Mhz CPU (or equivalent)

DirectX(DirectDraw) Compatible Video card, capable of 16 bit colour at 640X480.

[Your video card does not normally need to be too special unless using videos or DVD, although older motherboard onboard video is not recommended]

DirectSound Compatible Sound Card.

256MB Ram

Windows 2000 (SP4), XP (SP2), MCE, Vista, Windows 7

250MB Free hard drive space

Microsoft .net framework 2 service pack 1

Microsoft Direct X 9.0

Windows Media Player 9 or above

Since you are running onboard graphics with 64MB, you are will end up sharing RAM with the CPU. To be honest, you are running at a minimum for XP as well. I recommend upgrading to a compatible standalone PCI (or AGP if your motherboard supports it) video card with at least 256MB of video RAM installed. Doubling up on your RAM probably wouldn't hurt either.

You could try reinstalling Direct X 9.0c again. The excerpt from the log you noted is part of a larger message with steps to guide you through attempting your own resolution:

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: It was detected you experienced a DirectX error.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: Please note the following for possible solutions to your problem:

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 1. Ensure you have the latest version of DirectX installed.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 2. Ensure you have the latest Manufacturer provided video card drivers.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: NOTE: Windows/Microsoft Update does not contain the latest.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: NOTE: Manufacturer normally means ATI, NVidia, or Intel. Not the brand.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: www.ati.com www.nvidia.com

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 3. If you do not have a modern video card try the following. 1. Turn off advanced Graphics. 2. Try a lower resolution. 3. Try turning on and using 16-bit colour

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 4. Ensure any required video codecs are installed.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 5. Try a different theme, or try running the theme at the resolution it was designed for

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 6. Try the latest version of GameEx. GameEx is updated all the time.

22:13:10.3 6/20/2012: 7. If you performed an auto update to this version. Try performing a manual download and install.

This is telling you that Windows/Microsoft Update does not have the latest video drivers from the manfuaturer of your video card and you have to obtain from the manufacturer. Likely, the onboard video is not something that can be updated except from the motherboard manufacturer (VIA may not have drivers for such an "old" system but worth a shot).

[Tom Speirs]

Try turning off 16 bit color.

If that does not work you may be out of luck. Sorry.

[Draco1962]

Not sure you can turn off 16-bit color with most GPUs, but even if one can, wouldn't that be outside of the system minimums that GameEx supports?

[Tom Speirs]

Not sure you can turn off 16-bit color with most GPUs, but even if one can, wouldn't that be outside of the system minimums that GameEx supports?

No, GameEx is 32 bit normally. 16-bit is compatible but not always. The FAQ recommends switching to 16-bit if users had performance issues but its not really relevant anymore.

The log states he is running 16 bit color. So he either has the card set at 16 bit or GamEx set at 16-bit.

[KeNnO]

Hello,

Thanks for your replies.

I will try putting 1GB of RAM in the machine and reinstalling directx.

I had already spoken to VIA who have given me the latest VGA drivers.

I've already tried with 32 bit color set on Windows and within GameEx.

I will upgrade the graphics card if needbe and let you know if I am still experiencing issues.

Thanks,

Ryan

[Draco1962]

No, GameEx is 32 bit normally. 16-bit is compatible but not always. The FAQ recommends switching to 16-bit if users had performance issues but its not really relevant anymore.

The log states he is running 16 bit color. So he either has the card set at 16 bit or GamEx set at 16-bit.

Understood. From an aesthetics viewpoint.. yuck!

[Draco1962]

Hello,

Thanks for your replies.

I will try putting 1GB of RAM in the machine and reinstalling directx.

I had already spoken to VIA who have given me the latest VGA drivers.

I've already tried with 32 bit color set on Windows and within GameEx.

I will upgrade the graphics card if needbe and let you know if I am still experiencing issues.

Thanks,

Ryan

Good luck and welcome to the forums! One thing to always keep in mind regarding minimum requirements is that their effects are cumulative. The more software and drivers installed after the fact will require their share of the available resources in addition to the OS and GameEx so when playing just slightly over the minimum, it is just a matter of time before the experience is soured by memory and processor problems due to less available RAM.

[KeNnO]

Graphics card solved the issue Thanks everyone - kind of thought that may have been the issue but didn't really want to buy one!

[Draco1962]

Glad you got it working! Marking as [RESOLVED]!