Copyright: Electronic Arts Technical Support (c) 2003 v.3.8
Citation: Electronic Arts and Electronic Arts logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts in the United States and/or other countries. All rights reserved.


Start Here
Welcome
Welcome to Electronic Arts Product Support help guide. This guide is designed to assist you with any difficulty you may be having getting your game to run. Troubleshooting information, along with last minute README.TXT and support information have been provided. Please take the time to go through the troubleshooting guide if you are having difficulty, as we have provided the most common solutions there. In addition, you will want to check the README.TXT document in case last minute information was added about your hardware. More extensive versions of these guides, along with other valuable support information is available on our web site at:  http://techsupport.ea.comThank you for purchasing Electronic Arts software, we are glad to have you as a customer.
How To Use This Help File
This troubleshooting guide has two ways to use it. First, if you are trying to get the game fully functional, installing it, starting it, or experiencing problems playing the game, click on the button marked [image] along the top of this window. If you are only experiencing a problem with a particular aspect of the game, for example, sound or a controller issue, click on [image] and select the topic that relates to your problem.


Welcome
What If I Can't Solve My Problem?
If you have followed the steps in this help guide and you still are having problems, you can contact our technical support department.  To contact Technical Support, click on the button below. You will be prompted to fill out your name, email address, and a description of your difficulty. Using this method, our support staff will receive a report about your installed devices to help us troubleshoot your difficulty more effectively. You may also print or save this report for your own use.


Start Credits
Credits
EA Help File Written and Compiled:	John Hanley
Quality Assurance:	Bobby Joe, Daniel Hiatt, Anatol Somerville,
Jamil Dawsari, Ben Crick, Michael Jung,
Gabriel Gils Carbo, Tony Barbagallo
Special Thanks To: 	James Abney, Ian Hawkins, Catherine
McMonigle, Chelsea Robinson, Rebecca
Colbourn, Joel Knutson, Eric Johnson
and Nick Belloni

Electronic Arts and the Electronic Arts logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts in the United States and/or other countries. All rights reserved.
Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, DirectX, DirectDraw, and DirectSound are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Version 3.8


Readme.Txt
The Readme.txt file will contain the latest information about gameplay and technical issues.  Some of the items found in this file contain information that became available after the printed documentation was finalized.  It is important that you check this file for specific gameplay and technical issues before contacting technical support.
 Click Here To Open Readme.txt


Install Problems

Installation Problems

The following section pinpoints common solutions when a game is having problems installing. These include symptoms such as the game CD not being recognized on your machine, or the game hanging during install. Follow the Use the Topics below to help solve the issue.

I Am Getting A Message That Says I Do Not Meet The Minimum Requirements

I Am Getting A Message That Says Insert CD During Install

The Install Stops At A Certain Percentage And Does Not Continue

The Install is Not Letting Me Select My Hard Disk As An Option To Install To

I Am Receiving An Out Of Disk Space Message When Installing The Game

Windows looks different after installing game


Check CDROM Drivers
I am Getting A Message That Says Insert CD During Install

Check and Make Sure the Correct Disk is in the Drive

The first step to troubleshooting any problem is to start with the obvious.  First, make sure that the game CD is indeed in the CDROM drive.  Even if the game is installed onto the hard drive many files containing sound and full motion video, vital to the game, are left on the CD.  Next, be sure that if the game contains multiple disks, the correct disk is inserted into the drive.

Check and make sure the drive letter is valid

You can try setting the CD's drive letter to the first letter after the last hard drive.  To do this follow the steps below:

1) Right click on the 'My Computer' icon and select 'Manage'

2) Click 'Disk Management' in the left pane

3) Right click on the CD-ROM and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..."

4) Highlight the drive letter in the list and click 'Remove' then click 'Yes' to confirm

5) Next, right click on the CD-ROM and again select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..."

6) Click 'Add' and select the lowest possible letter then click 'Ok'

Check CDROM Media

It may be that your game CDROM media has become damaged or soiled. A good indication of this is if the game issues an error that it cannot read or find a file. (This is not always indicative of a bad CD, there are other reasons this may happen). Usually under this circumstance windows will issue a blue warning screen. If this occurs there are a few steps to try.

1.  Clean the disc. Remember to always wipe from center outward with a soft lint free cloth.

2.  Inspect the disk for scratches. Due to the high density of data stored on a CDROM a scratch can be fatal to a CD. To check for scratches, hold the disc up to the light and view the media from an angle.

3.  Try the CD on another machine. It may be the case that the error message may have to do with the configuration of the computer. It is a good idea to try the CD on another system before sending it back to our warranty department. This will not only save the cost of replacing a non-damaged disc, but will also save time.

For Windows 95/98Check CDROM Drivers

In order for Windows 95/98 to run efficiently it needs to use the correct 32 bit CDROM drivers.  Many times these drivers are supplied with Windows 95/98 or they can be obtained from the manufacturer of the drive or the computer itself. It is important to make sure that there are no 16 bit DOS or Windows 3.X drivers resident in Windows 95/98. Symptoms of this occurrence include sluggish game performance, install and/or general game play errors, or the appearance of two CDROM drives in the windows explorer (even though there is physically only one present). To check if your computer is using the correct 32 bit windows drivers try the following:

     1. Open the System Properties Sheet and click on the Performance tab
        Click Here To Open System Properties

     2.  In the open area below PC Cards (PCMCIA), you should see the words, "Ýour system is configured for optimal performance." If you see a message pertaining to your CDROM using a 16 bit dos driver, you should check with your system vendor or the manufacturer of the CDROM drive to obtain the appropriate driver.


Check Correct CD is inserted into CDROM Drive
I am Getting A Message That Says Insert CD During Install
Check and Make Sure the Correct Disk is in the Drive

The first step to troubleshooting any problem is to start with the obvious.  First, make sure that the game CD is indeed in the CDROM drive.  Even if the game is installed onto the hard drive many files containing sound and full motion video, vital to the game, are left on the CD.  Next, be sure that if the game contains multiple disks, the correct disk is inserted into the drive.

Check and make sure the drive letter is valid

You can try setting the CD's drive letter to the first letter after the last hard drive.  To do this follow the steps below:

1) Right click on the 'My Computer' icon and select 'Manage'

2) Click 'Disk Management' in the left pane

3) Right click on the CD-ROM and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..."

4) Highlight the drive letter in the list and click 'Remove' then click 'Yes' to confirm

5) Next, right click on the CD-ROM and again select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..."

6) Click 'Add' and select the lowest possible letter then click 'Ok'

Check CDROM Media

It may be that your game CDROM media has become damaged or soiled. A good indication of this is if the game issues an error that it cannot read or find a file. (This is not always indicative of a bad CD, there are other reasons this may happen). Usually under this circumstance windows will issue a blue warning screen. If this occurs there are a few steps to try.

1.  Clean the disc. Remember to always wipe from center outward with a soft lint free cloth.

2.  Inspect the disk for scratches. Due to the high density of data stored on a CDROM a scratch can be fatal to a CD. To check for scratches, hold the disc up to the light and view the media from an angle.

3.  Try the CD on another machine. It may be the case that the error message may have to do with the configuration of the computer. It is a good idea to try the CD on another system before sending it back to our warranty department. This will not only save the cost of replacing a non-damaged disc, but will also save time.


Removable Drive Issues
Error Message Insert Disc In Drive, Its Already Inserted

Check and Make Sure the Correct Disk is in the Drive

The first step to troubleshooting any problem is to start with the obvious.  First, make sure that the game CD is indeed in the CDROM drive.  Even if the game is installed onto the hard drive many files containing sound and full motion video, vital to the game, are left on the CD.  Next, be sure that if the game contains multiple disks, the correct disk is inserted into the drive.

Check and make sure the drive letter is valid

You can try setting the CD's drive letter to the first letter after the last hard drive.  To do this follow the steps below:

1) Right click on the 'My Computer' icon and select 'Manage'

2) Click 'Disk Management' in the left pane

3) Right click on the CD-ROM and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..."

4) Highlight the drive letter in the list and click 'Remove' then click 'Yes' to confirm

5) Next, right click on the CD-ROM and again select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..."

6) Click 'Add' and select the lowest possible letter then click 'Ok'

Check CDROM Media

It may be that your game CDROM media has become damaged or soiled. A good indication of this is if the game issues an error that it cannot read or find a file. (This is not always indicative of a bad CD, there are other reasons this may happen). Usually under this circumstance windows will issue a blue warning screen. If this occurs there are a few steps to try.

1.  Clean the disc. Remember to always wipe from center outward with a soft lint free cloth.

2.  Inspect the disk for scratches. Due to the high density of data stored on a CDROM a scratch can be fatal to a CD. To check for scratches, hold the disc up to the light and view the media from an angle.

3.  Try the CD on another machine. It may be the case that the error message may have to do with the configuration of the computer. It is a good idea to try the CD on another system before sending it back to our warranty department. This will not only save the cost of replacing a non-damaged disc, but will also save time.

Removable Drive Issues

Removable hard drives will often force windows to view your systems drives differently.   Most often affected is the letter of the CDROM drive.  Such errors that are generated due to the CDROM drive letter being changed by a removable drive are messages that state the game CD is not in the drive (even though it is) or that a game file is missing.  To alleviate a problem of this nature, first uninstall the game using add remove programs or the games own uninstall utility.  Then reinstall the game under the CD-ROM’s new drive letter association.


Message Concerning Minimum Requirements
I am Getting A Message That Says I Do Not Meet Minimum Requirements

You may be receiving this error message if you do not meet all the minimum game requirements. All minimum requirements are printed on a white label with black writing and can be found on the bottom of the game box. Be sure that you meet all the listed requirements before continuing on.  Requirements for 3D accelerated and multiplayer games may differ from the standard requirements.
To check the System Requirements you can do the following:

1.  Left click on the START button and choose RUN

2.  In the diaglog box that appears type the word DXDIAG

From this application you can see all of the components that are installed on your machine. The ones you are looking for are:

Operating System

Processor

Memory

Direct X version

If this meets the Minimum Requirements than left click on the DISPLAY tab.

Under Device look at the Approx. Total Memory.  Make sure this also matches the requirements on the box.

  Click Here To Open System Properties

From this window you will be able to determine system RAM and processor.  You should check your documentation to verify other requirements.


Close Background Tasks
Close Down Background Applications

Windows wouldn't be Windows if you couldn't run all sorts of cool applications.  However, some applications may cause problems with your game. Anything that may be running on your computer should be shut down before you run your game. Even if your applications are not causing conflicts, they are using valuable resources like memory and CPU power. In order to make sure that your game runs as smooth and as reliable as possible, make sure you shut down applications like Netscape, MS Exchange, MS Word, Excel, and anything else on your taskbar.
In particular, make sure you shut down the MS Office shortcut bar. Having this application running while trying to run a game may cause a crash to the desktop, or may cause the graphics to not function properly. Please shut down this program before running your game.
There are items that will not make their presence known, but will be running in the background.  One way to close these items down is to press the CTRL key  + ALT key + DEL key all at the same time.  This will bring up a window that reads "Close Programs".  This is a thorough list of all the items currently running on your computer.  The only two items that need to be running are Explorer and Systray.  You can close the rest of the items by clicking the end task button.  All programs closed in this manner will be restarted upon restarting Windows 95/98.

NOTE:  You can only close one background application at a time.  Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to bring up the Close Program menu again and repeat the process described above.

Close Background Applications
Applications running in the background not only take up vital resources such as memory and CPU, but also can, and often will, interfere with our games.  It is advisable to shut down all background applications except EXPLORER, which is the basic windows shell, and SYSTRAY, which is the system tray next to the clock where background applications can display an icon.  There are three places to check for background applications.
1.  The Taskbar
Items running in the taskbar are often full fledged programs.  These are most obvious and should be shut down first.   Don’t forget to save your work before closing these programs down.

2.  The System Tray
Items running in this area are often monitoring programs that are constantly checking the computers environment for certain conditions.   These items should definitely be shut down for they can activate whenever a specified condition exists.  Such items can usually be shut down by right clicking on them and selecting the option for unload.  They will reappear when the computer is restarted.

System Tray With Running Applications

3.  CTRL+ALT+DEL
This is the most comprehensive listing of the items running in the background.   All the Items listed on the taskbar and in the System Tray will appear here as well as other items that may be using windows resources.  It is necessary to close all applications in this window except EXPLORER and SYSTRAY.  Closing these two items will result in the computer being restarted or possibly locking the computer.   To close an item click to highlight an item, then click on the END Task button.  Do not click on the Shut Down button for that will restart Windows.

WARNING:  Do Not Press CTRL+ALT+DEL while the Close Program Window is open.  This will reboot your computer.   There are few items that will lock or reboot your computer when shut down. Check with your manufacturer for more information on these applications if encountered.

Windows XP users

Note:  Windows 2000 users will find close background options to be very similar.  With the exception that task manager will not have user ID listed name listed .  If you are unsure of what items to close consult your system administrator:

Pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE with Windows XP will display some options. They are:
Lock Computer - This will effective lock the computer until an admin can unlock it.
Log Off – Logs the current user off that machine.
Shut Down – Shuts the computer down
Change Password – Allows the user to change their personal password.
Task Manager – Gives access to the Windows Task Manager.
Cancel – Closes this window and gets the user back to the desktop.

You will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes, Performance, networking, and Users. Select the Processes tab; this will list all current programs that are running. Close all programs that have your login ID next to them. Your user ID is listed in the second column next to the program name.

The Image Name column is the name of the programs currently running. The User Name column is where you will find your User Name. The best way to check this is to locate "Explorer" and see what it says under User Name.  Also, do not close any applications that say "System," “Local Service,” or “Network Service” next to them. Be sure not to close a program labeled "Explorer" or "Taskmgr."
You close each one of these applications by clicking on each one and hitting the button "End Process". Note, some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.


Adjust Supp Cache
Adjust Supplemental Cache Size

Windows 98 Only

Supplemental Cache Size on the CDROM drive is used to adjust the amount of System RAM that is set aside for caching information that is read from the CD disc

When to increase cache

There may be a case where video playback appears choppy or slow. This problem can be alleviated by adjusting the CD-ROM drives supplemental cache size. This sets aside a portion of memory called a buffer that the CD drive can use to store information.

When to decrease cache

By increasing the supplemental cache size of your CDROM, you are, in effect, taking available system RAM away from other applications. It is possible to take over 1 megabyte of RAM away from an application. In some instances this can cause the game to crash, or to have inadequate memory to decompress files, such as what would happen during the installation of an application. This may be a case where more memory is not always the best and decreasing supplemental cache may be advantageous to your application.

How to change cache size
To alter the size of your computer's supplemental cache:

1.	Open the System Properties Sheet and click on the Performance tab
  Click Here To Open System Properties

1.	Next click on the File System... button.

1.	Click on the tab that is marked CD-ROM.

Move the supplemental cache slider bar accordingly.


Cache
Cache is memory that is external to main memory, which is used to hold the most previous data processed.  Cache may speed up frequently accessed data.


CDROM Access Pattern
CD-ROM Access Pattern

Windows 98 Only

In order to take advantage of the speed of your CD-ROM drive, it is necessary to make sure that it is reading files in the most efficient manner. An easy way to check this is to make sure the Optimize Access Pattern option in your computer's File System Properties is set properly. To check this:

1.  Open the System Properties Sheet and click on the Performance tab
        Click Here To Open System Properties

2.  Next click on the File System... button.

3.  Click on the tab that is marked CD-ROM.

4.  Make sure the Optimize Access Pattern For is set to Quad Speed Or Higher.


CDROM Media
Check CDROM Media

It may be that your game CDROM media has become damaged or soiled. A good indication of this is if the game issues an error that it cannot read or find a file. (This is not always indicative of a bad CD, there are other reasons this may happen). Usually under this circumstance windows will issue a blue warning screen. If this occurs there are a few steps to try.

1	Clean the disc. Remember to always wipe from center outward with a soft lint free cloth.

2	Inspect the disk for scratches. Due to the high density of data stored on a CDROM a scratch can be fatal to a CD. To check for scratches, hold the disc up to the light and view the media from an angle.

3	Try the CD on another machine. It may be the case that the error message may have to do with the configuration of the computer. It is a good idea to try the CD on another system before sending it back to our warranty department. This will not only save the cost of replacing a non-damaged disc, but will also save time.


Installation hangs During DirectX Install
DirectX Installation Hangs

The two most common causes for the installation hanging when DirectX tries to initialize itself is lack of hard disk space and problems with your video and sound card drivers.  While DirectX itself doesn't take up that much hard disk space, you must compensate for the fact that Windows is using some hard disk space for virtual memory (a swap file)

  See Checking Virtual Memory And Hard Drive Space

  See DirectX Sound Drivers

  See DirectX Video Drivers


Windows Looks Different After Installing the Game
Windows Looks Different After Installation

Often times after the game is installed the Microsoft (R) DirectX API will install itself to your computer.  There are a few instances where your video driver may be overwritten by an errand DirectX video driver.  Such symptoms of this happening are Windows 95/98 starting in safe mode, an enlarged desktop, or colors that appear blurry.  If this is the case with your computer it mat be necessary to install a new DirectX video driver.  These can usually be obtained from your manufacturer at no charge and the best place for obtaining these drivers is you manufacturers web site.  You should check the documentation for more information pertaining to installing video drivers.

  See DirectX Video Drivers


Started Difficulties
I Get The Game Started But Am Having Difficulties

This guide is meant to help you troubleshoot aspects and problems that may be encountered while playing the game.  Below are a series of links to help walk you through troubleshooting common issues.   Select the link that best describes the problem you are encountering.

General

•	The Computer Crashes Or Locks During Gameplay

•	I Am Getting A Blue Screen That is Telling Me The CD is Damaged Or Needs Cleaning

Video Issues

•	My Screen is Enlarged And I Cant See All The Game Options

•	The Colors Of The Game Are Strange Looking

•	Video During Gameplay is Choppy

3D Accelerated

•	I Can't Enable The 3D Option In The Game

•	The Game Crashes When I Enable The 3D Acceleration Option

•	I Have A Voodoo2 Based Video Card And The Game Keeps Crashing.

Sound Issues

•	I Am Getting No Sound From Within The Game

•	I Am Getting No Sound In The Game And I Have An ESS Sound Card

•	I Am Getting No Sound In The Game And I Have A Sound Blaster AWE64

•	I Receive Music But No Sound In The Game

•	Sound is Very Choppy In The Game Videos

Controller Issues

•	Menu Options Are Scrolling Uncontrollably

•	My Joystick Or Game Pad is Not Being Recognized.

•	I Seem To Be Losing Calibration After A Certain Period Of Time

•	Some Buttons On My Game Pad Are Not Functioning Within The Game

•	Controller Specific Issues

Network

•	I Am Trying To Play An IPX Game But Not All The Players Are Seeing Each Other

•	I Am Receiving A Wsock32.dll Error When Trying To Play A Network Game

•	We Are Trying To @Play A Network Game But Keep Getting Disconnected Or Sync Errors

•	I Am Trying To Host/Join A TCP Game And Am Experiencing Problems

Modem

•	Start Modem Troubleshooting

•	I Receive The Message, `Unable to initialize` When I Try To Create Or Join A Game In Windows 95/98

•	I Am Trying To Connect With My Friend Via Modem And Cannot Connect

•	I Keep Getting Disconnected When Trying To Play A Modem Game

•	The Game Is Slow And Pauses Often While Playing A Modem Game

Serial Issues

•	I Receive The Message, `Unable to initialize` When I Try To  Create Or Join A Game In Windows 95/98

•	The Game is Slow And Pauses Often While Playing A Serial Game

Online

•	I Am Having Problems Playing The Game Over The Internet

•	I Am Having Problems With My Web Based Application.


Lockups and Crashes During Gameplay
The Computer Locks Or Crashes During Gameplay

A game that experiences difficulties, such as locking or crashing during gameplay, can be suffering from a number of occurrences.  The first most obvious, is that something is conflicting in memory with a game.  Many new systems have plenty of memory and beyond what is needed to play out games.  However, this does not mean that there may be other items running in memory that may cause havoc with our games.  These items should be closed down before the game is started.

See Close Background Applications
Although our games do have a set hard disk requirement for installing, it is also necessary to have additional drive space set aside for virtual memory.  A lack of hard drive space can cause the game to lock or crash.

See Check Virtual Memory And Hard Drive Space

It is important to make sure that your hardware has the latest DirectX compatible drivers to insure that you are taking full advantage of all your computer has to offer.  Lack of the latest drivers may also cause the game to lock or crash.

See Check DirectX Drivers


Close Background Applications
Close Down Background Applications

Windows wouldn't be Windows if you couldn't run all sorts of cool applications.  However, some applications may cause problems with your game. Anything that may be running on your computer should be shut down before you run your game. Even if your applications are not causing conflicts, they are using valuable resources like memory and CPU power. In order to make sure that your game runs as smooth and as reliable as possible, make sure you shut down applications like Netscape, MS Exchange, MS Word, Excel, and anything else on your taskbar.
In particular, make sure you shut down the MS Office shortcut bar. Having this application running while trying to run a game may cause a crash to the desktop, or may cause the graphics to not function properly. Please shut down this program before running your game.
There are items that will not make their presence known, but will be running in the background.  One way to close these items down is to press the CTRL key  + ALT key + DEL key all at the same time.  This will bring up a window that reads "Close Programs".  This is a thorough list of all the items currently running on your computer.  The only two items that need to be running are Explorer and Systray.  You can close the rest of the items by clicking the end task button.  All programs closed in this manner will be restarted upon restarting Windows 95/98.

NOTE:  You can only close one background application at a time.  Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to bring up the Close Program menu again and repeat the process described above.

Close Background Applications
Applications running in the background not only take up vital resources such as memory and CPU, but also can, and often will, interfere with our games.  It is advisable to shut down all background applications except EXPLORER, which is the basic windows shell, and SYSTRAY, which is the system tray next to the clock where background applications can display an icon.  There are three places to check for background applications.
1.  The Taskbar
Items running in the taskbar are often full fledged programs.  These are most obvious and should be shut down first.   Don’t forget to save your work before closing these programs down.

2.  The System Tray
Items running in this area are often monitoring programs that are constantly checking the computers environment for certain conditions.   These items should definitely be shut down for they can activate whenever a specified condition exists.  Such items can usually be shut down by right clicking on them and selecting the option for unload.  They will reappear when the computer is restarted.

System Tray With Running Applications

3.  CTRL+ALT+DEL
This is the most comprehensive listing of the items running in the background.   All the Items listed on the taskbar and in the System Tray will appear here as well as other items that may be using windows resources.  It is necessary to close all applications in this window except EXPLORER and SYSTRAY.  Closing these two items will result in the computer being restarted or possibly locking the computer.   To close an item click to highlight an item, then click on the END Task button.  Do not click on the Shut Down button for that will restart Windows.

WARNING:  Do Not Press CTRL+ALT+DEL while the Close Program Window is open.  This will reboot your computer.   There are few items that will lock or reboot your computer when shut down. Check with your manufacturer for more information on these applications if encountered.

Windows XP users
Note:  Windows 2000 users will find close background options to be very similar.  With the exception that task manager will not have user ID listed name listed .  If you are unsure of what items to close consult your system administrator:

Pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE with Windows XP will display some options. They are:
Lock Computer - This will effective lock the computer until an admin can unlock it.
Log Off – Logs the current user off that machine.
Shut Down – Shuts the computer down
Change Password – Allows the user to change their personal password.
Task Manager – Gives access to the Windows Task Manager.
Cancel – Closes this window and gets the user back to the desktop.

You will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes, Performance, networking, and Users. Select the Processes tab; this will list all current programs that are running. Close all programs that have your login ID next to them. Your user ID is listed in the second column next to the program name.

The Image Name column is the name of the programs currently running. The User Name column is where you will find your User Name. The best way to check this is to locate "Explorer" and see what it says under User Name.  Also, do not close any applications that say "System," “Local Service,” or “Network Service” next to them. Be sure not to close a program labeled "Explorer" or "Taskmgr."
You close each one of these applications by clicking on each one and hitting the button "End Process". Note, some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system..


Check Virtual Memory and Hard Disk Space
Check Virtual Memory and Hard Drive Space

Even though you have the game installed to your hard drive it will be necessary to keep plenty of additional space free for a Windows swap file which is needed by Windows 95/98 virtual memory.  You should set aside at an absolute minimal 50 megabytes of free space on your designated swap drive regardless of what partition you are installing the game to.
Windows XP
In Windows XP it is important to make sure that you have plenty of hard drive space.  To check this:
1.  Click on the start button then click on the My Computer Icon.
2.  In the windows that opens click the drive that windows is installed on, drive space information should appear in the frame on the left.

Windows 98
To check the size of your Virtual Memory area:
1.  Open the Systems Properties control panel

2.  Click on the Performance tab and Click the Virtual Memory button.
3.  Make sure your virtual memory is set to "Let Windows Manage My Virtual Memory Settings (Recommended)"

4.  Also, make sure the grayed out area that reads "Hard Disk", lists at least 50MB free.


DirectX Troublshooting
DirectX Troubleshooting
Many lockups or crashes experienced during gameplay can be attributed to a video or sound driver that is not communicating properly with DirectX.   It is important to verify that these drivers are the latest available and that they are installed properly.  Follow the links below to verify your sound and video drivers.

  See DirectX Sound Drivers

  See DirectX Video Drivers


I am Getting A Blue Screen That Is Telling Me My CD Is Damaged Or Needs Cleaning
It may be that your game CDROM media may have become damaged or soiled. A good indication if the CDROM media is damaged or soiled is if the game issues an error that it cannot read or find a file. (This is not always indicative of a bad CD, there are other reasons this may happen). Usually under this circumstance windows will issue a blue warning screen. If this occurs there are a few actions to try.

1.  Try cleaning the disc. Remember to always wipe from center outward with a soft lint free cloth.

2.  Inspect the disk for scratches. Due to the high density of data stored on a CDROM a scratch can be fatal to a CD. To check for scratches hold the disc up to the a source of light and view the media from an angle.

3.  Try the CD on another machine. It may be the case that the error message pertaining to the inability of the CD may have to do with the configuration of the computer. It is a good idea before any disk is sent back to our warranty department to try the CD on another system. This will not only possibly save you the cost of replacing a non-damaged disc, but will also save time.


Enlarged Screen During Gameplay
My Screen Is Enlarged And I Cant See All The Game Options
Many times an enlarged screen during gameplay is caused by the inability of the video card driver to switch resolutions by itself.  This can often be alleviated by manually switching resolution and color depths manually which will then take the burden off of the video card driver allowing the computer to run in the mode that the game requires.

See Check Resolution
If changing resolution modes manually does not help the problem, it may be time to check your DirectX video driver and make sure it is the proper and the latest driver for your system.

See Checking DirectX Video Drivers


Strange Colors During Gameplay
The Colors Of The Game Are Fuzzy, Inverted, or Strange Looking

Strange colors during gameplay are often a sign that the DirectX video driver is having difficulties with the games color palette.  Such symptoms of this include, inverted colors, fuzzy, or just plain psychedelic looking. Check your video drivers to determine if they are in proper working order.

See Checking DirectX Video Drivers


Video During Game Play Is Choppy

Choppy video during gameplay can be attributed to a few things.  First, a performance issue with the CDROM drive or the drivers controlling it can cause choppy video.  Next, the drivers responsible for creating the sound and video for your computer applications may be having issues if they are not compatible with the version of DirectX the game is using..  Finally, it is possible a background application may be conflicting with the game.
A good starting point in diagnosing choppy video is to check whether there is a background application conflicting with the game or taking its resources.

See Close Background Applications

Next, it is vital to ensure that your CDROM drive is using native 32 bit drivers.  16 Bit drivers or dos legacy drivers can often cause sluggish performance in Windows 95/98.  This is usually not an issue with Windows 2000 and XP.

See Checking CDROM Drivers
If your sound and video cards are not using the latest most compatible DirectX drivers, performance may be sluggish and choppy.  To alleviate this problem, check your sound and video drivers and make sure they are the latest most compatible ones available.

See Checking DirectX Video Drivers


I Cant Enable the 3D Option in the Game
I Can’t Enable The 3D Option In The Game

It is very important to make sure that your video card supports 3D acceleration.  There are different 3D Application Programming Interface (API's) used for 3D acceleration and it is important to make sure that your video card and the game support the same API's.  Two of the most popular APIs used today are Microsoft's Direct3D and Open GL.  If the game and your video card do indeed support the same APIs, make sure that you have enables 3D acceleration in the game you are playing.  Many games have separate executables or options that must be enabled for the game to run accelerated.

  I Own A Card Supporting The Direct3D API, But There Is No Acceleration When Option is Selected


The Game Crashes When I Enable The 3D Acceleration Option

It is very important to make sure that your video card supports 3D acceleration.  There are different 3D Application Programming Interface (API's) used for 3D acceleration and it is important to make sure that your video card and the game support the same API's.  Two of the most popular APIs used today are Microsoft's Direct3D and Open GL.  If the game and your video card do indeed support the same APIs, make sure that you have enables 3D acceleration in the game you are playing.  Many games have separate executables or options that must be enabled for the game to run accelerated.

  I own a card supporting the Direct3D API, but there is no acceleration when option is selected


Glide Troubleshooting

Below are some steps you can take when trying to troubleshoot your 3D application running the Glide API.

Make Sure Acceleration Card Supports Glide

Not all 3d capable video cards will support the Glide API, only those cards using the Voodoo, Voodoo 2, Voodoo 3, Voodoo Rush, or Banshee chipsets will support this API.  If you doubt your card supports Glide, consult the manual for your video card or contact your manufacturer.

Check Latest Version Of Glide.

Make sure that you are using the latest version of Glide and that it is the appropriate version for your particular chipset.  To determine the version of Glide that you are using, follow the steps below.

1.  First, click on the [image] button on the task bar, select FIND and then select FILES OR FOLDERS.

2.  Next, in the NAMED area, type "glide2x.dll" and click on the FIND NOW button. Make sure the  LOOK IN area has the drive letter where your Windows directory is located and that the INCLUDE SUBFOLDERS box is checked.

3.  If the Glide drivers are installed on your system, glide2x.dll will be found in the c:\windows\system directory ( or on the drive where you have installed Windows.) This file may be found in other directories, possibly where the drivers were first extracted or downloaded, but ignore these other files.

4.  Next, right click on the glide2x.dll file that was found in the c:\windows\system directory. This will cause a file menu to open. Left click on the PROPERTIES section on this menu to bring up the file properties menu.

5.  Finally, click on the VERSION tab at the top of the file properties menu to see the version information screen.


Start Direct3D Troubleshooting

Direct3D Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting Direct3D, first make sure that your card supports Direct 3D and that it is supported by the game you are trying to play.  Next make sure that Direct3D is enabled and working properly on your system.

Check That Direct3D is Enabled

To verify that Direct3D is enabled, you must first run DXDIAG.EXE.  To do this:

1.  First, click on the [image] button on the task bar, select FIND and then select FILES OR FOLDERS.

2.  Next, in the NAMED area type DXDIAG.  Make sure your C: drive is highlighted in the Look In box.

3.  Click on FIND NOW to start the search.  When the search is finished click on the icon that has the words

Click Here to Run DXdiag

4.  Click on the tab labeled ‘Display’ and make sure the word Enabled appears to the right of Direct 3d Acceleration.

Next: Check That Your Video Card is Working Properly With DirectX


Direct3D Working Properly?
Check That Your Video Card Is Working Properly With DirectX

DirectX has a Utility built into a program called DXDiag.exe that will verify that your video card is working properly with DirectX and Direct3D.  To run the utility:
Click Here to Run DXDiag
 	OR
1.  First, click on the [image] button on the task bar, select FIND and then select FILES OR FOLDERS.

2.  Next, in the NAMED area type DXdiag.EXE.  Make sure your C: drive is highlighted in the Look In box.

3.  Click on FIND NOW to start the search.  When the search is finished click on the icon that has the words

4.  Once The DXDIAG.EXE window is open, click on the tab labeled either Display 1 or 2 depending on your video card and then click the option that says Test Direct 3D next to Direct3D.

5.  If there are any problems with your video card during the Direct3D test, consult your video card manufacturer or the manufacturer of your computer to obtain the latest DirectX compliant drivers.


3D API Definition

An Application Programming Interface (API) is a programming language written to accommodate a certain function that a computer can provide.  In the case of a 3D API this is a language written specifically to take advantage of your computers 3D-video hardware.  Not all computers come equipped to take advantage of 3D acceleration.


Direct3D definition
Direct3D was developed by Microsoft to provide 3d acceleration for video games and is included as part of the DirectX package.  This API is supported by a number of different video card chipsets.


Glide Definition

Glide is the (Application Programming Interface) API that allows for hardware acceleration amongst the Voodoo family of chipsets.  The Voodoo family of chipsets, which currently consists of; Voodoo, Voodoo Rush, Voodoo 2, and Banshee, is developed by the 3DfX corporation.  This API allows accelerated video only on 3D cards, which possess one of these Voodoo chipsets.


Game crashes when 3D option enabled
The Game Crashes When I Enable The 3D-Acceleration Option
Make sure your card supports the correct API, such as Glide or Direct3D. If in doubt of your card supporting a 3D API, consult the manual for your video card or contact your manufacturer.  It is also important to check the game's manual to verify that you have set up the game correctly to run in 3D mode.

If the game is setup, check to make sure your software for your video card is installed and set up properly.  Select the link below pertaining to the API you are having trouble with.

   See Direct3D Troubleshooting


I have a Voodoo 2 and the game keeps crashing
I Have A Voodoo2 Based Video Card And The Game Keeps Crashing

In order to obtain the best performance from your Voodoo 2 based video accelerator, it is important to make sure that you are using Glide 2.5 or higher. Glide version 2.5 is included and installed when you install the Voodoo2 installation software included with your card.  Make sure that you have installed Glide version 2.5 prior to running the game.

   See Glide Troubleshooting


Low Disk Space
The Install Is Not Letting Me Select My Hard Disk As An Option To Install To

It is important to make sure that you have enough hard disk space available on the hard disk that you want to install the game to. Another factor that may hinder the ability of a game to install to a designated drive is the size of the swap file that is needed by Windows 95/98 virtual memory. Set aside an absolute minimal 50 megabytes of free space on your designated swap drive regardless of what partition you are installing the game to.  By design, our games will not install reliably to removable drives such as Zip drives.


No Related Topics


Virtual Memory Definition
Virtual Memory
Virtual Memory is hard disk space that is used by Windows to simulate memory.  Windows needs this extra space to store information on programs that are larger than the size of RAM available.


Low Disk Space
I am Receiving An Out Of Disk Space Message When Installing The Game

It is important to make sure that you have enough hard disk space available on the hard disk that you want to install the game to. Another factor that may hinder the ability of a game to install to a designated drive is the size of the swap file that is needed by Windows 95/98 virtual memory. Set aside an absolute minimal 50 megabytes of free space on your designated swap drive regardless of what partition you are installing the game to.  By design, our games will not install reliably to removable drives such as Zip drives.


Removable Drive Issues

Removable hard drives will often force windows to view your systems drives differently.   Most often affected is the letter of the CDROM drive.  Examples of a few errors that are generated due to the CDROM drive letter being changed by a removable drive are an error stating to  insert Game CD into drive or an error stating a game file is missing.  To alleviate a problem of this nature, first uninstall the game using add remove programs or the games own uninstall utility.  Then reinstall the game under the CD-ROM’s new drive letter association.


Boot To Windows
Returned To Windows After Game Started

If when you click on the game icon to start the game and are returned back to the Windows 95/98 desktop, use the following to assist you.

  Close Down Background Applications

  Check Resolution

  Check Video Drivers


"ISDN Mixbuff/Frames Not A Multiple of 16" Error Or Similar

This error is usually attributed to a DirectX sound driver not being compatible with the latest version of DirectX that the game is using.  In most instances, getting the latest version of the DirectX sound driver for your sound card from your computer manufacturer or from the manufacturer of the sound card should alleviate the error and allow the game to run properly

Click Here to Run DXDiag

OR
1. Put the game CD in your CD-ROM drive.

2. From your Windows 95/98 desktop, left-click the [image]  button, highlight Find, then left-click on Files or Folders.

3. In the Find window, set the "Look In:" field to your CD-ROM drive (it will probably display the name of the game and a drive letter such as "D:" or "E:").

4. In the "Named:" field, type in “DXDIAG.EXE” and press enter. This will search the game CD for the DXDIAG.EXE file.

5. When the file appears in the results box, simply double-click on it.

Once the DXDIAG.EXE window is open, click on the tab labeled Sound and click the button labeled TEST to verify the driver is in proper working order. In the middle of this window will be the DirectX Sound Driver Number.  You should verify this driver is certified and whether it is the latest available from your computer manufacturer.


ESS 1888 Troubleshooting
ESS 1888 Troubleshooting Compaq Users

Compaq has released a new driver that will certify under Microsoft's DirectX. You will need to obtain this driver in order for DirectX to work properly. Compaq's web site has two files (SP3184.EXE & SP3183.EXE) which contain updated DirectX drivers for the ESS 1888.

Click Here to Open Multimedia Control Panel

1.  In the window that appears, make sure that the AUDIO tab is selected.

2.  In the PLAYBACK section, under "Preferred Device:", change the selection to "Game compatible device".

3.  At the bottom left of this window, make sure that the box labeled "Use preferred devices only" is CHECKED.

4.  Click on the APPLY button and the speaker icon should disappear from the right corner of the taskbar.

Most DirectX games should now install, load & run correctly, with sound, and without error messages.

The draw back for this setup is that you will no longer be able to change the volume from the speaker icon, since it will no longer appear on the taskbar. You will still be able to control the sound manually with the monitor knob, through the
 \ENTERTAINMENT\COMPAQ MULTIMEDIA\COMPAQ AUDIO MIXER setting,
or through the
\PROGRAMS\ACCESSORIES\MULTIMEDIA\VOLUME CONTROL (both are through the Start menu). This setting will also cause the DirectX install program to show the Audio Driver as "No Hardware Support" - this is expected with the "Game Compatible" setting and does not cause any problems.


"Bad Windows Field ID" Error Or Similar

This error message is an indication that your computer may need an updated DirectX driver for your video card to run the game. In order for DirectX games to run on your system, the DirectX drivers need to be properly installed and certified. The program DXDIAG.EXE is a utility that will check driver certification and let you know if all DirectX components are properly certified. In most instances if a video driver is not working properly, it is best to seek the advice of the manufacturer of the computer or of the manufacturer of the video card itself. Running DXDIAG is easy, just follow these steps:

Click Here to Run DXDiag

--OR--

1. Put the game CD in your CD-ROM drive.

2. From your Windows desktop, left-click the [image]  button, highlight Find, then left-click on Files or Folders.

3. In the Find window, set the "Look In:" field to your CD-ROM drive (it will probably display the name of the game and a drive letter such as "D:" or "E:").

4. In the "Named:" field, type in “DXDIAG.EXE” and press enter. This will search the game CD for the DXDIAG.EXE file.

5. When the file appears in the results box, simply double-click on it.

You should now see the DXDIAG window.  Click on the tab labeled Display You should see a version number in the right hand section of the window and whether or not you display driver is certified.


CPU Init error
"CPU Init  Timer Error" Or Similar

This error under most circumstances is caused by an improperly working DirectX Driver usually sound, however video drivers have also been known to generate it.  To help alleviate the problem try closing down background applications and check your DirectX drivers to make sure they are the latest available and are working properly.

  Close Down Background Applications

  Check Sound Card Drivers

  Check Video Drivers


Close Down Background Applications

Windows wouldn't be Windows if you couldn't run all sorts of cool applications.  However, some applications may cause problems with your game. Anything that may be running on your computer should be shut down before you run your game. Even if your applications are not causing conflicts, they are using valuable resources like memory and CPU power. In order to make sure that your game runs as smooth and as reliable as possible, make sure you shut down applications like Netscape, MS Exchange, MS Word, Excel, and anything else on your taskbar.
In particular, make sure you shut down the MS Office shortcut bar. Having this application running while trying to run a game may cause a crash to the desktop, or may cause the graphics to not function properly. Please shut down this program before running your game.
There are items that will not make their presence known, but will be running in the background.  One way to close these items down is to press the CTRL key  + ALT key + DEL key all at the same time.  This will bring up a window that reads "Close Programs".  This is a thorough list of all the items currently running on your computer.  The only two items that need to be running are Explorer and Systray.  You can close the rest of the items by clicking the end task button.  All programs closed in this manner will be restarted upon restarting Windows 95/98.

NOTE:  You can only close one background application at a time.  Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to bring up the Close Program menu again and repeat the process described above.

Close Background Applications
Applications running in the background not only take up vital resources such as memory and CPU, but also can, and often will, interfere with our games.  It is advisable to shut down all background applications except EXPLORER, which is the basic windows shell, and SYSTRAY, which is the system tray next to the clock where background applications can display an icon.  There are three places to check for background applications.
1.  The Taskbar
Items running in the taskbar are often full fledged programs.  These are most obvious and should be shut down first.   Don’t forget to save your work before closing these programs down.

2.  The System Tray
Items running in this area are often monitoring programs that are constantly checking the computers environment for certain conditions.   These items should definitely be shut down for they can activate whenever a specified condition exists.  Such items can usually be shut down by right clicking on them and selecting the option for unload.  They will reappear when the computer is restarted.

System Tray With Running Applications

3.  CTRL+ALT+DEL
This is the most comprehensive listing of the items running in the background.   All the Items listed on the taskbar and in the System Tray will appear here as well as other items that may be using windows resources.  It is necessary to close all applications in this window except EXPLORER and SYSTRAY.  Closing these two items will result in the computer being restarted or possibly locking the computer.   To close an item click to highlight an item, then click on the END Task button.  Do not click on the Shut Down button for that will restart Windows.

WARNING:  Do Not Press CTRL+ALT+DEL while the Close Program Window is open.  This will reboot your computer.   There are few items that will lock or reboot your computer when shut down. Check with your manufacturer for more information on these applications if encountered.

Windows XP users
Note:  Windows 2000 users will find close background options to be very similar.  With the exception that task manager will not have user ID listed name listed .  If you are unsure of what items to close consult your system administrator:

Pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE with Windows XP will display some options. They are:
Lock Computer - This will effective lock the computer until an admin can unlock it.
Log Off – Logs the current user off that machine.
Shut Down – Shuts the computer down
Change Password – Allows the user to change their personal password.
Task Manager – Gives access to the Windows Task Manager.
Cancel – Closes this window and gets the user back to the desktop.

You will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes, Performance, networking, and Users. Select the Processes tab; this will list all current programs that are running. Close all programs that have your login ID next to them. Your user ID is listed in the second column next to the program name.

The Image Name column is the name of the programs currently running. The User Name column is where you will find your User Name. The best way to check this is to locate "Explorer" and see what it says under User Name.  Also, do not close any applications that say "System," “Local Service,” or “Network Service” next to them. Be sure not to close a program labeled "Explorer" or "Taskmgr."
You close each one of these applications by clicking on each one and hitting the button "End Process". Note, some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.


Check DirectX Video Drivers
Checking The Status Of DirectX (Video Drivers)

This error message is an indication that your computer may need an updated DirectX driver for your video card to run the game.  In most instances if a video driver is not working properly, it is best to seek the advice of the manufacturer of the computer or of the manufacturer of the video card itself. Running DXDIAG is easy, just follow these steps:

Click Here to Run DXDiag

OR

1. Put the game CD in your CD-ROM drive.

2. From your Windows desktop, left-click the [image]  button, highlight Find, then left-click on Files or Folders.

3. In the Find window, set the "Look In:" field to your CD-ROM drive (it will probably display the name of the game and a drive letter such as "D:" or "E:").

4. In the "Named:" field, type in “DXDIAG.EXE” and press enter. This will search the game CD for the DXDIAG.EXE file.

5. When the file appears in the results box, simply double-click on it.

You should now see the DXDIAG window.  Click on the tab labeled Display You should see a version number in the right hand section of the window  Verify that these are the latest drivers available from the manufacturer  of your device.


Check DirectX Sound Drivers
Checking The Status Of DirectX Sound Drivers

This error is usually attributed to a DirectX sound driver not being compatible with the latest version of DirectX that the game is using.  In most instances, getting the latest version of the DirectX sound driver for your sound card from your computer manufacturer or from the manufacturer of the sound card should alleviate the error and allow the game to run properly

Click Here to Run DXDiag

OR
1.  First, click on the [image] button on the task bar, select FIND and then select FILES OR FOLDERS.

2.  Next, in the NAMED area type DXDiag.exe.  Make sure your C: drive is highlighted in the Look In box.

3.  Click on FIND NOW to start the search.  When the search is finished click on the icon that has the words

4.  Once the DXDIAG.EXE window is open, click on the tab labeled Sound and click the button labeled TEST.. In the middle of this window will be the DirectX Sound Driver Number.  Verify that these are the latest drivers available from the manufacturer  of your device.


DirectDraw Video Driver Needed

Error Message That I Need DirectX or a Compatible Driver To Play The Game

This error message usually indicates that you did not install DirectX when prompted too during install, or the driver that was installed is not certified to work with the version of DirectX that came with the game.  If you did not install DirectX when prompted, you should install it.  If you did install DirectX it may be necessary to obtain a new driver from your Hardware manufacture that is compatible with the version of DirectX that the game is using.

To install DirectX:

1.  Insert the Game CD into the CD ROM drive.

2.  Click the [image] button and then select Find...> Files or folders.

3.  In the Named box...  Type the name DXSETUP
4.  Make sure the Look In Box has your CD ROM drive selected and click on the button labeled Find Now.
5.  When DXSETUP.EXE appears double click it and then select the option to Reinstall DirectX.  Follow the on screen prompts.

  See Also DirectX Video Drivers


Check Video Drivers
Checking The Status Of DirectX (Video Drivers)

Your computer may need an updated DirectX driver for your video card to run the game. In order for DirectX games to run on your system, the DirectX drivers need to be properly installed and certified. In most instances if a video driver is not working properly, it is best to seek the advice of the manufacturer of the computer or of the manufacturer of the video card itself. Running DXDIAG is easy, just follow these steps:

Click Here to Run DXDiag

OR

1. Put the game CD in your CD-ROM drive.

2. From your Windows 95/98 desktop, left-click the [image]  button, highlight Find, then left-click on Files or Folders.

3. In the Find window, set the "Look In:" field to your CD-ROM drive (it will probably display the name of the game and a drive letter such as "D:" or "E:").

4. In the "Named:" field, type in DxDiag.exe and press enter. This will search the game CD for the

DXDIAG.EXE file.

5. When the file appears in the results box, simply double-click on it.

You should now see the DXDIAG window.  .  Click on the tab labeled Display You should see a version number in the right hand section of the window  Verify that these are the latest drivers available from the manufacturer  of your device.


Check Video Resolution

One of the most common problems with DirectX games is mode switching. When a DirectX game starts, DirectX tells the video driver to switch modes to match the resolution and color depth supported by the game. Some drivers will have a problem with this mode switching and yield a crash error or blank screen lockup. If you are having any difficulty starting your game, try manually switching video modes.

To manually adjust your video mode:

1.Open Display properties.
  Click Here to Open Display Properties

(Click anywhere on your desktop that does not have an icon and select the option for properties.)

2.Click on the Settings tab at the upper right of the window; you should now see the window similar to how it is shown above.

3.Now adjust the Color palette option to 16 bit or high color and the Desktop area to at least 800 by 600 pixels. If your driver lets you alter the viewport size separately, sometimes referred to as "virtual desktop", make sure it is also set to 800X600 or you may encounter problems.

NOTE: Some games may support higher resolutions and color depths, such as 1024x768 with thousands of colors. Make sure that if your game supports other video modes, that you manually set your desktop to the modes supported by the game, if your video driver does not automatically do this for you.


Gaming Device problems
Game Device Troubleshooter

There are several things to try if your game device is either not being recognized in the game, or you are having problems while playing the game.  Below is a list of items to verify in order to ensure that your device is working properly.

First, in order for your gaming device to work properly with the game, it must first be configured properly within the operating system itself.  There are two things to check before trying to set up the device in the game.  First, check the game port that the device is plugged into for any conflicts, and second, be sure the device is properly calibrated and tested under Windows.

  See Also Check Game Port

  See Also Calibrating A Game Device Under Windows

  See Also Test Device In Control Panel

If you are still having problems with the device and it is plugged into the game port on your computer and not a USB port, check the drivers that your sound card is using.  Most gaming devices are plugged into your sound card, therefore it is important to make sure that the system as a whole is working properly with the game.  If your sound card drivers check out then check to be sure the device is set up properly in the game.

  See Also  Check Sound Card Drivers

  See Also  Make Sure Device is Selected In The Game

You might also want to check the list of specific hardware devices to see if there is anything specific which must be done before that device will work properly with the game.

  See Also Gaming Device Specifics


Menu Options Are Scrolling Uncontrollably

If your game menus are uncontrollably flipping through the options although you are not touching any device on your computer, the cause is probably a mis-calibrated gaming device.  To rectify the situation recalibrate your device and verify that you are using the latest drivers for your sound card.  It is advisable that you run through our Game Device Troubleshooter to verify that your computer is optimized for top performance.

  Start Game Device Troubleshooter


Some Buttons Are Not Functioning Properly In The Game

Many times if you are not experiencing full functionality of a device from within the game, it is due to a calibration issue or a driver problem relating to your game device or possibly your sound card.  (Remember that some game devices are connected through the game port on your sound card.)  Follow the steps outlined within our Gaming Device Troubleshooter to help spot and alleviate problems of this nature.
  Start Game Device Troubleshooter


I Seem To Be Losing Calibration After A Certain Period Of Time

A loss of calibration can be a sign of another program conflicting with the game, a sign that your device is not calibrated properly, or your driver may not be working properly.  To determine if your device is calibrated and working properly, follow the steps outlined within our Gaming Device Troubleshooter.
  Closing Background Applications
  Start Game Device Troubleshooter


Make Sure Controller Is Configured Properly in the Game
Make Sure Device Is Selected In The Game

Different games have different methods of selecting the controller for use within the game itself.  You should verify with the documentation or instruction manual included with the game for specific information on how to configure your device.

See Also Gaming Device Specifics


Gaming Device Specifics

Listed below are some of the most popular devices that can be used with our games.  If you are experiencing a problem with one of these devices, click on that specific device for more information.

  Gravis Game Pad Pro/Grip Multi-port

  Gravis Exterminator

  Logitech Wingman Extreme

  Logitech Wingman Digital Extreme

  MadCatz Steering Wheel

  Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro

  Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad

  Thrustmaster FLCS F-16

  Thrustmaster T1-T2 Steering Wheel


Thrustamster T1/T2
ThrustMaster T1/T2Calibration

This steering wheel can be calibrated using the standard two axis, four button joystick or use the custom calibration setting.  To calibrate:

1. Open up the Control panel, double click on the Game Controllers icon, and click on the tab labeled "General".

  Click to Open Game Controllers Control Panel

2. Be sure that under "Controller", it reads 2-axis, 4-button joystick. If it is not selected click the Add button and find 2-axis, 4-button joystick.

(Note: You can also try a Custom Calibration: 2-axis, 4-button, "Is a race car controller")

3. Click on the "Properties" button then the button labeled "calibrate" to bring up the calibration sequence. In this frame, you want to manually center the cross hairs, which by default, will go to the lower right hand corner of the frame. After the cross hairs are centered hit the stick shift very carefully one time in the up direction.

4. Now you are at the screen that says "move joystick in all directions." Go ahead and move the joystick in all directions at least twice, then manually center the cross hairs using the steering wheel and the pedals. Once centered, hit the shifter up once. This will bring up a screen which says "to confirm your joysticks center position…" At this point, you want to make sure that you are still manually centering the wheel, holding the cross hairs firmly centered in the center of the calibration box. Hit the stick shift up again.

5. Click the FINISH button.

At this point, you can click APPLY in the joystick properties box. (This is a very important step.)


Thrustmaster FLCS-F-16
Thrustmaster FLCS F-16

You can use the "2 axis, 2 button joystick" driver, the "2 button flight yoke" driver, or the "Custom" driver. You may have to use the TM utility to download a FLCS program that does not utilize the Trigger or button S2. If these buttons are mapped to the keyboard, you may not be able to calibrate properly.

  See Also Custom Calibration


Microsoft 3D Pro
Microsoft Sidewinder

You must have the Microsoft Sidewinder driver installed through the Windows Control Panel.

Windows XP will already come loaded with Sidewinder drivers installed.  If you have a device profiler running in the backgroup unload it if you are having difficulty.

Game Device Profiler

Windows 98

When this game joystick is installed on the computer it will install a program called the game device profiler, which will show up in the System TRAY.  The game device profiler is a utility that allows keyboard buttons to be mapped to the game pad.   This profiler is important because it alters the way game pad input is gathered and will conflict with the game.   It is highly recommended to shut this profiler down before starting the game.  To close this icon down:

1.  Right click on the game device profiler icon.

2.  Select the option to Unload Game Device Profiler.

The game device profiler will be reloaded once the computer is restarted


Logitech Wingman Extreme

Please check to ensure that the latest Logitech drivers are installed and that the device is working in the windows control panel.

  See Also Custom Calibration


Logitech Wingman Digital Extreme

Please check to ensure that the latest Logitech drivers are installed and that the device is working in the windows control panel.

  See Also Custom Calibration


Gravis GamePad/Multiport
Gravis Gamepad Pro/MultiPort

Windows 98
You must have the Gravis Grip driver installed for this joystick to work properly. Obtain the latest driver. This update is known to solve many calibration and detection issues.

1.  If the gamepad is configured and calibrated as a Gravis Grip in the Game Controllers Control Panel, make sure that the switch on the bottom of the joystick is set to "Grip".
2. If the gamepad is configured and calibrated as a Gravis Gamepad in the windows Control Panel make sure the switch on the bottom is set to "One Player" position.
3.  Before playing any Windows 95/98 game, be sure to "test" the gamepad in the windows Control Panel.

4.  Be sure that the "Keyboard Emulation" option is turned off in the Grip Utility. The Grip Utility is located on the taskbar at the bottom right hand side of your Windows 95/98 desktop.

Frequently reset the calibration in the Advanced Options of the Grip Utility.


Gravis Exterminator
The gravis exterminator requires that its drivers are installed and working properly to function properly in our games.  You should check the documentation that came with the Exterminator to verify that it is set up properly in Windows.


Check Sound Card Drivers
Checking The Status Of DirectX Sound Drivers

This error is usually attributed to a DirectX sound driver not being compatible with the latest version of DirectX that the game is using.  In most instances, getting the latest version of the DirectX sound driver for your sound card from your computer manufacturer or from the manufacturer of the sound card should alleviate the error and allow the game to run properly

Click Here to Run DXDiag

OR
1.  First, click on the [image] button on the task bar, select FIND and then select FILES OR FOLDERS.

2.  Next, in the NAMED area type DXDiag.exe.  Make sure your C: drive is highlighted in the Look In box.

3.  Click on FIND NOW to start the search.  When the search is finished click on the icon that has the words

4.  Once the DXDIAG.EXE window is open, click on the tab labeled Sound and click the button labeled TEST.. In the middle of this window will be the DirectX Sound Driver Number.  Verify that these are the latest drivers available from the manufacturer  of your device.


Check Game Port

The first thing to check is to make sure that the game port driver for your Game device is installed and working properly.  In order to do this we must open up the Device Manager window.

 Open Device Manager

Where you see Sound, Video and Game Controllers click the plus sign to the left of it.  This should open up a list of devices.  Here you should see among other things an entry for Game Port Joystick.  This device should not have any yellow exclamation marks [image] or red X's [image] next to it. If your Gameport joystick driver is not present or has a conflict, check with the manufacturer of your computer

  My Game Port Is in Good Shape, What Next?


Selecting Device In Control Panel
Joystick/Game Pad Calibration

Selecting Device

In order for any gaming device to work properly it must first be calibrated in the Windows control Panel.

 Click Here to Open Game Controllers Control Panel

In Windows XP:

1.  Click the start button.
2.  Click on Control Panel.
3.  Click Printers and Other Hardware.
4.  Click Game Controllers.

Your game Controller Device should be listed in the Controller Windows displaying a status of "OK".  If not, this could mean that the device is not connected properly to your computer, or that the wrong driver is being used.

  My Device is Showing As Having a Status Of "OK" In This Window

  My Device is Not Listed Here Or is Showing the Status Of "Not Connected"


Game Controller Device Status "OK"
Configuring Device Properly

In order to determine if your device is configured properly, check to be sure that your device is configured properly for our games.

1.  First lets be sure that the Game Controller Control Panel Window is open.

 Click Here to Open Game Controllers Control Panel

In Windows XP:

  Click the start button.
  Click on Control Panel.
  Click Printers and Other Hardware.
  Click Game Controllers.

2.  Windows 98.  Lets Click on the Advanced Tab in the Game Controllers Window  to verify the controller you want to use is assigned to Controller  ID 1.  This is important to our games when searching for a configured controller.
3.  Lets Calibrate the device to be sure all buttons are functioning properly.

  Lets Calibrate My Device


Device Status "Not Connected"

If the calibration screen is reporting that your device is "Not Connected", you should verify the correct and most current driver is installed.  To do this:
Click on the ADD Button and you will be presented with the ADD Game Controller Window.  In this list are all available Device Drivers that windows recognizes. Scroll through the devices and look for the one that pertains to your specific device.  Once it is found, click the OK button to accept the device.

  My Device Was In The List

  My Device Was Not In The List


Calibrating Device
Calibrating the Joystick / Game Pad

Once a joystick / game pad has been selected, it is then necessary to calibrate the device to allow the computer to recognize its abilities.  To calibrate a device:

1.  Click on the General tab to the left of the Advanced tab.  In this Windows make sure the status is OK then click the Properties button.

2.  You will now be presented with another screen with Calibrate as an option.  Click Calibrate and follow the on screen prompts.  Make sure that when moving the stick in all directions that you hit all extremes.  Repeat this procedure at least 5 times before going to the next screen.  The best suggestion here is to move the stick in a circular motion.

3.  Keep this procedure up until the cross hairs are as close as possible to the center of the calibration box and are not moving at all.

4.  When calibration is complete, click the Finish button.  At this point, click on the Test tab and make sure the device calibrated properly.  The cross hairs should be in the middle and any button or hat functions should not light red until a button is depressed.

5.  If all is well, click "OK" and try the game again.


No Game Controller Driver
Setting Up A Game Controller

To add a device that does not already have a driver installed in Windows, check with the vendor of the device for any drivers they may have available to install.  Most devices come with a device driver disk that must be installed before they can be used.  Check your documentation for information on where to obtain a driver from.  The best source is often the manufactures Web site on the World Wide Web.

  My Manufacturer Has No Drivers Available Or The Device Still Does Not Work in the Game.


Adding a Custom Device
Adding A Custom Device Driver

If you are having trouble getting the Proper Driver for your device, or you have it and it still does not work with the game, you can try calibrating the device using a custom driver.  These custom drivers work best with steering wheels and generic flight sticks, but can be used for almost all devices.  NOTE: Custom drivers with not work with digital devices like the Microsoft Game Pad.

1.  To set up a custom driver click on the Add button in the Game Controllers Panel.

  Click To Open Game Controllers Control Panel

2.  Select the option for Custom.  Pick the amount of Axis's you have.  Most Devices are Two Axis pertaining to up/Down and Left Right/Movements.  A three axis Device adds a Throttle and a four axis device would indicate a flight stick with a rudder setup.
3.  Select the number of buttons you have on your device.  Up to four are available.
4.  If your device has any special characteristics, such as being a steering wheel, or a flight stick,  select them in the Special Characteristic Window.

5.  Next, if your device has a Point of View Hat (POV), check the box Labeled Point Of View Control.
6. You must now name the device so that it can be selected from the list of drivers.  Give it a name that is easy to remember, such as MY CONTROLLER, and select OK to accept your new controller settings.
7.  Finally, to make the device function properly you must calibrate it.

  Let’s Calibrate My Device


Start Installation Troubleshooting Process
Installation Troubleshooting
The following section of the help troubleshooting manual will guide you through common problems that occur when installing our games.  Following the prompts, this section will assist you in getting the game installed.  There are three links you can follow to receive more help.  Follow the first if you cannot get your computer to recognize or read the game CDROM properly or if you are having a problem preparing the game to install.  Follow the second link if the install fails during the copy files process.  Follow the third if there is a problem after the files are copied.

  I Am Having Problems Getting The CDROM To Recognize Or Are Receiving Errors Prior To Copying Files Begins.

  The Install Process Fails During The Copy File Stage.

  There is A Problem After the Files Are Copied From The CDROM.


Problems After File Copy

Windows 98

Problems that occur after the game is done copying files off the CDROM is usually caused by a DirectX video driver that was improperly installed.  Such symptoms of this occurrence are, a black screen lockup when Windows 95/98 restarts, enlarged or shrunken screen or a "ugly" looking desktop.  To rectify the situation you should try to obtain new DirectX compatible video drivers from the manufacturer of your video card, or computer.  You should consult the documentation to learn how to restore or update your video drivers.

  See Also DirectX Installation Hangs
  See Also Windows Looks Different After Installing The Game


Problems Before the Install Process Begins
Problems Before File Copy Begins
Select the error that most closely resembles the error that you are receiving while trying to start the install process.
  I Receive a Message That Says Insert CD During Install

  I Receive a Message That Says I Do Not Meet Minimum Requirements

  The Install is Not Letting Me Select My Hard Disk As An Option to Install to

  I Receive An Out of Disk Space Message When Installing the Game


Install Process Fails During the Copy Stage
Install Process Fails During The File Copy Stage
If your computer fails to install the game, use the following troubleshooting steps.   Problems that might occur at this stage during the install process are:
  The Copy File Process Quits at a Certain Percentage and Returns Me to Windows
  The Install Process Hangs At A Certain Percentage And Does Not Continue
  The CDROM Light On My Drive Turns Off And The Copy File Process Locks

  Error Message During Installation "An Error Occurred During The Move Data Process"

  I Receive A Blue Screen That Says My CD May Be Damaged Or It Needs To Be Cleaned.

Below is a list of troubleshooting steps to try to help alleviate the problem.

  Close Background Applications

  Check CDROM Drivers

  Adjust Supplemental Cache Size

  Check CD-ROM Access Pattern

  Check CD-ROM Media


Close Background Apps Install
Close Down Background Applications

Windows wouldn't be Windows if you couldn't run all sorts of cool applications.  However, some applications may cause problems with your game. Anything that may be running on your computer should be shut down before you run your game. Even if your applications are not causing conflicts, they are using valuable resources like memory and CPU power. In order to make sure that your game runs as smooth and as reliable as possible, make sure you shut down applications like Netscape, MS Exchange, MS Word, Excel, and anything else on your taskbar.
In particular, make sure you shut down the MS Office shortcut bar. Having this application running while trying to run a game may cause a crash to the desktop, or may cause the graphics to not function properly. Please shut down this program before running your game.
There are items that will not make their presence known, but will be running in the background.  One way to close these items down is to press the CTRL key  + ALT key + DEL key all at the same time.  This will bring up a window that reads "Close Programs".  This is a thorough list of all the items currently running on your computer.  The only two items that need to be running are Explorer and Systray.  You can close the rest of the items by clicking the end task button.  All programs closed in this manner will be restarted upon restarting Windows 95/98.

NOTE:  You can only close one background application at a time.  Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to bring up the Close Program menu again and repeat the process described above.

Close Background Applications
Applications running in the background not only take up vital resources such as memory and CPU, but also can, and often will, interfere with our games.  It is advisable to shut down all background applications except EXPLORER, which is the basic windows shell, and SYSTRAY, which is the system tray next to the clock where background applications can display an icon.  There are three places to check for background applications.
1.  The Taskbar
Items running in the taskbar are often full fledged programs.  These are most obvious and should be shut down first.   Don’t forget to save your work before closing these programs down.

2.  The System Tray
Items running in this area are often monitoring programs that are constantly checking the computers environment for certain conditions.   These items should definitely be shut down for they can activate whenever a specified condition exists.  Such items can usually be shut down by right clicking on them and selecting the option for unload.  They will reappear when the computer is restarted.

System Tray With Running Applications

3.  CTRL+ALT+DEL
This is the most comprehensive listing of the items running in the background.   All the Items listed on the taskbar and in the System Tray will appear here as well as other items that may be using windows resources.  It is necessary to close all applications in this window except EXPLORER and SYSTRAY.  Closing these two items will result in the computer being restarted or possibly locking the computer.   To close an item click to highlight an item, then click on the END Task button.  Do not click on the Shut Down button for that will restart Windows.

WARNING:  Do Not Press CTRL+ALT+DEL while the Close Program Window is open.  This will reboot your computer.   There are few items that will lock or reboot your computer when shut down. Check with your manufacturer for more information on these applications if encountered.

Windows XP users
Note:  Windows 2000 users will find close background options to be very similar.  With the exception that task manager will not have user ID listed name listed .  If you are unsure of what items to close consult your system administrator:

Pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE with Windows XP will display some options. They are:
Lock Computer - This will effective lock the computer until an admin can unlock it.
Log Off – Logs the current user off that machine.
Shut Down – Shuts the computer down
Change Password – Allows the user to change their personal password.
Task Manager – Gives access to the Windows Task Manager.
Cancel – Closes this window and gets the user back to the desktop.

You will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes, Performance, networking, and Users. Select the Processes tab; this will list all current programs that are running. Close all programs that have your login ID next to them. Your user ID is listed in the second column next to the program name.

The Image Name column is the name of the programs currently running. The User Name column is where you will find your User Name. The best way to check this is to locate "Explorer" and see what it says under User Name.  Also, do not close any applications that say "System," “Local Service,” or “Network Service” next to them. Be sure not to close a program labeled "Explorer" or "Taskmgr."
You close each one of these applications by clicking on each one and hitting the button "End Process". Note, some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.


Check CDROM Drivers
Windows 98
In order for Windows 95/98 to run efficiently it needs to use the correct 32 bit CDROM drivers.  Many times these drivers are supplied with Windows 95/98 or they can be obtained from the manufacturer of the drive or the computer itself. It is important to make sure that there are no 16 bit DOS or Windows 3.X drivers resident in Windows 95/98. Symptoms of this occurrence include sluggish game performance, install and/or general game play errors, or the appearance of two CDROM drives in the windows explorer (even though there is physically only one present). To check if your computer is using the correct 32 bit windows drivers try the following:

     1. Open the System Properties Sheet and click on the Performance tab
        Click Here To Open System Properties

     2.  In the open area below PC Cards (PCMCIA), you should see the words, "Ýour system is configured for optimal performance." If you see a message pertaining to your CDROM using a 16 bit dos driver, you should check with your system vendor or the manufacturer of the CDROM drive to obtain the appropriate driver.


Adjust Supplemental Cache Size Install
Adjust Supplemental Cache Size
Windows 98
Supplemental Cache Size on the CDROM drive is used to adjust the amount of System RAM that is set aside for caching information that is read from the CD disc

When to increase cache

There may be a case where video playback appears choppy or slow. This problem can be alleviated by adjusting the CD-ROM drives supplemental cache size. This sets aside a portion of memory called a buffer that the CD drive can use to store information.

When to decrease cache

By increasing the supplemental cache size of your CDROM, you are, in effect, taking available system RAM away from other applications. It is possible to take over 1 megabyte of RAM away from an application. In some instances this can cause the game to crash, or to have inadequate memory to decompress files, such as what would happen during the installation of an application. This may be a case where more memory is not always the best and decreasing supplemental cache may be advantageous to your application.

How to change cache size
To alter the size of your computer's supplemental cache:

1.  Open the System Properties Sheet and click on the Performance tab

  Click Here To Open System Properties

2.  Next click on the File System... button.

3.  Click on the tab that is marked CD-ROM.

4.  Move the supplemental cache slider bar accordingly.


Check CD-ROM Access Pattern
CD-ROM Access Pattern
Windows 98
In order to take advantage of the speed of your CD-ROM drive, it is necessary to make sure that it is reading files in the most efficient manner. An easy way to check this is to make sure the Optimize Access Pattern option in your computer's File System Properties is set properly. To check this:

1.  Open the System Properties Sheet and click on the Performance tab
        Click Here To Open System Properties

2.  Next click on the File System... button.

3.  Click on the tab that is marked CD-ROM.

4.  Make sure the Optimize Access Pattern For is set to Quad Speed Or Higher.


Check CDROM Media

It may be that your game CDROM media has become damaged or soiled. A good indication of this is if the game issues an error that it cannot read or find a file. (This is not always indicative of a bad CD, there are other reasons this may happen). Usually under this circumstance windows will issue a blue warning screen. If this occurs there are a few steps to try.

1.  Clean the disc. Remember to always wipe from center outward with a soft lint free cloth.

2.  Inspect the disk for scratches. Due to the high density of data stored on a CDROM a scratch can be fatal to a CD. To check for scratches, hold the disc up to the light and view the media from an angle.

3.  Try the CD on another machine. It may be the case that the error message may have to do with the configuration of the computer. It is a good idea to try the CD on another system before sending it back to our warranty department. This will not only save the cost of replacing a non-damaged disc, but will also save time.


Errors Starting The Game

If you are experiencing problems trying to start your new game you have come to the right place.  Following is a list of several of the most popular errors that occur while trying to start a game.  If you see the error you are getting, follow the link to the solution to the problem.  If you do not see the exact error listed below pick the topic that most closely resemble the error message you are receiving.

  Insert CDROM Into Drive But It’s Already There
  Returned Back to Windows Desktop On Start-Up

  ISDN Mixbuff/Frames Not a Multiple of 16' Error (or Similar)

  'Bad Window Field' Error (or Similar)

  'CPU INIT Error' (or Similar)

  Message That States DirectX Compatible Drivers Are Needed


Microsoft Sidewinder Game Pad
Microsoft(R) Sidewinder(tm)3D Game Pad

Features

This game pad is a ten button digital game pad made by Microsoft to work with the Windows operating system.  There is a mode button on the front of the pad that acts as a On/Off switch, make sure the mode light is on and the green light is on.  On the front of the pad is a joystick connector hidden by a plastic cover that allows for up to 16 Sidewinder pads to be chained together for use.  Number of game pads supported depends on the game you are playing.  It is not possible to plug in any other type of game pad or joystick other than another sidewinder.

Calibration

NOTE: This game pad does not need to be calibrated like most other gaming devices, it is however recommended that the game pad be tested in the control panel before starting a game.   By testing the pad before starting a game you are forcing the computer to see the pad as a valid device.  To test the game pad:

1.  Click on the Start button go to SETTINGS and select the CONTROL PANEL.

2.  Select Gaming Devices and the Sidewinder utility screen should appear.

 Click Here to Open Game Controllers Control Panel

Game Device Profiler

When this game pad is installed on the computer it will install a program called the game device profiler, which will show up in the System TRAY.  The game device profiler is a utility that allows keyboard buttons to be mapped to the game pad.   This profiler is important because it alters the way game pad input is gathered and will conflict with the game.   It is highly recommended to shut this profiler down before starting the game.  To close this icon down:

1.  Right click on the game device profiler icon.

2.  Select the option to Unload Game Device Profiler.

The game device profiler will be reloaded once the computer is restarted


The Game Device Profiler is used to remap keyboard buttons to the game-pad.  Most of our games have this feature built into the software and this profiler is not needed.  It is advisable to shut the profiler down by right clicking on its icon in the control panel, then selecting the option to unload.  It will load again next time the computer is started.


Mad Catz Steering Wheel

Features
The Mad Catz steering wheel does not require any special drivers, it uses the standard joystick drivers that are included with Windows.

Calibration

This steering wheel can be calibrated using either the standard two axis, four button joystick or use the custom calibration setting.  To calibrate:
1. Open up the Control panel and click on the tab labeled "General".

  Click to Open Game Controllers Control Panel

2. Be sure that under "Controller", it reads 2-axis, 4-button joystick. If it is not selected click the Add button and find 2-axis, 4-button joystick.

(Note: You can also try a Custom Calibration: 2-axis, 4-button, "Is a race car controller")

3. Click on the "Properties" button then the button labeled "calibrate" to bring up the calibration sequence. In this frame, you want to manually center the cross hairs, which by default, will go to the lower right hand corner of the frame. After the cross hairs are centered hit the stick shift very carefully one time in the up direction.

4. Now you are at the screen that says "move joystick in all directions." Go ahead and move the joystick in all directions at least twice then manually center the cross hairs using the steering wheel and the pedals. Once centered hit the shifter up once. This will bring up a screen which says "to confirm your joysticks center position…" At this point, you want to make sure that you are still manually centering the wheel, holding the cross hairs firmly centered in the center of the calibration box. Hit the stick shift up again.

5. Click the FINISH button.

At this point you can click APPLY in the joystick properties box. (This is a very important step.)


No Soud From Within the Game
No Sound From Within The Game

If you have installed and started the game and there is no sound, you have come to the right place.  Below are a series of the most common steps to take to solve this issue.
Check Volume

The first and most obvious is to be sure that your speakers are connected properly to your computer.  You should next verify that all sound levels, both hardware and software, are turned on.

  For More Help On This Topic See Checking Volume Settings

Check DirectX Drivers

Next, verify that you are using the latest certified driver for your particular sound card.

  For More Help On This Topic See Checking DirectX Sound Drivers


Check Sound Card Drivers

In order for DirectX games to run on your system, the DirectX drivers need to be properly installed and certified. The program DXDIAG.EXE is a utility included with DirectX that will check driver certification and let you know if all DirectX components are properly certified. Running DXDIAG is easy, just follow these steps:

Click Here to Run DXDiag

OR
1. Put the game CD in your CD-ROM drive.

2. From your Windows desktop, left-click the [image]  button, highlight Find, then left-click on Files or Folders.

3. In the Find window, set the "Look In:" field to your CD-ROM drive (it will probably display the name of the game and a drive letter such as "D:" or "E:").

4. In the "Named:" field, type in “DXDIAG.EXE” and press enter. This will search the game CD for the DXDIAG.EXE file.

5. When the file appears in the results box, simply double-click on it.

You should now see the DirectX Diagnostics window displaying its results. If you click on the tab labeled Sound, you will be presented with information on your sound card.  In the center of the screen will be the version number and certification status.


Check Volume Settings

If you are receiving no volume or partial volume from your game, a good place to start troubleshooting is to make sure all the volume levels are turned up and are not muted.  The easiest way to do this is to double click the volume icon in your System Tray and make sure none of the volumes are muted or turned off.  Check not only the Main volume control, but also the Wave, CD Audio, and MIDI volumes.

Clear the Mute check box of any X's that may deactivate sound.


Creative AWE 64 Troubleshooting
I am Getting No Sound Or The Game Is Locking Up And I Have A Sound Blaster AWE 64

The following are troubleshooting steps that address the problem of too many resources being used by this card thus not allowing sound to play properly in the game.

1.  Click to Open Multimedia Properties

2.  Under the Midi Output option, be sure that the "Single instrument" option is checked and that "Creative Advanced Wave Effects Synthesis For AWE 32" is chosen in the box below it. Make sure that "Wave Synth / WG Midi" is not selected. This option uses too many resources for sound to be produced correctly throughout he game. You may need to reboot your computer for the changes to take effect.


Music But no Sound in Game
I Receive Music But No Sound in the Game
If you have installed the game, started it up, and there is no sound, but you have music, you have come to the right place. The reason for this issue, is that your sound card uses different resources for playing music than it does for digital sounds.  Below are a series of the most common steps to solve this issue.
Check Volume

The first and most obvious thing to do is to be sure that your speakers are connected properly to your computer.  Next verify that all sound levels, both hardware and software, are turned on.

  For More Help On This Topic See Checking Volume Settings

Check DirectX drivers

Next, verify that you are using the latest certified driver for your particular sound card.

  For More Help On This Topic See Checking DirectX Sound Drivers

  For more help on this topic see Sound Blaster AWE 64 Users


Sound in Game Videos are Choppy
Sound In The Game Videos Is Choppy
There are many possible causes for the sound in the game and game videos to be choppy.
A good place to look first, are at the items running in the background. Make sure all background applications are closed before running the game.

  See Closing Background Tasks
If all background applications are shut down another good place to look would be your sound and video drivers.
  See checking DirectX Video and DirectX Sound Drivers

If these are not working properly the result will most likely be poor performance on the sound and video.  Next you should check your CD-ROM drivers to make sure they are 32-bit windows drivers and not 16-bit Dos drivers. (This is for Windows 98 users only)

  See Checking CDROM Drivers


Close Back Ground Applications
Close Down Background Applications

Windows wouldn't be Windows if you couldn't run all sorts of cool applications.  However, some applications may cause problems with your game. Anything that may be running on your computer should be shut down before you run your game. Even if your applications are not causing conflicts, they are using valuable resources like memory and CPU power. In order to make sure that your game runs as smooth and as reliable as possible, make sure you shut down applications like Netscape, MS Exchange, MS Word, Excel, and anything else on your taskbar.
In particular, make sure you shut down the MS Office shortcut bar. Having this application running while trying to run a game may cause a crash to the desktop, or may cause the graphics to not function properly. Please shut down this program before running your game.
There are items that will not make their presence known, but will be running in the background.  One way to close these items down is to press the CTRL key  + ALT key + DEL key all at the same time.  This will bring up a window that reads "Close Programs".  This is a thorough list of all the items currently running on your computer.  The only two items that need to be running are Explorer and Systray.  You can close the rest of the items by clicking the end task button.  All programs closed in this manner will be restarted upon restarting Windows 95/98.

NOTE:  You can only close one background application at a time.  Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to bring up the Close Program menu again and repeat the process described above.

Close Background Applications
Applications running in the background not only take up vital resources such as memory and CPU, but also can, and often will, interfere with our games.  It is advisable to shut down all background applications except EXPLORER, which is the basic windows shell, and SYSTRAY, which is the system tray next to the clock where background applications can display an icon.  There are three places to check for background applications.
1.  The Taskbar
Items running in the taskbar are often full fledged programs.  These are most obvious and should be shut down first.   Don’t forget to save your work before closing these programs down.

2.  The System Tray
Items running in this area are often monitoring programs that are constantly checking the computers environment for certain conditions.   These items should definitely be shut down for they can activate whenever a specified condition exists.  Such items can usually be shut down by right clicking on them and selecting the option for unload.  They will reappear when the computer is restarted.

System Tray With Running Applications

3.  CTRL+ALT+DEL
This is the most comprehensive listing of the items running in the background.   All the Items listed on the taskbar and in the System Tray will appear here as well as other items that may be using windows resources.  It is necessary to close all applications in this window except EXPLORER and SYSTRAY.  Closing these two items will result in the computer being restarted or possibly locking the computer.   To close an item click to highlight an item, then click on the END Task button.  Do not click on the Shut Down button for that will restart Windows.

WARNING:  Do Not Press CTRL+ALT+DEL while the Close Program Window is open.  This will reboot your computer.   There are few items that will lock or reboot your computer when shut down. Check with your manufacturer for more information on these applications if encountered.

Windows XP users

Note:  Windows 2000 users will find close background options to be very similar.  With the exception that task manager will not have user ID listed name listed .  If you are unsure of what items to close consult your system administrator:

Pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE with Windows XP will display some options. They are:
Lock Computer - This will effective lock the computer until an admin can unlock it.
Log Off – Logs the current user off that machine.
Shut Down – Shuts the computer down
Change Password – Allows the user to change their personal password.
Task Manager – Gives access to the Windows Task Manager.
Cancel – Closes this window and gets the user back to the desktop.

You will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes, Performance, networking, and Users. Select the Processes tab; this will list all current programs that are running. Close all programs that have your login ID next to them. Your user ID is listed in the second column next to the program name.

The Image Name column is the name of the programs currently running. The User Name column is where you will find your User Name. The best way to check this is to locate "Explorer" and see what it says under User Name.  Also, do not close any applications that say "System," “Local Service,” or “Network Service” next to them. Be sure not to close a program labeled "Explorer" or "Taskmgr."
You close each one of these applications by clicking on each one and hitting the button "End Process". Note, some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.


Check CDROM Drivers

Windows 98
In order for Windows 95/98 to run efficiently it needs to use the correct 32 bit CDROM drivers.  Many times these drivers are supplied with Windows 95/98 or they can be obtained from the manufacturer of the drive or the computer itself. It is important to make sure that there are no 16 bit DOS or Windows 3.X drivers resident in Windows 95/98. Symptoms of this occurrence include sluggish game performance, install and/or general game play errors, or the appearance of two CDROM drives in the windows explorer (even though there is physically only one present). To check if your computer is using the correct 32 bit windows drivers try the following:

     1. Open the System Properties Sheet and click on the Performance tab
        Click Here To Open System Properties

     2.  In the open area below PC Cards (PCMCIA), you should see the words, "Ýour system is configured for optimal performance." If you see a message pertaining to your CDROM using a 16 bit dos driver, you should check with your system vendor or the manufacturer of the CDROM drive to obtain the appropriate driver.


Check Sound Card Drivers

In order for DirectX games to run on your system, the DirectX drivers need to be properly installed and certified. The program DXDIAG.EXE is a utility included with DirectX that will check driver certification and let you know if all DirectX components are properly certified. Running DXDIAG is easy, just follow these steps:

Click Here to Run DXDiag

OR
1. Put the game CD in your CD-ROM drive.

2. From your Windows 95/98 desktop, left-click the [image]  button, highlight Find, then left-click on Files or Folders.

3. In the Find window, set the "Look In:" field to your CD-ROM drive (it will probably display the name of the game and a drive letter such as "D:" or "E:").

4. In the "Named:" field, type in “DXDIAG.EXE” and press enter. This will search the game CD for the DXDIAG.EXE file.

5. When the file appears in the results box, simply double-click on it.

You should now see the DirectX Diagnostics window displaying its results. If you click on the tab labeled Audio, you will be presented with information on your sound card.  Verify that these are the latest drivers from your sound card manufacturer.


Check Video Drivers
Checking the Status of DirectX (Video Drivers)

This error message is an indication that your computer may need an updated DirectX driver for your video card to run the game. In order for DirectX games to run on your system, the DirectX drivers need to be properly installed and certified. The program DXDIAG.EXE is a utility that will check driver certification and let you know if all DirectX components are properly certified. In most instances if a video driver is not working properly, it is best to seek the advice of the manufacturer of the computer or of the manufacturer of the video card itself. Running DXDIAG is easy, just follow these steps:

Click Here to Run DXDiag

OR

1. Put the game CD in your CD-ROM drive.

2. From your Windows desktop, left-click the [image]  button, highlight Find, then left-click on Files or Folders.

3. In the Find window, set the "Look In:" field to your CD-ROM drive (it will probably display the name of the game and a drive letter such as "D:" or "E:").

4. In the "Named:" field, type in “DXDIAG.EXE” and press enter. This will search the game CD for the DXDIAG.EXE file.

5. When the file appears in the results box, simply double-click on it.

You should now see the DXDIAG window.  Click on the tab labeled Display
Verify that these are the latest drivers from your manufacturer.


DirectX Status

No Hardware Support - The driver does not support DirectX, so Hardware Emulation will be performed. This may work fine, but processor power must be used to perform this emulation and game performance may suffer. In some cases, it will not work at all. It is recommended to check with your hardware manufacturer for any updated drivers that may be available.

Blank with no driver version listed - The performance and stability of this type of certification is basically unknown. It is recommended to check with your hardware manufacturer for any updated drivers that may be available. Most likely, drivers that certify this way will not work properly at all.

Blank with driver version listed - The driver has DirectX support, but was not included with the version of DirectX which is currently on your system. These drivers will usually function properly, however, there may be some difficulties. It is recommended to check with your hardware manufacturer for any updated drivers that may be available.

Certified - Your driver was tested and approved by Microsoft. Any difficulties you may be having with software are probably not related to this driver, however, many hardware companies will still update these drivers in order to fix problems.


Enlarged Video Screen
My Screen Is Enlarged And I Cant See All The Game Options

Many times when the game screen appears enlarged the culprit is often a video driver that is unwilling to switch video modes to run at the correct resolution.  The game is set to run in a standard video resolution such as 800X600 pixels at 65,535 colors.  (For more details at what your particular games runs at you should consult the Reference Card that was included with the game.   Often times an enlarged or shrunken video screen can be resolved by either switching video modes for your display manually.

See Check Resolution

An enlarged screen during game play can also be the result of an inappropriately installed video driver, or possibly a video driver that is not working properly.  In many cases checking and updating the video driver with the latest DirectX compatible driver available from your computer or video card manufacturer will fix this issue.

See Check DirectDraw Video Drivers


Colors of the Game are Strange Looking
The Colors Of The Game Are Strange Looking

A game can often exhibit a strange color palette if the video card is not able to properly communicate with the software.  This strange display of colors is often caused by a faulty or improperly certified video driver.  To correct this problem, a new video driver should be obtained by the manufacturer of the video card or the computer itself.

See Check DirectDraw Video Drivers


Stat online Troubleshooting
I am Having Problems Playing My Online Game

The following troubleshooting steps will help you in connecting your game over the internet.  There are two types of internet connections you can establish with our games, a direct connection, or a connection using one of the many online services available from Electronic Arts (EA).

  I Am Trying To Establish a Direct Connection With My Friend Over The Internet

  I Am Trying To Utilize One of Electronic Arts Online Services


Check Version Of Web Browser you are using
Check Version Of Web Browser That You Are Using

An important first step to troubleshooting any online issue is to make sure that you are using the latest version of internet browser.  Our games work best with Internet Explorer.  You should however verify with the games documentation which version of browser is needed and any other special requirements.

To check which version of browser you are using:

1.  Click on the link below to open your browser.
      Open Browser

2.  Netscape Users should click Help, About Communicator.  The version number will be displayed at the top of the page.
     Internet Explorer users should click Help, About....  The version number will be displayed in the windows that appears.

  My browser meets the requirements of the game, what next?


Clear Cache Settings
Try to clear out your internet cache settings.  The cache setting may contain data that your browser is not updating to help speed your internet connection up. In order to clear your cache settings:

If you are Using Microsoft's Internet Explorer

1.  Open your browser.

2.  Click tools, then Internet Options.
  Click Here To Open Internet Properties
3.  On the screen that appears you should see an Option for Temporary Internet Files.  Click on the button that says Delete Files.

If you are Using Netscape Communicator

1.  Open Netscape Communicator.

2.  Click on the Edit Option From the top menu bar and select Preferences.
3.  In the options that appear, Click on the +Advanced, and then click on  Cache.
4.  The windows should now expose Cache options, including Clear Memory and Clear Disk Cache.  Click these options to clear cache setting.

 My Cache Settings Are Cleared, But The Game Is Still Not Working Over The Internet.


Internet Cache Definition
Internet Cache

Whenever you download a web page your computer will store its contents to your hard drive.  That way the next time you want to access that page it will appear much quicker because instead of having to receive the information from the host computer again it can read it off your hard drive.


Check Java Settings

Many of our online gaming web sites utilize code that is written in the Java programming language.  It is vital that you make sure you have your browser set to display Java based web pages.  To check this:

If you are Using Microsoft's Internet Explorer

1.  Open your browser.

2.  Click on the Internet Icon and the Internet Properties Box will appear.
  Click Here To Open Internet Properties
3.  Click on the tab along the top labeled Advanced, then look for the Heading labeled JAVA VM.
4.  Make sure the option for JAVA JIT is enabled.

 I Am Using Netscape Communicator or My Java Is Enabled


Java Definition

Based on the C Programming language, Java is a programming language that was designed for use over the internet.  Its code is relatively small and is compiled and run once the code is downloaded to the computer.   It is portable across many operating systems and types of computers.


Make Sure Cookies Are Enabled

Some of our online services use cookies by which to retain information about your account and who you are.  You must be sure that the ability to enable cookies is not turned off.  To do this:

If you are Using Microsoft's Internet Explorer

1.  Open your browser

2.  Click on the Internet Icon and the Internet Properties Box will appear.

  Click Here To Open Internet Properties

3.  Click on the Advanced tab and find the entry that says "Security".  Be sure that the option for Cookies is set to Always Accept Cookies, or Prompt Before accepting Cookies.

I.E. 6 users:  Click on the Privacy tab and click on the Advanced button.  Be sure that the option for both First and Third Party Cookies are set to Accept, or Prompt.  If these are not, check the Override automatic cookie handling box and change the options accordingly.

If you are Using Netscape Communicator

Netscape will verify before accepting a cookie


Cookie Definition

A cookie is a small bit of information sent from the host web site to your computer that may  contain user settings and preferences.  Instead of the host of the web site that you are logging onto having to store information pertaining to its users, a cookie is called upon and downloaded.


Trying To establish Direct connection Over the Internet
I am Trying To Establish A Direct Connection With My Friend Over The Internet

Some games support the ability to play head to head using an internet connection.  There are a few standard troubleshooting steps you can try if you are experiencing a problem while attempting this type of connection.

1.  Make sure that you are logged onto your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
2.  Next determine who is going to be the host of the game.  (The host is the person in charge of creating and setting up the game.)
3. If you are the Host, you must retrieve your Internet IP address.  This is the address that identifies you over the internet.

Windows 98
To retrieve this number, click on the [image] >Run... and type the word WINIPCFG into the dialog box that appears.
Click Here to Run WINIPCFG

Windows 2000/XP
To retrieve your ip address click on Start<Run and type ‘cmd’ in the box that appears.  When the command window opens type ‘ipconfig’  Your ip address will be displayed.
4.  In the box labeled IP address, is your IP address.  You must now take this number and send it to your friend either by email, or some other Internet chat program.  (NOTE:  Be sure to close this program down before the game starts.)
5.  Your friend can now click on the Join in the Internet game options within the game.
6.  For more information concerning game specifics and internet connections see the documentation that came with the game.


COM Port Definition

A COM port, or communications port, is a device on your computer that provides for the input and output of serial data. Serial data, as opposed to parallel data, transmits and receives on very few "wires" or lines, where parallel data is exchanging many bits at a time across a higher number of wires. Your mouse is an example of a serial device; your printer is an example of a parallel device.

COM ports use a dedicated set of resources: one "port address" and one "IRQ channel". A port address is an address at which the Central Processing Unit (CPU) can find a certain device. Every device on your computer probably has a port address, so that when the CPU needs to communicate with that device, it knows where to find it. An Interrupt Request Channel, or IRQ channel, is used by the device to request time from the CPU. If the device needs processor time, it gets the CPU's attention by sending a signal on the Interrupt line assigned to it.

As you can see in the table below, each COM port uses its own port address and IRQ; however notice that COM3 and 4 use the same IRQs as COM1 and 2. If you have more than 2 COM devices on your computer, you will want them all to have their own IRQ channel. Note: Do not attempt to alter resource settings on your computer unless you are an advanced user. An advanced user should be capable of recovering their own system from any situation.

        Port Address     IRQ

COM1      3F8              4

COM2      2F8              3

COM3      3E8              4

COM4      2E8              3

The port address and IRQ channel on the COM port work to give devices that use them access to serial data. If you have more than one device using the same IRQ or port address, chances are you'll have problems. All devices are intended to have their own address, and IRQ channel (in many cases a DMA channel also, but not with COM ports).

The devices that usually use a COM port are modems and mice. Sometimes game devices like virtual helmets or digital cameras will use COM ports also, so you have to be sure you have no conflicts if you have more than two COM port devices on your system.


Start Modem Troubleshooting
Modem Troubleshooting

Modem troubleshooting can often be difficult due to the number of outside interferences that may exist.  The problem may not even lie with your modem, but with your friend's modem.   It may be the case that the problem exists within the phone line connection itself.  These kinds of disturbances are often hard to diagnose.  Follow the link below that best describes the type of difficulty that you are experiencing with your modem connection.

  I Receive An Error Message That States "Unable to Initialize"

  I Get My Modem Initialized But Cannot Connect With My Friend

  We Get Connected And Then The Game Looses Connection While Playing


Error message "Unable To Initialize Modem"
Error Message, "Unable to initialize" Modem

This message is usually caused by your modem not being properly connected under Windows.  It may even be the case that another application may have already opened up your COM port and is claiming the modem device as its own.   To start the troubleshooting process, click on one of the items below to start the process.

It is very important to be sure that your device is operating free of conflicts and all its resources are allocated properly.  The best way to determine this is to check your COM Port and verify that it is working properly.

  Check COM Port
  Check For Background Applications That May Be Using Resources


Unable to Connect With Friend Via Modem
I Get My Modem Initialized But Cannot Connect With My Friend

If you are having problems connecting with a friend this is where things get complicated.  The problem may lie with your computer, your friend’s computer, or an external factor like the phone lines.  Remember all the steps outlined here should also be performed on your friend’s computer to cover all aspects of the connection.   Try the following items below to ensure that your computers are set for optimal performance with our games.

  Make Sure Flow Control is Set to XON/XOFF

  Disable Data Compression And Error Correction

  Change Who is Hosting/Joining

  Force Lower bps Setting


Lose of Connection While Playing
We Get Connected And Then The Game Looses Connection While Playing

This problem can be caused by a variety of factors both external and relating to the computers you are using to play the game.  Below is a list of the most popular steps to troubleshooting this issue.

  Make Sure Flow Control is Set to XON/XOFF

  Disable Data Compression and Error Correction

  Disable Call Waiting

  Change Who is Hosting/Joining

  Force Lower bps Setting


Check Modem's COM Port
Check COM Port

In order to establish that no other conflicts exist, we need to check to see which COM port your modem is using.  To do this we must go into the Device Manager.

To check your modem's COM port:

1.  Open Device Manager

2.  Expand the "Modem" branch by clicking on the "+" next to the modem. There should be no  [image] exclamation marks or [image]  X's next to this device.

3.  To further verify that your device is in proper working order, click one time on your installed modem, and then click on the Properties button. Once the window comes up, click on the Modem tab at the top of the window. If your modem is using a COM port other than 1 or 2, make sure you get the IRQ channel information by clicking on the Resources tab of the COM Port in the Device manager.  To do so, open the Device Manager again, and click the plus sign next to "Port (COM &LPT)".  Double click on your Modems COM port then click on the Resource Tab.  Please use the following table to determine which IRQ your modem is using:

          COM1 uses IRQ 4

          COM2 uses IRQ 3

          COM3 uses IRQ 4

          COM4 uses IRQ 3

  NOTE: If you have a device on COM1, like a mouse, then you may have conflicts with devices using COM3 because they share the same IRQ. Likewise, devices on COM2 may conflict with devices on COM4. Interrupt sharing does not usually work well.  We recommend that you use the COM1 or COM2 port for your modem. If you have other devices that use a COM port, make sure the port is using an interrupt other than 3 or 4.

  NOTE: Only advanced users should attempt to change the resource settings of their devices.

  My COM Port Checks Out, Now What?


Query Modem

In order to determine if the device is indeed responding properly, try to Query your modem in the modem Properties window.  This will allow windows to get all available information from the modem's non-volatile ram and also verify that it is responding properly to the operating system.

To Query your modem:

Windows 98

1.  Open Modem Properties
2.  Click on the tab labeled Diagnostics
3.  Highlight the COM Port representing your modem.

4.  Finally click on the MORE INFO Button

If the modem is in proper working condition you should see a window with your modems resources and all available AT commands.  If your modem checks out to be ok, follow the next link to close background applications.

  Check for Background Applications That May Be Using Resources


Close modem Programs running in background
Close Background Applications

Windows wouldn't be Windows if you couldn't run all sorts of cool applications.  However, some applications may cause problems with your game. Anything that may be running on your computer should be shut down before you run your game. Even if your applications are not causing conflicts, they are using valuable resources like memory and CPU power. In order to make sure that your game runs as smooth and as reliable as possible, make sure you shut down applications like Netscape, MS Exchange, MS Word, Excel, and anything else on your taskbar.
In particular, make sure you shut down the MS Office shortcut bar. Having this application running while trying to run a game may cause a crash to the desktop, or may cause the graphics to not function properly. Please shut down this program before running your game.
There are items that will not make their presence known, but will be running in the background.  One way to close these items down is to press the CTRL key  + ALT key + DEL key all at the same time.  This will bring up a window that reads "Close Programs".  This is a thorough list of all the items currently running on your computer.  The only two items that need to be running are Explorer and Systray.  You can close the rest of the items by clicking the end task button.  All programs closed in this manner will be restarted upon restarting Windows 95/98.

NOTE:  You can only close one background application at a time.  Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to bring up the Close Program menu again and repeat the process described above.

Close Background Applications
Applications running in the background not only take up vital resources such as memory and CPU, but also can, and often will, interfere with our games.  It is advisable to shut down all background applications except EXPLORER, which is the basic windows shell, and SYSTRAY, which is the system tray next to the clock where background applications can display an icon.  There are three places to check for background applications.
1.  The Taskbar
Items running in the taskbar are often full fledged programs.  These are most obvious and should be shut down first.   Don’t forget to save your work before closing these programs down.

2.  The System Tray
Items running in this area are often monitoring programs that are constantly checking the computers environment for certain conditions.   These items should definitely be shut down for they can activate whenever a specified condition exists.  Such items can usually be shut down by right clicking on them and selecting the option for unload.  They will reappear when the computer is restarted.

System Tray With Running Applications

3.  CTRL+ALT+DEL
This is the most comprehensive listing of the items running in the background.   All the Items listed on the taskbar and in the System Tray will appear here as well as other items that may be using windows resources.  It is necessary to close all applications in this window except EXPLORER and SYSTRAY.  Closing these two items will result in the computer being restarted or possibly locking the computer.   To close an item click to highlight an item, then click on the END Task button.  Do not click on the Shut Down button for that will restart Windows.

WARNING:  Do Not Press CTRL+ALT+DEL while the Close Program Window is open.  This will reboot your computer.   There are few items that will lock or reboot your computer when shut down. Check with your manufacturer for more information on these applications if encountered.

Windows XP users

Note:  Windows 2000 users will find close background options to be very similar.  With the exception that task manager will not have user ID listed name listed .  If you are unsure of what items to close consult your system administrator:

Pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE with Windows XP will display some options. They are:
Lock Computer - This will effective lock the computer until an admin can unlock it.
Log Off – Logs the current user off that machine.
Shut Down – Shuts the computer down
Change Password – Allows the user to change their personal password.
Task Manager – Gives access to the Windows Task Manager.
Cancel – Closes this window and gets the user back to the desktop.

You will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes, Performance, networking, and Users. Select the Processes tab; this will list all current programs that are running. Close all programs that have your login ID next to them. Your user ID is listed in the second column next to the program name.

The Image Name column is the name of the programs currently running. The User Name column is where you will find your User Name. The best way to check this is to locate "Explorer" and see what it says under User Name.  Also, do not close any applications that say "System," “Local Service,” or “Network Service” next to them. Be sure not to close a program labeled "Explorer" or "Taskmgr."
You close each one of these applications by clicking on each one and hitting the button "End Process". Note, some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.


Disable data compression and error correction for modem
Disable Compression And Error Correction

Data compression and error correction are often the culprit when it comes to connection problems. Although these modem features often allow faster and more reliable data transfer, they can cause difficulty when trying to connect. Sometimes this is due to the fact that the protocols need to be the same on both ends, so if one user's modem is using a certain type of compression, the modem on the other end will have to use the same compression.

There are other types of problems that compression and correction cause, specifically with the data that games use. The data transferred by modem games is often difficult to compress, so using compression can actually make a connection slower instead of faster, resulting in dropped connections or difficulty when trying to connect.

To disable error correction and data compression:

1.  Open Modem Properties

2.  Select your modem and click on the Properties button.

3  .When the modem properties window opens, click on the Connection tab, then click the Advanced button at the bottom. Now uncheck the boxes for "Use error control" and "Use flow control".

4.  Now click OK and restart your computer. Try to connect again.


Force a Lower Connection Speed for your Modem
Force A Lower bps Rate On Your Modem

Sometimes noisy phone lines may cause difficulty connecting at higher speeds. Games can benefit from a higher connection speed but if your lines are experiencing noise, this can trip up the transfer of data and possibly not allow the modems to handshake.   So, if you are having problems connecting, try forcing a lower bits per second rate (bps) rate in your modem properties.  To do this:

1.  Open Modem Properties.
2.  Click on the Properties button, and try lowering your maximum speed.
3.  Also try checking the documentation that came with your modem for other alternative ways to adjust your modem speed.

  NOTE:  Remember changing modem settings may affect other modem connections.  Be sure to remember what you are changing and know how to reverse the change should it be necessary.


Check Flow Control Settings on Modem
Check Flow Control Settings

Most computers default to Hardware flow control (or RTS/CTS) which should be fine.  Be sure that XON/XOFF is not turned on for it will cause problems with our games.  To check Flow Control:

1.  Open Modem Properties.

2.  Click on the Properties button and then click the Connection Tab.

3.  When in the Modem Properties screen, click on the Advanced button.

4.  The Flow Control option will appear in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Verify that the option for RTS/CTS is selected.
  NOTE:  If this option is grayed out for your particular modem, verify that you have the right driver for your modem installed and that the modem does support hardware flow control.


Disable Call Waiting

Call waiting can be a sure loss of connection when playing one of our games via modem.  Be make sure that both you and your friend have this feature disabled.  Check with your phone company for information on how to disable call waiting.


Change Who is hosting the modem game
Change Who Is Host

Some modems don't like accepting calls from certain types of modems.  In order to determine if this is the problem with your modem connection, try changing who is hosting and who is joining the game.


Flow Control Definition

“Flow Control” is the method by which one device can control the rate at which another device sends data to it.


AT Commands

AT stands for attention.  The commands listed in the MORE INFO window can be used to issue commands directly to your modem.  For more information on AT commands, consult the documentation that came with your modem.


RTS/CTS
RTF/CTF Definition

Request to Send Clear to send


Modem Handshake

The "handshake" is when two modems are; negotiating what protocols, speed they should transfer data, compression used and other information about themselves.  This process occurs when the modems are first calling each other and is usually noted by a high pitched squealing sound.


bps definition

Bits per second (bps) is the number of bits your modem can transfer each second.  Remember that a byte (B) is composed of 8 bits, and a kilobyte (KB) is composed of 1024 bits.


Host Join Definition
Host/Join Definition

The host of the game is the one who gets to configure the game and is in charge of initiating play.  The person joining is reliant on the host for setting up and starting the game.


Check Flow Control Settings on Modem
Check Flow Control Settings

Most computers default to Hardware flow control (or RTS/CTS) which should be fine.  Make sure that XON/XOFF is not turned on for it will cause problems with our games.  To check Flow Control:

1.  Open Modem Properties.

2.  Click on the Properties button and then click the Connection Tab.

3.  When in the Modem Properties screen, click on the Advanced button.

4.  The Flow Control option will appear in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Verify that the option for RTS/CTS is selected.
  NOTE:  If this option is grayed out for your particular modem, verify that you have the right driver for the modem installed and that your modem does support hardware flow control.


Disable data compression and error correction for modem
Disable Compression And Error Correction

Data compression and error correction are often the culprit when it comes to connection problems. Although these modem features often allow faster and more reliable data transfer, they can cause difficulty when trying to connect. Sometimes this is due to the fact that the protocols need to be the same on both ends, so if one user's modem is using a certain type of compression, the modem on the other end will have to use the same compression.

There are other types of problems that compression and correction cause, specifically with the data that games use. The data transferred by modem games is often difficult to compress, so using compression can actually make a connection slower instead of faster, resulting in dropped connections or difficulty when trying to connect.

To disable error correction and data compression:

1.  Open Modem Properties

2.  Select your modem and click on the Properties button.

3  .When the modem properties window opens, click on the Connection tab, then click the Advanced button at the bottom. Now uncheck the boxes for "Use error control" and "Use flow control".

4.  Now click OK and restart your computer. Try to connect again.


Force a Lower Connection Speed for your Modem
Force A Lower bps Rate On Your Modem

Sometimes noisy phone lines may cause difficulty connecting at higher speeds. Games can benefit from a higher connection speed but if your lines are experiencing noise, this can trip up the transfer of data and possibly not allow the modems to handshake.   So, if you are having problems connecting, try forcing a lower bits per second rate (bps) rate in your modem properties.  To do this:

1.  Open Modem Properties.
2.  Click on the Properties button, and try lowering your maximum speed.
3.  Also try checking the documentation that came with your modem for other alternative ways to adjust your modem speed.

  NOTE:  Remember changing modem settings may affect other modem connections.  Be sure to remember what you are changing and know how to reverse the change should it be necessary.


Change Who is hosting the modem game
Change Who Is Host

Some modems don't like accepting calls from certain types of modems.  In order to determine if this is the problem with your modem connection, try changing who is hosting and who is joining the game.


The Game Is Slow And Pauses Often While Playing A Modem Game

There are many problems a modem connection may have that can cause for slow and choppy performance.  It is important to make sure that your DirectX Sound and video driver are of the latest version and are working properly on both machines that are involved in the game.  Choppy gameplay can also be cause by circumstances which the user has no control over, such as noisy phone lines.  Below are some links that should aid in troubleshooting your modem connection.

  Make Sure Flow Control is Set to XON/XOFF

  Disable Data Compression and Error Correction

  Disable Call Waiting

  Change Who is Hosting/Joining

  Force Lower bps Setting

  Check DirectX Video Drivers

  Check DirectX Sound Drivers


Serial Game Troubleshooting
I Receive The Message, `Unable to Initialize` When I Try To Create Or Join A Game In Windows 98

Requirements

There are two necessities for playing a serial/direct connection game.  First, for best performance make sure your PC is equipped with a UART 16550 COM Port. You will find that most Pentium machines will have this type of COM port, but normally 486 machines will be fitted with the slower 8250 chips.  You should be able to confirm this with the documentation that came with your computer.

Settings

If you are experiencing a problem initializing your direct connection, verify the speed settings of your serial port as well as the type of flow control it is using.  (You should know in advance what Com Port your serial connection is going to use)    To verify speed and flow control settings:

1.  Open Device Manager

2.  Next double click on the option labeled [image].  Highlight the Com Port you are using for your serial connection and click on the Properties button at the bottom of the window.
3.  Click on the Tab labeled Port Settings and make sure the following are selected:

Bits Per Second	9600
Data Bits	1
Parity	None
Stop Bits	0
Flow Control	Hardware
4.  Once the settings are verified, click on the OK to close the Com Port options screen, then click OK to close the Device Manager.
5.  Try the game again.  Verify in the game's manual or reference card how to select your serial connection and COM Port as an option.
Possible Conflicts

If the game is still having difficulty initializing your COM Port, try closing down all background applications.  Background applications can conflict and cause problems when trying to initialize Com Ports.

See Also Close Background Applications


Sync Errors while playing a game using a serial connection.
We Are Trying To Play A Serial/Direct Connection Game But Keep Getting Disconnected Or Sync Errors

Sync errors while playing a serial/direct connection game are often caused by a background application conflicting with the game or taking resources away from the game.  Verify that all background applications are closed before starting the game.
See Also Close Background Applications

Also verify that you meet the minimum requirements for a multiplayer game.  Many times the minimum requirements for a multiplayer game are higher than that of your standard one player game.  This can be verified with the white label found on the bottom panel of all our products.  Check with the documentation that came with your computer to verify it meets all the requirements.


We Are Trying To Play A Network Game But Keep Getting Disconnected Or Sync Errors

Having problems with synchronization errors and losing connection can often be related to a busy network.  If you are having errors such as the ones mentioned above, try playing the game at an off peak hour and see if the problems subside.  Another thing to check when playing a network game is to verify that all computers in the game meet minimum network requirements according to the game documentation.  Some games will have higher requirements when playing over the network.  Finally, verify that all non-essential background applications are closed, especially the ones having that may monitor the network, such as email programs or other messaging applications.

See Also

Close Background Applications


Not All Players are Seeing Each Other in IPX Network Game
I am Trying To Play An IPX Game But Not All The Players Are Seeing Each Other

When playing a network game it is important to make sure that your computer is in top working condition.  The following steps will help ensure that your computer is hooked up the network and properly configured to network our games.  Check with the included reference card to determine how many players are supported via networking before continuing.

NOTE: This document assumes that you are willing to take responsibility for your own upgrades.  If you are unsure of any changes consult the network administrator.  If you do not already have a network set up, we recommend consulting a specialist or contacting your system vendor before proceeding. At no time will Electronic Arts provide assistance for network installation, nor take responsibility if your network ceases to function properly. This document is intended to be strictly informative and to make you aware of the possibilities of computing. If you are a novice user, and are uncomfortable making internal changes to your computer, then do not proceed with the set up section.

  Check Network Neighborhood For Other Computers

  Check Network Card For Conflicts

  Make Sure IPX/SPX Protocol is Installed Properly

  Check Network Address

  Check Frame Type


I am trying to play a TCP game but not all players are seeing each other
I am Trying To Play A TCP Game But Not All The Players Are Seeing Each Other

When playing a network game it is important to be sure that your computer is in top working condition.  The following steps will help ensure that your computer is hocked up the network and properly configured to network our games.  It is important to note that some games support TCP over a LAN and some support TCP/IP over the Internet.   Your should check with the included reference card to determine how many players are supported via networking before continuing.   For more information regarding TCP/IP with online games See Online gaming issues

NOTE: This document assumes that you are willing to take responsibility for your own upgrades.  If you are unsure of any changes consult the network administrator.  If you do not already have a network set up, we recommend consulting a specialist or contacting your system vendor before proceeding. At no time will Electronic Arts provide assistance for network installation, nor take responsibility if your network ceases to function properly. This document is intended to be strictly informative and to make you aware of the possibilities of computing. If you are a novice user, and are uncomfortable making internal changes to your computer, then do not proceed with the set up section.

Check Network Neighborhood For Other Computers

Check Network Card For Conflicts

Make Sure TCP Protocol is Installed Properly

Check Network Address


Check Network Neighborhood For Other Computers

The first and most obvious course of action when diagnosing a network problem is to make sure that all computers on the network can view each other.  The easiest way to do this is to check the network in the Network Neighborhood.  To do this:

1.  Double click on the Network Neighborhood icon [image] on your desktop.
2.  Make sure all computers that you are trying to connect to can be seen in this window.

  OK, All Computers Can Be Viewed In The Network Neighborhood, Now What?


Check Network Adapter Card for Conflicts
Check Network Card For Conflicts
It is important to verify that there are no other devices conflicting with your Network Interface Card. (NIC)

1.  Open Device Manager

2.  Expand the "Network" branch by clicking on the "+" next to the Network. There should be no  [image] exclamation marks or [image]  X's next to this device.

  My NIC Has No Conflicts Now What?


TCP Definition
TCP stands for Transport Control Protocol


IPX Definition

IPX Stands for Internetwork Packet Exchange.


Check Network Neighborhood For Other Computers

The first and most obvious course of action when diagnosing a network problem is to make sure that all computers on the network can be viewed by each other.  The easiest way to do this is to check the network in the network neighborhood.  To do this:

1.  Double click on the Network Neighborhood icon [image] on your desktop.
2.  Make sure all computers that you are trying to connect to can be seen in this window.

  OK, All Computers Can Be Viewed In The Network Neighborhood, Now What?


Check TCP Protocol Is installed Properly
Check TCP Protocols Are Installed Properly

Some of our games support network play using the TCP/IP protocol.  For more information on which protocols the game you have supports, check the reference card included with the game. First check that the TCP protocol is properly installed.  To do so:
Windows 98

1.   Open up the Network properties window

2.  Make sure that the TCP/IP protocol is installed. (If it is not, check the documentation that came with your network card )

3.  Also verify that you have a client installed, and that file and print sharing is installed and enabled.  To verify if File and Print Sharing is enabled, click on the file and printer sharing button and make sure that "I want to be able to give others access to my files".

  The TCP Protocol Is Set Up Properly, Now What?


Check TCP Address

Some of the TCP Games that are LAN based only have no way of utilizing a Dynamic based TCP address.  These computers rely on the idea that the subnet for all computers will be the same with the individual computer address being unique.

To verify the address settings:

Windows 98/ME

1.   Open up the Network properties window
2.  Double click on the TCP/IP entry for your Network card and click on the IP Address.  There should be four numbers separated by a comma.  The first three numbers from left to right compose the subnet, which should be the same on all computers trying to connect VIA LAN.  The last number is your computer address and is different for each computer.

Windows 2k/XP
1.  Click the Start button, Settings and select Network and Dial Up Connections.

2.  Right click the icon for your local area connection and double click TCP/IP.  The first three numbers from left to right compose the subnet, which should be the same on all computers trying to connect VIA LAN.  The last number is your computer address and is different for each computer.

NOTE: Changing Network addresses can have an adverse affect to finding other computers on the network.  Make note of the changes made so they can be reversed if necessary.


Check Network Adapter Card for Conflicts

Check Network Card For Conflicts
It is important to verify that there are no other devices conflicting with your Network Interface Card. (NIC)

1.  Open Device Manager

2.  Expand the "Network Adapters" branch by clicking on the "+" next to the Network. There should be no  [image] exclamation marks or [image]  X's next to this device.

  My NIC Has No Conflicts Now What?


Make Sure IPX/SPX Protocol Drivers Are Installed Properly
Make Sure IPX/SPX Protocol Is Installed Properly

Windows 98 Only

Most of our games that support network play use the IPX/SPX protocol.  For more information on which protocols the game you have supports, check the reference card included with the game.  Lets first check that the IPX protocol is properly installed.  To do so:

1.   Open up the Network properties window
2.  Make sure that the  IPX/SPX-compatible protocol is installed. (If it is not check the documentation that came with your network card )

3.  Also verify that you have a client installed (Client for Microsoft Networks will be fine), and that file and print sharing is installed and enabled.  To verify if file and print sharing is enabled, Click on the file and printer sharing button and make sure that it reads "I want to be able to give others access to my files".

  My Protocol Is Installed Properly, Now What?


Protocol Definition

A Network Protocol defines what "Language" two computers are going to speak when they are transferring data.


Check IPX/SPX Network Address
Check IPX Network Address

Windows 98 Only

Be sure your computer is configured properly to play our games over an IPX network and that the network address is the same on all computers.  To verify this:

1.   Open up the Network properties window

2.  Double click on the IPX/SPX-compatible protocol, then click on Advanced.
3.  Click on Network Address, there should be an 8-character address in the windows labeled Value.
4.  This address should be the same for all computers wanting to play the game.
5.  Repeat procedure for all computers on the network. If any computers on the network do not have the network address defined correctly, check with the documentation that came with your network card before making changes.

  The Addresses For All Computers Is The Same, Now What?


Check Frame Type

Windows 98 Only

The frame type defines how each packet is data of arranged when it is sent out over a network.  Each computer must use the same frame type.  Our games are most compatible with the Frame type Ethernet 802.3.  To check this on your computer:

1.   Open up the Network properties window

2.  Double click on the IPX/SPX-compatible protocol, then click on Advanced.
3.  Click on Frame Type, make sure in the value window it reads, Ethernet 802.3.
4.  If any computers on the network do not have the frame type defined correctly, check with the documentation that came with your network card before making changes.


Packet Definition

A packet is how information is arranged before it is sent.  Just like when sending a hand written letter, all items fit into an envelope and are addressed properly with a stamp.  A packet ensures the same with data sent over a network.


WSock.dll Error when trying to play a network game
I am Receiving A Wsock32.dll Error When Trying To Play A Network Game

The WSOCK32.DLL file is the network/modem program file used in Windows 95/98. In some cases, this file may be modified by software supplied by Online Service Providers (i.e. America Online, CompuServe, NetCom). Modified versions of this file may be incompatible with standard Windows 95/98 network and modem functionality. If these errors persist, we recommend contacting your Internet or Online Service provider for updated software which does not use a proprietary WSOCK32.DLL file.


PH

Button Blue

Web Links Green

Macros RED


Using This Guide, Topic
Help Using This Guide

To view information on a previous screen, pertaining to this topic, press the "Back" button.  To return back to the main menu, click on the [image] labeled Main.  If you would like to see related topics to what you are currently viewing, click on the [image] labeled Related Topics.  For more troubleshooting steps concerning your selected topic, click on the [image] labeled More to Try.


Start_Guide
Main
If you are having a problem with a specific area within the game, select one of the links from the column on the left.  For example, if you are having sound problems click on the Sound icon to the left and try the items listed there.  If you are unsure what is causing the problem, try clicking on the [image] button at the top and follow the links till your problem is solved.  These guides are meant to quickly fix a problem that has been identified, while the [image] contains more general information and should be used to narrow a problem down to a specific cause.


Controller Guide
Controller
Follow the Links below if you think that you are having a problem with Game Pad or Joystick.   If you are unsure if the Controller itself is the problem try clicking on [image] and follow the troubleshooting steps that best describe your problem.
  Check Game Port
  Test Device In Control Panel
  Configuring Device Properly
  Joystick/Game Pad Calibration
  Make sure Device is Selected In The Game

Device Specifics
  Gravis Game Pad Pro/Gravis Grip Multi-port
  Gravis Exterminator
  Logitech Wingman Extreme
  Logitech Wingman Digital Extreme
  MadCatz Steering Wheel


Controller Continued
Controller
Device Specifics Continued
  Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro
  Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad
  Thrustmaster FLCS F-16
  Thrustmaster T1-T2 Steering Wheel

Other Starting Points
  Controller Troubleshooting
  Menu Options Are Scrolling Uncontrollably
  Some Buttons Are Not Functioning Properly in the Game


Compact Disk Guide
CDROM
Follow the Links Below if you think that you are having a problem with the CDROM Disk or the drive itself.   If you are unsure if the CDROM is the problem try clicking on [image] and follow the troubleshooting steps that best describe your problem.
  Check CDROM Drivers
  Check For Correct Disk
  Removable Drive Issues
  Adjust Supplemental Cache Size
  CDROM Access Pattern
  Check CDROM Media


DirectX Guide
DirectX
Follow the Links below if you think that you are having a problem with DirectX.   If you are unsure if DirectX is causing the problem you are experiencing, try clicking on [image] and follow the troubleshooting steps that best describe your problem.  For more trouble shooting concerning DirectX Start the DXDIAG.EXE program and click on the Tab Labeled "Still Stuck?"
  Click Here to Run DXDiag
  What Is DirectX?
  Check Sound Card Drivers
  Close Down Background Applications
  Check Video Resolution
  Checking The Status Of DirectX Sound Drivers
  Checking The Status Of DirectX Video Driver
  Check Virtual Memory And Hard Drive Space
  "CPU Init  Timer error" Or Similar


DirectX Continued
DirectX

  Bad Windows Field ID" Error Or Similar
  ISDN Mixbuff/Frames Not A Multiple of 16" Error Or Similar

Other Starting Points
  Returned To Windows After Game Started
  Check That Your Video Card Is Working Properly With DirectX
  Video During Game Play Is Choppy
  The Colors Of The Game Are Strange Looking
  My Screen Is Enlarged And I Can’t See All The Game Options
  Errors Starting The Game
  The Computer Locks Or Crashes During Gameplay


Modem Guide
Modem
Follow the Links below if you think that you are having a problem establishing a modem connection or with the modem itself.  If you are unsure if the Modem is the problem try clicking on [image] and follow the troubleshooting steps that best describe your problem.
  Check COM Port
  Query Modem
  Make Sure Flow Control is Set To XON/XOFF
  Disable Data Compression And Error Correction
  Change Who is Hosting/Joining
  Force Lower bps Setting
  Disable Call Waiting

Other Starting Points
  Modem Troubleshooting
  Error Message, "Unable To Initialize"


Modem Continued
Modem
Other Starting Points Continued
  I Get My Modem Initialized But Cannot Connect With My Friend
  We Get Connected And Then The Game Loses Connection While Playing
  The Game is Slow And Pauses Often While Playing a Modem Game


Network Guide
Network
Follow the Links below if you think that you are having a problem starting a Network game via a LAN   If you are unsure if the Network is the problem try clicking on [image] and follow the troubleshooting steps that best describe your problem.
  Check Network Neighborhood For Other Computers
  Check Network Card For Conflicts

IPX Games
  Check Frame Type
  Check IPX Network Address
  Make Sure IPX/SPX Protocol is Installed Properly

TCP Games
  Check TCP Address
  Check TCP Protocols are installed properly


Network Continued
Network

Other Starting Points
  I Am Trying To Play An IPX Game But Not All The Players Are Seeing Each
     Other
  We Are Trying To Play a Network Game But Keep Getting Disconnected or
     Sync Errors
  I Am Receiving a Wsock32.dll Error When Trying To Play a Network Game


Online Guide
Online
Follow the links below if you think that you are having a problem using the game Online over the Internet.  If you are unsure if the Network is the problem try clicking on [image] and follow the troubleshooting steps that best describe your problem.
  Check Version Of Web Browser That You Are Using
  Clear Cache Settings
  Check Java Settings
  Make Sure Cookies Are Enabled
  Run IPCONFIG or WINIPCFG.EXE

Other Staring Points
  Start Online Troubleshooting


Serial Guide
Serial
Follow the Links below if you think that you are having a problem starting a Serial/Direct Connection game.  If you are unsure if the Serial Connection is the problem try clicking on [image] and follow the troubleshooting steps that best describe your problem.
  Check Com Port Setting
  Verify Minimum Requirements
  Close background Applications


Sound Guide
Sound
Follow the Links below if you think that you are having a problem getting sound out of the game.   If you are unsure if the Sound Card is the problem try clicking on [image] and follow the troubleshooting steps that best describe your problem.

  Check Volume Settings
  Check DirectX Sound Drivers
  Close Background Tasks

Other Starting Points
  No Sound From Within The Game
  I receive Music But No Sound In The Game
  Sound In The Game Videos is Choppy


Video Guide
Video
Follow the Links below if you think that you are having a problem getting the video to display correctly in the game.  If you are unsure if the Video is the problem try clicking on [image] and follow the troubleshooting steps that best describe your problem.
  Check Resolution
  Checking DirectX Video Drivers
  Close Background Applications
3D Acceleration
  Check That Direct3D Is Enabled
Other Starting Points
  I Cant Enable The 3D Option In The Game
  My Screen is Enlarged And I Can’t See All The Game Options
  The Colors Of The Game Are Strange Looking
  Video During Gameplay Is Choppy


Start2
Contents
  Installation Issues
  Errors Starting The Game
  Problems While Playing The Game


Start3
 Installation Issues
  Start Installation Troubleshooting
  Starting Install
  I am getting a message that says insert CD During Install
  I am getting a message that says I do not meet minimum requirements
  The install is not letting me select my hard disk as an option to install to
  I am receiving an out of disk space message when installing the game.
  Installation freezes During File Copy
  Close Down Background Applications
  Check Windows 98 CDROM drivers
  Check CDROM Supplemental Cache Size
  Check CDROM drive Read Ahead Access Pattern
  Check CDROM Media
  Problems After File Copy
  DirectX installation hangs
  Windows Looks Different After Installing the Game


ErrorStart
 Errors Starting the Game
  Errors Starting the Game Troubleshooting
  Error Messages
  Insert CDROM Into Drive But Its Already There
  Returned Back to Windows Desktop On Start-Up
  ‘ ISDN Mixbuff/Frames Not A Multiple Of 16; Error (Or Similar)
  ‘Bad Window Field’ Error (or Similar)
  ‘CPU INIT Error’ (or Similar)
  Message That States DirectX Compatible Drivers Are Needed


Warranty
Limited Warranty
Electronic Arts warrants to the original purchaser of this computer software product that the recording media on which the software programs are recorded will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for 90 days from the date of purchase. During such period defective media will be replaced if the original product is returned to Electronic Arts at the address below, together with;
·	Dated proof of purchase
·	A statement describing the defects
·	The faulty media and your return address
·	A daytime telephone number where we can contact you
This warranty is, in addition to, and does not affect your statutory rights in any way.  This warranty does not apply to the software program themselves, which are provided "as is", nor does it apply to media which has been subject to misuse, damage or excessive wear.


Warranty Continued
Warranty
Electronic Arts Ltd. is a trademark or registered trademark of Electronic Arts Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. Windows 95/98 is either a trademark or registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All rights reserved.

To Reach EA In the U.S.:
You may also write to us at the following address. Include a daytime telephone phone number and FULL details of your machine set up and the problem you are experiencing:

Electronic Arts Warranty
P.O. Box 9025
Redwood City, CA 94063-9025

Thank you for purchasing Electronic Arts software, we are glad to have you as a customer.


Online
There are several alternatives to reaching us online.
World Wide Web: Access our Web Site at http://www.ea.com
Support Web Site: http://techsupport.ea.com
FTP: Access our FTP Site at ftp.ea.com

When contacting Technical support via Email, it will be more efficient for you to include an EA System Information (EAsy Info) report with your issue. To contact Technical Support and include an EAsy Info report, click on the ‘Contact Technical Support’ button below.

You will be prompted to fill out your name, email address and a description of your difficulty. With this method, our support staff will receive a report about your installed devices, to help us troubleshoot your difficulty more effectively. You may also print or save this report for your own use.


Phone
TECHNICAL SUPPORT—If you need technical assistance with this product, call us Monday through Friday between 8:30–11:45 AM or 1:00–4:30 PM, Pacific Standard Time.  Please see the reference card or install guide that came packaged with your game for our support phone number.
EA Tech Support Fax: (650) 628-5999

In Australia: For Technical Support and Game Hints and Tips, phone the EA HOTLINE: 1 902 261 600 (95 cents per min.) CTS 7 days a week 10 AM–8 PM. If you are under 18 years of age parental consent required.

In Canada, dial 900-451-4873.  $1.15 (Canadian) per minute.
If you are under 18, be sure to get a parent's permission before calling.  Hotline requires a touch tone telephone.  Call length determined by user; average length is four minutes.  Messages subject to change without notice.
Game Hints
Please check the game manual or reference card for availability of game hints or codes.


Mail
Electronic Arts Technical Support
P.O. Box 9025
Redwood City, CA 94063-9025

If you live outside of the United States, you can contact one of our other offices.
In Australia, contact:	In the United Kingdom, contact:
Electronic Arts Pty. Ltd.	Electronic Arts Ltd.
P.O. Box 432	PO Box 181
Southport Qld 4215, Australia	Chertsey
KT16 OYL, UK


Problems While Playing the Game
  Start Problems With Game Troubleshooting
 Crashes and Lockups
  Computer Crashes Or Locks During Gameplay
  Video Issues
  My Screen is Enlarged And I Can't See All The Game Options
  The Colors Of The Game Are Strange Looking
  Video During Game Play Is Choppy
  3D Acceleration Problems
  I Can't Enable The 3D Option In The Game
  The Game Crashes When I Enable The 3D Acceleration Option
  Sound Issues
  No Sound From Within The Game
  I Receive Music But No Sound In The Game


Problems While Playing the Game Continued
  Sound Issues Continued...
  Sound In The Game Videos Is Very Choppy
  Controller Issues
  I Can’t Get My Controller To Work With The Game
  Menu Options Are Scrolling Uncontrollably
 	  Some Buttons Or Functions Are Not Working Properly In The Game
  I Seem To Be Losing Calibration After A Certain Period Of Time
  Game Controller Specifics
  Network Troubles
  I Am Trying To Play An IPX Game But Not All The Players Are Seeing
    Each Other
  I Am Receiving A Wsock32.dll Error When Trying To Play A
    Network Game
  We Are Trying To Play A Network Game But Keep Getting
    Disconnected Or Sync Errors
  I Am Trying To Host/Join A TCP Game And Am Experiencing Problems


Problems While Playing the Game Continued
  Online Games
  I Am Having Problems Playing My Game Online Over The Internet
  I Am Having Problems With My Web Based Application.
  Modem
  Start Modem Troubleshooting
  I Receive The Message, `Unable to initialize` When I Try To Create
    Or Join A Game In Windows 95/98
  I Am Trying To Connect With My Friend Via Modem And Cannot Connect
  I Keep Getting Disconnected When Trying To Play A Modem Game
  The Game is Slow And Pauses Often While Playing A Modem Game
  Serial
  I Receive The Message, `Unable to initialize` When I Try To  Create
    Or Join A Game In Windows 95/98
  We Are Trying To Play A Serial/Direct Connection Game But Keep
     Getting Disconnected Or Sync Errors


DirectX Definition
DirectX is a game's API that allows games designed for Windows to have access to your hardware through a standard interface. They are, if you like, the "go faster stripes" for game players for Windows. Without a standard interface, stable compatibility between games and your computer's hardware would be virtually impossible. With DirectX, game developers can write for this interface and let your Windows. DirectX compatible drivers deal with how to "talk" to your computer's hardware.
In this diagram, any function that the game wants your hardware to perform, is passed via the DirectX API to your hardware drivers. These drivers are responsible for making sure that the game's request is properly implemented in the hardware. Sometimes these drivers are updated to fix problems encountered with DirectX games, so it is very important to make sure you have the latest DirectX driver from your video and sound card manufacturer. Check with your system vendor or hardware manufacturer to see if you are using the latest driver. Occasionally, some applications or video modes may cause problems with certain DirectX drivers. Please go through the steps listed on the DirectX Trouble Shooting Guide if you are having difficulty.


An Application Programming Interface (API) is a programming language written to accommodate a certain function that a computer can provide.  It is the liaison between hardware and software that allows the two to speak to each other.


DirectX Definiton Continued
DirectX Definition
Most DirectX applications use a resolution of 800X600 however if the desktop isn’t in it,  the DirectX drivers will need to run a palette translation routine; this will generally slow down graphics speed and may even lead to black screen lockups in cards that have problems switching resolutions.
When installing a game that uses DirectX, it will ask if you wish to run the DirectX installer. This installer checks to see which version of DirectX is on your machine, and if necessary, copies or updates some files to your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. These files are not loaded by your system at boot up, and are not used unless a DirectX game is running.
Please check with the manufacturer of your Video / Sound card if you have any such problems as to the best way to restore the correct drivers.


Direct X Definition

DirectX is a game's API that allows games designed for Windows to have access to your hardware through a standard interface. They are, if you like, the "go faster stripes" for game players for Windows. Without a standard interface, stable compatibility between games and your computer's hardware would be virtually impossible. With DirectX, game developers can write for this interface and let your Windows. DirectX compatible drivers deal with how to "talk" to your computer's hardware.
In this diagram, any function that the game wants your hardware to perform, is passed via the DirectX API to your hardware drivers. These drivers are responsible for making sure that the game's request is properly implemented in the hardware. Sometimes these drivers are updated to fix problems encountered with DirectX games, so it is very important to make sure you have the latest DirectX driver from your video and sound card manufacturer. Check with your system vendor or hardware manufacturer to see if you are using the latest driver. Occasionally, some applications or video modes may cause problems with certain DirectX drivers. Please go through the steps listed on the DirectX Trouble Shooting Guide if you are having difficulty.
Most DirectX applications use a resolution of 800X600 however if the desktop isn’t in it,  the DirectX drivers will need to run a palette translation routine; this will generally slow down graphics speed and may even lead to black screen lockups in cards that have problems switching resolutions. See the section.  Check Resolution.
When installing a game that uses DirectX, it will ask if you wish to run the DirectX installer. This installer checks to see which version of DirectX is on your machine, and if necessary, copies or updates some files to your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. These files are not loaded by your system at boot up, and are not used unless a DirectX game is running.
Please check with the manufacturer of your Video / Sound card if you have any such problems as to the best way to restore the correct drivers


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Bundled System Links

Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Controller Links

Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


CPU Manufacturer Links

Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


CDROM Manufacturer Links

Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Hard Drive Links

Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Modem Links

Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.


Links
For a comprehensive listing of sites and support information about hardware and peripheral manufacturers, check Electronic Arts Technical Support Web page at http://techsupport.ea.com  Follow the link to Hardware manufacturers.  The links included here include World Wide Web addresses and Support Email addresses if available.