Halo 1 & 2 for PC
This topic has moved here: Subject: Trial works... real game doesn't...
  • Subject: Trial works... real game doesn't...
Subject: Trial works... real game doesn't...
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Ok, I'm guessing all you guys heard problems like these before...I do. But I'm not hearing any answers...

I've been playing Halo and Halo 2 for Xbox for a while, and then decided to play the PC one. Downloaded the trial and after installing the Strings patch for the trial version, it starts up and plays fine.
I enjoyed it and finding the real game at Walmart for 20 bucks, I figured I'd go buy it. Got it, installed it, updated it... and it doesn't work.
Gave me the "Direct3D etc etc" error message when trying to start up, so I emailed Microsoft support and they gave me a few suggestions.
The first one I tried was the Selective Startup method (where you go into MSconfig and deselect a bunch of things to run when your comp starts up). Amazingly that worked...once. I got the game to start up and I was happy...But I didn't have time to play, so I shut down the comp to do other things. Came back, tried the same method...but it didn't work anymore...
So, I found out also that my drivers for my ATI Radeon 9600 Pro was not up to date, so I downloaded the latest drivers for it, with hope that the game would work.
Well good news is I don't get the "Direct3D" error message anymore...I get a "Gathering Exception Data" message...which I hear to be the worst, since it could literally mean an error from anything...

Tried reinstalling, tried selective start up, etc. Nothing works now. I have an AMD Athlon XP 3200+ 2.1 GHz 1 gig ram . Windows XP pro. ATI Radeon 9600 pro 256 mb

I don't get why the trial version works, but the real game doesn't....and none of my other games (like Final Fantasy XI which demands a lot of graphic power) have this problem.

So... any kind of help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

  • 06.19.2005 1:36 AM PDT
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you got a great system to run the game. try unistalling the whole game. then download and install your drivers agian. then install the game agian that should do it. And when i mean unistall the game i mean completly even the profiles should be delated. Dont just hit the reinstall butoon. Fist unstall then reinastall.

And if it still doesnt work reistall windows or harddrive reformat what ever its called.

[Edited on 6/19/2005]

  • 06.19.2005 7:49 AM PDT
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Did you get the 256mb card fix? Its in the stickies and you should try that before anything else.

  • 06.19.2005 8:08 AM PDT
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I thought he said the game is up to date. I think the 1.07 patch has the 256mb card fix in it already right?

  • 06.19.2005 12:31 PM PDT
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he said he got the strings patch (which is the 256 mb fix i think...)

  • 06.19.2005 12:40 PM PDT
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where did u get the Strings patch for the trial? I have the same problem

  • 06.19.2005 5:55 PM PDT
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ah please let me clarify.

For the TRIAL version of the game, I had to dl a strings patch for it to work (located in the microsoft website for halo)

As for the real game itself, I updated it, which is the 1.07 version everyone else has (unless I didn't get a memo about a 1.08....) which I think should have also solved the 256 MB problem from what I hear, but it doesn't help for me...

I tried uninstalling fully, then reinstalling. No good. Tried reinstalling drivers... no good. Still no response from Microsoft Support anymore... Bungie people know what might be happening? I really wanna play this -__-

  • 06.19.2005 6:16 PM PDT
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Why not try installing the strings patch for 1.07 anyway? I had to do that, otherwise I'd get exception errors up over my head. After that it was fine.

  • 06.19.2005 7:05 PM PDT
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Wait, are you saying that dl and installing the Trial version string patch for the actual game works??

I'm gonna try that, though I'm not sure how a trial version patch would work for the actual game.

  • 06.20.2005 12:25 AM PDT
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Are you running an instant messanger when you play. Like xfire, or yahoo messanger. I used to get exception data all the time and then I updated xfire, and shut off yahoo and all problems fixed themselves. Besides that, I have not a clue. I have a weak laptop, so nothing on it is to technical. But the good new for me. I will be soon be buying everything I need off newegg.com for new comp. Off subject sry.

  • 06.20.2005 7:59 AM PDT
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New to game..having same problem and looked around and found this thread.

Here's my ordeal because I can't post(sorry for taking your topic but same ordeal applies so best place):

I recently bought Halo at wally world for 20 bucks, and I have the trial. The trial works perfect. Now, before I had the trial/game I had some cruddy 16 mb card, and just upgrade to some 64 mb card which runs it okay. I have recent drivers installed for that. However, when I try to play the game, I get the error:

One of the vital folders or files is either missing or corrupt(shaders/fx.bin)

So I called Microsoft, and they were no help. They told me go and change the path directory, same ordeal. Then they told me to go and exchange you game. I did, same problem yet again. So, being the stupid idiot I am, I figured, copy the working file from the demo and put it on the game. In theory it would of worked..however in reality it didn't. Here's my specs for my comp, they should run it, not smooth, but run it

733 mhz
Windows 98
64 mb card(Nvidia Geforce 2 MX64-DDR)
And then the other is also the same as required.

So, since I figured that most people on forums have helped me much much more than the actual creators, does anyone have any ideas or help?(Again for the 3rd time, sorry for posting on your thread)

Nevermind, I have finally fixed it. Just had to do a few things...Anyhow..for your problem...have you tried getting direct help via phone? Normally that helps me, except in my Halo case they told me nothing...And see if it's at all possible to contact ATI

[Edited on 6/22/2005]

  • 06.22.2005 7:30 AM PDT