Cant get old games to run

Procyon · 03-06-2003, 11:45 PM

Hello all new to the forum wondering if anyone can help. My friend and I just built two similar systems as follows:

Motherboard - p4pe
P4 2.4
Ram - 512 Corsair XMS 3200
Vid Card - Gainward GForce Ti 4200 128MB

We have both run 3d Mark with good scores no problems all is ok untill we try and run some of our childrens games on these
machines. Most of them fail we are both running XP Pro. These games previously worked with Xp on our old machines without any problem so I dont think XP is to blame. We have tried several Nvidia drivers from the newest to the oldest (the old ones seem to work a little better). Christ!! I'm talking Kiddie games here Barbie games, Captain Kangaroo etc. old games for the little ones. Cant get most of them to fire up... but they worked on my old crappy box with Xp. Sorry for being longwinded got to be a driver, a bios setting, a setting on our vid cards??? Both of our machines have been stable as heck and can run any new flight sim game or anything else. No problems for the new stuff. Boths systems we followed Mr. Stevo install guide both systems are great other than this issue. Any help greatly appreciated. Even tried M$ compatibility wizard to no avail. I sure do miss playing those Barbie games though....

Thanks All

spookyload · 03-07-2003, 01:26 AM

Try manually switching to 256 colors before you start it. Most kids games are written in 256 mode. A lot of them will switch it automatically, but some older ones wont. I have the same problem with my computer and reader rabbit games. I think mine is due to the DVI output I use for the LCD monitor. If you are using that, that could be your problem. When I installed the regular VGA cable it worked fine, but with the DVI it was a no-go. Oh well, that keeps her using my wifes computer and all the addware garbage kids games come with off mine.

Procyon · 03-07-2003, 06:24 PM

Thanks for the reply spookyload. I already tried that with no luck. Thanks again for your reply

garnet_abx · 03-07-2003, 07:02 PM

When you installed them, did you use the compatibility mode for Windows 95? If not you should have!

The_Bloodguard · 03-07-2003, 07:16 PM

Can you check to see what your refresh and resolution is set to?
I have had two separate problems running older games with XP, one problem was the refresh rate set too high and the other was the resolution set too high.

DOA · 03-07-2003, 07:56 PM

I have the same problem with some old games too. Tried almost everything and still no good. I turned Hardware acceleration down (to the lowest setting even) and the games ran but all I got was a black screen (there was sound though so I know the game was running). You could try playing around with that.

Procyon · 03-08-2003, 12:07 AM

Well thanks fellas appreciate the response. I tried the compatibility mode without any luck and have set and have set colors to 256 refresh 60 hz with low resolution still the same either black screens, or the game quits. I even tried another video card a 32 mb tnt without any change. Its just wierd I can put them in my old machine PII 450 with Xp and they work ok.
Just have to let the kids play them on the old rig... Thanks again for all your input.

03-06-2003, 11:45 PM	#1
Procyon Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ipswich, MA Posts: 6	Cant get old games to run Hello all new to the forum wondering if anyone can help. My friend and I just built two similar systems as follows: Motherboard - p4pe P4 2.4 Ram - 512 Corsair XMS 3200 Vid Card - Gainward GForce Ti 4200 128MB We have both run 3d Mark with good scores no problems all is ok untill we try and run some of our childrens games on these machines. Most of them fail we are both running XP Pro. These games previously worked with Xp on our old machines without any problem so I dont think XP is to blame. We have tried several Nvidia drivers from the newest to the oldest (the old ones seem to work a little better). Christ!! I'm talking Kiddie games here Barbie games, Captain Kangaroo etc. old games for the little ones. Cant get most of them to fire up... but they worked on my old crappy box with Xp. Sorry for being longwinded got to be a driver, a bios setting, a setting on our vid cards??? Both of our machines have been stable as heck and can run any new flight sim game or anything else. No problems for the new stuff. Boths systems we followed Mr. Stevo install guide both systems are great other than this issue. Any help greatly appreciated. Even tried M$ compatibility wizard to no avail. I sure do miss playing those Barbie games though.... Thanks All
(Offline)

03-07-2003, 01:26 AM	#2
spookyload IN-n-Out Expert Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Probably stuck in Iraq! Posts: 2,935	Try manually switching to 256 colors before you start it. Most kids games are written in 256 mode. A lot of them will switch it automatically, but some older ones wont. I have the same problem with my computer and reader rabbit games. I think mine is due to the DVI output I use for the LCD monitor. If you are using that, that could be your problem. When I installed the regular VGA cable it worked fine, but with the DVI it was a no-go. Oh well, that keeps her using my wifes computer and all the addware garbage kids games come with off mine.
(Offline)

03-07-2003, 06:24 PM	#3
Procyon Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ipswich, MA Posts: 6	Thanks for the reply spookyload. I already tried that with no luck. Thanks again for your reply
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03-07-2003, 07:02 PM	#4
garnet_abx SEXpert Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 16,182	When you installed them, did you use the compatibility mode for Windows 95? If not you should have! __________________ Abit NF7-S 2500+ mobile 1.86g@2.4g OCZ 3500 EL Dual Channel Memory BFG GeForce 6600 GT OC My Computer Compare - 3DMark 2003; 3DMark2001 Folding will help save lives.........................maybe your own!
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03-07-2003, 07:16 PM	#5
The_Bloodguard Honor Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Goleta, CA Posts: 367	Can you check to see what your refresh and resolution is set to? I have had two separate problems running older games with XP, one problem was the refresh rate set too high and the other was the resolution set too high. __________________ P4 2.40, P4T533, 512 RIMM4200 Gainward 4200 128 mb "When we came to the Land, we saw wonders -- Giants, Ranyhyn, Revelstone -- Lords of such power that they declined to wage war with us lest we be destroyed...."
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03-07-2003, 07:56 PM	#6
DOA Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 2,066	I have the same problem with some old games too. Tried almost everything and still no good. I turned Hardware acceleration down (to the lowest setting even) and the games ran but all I got was a black screen (there was sound though so I know the game was running). You could try playing around with that. __________________ Intel C2D E6420 @ 2.67GHz Asus P5B Plus 4GB Crucial BallistiX PC2-6400 (4-4-4-12) 2x Seagate 320GB Matrix RAID eVGA 7950GT KO 512MB Enermax Liberty 400W Creative Labs Audigy 2 Value Windows Vista Ultimate x64
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03-08-2003, 12:07 AM	#7
Procyon Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ipswich, MA Posts: 6	Well thanks fellas appreciate the response. I tried the compatibility mode without any luck and have set and have set colors to 256 refresh 60 hz with low resolution still the same either black screens, or the game quits. I even tried another video card a 32 mb tnt without any change. Its just wierd I can put them in my old machine PII 450 with Xp and they work ok. Just have to let the kids play them on the old rig... Thanks again for all your input.
(Offline)

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