RTC suudenly doesn't work anymore

Post by **Lunever** » Sat Aug 16, 2003 8:11 pm

Hey, tried to play RTC for the first time afte a long while not doing so, and suddenly it doesn't do anything anymore except immedeately quitting with a "terminal error - access violation exeception"

I didn't change much in my system, except having one or or another update for Win98. Diags file below, but George doesn't know either what to make of it. The bug occurs in all versions of RTC, they all have been working properly before, so it's probably not the files corrupt. Any idea anyone?!? *criesout* I WANNA PLAY RTC AGAIN!!!!

RTC (V0.24) Diagnostic file - Thu Aug 14 20:28:16 2003

Error:
an access violation exception.

Stack Dump:
RTC.LoadSingleTile(int 0, pointer 0x00F20020, int 18, int 1, int 0, int 0, int 18, int 1, bool FALSE);
RTC.DF1(string "Data\\Init.dat");
RTC.InitPrimary();
RTC.DoFrame(int 1);
RTC.WinMain();

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 12:09 am

I updated my win 98 recently and RTC still works
I'll see if there are any updates later, and try again after

Unlucky_Mule · Post by **Unlucky_Mule** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 12:17 am

I had a similar problem running Win2K.

In my case, I can load RTC from double-clicking the .exe file in the folder, but not from the shortcut on the start menu. I cannot explain why launching via the shortcut would be any different.

I meant to try to debug it, but there is way too much to do these days...

UM

PicturesInTheDark · Post by **PicturesInTheDark** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 11:15 am

Maybe it's just the heat - but strange coming up like that. Did you try to play on a newly installed version or even on a different computer?

Regards, PitD

Lubor Kolar · Post by **Lubor Kolar** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:14 am

Unlucky_Mule wrote:I had a similar problem running Win2K.

In my case, I can load RTC from double-clicking the .exe file in the folder, but not from the shortcut on the start menu. I cannot explain why launching via the shortcut would be any different.

I meant to try to debug it, but there is way too much to do these days...

UM

When launching via the shortcut, working directory is set to the value in the shortcut, when launching directly, working directory is set to the directory where launched EXE is. Maybe there are more differences...

Post by **Lunever** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 9:47 pm

Hell! Now suddenly RTC is not working again, again reporting an access violation error, again all versions of RTC, again I didn't have any major changes to my system. The funny thing is that after I downloaded RTC V0.26+Editor all versions of RTC worked again properly, but now they don't anymore, and I didn't even touch anything since I last succesfully played RTC26. Aaaaaarrrrggghh!!!!! I wanna test the new version!!!!

The diagnostics says

RTC (V0.26) Diagnostic file - Fri Dec 12 21:37:03 2003

Error:
an access violation exception.

Stack Dump:
RTCMedia.LoadTileFromMemory(pointer 0x00DB00A4, int 110, pointer 0x00EB0020, int 18, int 1, pointer 0x0077F578, pointer 0x0077F57C, bool TRUE);
RTC.LoadTileFromMemory(int 0, int 110, pointer 0x00EB0020);
RTCData.LoadTileFromMemory(int 0, int 110, pointer 0x00EB0020, int 18, int 1, int 0, int 0, int 18, int 1, bool FALSE);
RTCData.DF1(string "Data\\Init.dat");
RTCData.InitPart1();
RTC.InitPrimary();
RTC.DoFrame(int 1);
RTC.WinMain();

Any idea?!

PicturesInTheDark · Post by **PicturesInTheDark** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 1:33 pm

Did you try removing it and installing it again? George stated explicitly it's a version nearly not tested so far, it may simply have come to a point of code that made it crash without you doing anything wrong.

Regards, PitD

Post by **Lunever** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 5:26 pm

PitD: Did you read my previous postings? The error is not version dependant, my system inexplicably refuses to run any version of RTC. And yes, I tried everything, starting the prog in different ways, de-&-re-installing it even into a different directory. The only thing i didn't so far is reinstalling my entire system.

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 5:36 pm

@Lunever:

Are you having trouble with any other direct X based programs (other games, etc)?

Have you installed any new graphics drivers (detonator, etc)?

Post by **Lunever** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 5:59 pm

Andy: As I said, I didn't have any major changes to my system, only standard windows and norton updates. Then suddenly my system refused running RTC, then it worked again for a single day, then it didn't work again anymore, with no major changes to the system in either case. I don't have this problem with any other game.

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 6:15 pm

Try replacing the files in the data directory with the ones from the new version. from the looks of the error message it is trying to do something with them and not managing it. Maybe you have a file corruption.

Post by **cowsmanaut** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:06 am

Such system instability may be due to a number of reasons. Are there other programs running? It could be a conflict for resources.
is your root drive nearly full? It could be that the one day it had just enough virtual mem to run without error.
Do you have an older OS like win 95, 98? I've found 98 bad for corrupting it's own system files and becoming unstable. Even though 98 seems to be the worst I do tend to update my system at least once per year and sooner if I get weird problems I cannot explain. Sometimes it's a simple as reinstalling service packs an Direct X othertimes it's a complete wipe and reinstall.
Perhaps you have one of those systems that simply do not like specific funtions. If the error occurs during loading of the program.. for instance right at the point the software tries to intialise the screen resolution or what have you it could be a conflit with your video card driver perhaps something else in your system does not like what's going on.. the one way of trying to fix that is a new driver. I know for both ATI and Nvidia cards there are several different versions of the current drivers, if one does not work then perhaps annother.

These are the things I look at when something suddenly stops working.. this is due to past experience and may not have anything to do with your issues but it also might..

hope it helps..

moo

PicturesInTheDark · Post by **PicturesInTheDark** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:28 pm

Lunever: Yes, I've read the previous postings. I'd second the notion of cowsmanaut that Windows 98 might be one of the reasons for the problem or that maybe RTC needs some driver/component package that is not on the latest version on your system - may still work but also cause "inexplicable" problems from time to time.

Regards, PitD

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 2:15 pm

i have a fairly lumbering version of win 98 (old install, many many updates and programmes installed) and haven't had this problem - in that time i've changed out a motherboard/chip, video card, and hard drive!
So i don't think it can just be win 98, i think i have punished mine enough, but somehtign specific, as suggetsed a driver, maybe one that doesn't like direct x or something?
do you have onboard and additional graphics cards? perhaps you can uninstall the additional and see if the game ran again...etc

Post by **cowsmanaut** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 5:13 pm

wuffy.. you must tbe the damnned luckiest fuzzbally I've ever seen if you've gotten away with all that in win98. I'll tell you though.. sitting on the same machine minding it's own biz over here in good old Canada.. my old computer with win98 needed it's DLL's renewed once ever 6-9 months. I was installing stuff all over too and it would crash like a maniac. I'd reboot and it would still do it... uninstall the last thing I'd installed.. no go.. then do a boot test and find a system DLL dying on my in the log. That's when I found out from others that win 98 does tend to corrupt it's own DLL's.

You must have been win98 innoculated.

(sp?)

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 6:05 pm

win98se, but otherwise dunno why i've been lucky! i'll admit i have been, other peopel ahve commented on it

the first time i had it i lost a hard drive, but am not sure if a) the fact my video card for a while crashed my machine damaged the thing, b) windows kept messign up so much the hard drive got damaged crashing, or c) the hard drive was damaged and started corrupting windows..

but this time around, no real troubles

however, i would say at least three times i have installed win 98 original on other machines, clean install on machines with all the drivers handy, i';ve had the damn thing unable to shut down properly, complainign about damage/major error to the mgsrv32 or whatever...fun times!

but what can i say...i hate microsoft and all its operating systems/major applications ; )

PicturesInTheDark · Post by **PicturesInTheDark** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 12:00 pm

XP with it's Teletubby graphics (though they can be changed) is something you'll probably not install, right?

Regards, PitD

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 1:05 pm

Lol, i prefer the term 'Windows Bubble' than XP, even though, as you say, you can get rid of the graphics

And no, i hate XP...i really should switch to 2000 at some point though...

I HATE XP/ie6 as they seem to be resourse hogging memory leaking monsters
I upgraded to ie6 a while ago and my surfing/comp usage has never been the same since - i keep having to restart the damn system as it is slowly taken down by ie6/outlook 6 as you use them
don't get me started on outlook's multi- hundred megabyte mail folders - and emply outbox folder once was 200Mb!
and don't get me started on how XP turned a respectable at the time laptop here at work into a pathetically slow posthat complains of virtual memory all the time...

*falls off soap box in apoplexy of rage*

if anyone can defend XP/ie and tell me how to stop these problems, please feel free : )

Lubor Kolar · Post by **Lubor Kolar** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 1:16 pm

beowuuf wrote:if anyone can defend XP/ie and tell me how to stop these problems, please feel free : )

Get http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/ ... taller.exe and try to use it for about two days. First it could be a bit uncomfortable (if you never used Mozilla before), but after some time (and if you try features like "Find as you type", popup-blocker, cookie filter, tabbed browsing, opening links in a new tab and let it load in the background by single middle button (wheel) click (it is not set by default, you'll find it in Edit->Preferences->Browser->Tabbed browsing), Password manager, Download manager etc., you'll realize that for browsing is IE one of the worst choises. It's main advatage is only that some lousy "webmasters" are producing IE-only code (and ignoring all possible standards), but from my point of view these pages are not worth to keep IE updated (because you'll need to install security patches almost every week).
I you would like to use something smaller and more windows/ie-like, try http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/ ... -win32.zip Mozilla Firebird. It has not all features which Mozilla has, but it uses the same rendering kernel. Good luck.

Post by **Lunever** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 4:53 pm

I use Win98SE on an about 3 years old Athlon AMD1 (100x10MHz=1GHz) with 768MB RAM and 20GB HD split into 3 partitions, all belonging to Win98SE. It's equipped with a Teledat150 (identical to an AVM fritz ISDN PCI card) and a Fast-Ethernet-USB external network adapter connected to a NTBBA (=ADSL-modem) fed with 768 kbit/s(UR2&fastpath).

I have always the latest updates of Win98SE and OfficeXP including latest DirectX. I have a GForceTNT2 and onboard sound from VIA I haven't installed any new drivers for 2 years (because I saw no need to do so).

I use NortonAV+IS for security, also always latest version, latest updates.

I can't tie the problem of my system to any of the above components, neither can I tie it to any update, for I had no major updates when the system refused running RTC or ran it again for a short period, nor can I tie it to any version of RTC, because once all versions of RTC worked properly here, now all versions produce the same error, no matter how they are started or where they are installed to or from.

I don't have that problem with any other game or program. Of course I did everything, from simply rebooting to disabling any possibly incompatible task (and also disabled Norton and so on), even background tasks only accessible with the task manager, but to no avail. The error remains there inexplicably, and it's also inexplicable (at least to me) why it hasn't been there for a short while.

Post by **Lunever** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 8:35 pm

Ok, after some experimenting with the task manager and msconfig I found the culprit (this time I didn't disable everything like I did last time but task by task singularly, that was more successful):

It is a task called ctfmon.exe, an 8 KB small file in the C:\Windows\System directory started by the msconfig. When I cancel it via the task manager it immediately reports that the task is not responding. Now since I removed it from the msconfig all works fine. But I still wonder what this program is. It's file properties say that it's from Microsoft and for a description it's properties say only "Cicero Loader", and it has a small paper&pen as a file symbol. Hmm, I had an whyever unsuccesfull OfficeXP update recently that removed itself again at the end of the failed instalation. Don't know whether it has anything to do with it.
Does anyone know what it is for?

Post by **Paul Stevens** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 8:55 pm

Plug "ctfmon.exe" into Google and you will get
more than you need to know.