I've found a solution! Turns out two little buggers, named a3d.dll and asdapi.dll were responsible. The way to get rid of them could be found here (different game, same issue). Now it works like charm!

I've re-installed the original Deus Ex after not playing irt for a year or so; however, despite the fact that it ran well last time on the same system, it simply doesn't work this time - if I run it in Direct3D mode, it freezes right after the CD-check, gives me a blank full-screen and I cannot get …

Nevermind, I've found the solution after extensive googling and forum-searching.

Ok, it's definitely sound-related. I've disabled sound and it works perfectly (without sound, ofcourse 🙁). How do I change to Miles 2D? In the configuration program, I see only "normal", "safe mode" or "no sound" under the sound settings...

Have you tried: - uninstalling and reinstalling the game? - making sure your swapfile isn't full? - using a no-cd crack? - Uninstall and re-install - did it when I had the problem before, didn't help, but updating video drivers did, unlike this time - I've tried a no-cd crack, it doesn't help How …

I have a full installation of Neverwinter Nights with both expansion packs; when I played it back in June, it ran well most of the time, but when I ran it again today, the game showed the black cd-check screen, and then it disappeared and I got to the desktop, as if nothing was running; I checked …

Martian Gothic: Unification is not in the ACT database...

I have the old game Martian Gothic for some time; it always seemed to have something against my newer computer. It runs OK on my mother's old Celeron 300MHz (except for random game freezes every hour or so - "thanks" to motherboard issues on that computer - and movie-only choppyness). When I tried …