There are a few possibilities. You could have bad RAM, you could have a hosed Windows installation, there could be incompatibilities with your system, or you could simply have some bad luck. A GF4 should not have any problems, but you might try adding "VESASupport: Yes" to your GliDOS.ini file. This doesn't really sound like a VESA problem though and I think it's come up before. Try disabling Mipmapping also if it is enabled. Paul probably has more insight than I do so I'll leave it at that.

Thanks for the suggestions but I've tried both of those things (VESA support and Mipmapping). These make no difference concerning the crash I experience. Also my computer is only two weeks old and it's been extensively checked so I can rule out any hardware malfunctions. (Every other program runs like a dream.)

Originally posted by Unregistered ...is only two weeks old and it's been extensively checked so I can rule out any hardware malfunctions. (Every other program runs like a dream.)

Obviously, something's not right. The odd part is that the hardware you are using is fairly common and I'm certain that others having been using a similar setup without incident.

Even if it crashed horribly, it normally should not take down the whole OS. That is very rare for XP. Try renaming the directory AND THEN try a "plain" TombRaider install (it will sound sound and look horrible by comparison, but it should work). Just don't mix 3dfx and non-3dfx save files, they are not compatible and will cause nasty crashes themselves.

It might also be worth the time to try another Glidos-compatible title. If you don't have any, the demo for Extreme Assault should work.
http://www.bluebyte.net/eng/products/extreme- … ssault/demo.htm

EDITED: Said "or when I meant AND"

When you say crashes, do you mean resets itself or justs sits there doing nothing? There is a common problem with Glidos with a process being left running at very high priority, which looks like a crash.

Sorry. I guess I wasn't too clear as to the nature of the crash. Windows XP doesn't restart itself; it just sits there doing nothing locked on the final screen of the level. If I press Alt-Tab the task switch graphic will appear and will visually switch between applications but it will not start any other application. It continues to remain locked on that screen no matter what I select. Ctrl-Alt-Del is the same. It is as if it does not register. The keyboard doesn't lock up but no matter how long I wait the game continues to be locked. My only recourse is to reset the computer.

I just realized there is some extra system information which I failed to mention. I don't know if it has anything to do with the problem but I'll mention it anyway:

I have two CD-ROM drives on my system and I have two hard drives. There doesn't seem to be any conflict or confusion with Glidos or with Tomb Raider.

Yeah, that definitely sounds like a GliDOS thread stealing all your clock time. Open Task Manager BEFORE starting GliDOS so if that happens you can kill it.

Yeh, that's right, and the thing to kill is ntvdm.exe

Still it is strange that this happens with the Glidos
window still open.

Well, I went back and loaded a fresh install of Tomb Raider; this time without Glidos. I loaded the program (with VDMSound) and was able to play to the end of the first level. This time the game did not freeze and loaded the next level without any problems. So, I guess my problem is, in fact, with Glidos.

I don't know if this can give you any more information to help solve my problem, but doing this helped me realize that I REALLY want to get my (registered) copy of Glidos working!! The graphics are so much better with Glidos.

Help me, please.

By the way, here is my dxdiag file. Maybe it can provide some more information.

Thank you.

It certainly sounded like a Glidos problem from the start. How come you are registered? Did you have it working with a previous system or did you register before getting it working... ah I suppose it looked like it was working.

Two things to try.

1 Here's a new version of PollPipe.dll Unzip it and put it in the Glidos folder replacing the old one.

2 Failing that, go to the Glidos site and download Glidos again but changing the url to Glidos_v1_19.exe or Glidos_v1_18.exe. There are loads of old versions up there. May be worth a try.

I've tried both of your suggestions but neither of them solved the problem. It is really, really odd, but now that I've identified that there is a problem Glidos nearly doesn't work at all. Now when I start the program up, after ESCing through the introductory movies, Tomb Raider locks up instantly on the title screen. The passport to start a new game freezes and everything remains static.

When I first downloaded Glidos it seemed to work fine. I could load up a game and fiddle around in the level. Granted I didn't try to finish the first level but I was impressed with what I saw. That is why I quickly registered. However, after registering, I tried to play throught the first level and all of this started to happen.

Is there any other information I can provide to help solve this?

Originally posted by Unregistered Tomb Raider locks up instantly on the title screen. The passport to start a new game freezes and everything remains static.

Hrmm. To reduce the number of possible "trouble-makers", when running in GliDOS, make sure it's running with "no sound card".
(This way you know it's not a lockup issue on the VDMSound side)

Only thing I can think of is what changed since you added GliDOS to your system? Any monitoring tools added (fan speed/heat/etc..)? DirectX 9?

Hang on, with that new version of PollPipe.dll Glidos can no longer lock up your machine. It is that file which causes the high priority thread. The new version doesn't touch the priorities. If you are getting the whole machine locking up now then it has to be drivers (video probably). Could even be a CD problem... oh yeh try changing which drive you use, and/or reburning your TR CD.

Before doing any of that, it is probably worth being very sure to clear your machine of all copies of TR1 and all copies of Glidos; reinstall both and try the new PollPipe.dll again, just to confirm the strange result you've just posted.

Even with a program running at "Normal" priority it will still appear to freeze.

It's me again. Now I think I can eliminate some things. First off, I deleted every trace of Tomb Raider and Glidos from my system. Then I loaded both of them back up and tried again. I used the new pollpipe.dll file in the new install. Although the same lock up happened at the end of the level now it was very easy to bring up the task manager and escape out of the program. Then I realized something else. If I didn't restart Windows before playing again the title screen would lock up as I described before. Restarting the machine competely fixed this.

To summarize all of my attempts:

- I loaded up a clean install of Tomb Raider without Glidos support and there was no lock up at the end of the first level. The program worked perfectly.

- I ran Glidos without VDMSound but the same lock up occured.

- I ran Glidos in each different screen resolution; each time the same lock up occured.

This is frustrating because before that inevitable lock up the game works beautifully. The first level loads fine. I play through it fine. There are absolutely no problems until I walk to the final door and the level statistics appear. Then all music and sound stop, the computer light briefly flashes on and off as if loading something, and then BAM! . . . lock up. Nothing happens and I have to escape out of the program. Why does it work perfectly up until this point?

Do you think it could be some kind of driver conflict? (My sound and graphics drivers are all up to date and I just recently installed DirectX 9.0)

I may be trying everybody's patience but nonetheless thanks for the help.

The very same symptom happened to me a couple of times, too. If I remember correctly, it was indeed at the end of the first level.

Thank Goodness I had saved my game right before crossing the door; thus after the freeze and a force quit, I could load my savegame up to that point and finish the level without any further problem. I guess it's a random lock-up... though it appears to happen to you systematically 😕

You could try what I did: saving right before the end of the level and starting from there if anything wrong ever occurs. That did it for me.

Edit: definitely not a DX9 problem (I was running DX8 at the time).

Originally posted by Unregistered Although the same lock up happened at the end of the level now it was very easy to bring up the task manager and escape out of the program.

Very strange. The only time I had this kind of problem was when I was using a "normal" save file while using the 3dfx executable.

If I didn't restart Windows before playing again the title screen would lock up as I described before. Restarting the machine completely fixed this.

Hrmm. That seems to indicate that something is being run after you finish booting up that is causing compatibility issues.

I ran Glidos without VDMSound but the same lock up occurred.

So it's not an audio issue...

I ran Glidos in each different screen resolution; each time the same lock up occurred.

I wouldn't think that would be related.

There are absolutely no problems until I walk to the final door and the level statistics appear. Then all music and sound stop, the computer light briefly flashes on and off as if loading something, and then BAM! . . . lock up.

If this was Win98, I would recommend you kill off all the extra processes running in the background, leaving only the minimal tasks to keep the OS alive. Unfortunately, in XP, I'm not sure how or even if that would work. I'm suspicious that something is running around in the background that's causing trouble. If it was just a "level-loading" problem, it should have kicked in when you loaded the first level.

Try this, play right up to the exit for level one and save your position. Reboot, then quickly start it up, load your saved position and run out the exit. If it still locks up, then it's probably not a timed process kicking causing the problem.

Another idea, (word-of-warning: it's not going to make sense, but I think a wild shot in-in the dark may be worth it) is to try to trick the game. Try a non-GliDOS install in tandem with your GliDOS install.

Copy the TBRDINIT.BAT file presently in the root of your C: directory to the GliDOS TOMBRAID directory. Then install TR again, but with a different directory name or use a different partition for the install.

Archive, then copy the save game file from the 3dfx version (yes, I know. I already said it's not compatible, but bear with me) into the Non-GliDOS install. Start up the "plain" TR, load the saved position and immediately hit the exit (if there are graphic anomalies, ignore them). Hopefully it should load and run the next level. If it does, immediately save to that file again and quit.

Move the TBRDINIT.BAT out of the root directory of C: and into your Non-GliDOS TR install. Then copy the TBRDINIT.BAT out of the GliDOS directory to the root of the C: drive. Now copy the saved file from the Non-GliDOS TR to the GliDOS TR directory (this why I said to archive the save file, you may want it back without modification). Start up the GliDOS TR and load this modified save
file and try running it. Even if this does work, there's no guarantee that something else won't come up.

I may be trying everybody's patience but nonetheless thanks for the help.

We've been where you are now. Aggravating, isn't it?

Nicht Sehr Gut, thank you for the suggestion. Actually, the save game files from the Glide version crashed the non-Glide version, BUT the non-Glide saves did not crash the Glide version. In fact, they worked perfectly. So, I (yet again) played through the first level on non-Glide, got to the second level, and then saved. I copied this save to the Glide version and, low and behold, it loaded up fine at the next level and I can play this level normally. (I haven't yet tried to beat it. I'll do that soon.) It seems like my problem with Glidos is related only to loading a new level (or levels).

Originally posted by Unregistered Actually, the save game files from the Glide version crashed the non-Glide version,...

*shakes head* Nothing like a lack of consistency...

Any ideas, Paul?