Originally posted by TeeJay Everything was working great, except I couldn't hear Lara's footsteps, doors opening/closing, animal or creature noises, etc. I could hear background music (ambience?).

Which means that game audio had been disabled. The "ambient" sounds come from the CD instead of the game itself.

When I got to the end of the first leve, The Caves, I couldn't go on with the game. It just stalled on the statistics screen, showing kills, pickups, etc. I couldn't save, exit, nothing.

I think I've only heard of this once before:
showthread.php?threadid=1074

No clear solution was found. Appeared to be a fluke issue.

So then I tried to go back to what I had before, at least I could play the whole game, but now I can't get anything to work.

Not entirely sure what you meant by this. "Tried to go back" means what? Loaded up an old save game?

Now, I can't get anything to work. I start Glidos, it goes to the command screen, I try to make it a full screen, but before I can do that, the screen goes white, then starts from the left to go black and quits. No matter what I do, nothing works.

When confusion reigns, get back to the basics.

1) Ignore GliDOS for now... Install a standard "Tomb Raider" game (backup your save games first, if you want to keep them). Configure that to run with no sound. Run the game, does it appear to run properly? If so, proceed to the next step.

2) Run "Tomb Raider" with VDMSound (this is presuming you still have it installed). Configure the game for "SoundBlaster 16" using IRQ 7. Does it run properly with sound? (not including the "ambient" sound effects here, just the "in-game" sound effects) If so, proceed to the next step.

3) Replace the TOMB.EXE in "Tomb Raider" with the one that's compatible with GliDOS. If the game wasn't installed in the default directory of C:\Tombraid\, you need to edit the GLIDOS.INI file and change the location of the executable from C:\TOMBRAID\TOMB.EXE to match wherever you placed it.

Now startup GliDOS. Choose "Tomb Raider" as the game to start. Click on the Adjust button, click on the 640x480 button, click OK. Click "Start Game". Does it run properly? If not, what does it do?

I understand what you're saying about the game audio disabled now, and the music coming from CD.

What I meant by 'going back' was I had uploaded a different version of tomb.exe, an upgraded Glidos, (at least that is what I thought) and a couple of files, I think they were .bat files, that would get me the game audio. Which it did! It did work, but then the game would stall when I got to the end of the Caves. I had to completely reboot my PC.

Going back to what I had before, I tried removing VDMSound to temp directory, re-installed it, completely deleted it and downloaded it again. I did the same thing with Glidos. I tried to go back to what I had before, so I could play the game, save the games, and reload when I wanted to, with decent graphics.

Now, I can play, but I can't save, thus I can't reload any saved games, and the graphics are crappy.

I have never been able to properly install tombraider from my CD with Windows XP. All I have been able to do is to copy all the files from the CD into a directory I made, C:\Tombraider. Because I can't install the game the way I should be able to, I can't set up the soundblasters, the IRQ, or anything else.

I can run it from the CD, with an updated version of tomb.exe, without any sound, at all, even with VDMSound. But I can't get it to run from the C:\tombraider directory, with or without Glidos. Glidos completely stalls. Now I don't know how to get back use of Glidos, what tomb.exe file to use, so I can at least save and load games, good graphics are nice also.

TeeJay

Originally posted by TeeJay What I meant by 'going back' was I had uploaded a different version of tomb.exe, an upgraded Glidos, (at least that is what I thought) and a couple of files, I think they were .bat files, that would get me the game audio. Which it did!

That's a very messy way of trying to "go back" to an earlier configuration. Far too easy for "unknowns" to creep in. What's needed is a clean install.

I have never been able to properly install tombraider from my CD with Windows XP. All I have been able to do is to copy all the files from the CD into a directory I made, C:\Tombraider. Because I can't install the game the way I should be able to, I can't set up the soundblasters, the IRQ, or anything else.

Ok, this should make "red flags" pop up everywhere. If you can't perform the basic install and configuration, there's a problem. This is where any troubleshooting should start. I've installed TR within XP numerous times without any problem.

But I can't get it to run from the C:\tombraider directory, with or without Glidos. Glidos completely stalls.

Like I said, ignore GliDOS for now. Pretend it doesn't exist. Until you can get the original game running properly in XP, messing with GliDOS is a waste of time.

The big question here is why TR wouldn't install and configure in XP for you. What's happening? After you start the installation program? BTW, which version of Tomb Raider are you installing? The original, the "Gold" version, a re-release...etc...?

Thank you for helping! You are the first one to really address this issue with me since I started seeking help last October. I have the original plain TR, which I bought in 1997. To my knowledge, it is not a re-release.

From C:\prompt, (text on screen is white, with black background), the text begins to fade out, then the screen appears blank, as if my monitor is on, but PC isn't. My hard drive whirs, the light flickers, as if it is doing something, but then nothing happens. Eventually the whirring stops, nothing happens, just a blank monitor. Is it possible I am not waiting long enough? (I've waited for 5 minutes without seeing anything) Sometimes when I tried to install, right when the letters are fading, I hear an error or warning box pop up - but I can't see anything. This was when I was using a Glidos compatible version of tomb.exe, and I think some additional other .bat files for use with Glidos.

When I try to install with the original tomb.exe file, dated in 1996, the words Tomb Raider come across with most of the letters running off both sides of the screen. Graphics are really poor, looks distorted. There are no menus, pop up signs to choose type of installation, choice of directory, sound devices, etc.

Not sure if this is important, my TR disk has 'installt.exe', not the standard, 'install.exe'. Could this be a problem? That is how my software came. When I had a different PC, with Windows 95, it worked absolutely perfect, of course.

So what do I check for now? How can I get a clean installation?

Originally posted by TeeJay From C:\prompt, (text on screen is white, with black background), the text begins to fade out, then the screen appears blank, as if my monitor is on, but PC isn't. Eventually the whirring stops, nothing happens, just a blank monitor.

It may be possible that you have some VESA compatibility issues. Do you know what type of graphics card/chipset you have? What model of "Dell Dimension" do you have?

Is it possible I am not waiting long enough?

Not likely. It's either locked up or the display isn't visible.

Not sure if this is important, my TR disk has 'installt.exe', not the standard, 'install.exe'.

TR Gold is the same way. Try this, run NOLFB.COM in the game's directory (making sure it is in memory with the mem /c command), then start up the INSTALLT command. Do you still get a blank display?

I've looked in Systems, Device Manager, nothing there says 'graphics card'. My Dell Dimension is 4300S, I have a Display Adaptor of 32 MB ATI Rage 128 Ultra. Is that it?:o

I used the mem/c command, and I didn't see NOLFB.COM. What is that? I haven't heard of that before? Would I have this file on a utilities disk? 😕

Suggestions?

"MEM [space] /c" you mean?

If NOLFB.COM doesn't show up then there is a serious problem with your system or you're doing something really, really wrong.
You have to run NOLFB in the SAME command window as all your other stuff. It is ONLY present in that command prompt.

Originally posted by TeeJay I used the mem/c command, and I didn't see NOLFB.COM. What is that? I haven't heard of that before? Would I have this file on a utilities disk? 😕

*groan*

TeeJay, look at the word NOLFB.COM in my original post and it should appear in a slightly different color and be underlined. That's your browser telling you it is a link. Click on the word and read the page that it opens. At the bottom you will find another link to download the file.

Nicht Sehr Gut,

I am sorry, I should have caught that link, but I didn't. Thanks for pointing that out. I told you I am not a computer guru, I know just enough to get by, and just enough to get into trouble, sometimes 😁

I'll try that and see what happens. Thanks for the info.

Teej, you get the award of the day for not being an explosive n00b. It's a welcome change of pace. Thanks. 😀

Snover, you crack me up! Thanks, I needed that!

Nicht, I downloaded the NOLFB, upzipped it in the Tombraid directory, and followed the directions. It still acts like my PC crashes, the screen goes blank, looks like my PC is off. I am able to use TM to get out of it easily, shut down Glidos, etc. Still can't get it to work.

Suggestions? Please tell me you got something more.

Originally posted by TeeJay Nicht, I downloaded the NOLFB, upzipped it in the Tombraid directory,...

Actually, I want you to start up a command prompt (make it full-screen), start NOLFB.COM (from whatever location you have it), confirm it's in memory then change over to the drive letter that has your Tomb Raider CD-ROM (IOW, if that drive is H:, you would type in H: and press return), then start the INSTALLT.EXE from that same command prompt.

Does this allow the install screen to appear?

I am able to use TM to get out of it easily, shut down Glidos, etc.

Err...You're not still trying to run GliDOS with this are you? As I said before, ignore it...do not start it...do not touch it. The only way GliDOS is going to work with it is if the game can be run properly without it. Until you can start and run Tomb Raider with sound effects, GliDOS isn't going to work properly for you

Suggestions? Please tell me you got something more.

Not really. You're using a ATI video chipset and I have very little experience with that. Last person I had heard with Tomb Raider and ATI ended up replacing their video card to get it to work.

P.S. I may not be able to access the Internet for the next couple of weeks.

Nicht, Not sure if you'll get this, since you said you won't have access to internet for a while. If anybody else is out there, and understands what we've been trying to do, please feel free to jump in and help.

I did what you suggested, and yes I saw NOLFB in mem /c, but when I switched over to the CD drive and tried to install TR, the screen still went blank, as if the PC crashed, like it always does. I only tried to run Glidos with NOFLB at first, because I followed the directions on the site where I downloaded it, and it said to put it in the game directory. I did that, so it automatically looked for the Glidos server. Sorry I'm such a goof that I didn't realize.

Anyways, it didn't work. You mentioned that my ATI chip probably will never work right with TR. What would you suggest I could replace it with? I have Windows XP, Dell Dimension 4300S, Pentium 4, 1.6 ghs, 128 mb ram.

Eventually, I would like to track down TR2, 3 and 4, and play those. If I'm gonna run into the same problems, I might as well fix this all right now. Let me know what ya think.

GeForce3.

Originally posted by TeeJay Nicht, Not sure if you'll get this,...

Found access. It's shared and I have a time limit on usage.

yes I saw NOLFB in mem /c, but when I switched over to the CD drive and tried to install TR, the screen still went blank, as if the PC crashed, like it always does.

Unfortunate.
Is this a FAT or FAT32 partition that you are installing it to...?

If so, you _might_ be able to come up with a bootdisk that would allow you to run the installer from "real" DOS.

You mentioned that my ATI chip probably will never work right with TR.

Swap "probably" with "possibly". It might work it's just that I don't know ATI video cards well enough to say... It would be good to run some kind of DOS video mode tester to see what level of support your card actually has. The only util I can think of right now is the video portion of the DOS version of "CheckIt"...but that's a commercial program.

Hrrmm... perhaps something from SciTech.

What would you suggest I could replace it with?

I would ditto Snover's suggestion of a GeForce3. It's readily available, low-priced (for it's capacity), and can handle anything except for the most recent, "bleeding-edge" graphic programs.

<randomness> Whoo! 531 3DMarks with my GF3Ti500! Whoo! </randomness> (For the record, this is a really, really pathetic score. For whatever reason though 3DMark03 is the only thing that my card struggles with -- every single demo I've run with the exception of Adrenalin (that is because of only one pixel pipeline) has run at full speed. 😒 Anyway, yeah.

THIS RANDOM AND USELESS POST BROUGHT TO YOU BY FUTUREM-- ERR, I MEAN MADON-- ERR, NO, I MEAN FUTUREMARK. *heh*

Nicht Sehr Gut wrote:

Is this a FAT or FAT32 partition that you are installing it to...?

If so, you _might_ be able to come up with a bootdisk that would allow you to run the installer from "real" DOS.

Can you translate that into 'stupid' term? I don't know where to check for this partition. In the good old days, when I did know a lot about DOS and had a bootable disk, I might figure this out. But now I'm braindead (playing too many games 🤣). Can you tell me how to figure this out and how to do it?

Did you tell XP to format your drive using NTFS? If so, you aren't using FAT/FAT12 or FAT16 or FAT32.

Snover,

I didn't TELL XP to do anything, everything was formatted and ready to go when my PC was delivered to my home. Where would I look for that information to see how it was formatted?