Is my problem that bad, is everyone to busy to look into a "same-old same old" thread, or does nobody have a clue how to help? Or is it just that the main problem-fixers haven't had time to come to the board lately?

Did I screw up on getting the information?

edit:

Yes, I did. I just realized I had a faulty install of VDMSound... Am correcting now.

Originally posted by Ron_Lugge First off, I'm not as familiar with the guts of my computer as I should be because its over 8 years old; while its been (repeatedly) updated, I don't have a nice and handy readout. All the data I have was accumulated from "My computer" properties and my (scattered) memories.

Try running AIDA32 (the personal version). If you choose the ZIP version you don't even have to install it, just unzip and run the AIDA executable.

Originally posted by Ron_Lugge Is my problem that bad, is everyone to busy to look into a "same-old same old" thread, or does nobody have a clue how to help? Or is it just that the main problem-fixers haven't had time to come to the board lately?

X-Com Apocalypse has been a real pig when it comes to getting it to work properly. Best I was able to achieve was running it stably in Win98SE in complete silence.
showthread.php?threadid=19&highlight=apocalypse
showthread.php?threadid=1004&highlight=Apoc
showthread.php?threadid=1106&highlight=apocalypse
showthread.php?threadid=1351&highlight=apocalypse
showthread.php?threadid=1375&highlight=Apoc

Last I checked we were down to just a few people for general posting and moderation: one of us is on "active duty" (for real), one of us is sick, one of us just got a full-time job that is exhausting. I'd say yes to the "short-on-time" thing.

Noticed your two posts were about four hours apart. We might respond within minutes, but none of us have luxury of sitting on the board all day. Sometimes, I'm not able to post for days at a time.

Nicht Sehr Gut wrote:

Try running AIDA32 (the personal version). If you choose the ZIP version you don't even have to install it, just unzip and run t […]
Show full quote

Try running AIDA32 (the personal version). If you choose the ZIP version you don't even have to install it, just unzip and run the AIDA executable. X-Com Apocalypse has been a real pig when it comes to getting it to work properly. Best I was able to achieve was running it stably in Win98SE in complete silence.
showthread.php?threadid=19&highlight=apocalypse
showthread.php?threadid=1004&highlight=Apoc
showthread.php?threadid=1106&highlight=apocalypse
showthread.php?threadid=1351&highlight=apocalypse
showthread.php?threadid=1375&highlight=Apoc

Last I checked we were down to just a few people for general posting and moderation: one of us is on "active duty" (for real), one of us is sick, one of us just got a full-time job that is exhausting. I'd say yes to the "short-on-time" thing.

Noticed your two posts were about four hours apart. We might respond within minutes, but none of us have luxury of sitting on the board all day. Sometimes, I'm not able to post for days at a time.

A) None of those (that I saw) involved a problem with the installation.

B) That was four hours two days apart, not just two hours.

edit:

To be clear, my problem isn't with getting sound (I could care less about sound!) its with installing the game. I can't even test to see if I can use sound, because I can't install it! This may be because I can't get adding buffers = 20 and pages = 20 to work in my config.sys file.

Originally posted by Ron_Lugge A) None of those (that I saw) involved a problem with the installation.

I know, the point was to give a good idea of how much of a pain XCOM:A can be to get working properly.

That was four hours two days apart, not just two hours.

My mistake. I had a ton of posts lumped together and I could've sworn the two posts were displaying the same day.

To be clear, my problem isn't with getting sound (I could care less about sound!)

Good. You should be able to run it without sound.

...its with installing the game. I can't even test to see if I can use sound, because I can't install it! This may be because I can't get adding buffers = 20 and pages = 20 to work in my config.sys file.

Did you try ignoring the error and proceeding with the install?

I also get the error, but I just click "OK" and it proceeds as needed. Once you get it installed, running it with VDMSound will apply a FILES=40 to the game.

Originally posted by Nicht Sehr Gut Did you try ignoring the error and proceeding with the install?

I also get the error, but I just click "OK" and it proceeds as needed. Once you get it installed, running it with VDMSound will apply a FILES=40 to the game.

<Bashes head on wall>

Re-read my description of the problem.

Description of problem - While attempting to install, It tells me that I don't have enough buffers. (I have attempted to fix this by adding the approrpriate lines to config sys with sysedit, but to no avail...). ignoring this error, I attempt to continue install. I select my D drive (I have two; I have tried both) and for about 1/10 of a second see the input directory screen. Then the program crashes.

At the moment, I'm trying installing under DosBox, then running under VDM sound (the guy who couldn't get install to work then D/Led a hacked version gave me the idea... though dosbox will only let me install the mid-level instead of full instal...)


Any ideas on how to upgrade to a full install from a mid level install?


edit:

It never fails, but looking back on my posts I seem rude, obnoxious,and the epitome of all things "Newb". Sorry -- I guess I'm just frazzled that I can't get these great games (Xcom 1-3) to run very well (or at all, for 3).

edit:

I have it installed, but now have a new set of problems. First, my intro movie is garbled - it runs in fits and spurts for no apparent reason (Arrrgh! I have had this problem before, but don't remember how to fix it!)

When I try to run without sound, I don't think I'm getting the movie (I may be and missing it because of no sound). However, in each case if I try to skip past the movie the program ends, and VDM sound shows the window it shows when a program is finished... Working on the problem.

edit:

Having fiddled around, I just got a "SVGA" error. Will try a fix I saw elsewhere.

Now I can get to the title screen (the menu)... but my mouse is stuck! At least that was a handled problem...

GAAAAAAH!

edit:

YEEEEEEEEEEES! I can get into the game, and run it, and I think its (semi) functional! The controls are far from smooth, (which will get annoying) but with any luck it will work! Now, for a little sleep time (Which I am way overdue for).

And here I thought I was the only one that edited his messages that much.

Originally posted by Ron_Lugge <Bashes head on wall>

Looks like I'm not the only one who does that...

Re-read my description of the problem.

Sorry. I'm usually good at catching the details, but in attempting to catch up on so many posts, I've apparently done some speed-reading. (So THAT's what it feels like ...)

though dosbox will only let me install the mid-level instead of full instal...)

Apparently, there is an artificial 105 Meg barrier in drive space when using DosBox. Even on a drive with 5 Gig free, it reports only 105MB.

It never fails, but looking back on my posts I seem rude, obnoxious,and the epitome of all things "Newb". Sorry -- I guess I'm just frazzled...

And I'm sorry I wasn't a little more coherent. Your post was at the tail end of a lot of other posts I was digging through and I wasn't very "focused".

I have it installed, but now have a new set of problems.

Not a surprise. This is one of those 1-step-forward-3-steps-back games... How did you get it installed?

First, my intro movie is garbled - it runs in fits and spurts for no apparent reason (Arrrgh! I have had this problem before, but don't remember how to fix it!)

I was never able to get mine running smoothly (with sound), but if you just want to see the movies (from XCOM:A and many other games) download the RAD Video tools for BINK and Smacker video. While it won't replace the "in-game-player", the tools have Advanced options which allow you to resize the video and play them with sound (without using tricks like the alternating-scanline method).

Having fiddled around, I just got a "SVGA" error. Will try a fix I saw elsewhere.

Now I can get to the title screen (the menu)... but my mouse is stuck! At least that was a handled problem...

Hrmm. NOLFB and Mouse2kv?

GAAAAAAH!

So I'm not the only one who does this either...

YEEEEEEEEEEES! I can get into the game, and run it, and I think its (semi) functional!

When you get a chance, could you come back and fill in the blanks (details)? Someone else might benefit from your grief.

Now, for a little sleep time (Which I am way overdue for).

Sleep. The best of both worlds: you get to be both alive [b]and unconscious.

Nicht Sehr Gut wrote:

Looks like I'm not the only one who does that...Sorry. I'm usually good at catching the details, but in attempting to catch up on so many posts, I've apparently done some speed-reading. (So THAT's what it feels like ...)

Its alright. I'll live.

Apparently, there is an artificial 105 Meg barrier in drive space when using DosBox. Even on a drive with 5 Gig free, it reports only 105MB.

Figures. Well, as part of the final fix I fixed the partial install.

And I'm sorry I wasn't a little more coherent. Your post was at the tail end of a lot of other posts I was digging through and I wasn't very "focused".

See my first comment -- I'll live.

Not a surprise. This is one of those 1-step-forward-3-steps-back games... How did you get it installed?

I installed it using DoxBox (which I knew couldn't run the game, but runs the installer just fine!)

I was never able to get mine running smoothly (with sound), but if you just want to see the movies (from XCOM:A and many other games) download the RAD Video tools for BINK and Smacker video. While it won't replace the "in-game-player", the tools have Advanced options which allow you to resize the video and play them with sound (without using tricks like the alternating-scanline method).

Thanks! And I don't think I even want to know about the alternating-scanline method...

And I wish I remember how I fixed the video so many years ago - I bet it would have been helpful for you.

Hrmm. NOLFB and Mouse2kv?

There was a guy who's mouse was stuck; he had a file attached that contained a program to fix the mouse and a sample .pif file that contained the necessary command line arguements. It was one of the above messages. I'm (still) to tired to look it up for you.

So I'm not the only one who does this either...

Nope.

When you get a chance, could you come back and fill in the blanks (details)? Someone else might benefit from your grief.

Sure. First, I installed using Doxbox to get past the installer problems I was having. Then I installed the SVGA patch from http://www.xcomufo.com (I think thats the right url...). I then proceeded to apply the NoCD crack. Then I edited the NoCD crack's .bat file to use the mouseset. After that it worked...

I may have done it in a slightly different order, but thats the gist of it. I think I may have needed the NoCD crack to get the SVGA error... so maybe those are backwords. Eh, the order doesn't matter to much.

And the game does work! Its jerky, and it crashes way to often, but it works!

Sleep. The best of both worlds: you get to be both alive and unconscious.

Unfortunatly, I don't have that option at the moment. My term paper is due tomorrow. I'm taking a break from re-writing it -- I wish I kept better backups (I did the writing over the last week -- and I backup important files weekly). So I'm back to the research materials, and a blank screen. At least I still have the materials!

OK, I've been playing X-COm using CD music for sound. And I'm now glad I didn't get the sound working (yet!). I was listening to a CD of mine from last years Academic Decathalon, and I had a squad get pinned down. I wasn't paying attention because I thought they had it dealt with, and by the time I realized it was more than they could handle it was a race to see if re-inforcements would arrive in time to save the day.

Just as I was queing up the nearby squad to ride to the rescue, my CD switched tracks. To Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries". I looked (closely) at my squad and noticed they were all female (!). I certainly had a good laugh -- especially since I love that brass line to begin with!

Originally posted by Ron_Lugge OK, I've been playing X-COm using CD music for sound.

Good to hear. I'm still waiting for half-price books to drop the Windows X-COM collection price to see if the Windows version (if it really is a Windows version) will run properly.

Nicht Sehr Gut wrote:

Good to hear. I'm still waiting for half-price books to drop the Windows X-COM collection price to see if the Windows version (if it really is a Windows version) will run properly.

Gah. I think I misstated myself. CD music in lieu of sound... Mostly classical (THe ones on my AD CD primarily), but some oldies too (We will rock you... how appropriate).

In order to mount a drive in DOSBox that is bigger than 105MB, type the following:

mount c c:\ -size 4025,127,16513,1700

That will give you an 870MB hard drive and you can then do a full install of Apocalypse.