Well, I did exactly as you told me Nicht :
I installed with Install.exe supported by VDMS, then I had the "CD31" error, then I enabled "low-level CD" but... I still get the "Etage01.pak" error message...

Twinsen wrote:

Well, I did exactly as you told me Nicht :
I installed with Install.exe supported by VDMS, then I had the "CD31" error, then I enabled "low-level CD" but... I still get the "Etage01.pak" error message...

Old Google Groups messages point this at either:
a. having too little conventional memory - the game requires 592K or more. (really work on this!)
b. Too low number of FILES= command in CONFIG.SYS
Of course, this info dates from 1995/96...

According to Google, Interplay used to have info on this on their support site. But it has been removed.
See? Here's Google:
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Etage01.pak%22

But when you click...
http://interplay.com/support/product.asp?GameID=417
NOOOO!!!!

Fortunately, the Wayback Machine to the rescue!
http://web.archive.org/web/20020609015925/htt … .asp?GameID=417

😁 😁

Good luck!

Well, following the third link up, I wonder if it's worth using a boot disk with XP ... (how to deal with sound ?)

WIth the Launchpad, there's a "config.sys" and "autoexec.bat" section. Maybe it(s possible to boot the memory here ??...

Before you go to those lengths:
Try this, create a file named GO.BAT and edit it to contain the single command MEM /C, the run it with VDMSound (right-click and choose Run with VDMS), it should report something like the following:
Conventional Memory :

Name Size in Decimal Size in Hex
------------- --------------------- -------------
MSDOS 13184 ( 12.9K) 3380
KBD 3296 ( 3.2K) CE0
EMM 176 ( 0.2K) B0
HIMEM 1248 ( 1.2K) 4E0
COMMAND 3152 ( 3.1K) C50
FREE 112 ( 0.1K) 70
FREE 633984 (619.1K) 9AC80

Total FREE : 634096 (619.2K)

Upper Memory :

Name Size in Decimal Size in Hex
------------- --------------------- -------------
SYSTEM 180208 (176.0K) 2BFF0
MOUSE 12528 ( 12.2K) 30F0
DOSX 34720 ( 33.9K) 87A0
FREE 256 ( 0.3K) 100
FREE 34336 ( 33.5K) 8620

Total FREE : 34592 ( 33.8K)

Total bytes available to programs (Conventional+Upper) : 668688 (653.0K)
Largest executable program size : 633712 (618.9K)
Largest available upper memory block : 34336 ( 33.5K)

4194304 bytes total EMS memory
4194304 bytes free EMS memory

20971520 bytes total contiguous extended memory
0 bytes available contiguous extended memory
16628736 bytes available XMS memory
MS-DOS resident in High Memory Area

(thanks to Nicht)

Originally posted by Twinsen Well, I did exactly as you told me Nicht : I installed with Install.exe supported by VDMS, then I had the "CD31" error, then I enabled "low-level CD" but... I still get the "Etage01.pak" error message...

Not good. That means your version is behaving differently from mine.

Originally posted by Schadenfreude Old Google Groups messages point this at either:
a. having too little conventional memory - the game requires 592K or more. (really work on this!)

Yes, apparently it wants about 605K + EMS memory. Still, it should be fairly easy inside XP.

b. Too low number of FILES= command in CONFIG.SYS

Not likely, as VDMSound sets FILES=40 by default.

Originally posted by Twinsen Well, following the third link up, I wonder if it's worth using a boot disk with XP ... (how to deal with sound ?)

Hard to tell with your system specifications...Yamaha AC-XG supposedly has "legacy" support, but I've seen no DOS drivers. That probably translates into "DOS support in Win9x".

WIth the Launchpad, there's a "config.sys" and "autoexec.bat" section. Maybe it(s possible to boot the memory here ??...

No, that's for specialty commands that must be executed before a game will work. Like, for example, running NOLFB before starting the game executable.

Originally posted by Schadenfreude Before you go to those lengths:
Try this, create a file named GO.BAT and edit it to contain the single command MEM /C,...

Good idea. Unfortunately, I don't think it will help. AitD2 needs EMS, just like AitD3...and AitD2 works for him (so he probably has EMS). So why is AitD2 working, but AitD3 isn't?

All I can think of (at the moment), is to see if you can get it running in silence first... Try setting any audio settings for no sound at all. Then start up a command prompt and switch to your game's directory. Make sure the command prompt is full-screen, type AITD3 and hope for the best...

Also add the "FILES=..." line in C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.NT; though VDMSound sets it for the game's CONFIG file, rumor has it that Windows always fetches "FILES=..." from C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.NT.

Cheers,
V.

Vlad, I checked the config.nt and I already had the "Files=40" line

Schaden, this is what I get when I type MEM /C :
(sorry it's in french, I can't translate it cause I absolutly don't understand what it means !...)

Mémoire conventionnelle :

Nom Taille en décimal Taille en héxa
------------- --------------------- --------------
MSDOS 12048 ( 11.8K) 2F10
KBD 3296 ( 3.2K) CE0
HIMEM 1248 ( 1.2K) 4E0
COMMAND 4064 ( 4.0K) FE0
DOSX 34720 ( 33.9K) 87A0
KB16 6096 ( 6.0K) 17D0
LIBRE 112 ( 0.1K) 70
LIBRE 912 ( 0.9K) 390
LIBRE 592640 (578.8K) 90B00

Total LIBRE : 593664 (579.8K)

Mémoire supérieure :

Nom Taille en décimal Taille en héxa
------------- --------------------- --------------
SYSTEME 196592 (192.0K) 2FFF0
DOSX 128 ( 0.1K) 80
MOUSE 12528 ( 12.2K) 30F0
MSCDEXNT 464 ( 0.5K) 1D0
REDIR 2672 ( 2.6K) A70
LIBRE 880 ( 0.9K) 370
LIBRE 48752 ( 47.6K) BE70

Total LIBRE : 49632 ( 48.5K)

Octets disponibles pour les programmes (Conventionnelle+HMA) : 643296 (62
8.2K)
Taille maximale du programme exécutable : 592640 (57
8.8K)
Bloc maximal de mémoire supérieure libre : 48752 ( 4
7.6K)

1048576 octets de mémoire étendue contiguë
0 octets disponibles de mémoire étendue contiguë
941056 octets disponibles de mémoire XMS
MS-DOS résident en mémoire haute (HMA)

And Nicht, I launched Aitd3 as you told me (no sounds at all, dos window etc.), and this is what I get : "You must install an Extended Memory manager like EMM386 or QEMM". Of course, the game does not run.
You say that ALone2 needs also EMS. I remeber years ago on my old PC, that the game crashed in the middle with the same problem than Alone3 (an "Etage01" type of crash). So maybe I would have the same crash by playing it today, even with VDMS...

So I think solving the ALone3 problem would make me know how to solve a future ALone2 problem... (oh god! why did they make sequels to Alone1??!!!)

Thank you for helping guys, you're great, and I know I'm busing you all !...

Twinsen wrote:

Mémoire conventionnelle:
Total LIBRE : 593664 (579.8K)

That's VERY BAD! As Nicht says, the game want's over 605K! (I've read 592K, but Nicht is expert, so...)

Mémoire supérieure:
Total LIBRE : 49632 ( 48.5K)

This can't be right. Can it?

Anyhow, we can help try to increase these - but we may have no luck.

The reason why AITD2 runs and AIT3 does not is prolly because of less "mémoire conventionnelle" needed, or at least that's my guess.

Well, I remember in 1995 when I bought Alone 3, I had the same problem. But, at that time, I was running under Windows 95 and a "true" DOS did exist...

So I had called the hot line and they had told me to place an "EMM386 line" in the properties of the shortcut. That way, when I launched the game, my PC was reseting, and the game was launched in a DOS mode with a lot of memory.

There must be a way to extend the memory needed in XP so...
God, they should have developped games under Windows and Direct X years ago !!!!!

Or under x86 processor and OpenGL, *heh* (don't discriminate, Linux users like playing games too, helps reduce productivity)

Unfortunately I'm not sure there's much to be done.

Try running "SET" and see how much stuff you've got taking up environment space.

There are three ways you can get more memory:

1) Disable CD-ROM support
2) Disable DPMI support
3) Disable EMS

If the game needs all three of the above then you are hosed.

Cheers,
V.

The game needs all three of the above. 😜

Alone1 and Alone2 work fine in dosbox, try it with Alone3 too.

Originally posted by Twinsen this is what I get when I type MEM /C : Nom Taille en décimal Taille en héxa
LIBRE 592640 (578.8K) 90B00
Total LIBRE : 593664 (579.8K)

Uh-oh... Not good.

And Nicht, I launched Aitd3 as you told me (no sounds at all, dos window etc.), and this is what I get : "You must install an Extended Memory manager like EMM386 or QEMM".

*slaps forehead*
Forgot that the command prompt does not have EMS by default.
Right-click on Properties, click on the Memory tab, then change the EMS setting to "Auto". Click the Screen tab
and change the setting to "Full-screen", then click OK.

So I think solving the ALone3 problem would make me know how to solve a future ALone2 problem...

Let's not invent problems . If it does that later, come back and we'll discuss it.

Originally posted by Schadenfreude That's VERY BAD!

Indeed. Looks like the memory check WAS a good idea. I had not considered conventional memory as an issue because most people with XP seem to have plenty.

As Nicht says, the game want's over 605K! (I've read 592K,...

Actually, if you read all the text from your link, you will see:
...at the DOS prompt. At the bottom of all that comes on the screen, will be a message: "Largest executable program size:" The number beside of that needs to be 592K, or about 605,000 bytes. So I'm guilty of mixing bytes and Kbytes...sorry.

If you try to run the game in Windows, the number you read must be 602K, or about 618,000 bytes.

I was closer on the Windows side...of course they are referring to Windows 9x, not NT.

...but Nicht is expert, so...

*updates Resumě with Schadenfreude's quote*

This can't be right. Can it?

Why not?

The reason why AITD2 runs and AIT3 does not is prolly because of less "mémoire conventionnelle" needed, or at least that's my guess.

It's a very good guess, but I'm afraid you might be right.

Originally posted by Fisu Alone1 and Alone2 work fine in dosbox, try it with Alone3 too.

I forgot that there was a public release with CD-ROM support. However, I will say that AitD3 is at the edge of the limit of what DosBox can run, at least that's true for my 1.7 Ghz Celeron. Twinsen might get better results with a "true" P4 processor. The intro was completely unsynchronized, but the game appeared to run correctly. It did struggle and use 100% of the CPU at certain points. Also, my CD-audio was rather poor. However, It's a viable option now...

Hey guys, I managed to run Alone 3... by chance !
I just went to "Aitd3" VDMS shortcut and checked the properties.
By trying anything I could try, I disabled the joystick emulation, the DPMI support and XMS... and now it works !

Well, it doesn't mean that the game isn't going to crash further, but I think it's a good beginning. Isn't it ?

Just to check, I tried on a friend's computer (quite the same hardware as mine) who had the same problem with Alone3, and the game ran when the things up there have been disabled...

Well, I don't really understand why it works now... maybe the joystick took too much mem !!!... Anyway, 'better not trying to understand sometimes...

All I hope is that the game is not going to crash - again - in the middle !

Very thanks to you all, guys !

Twinsen wrote:

Hey guys, I managed to run Alone 3... by chance ! I just went to "Aitd3" VDMS shortcut and checked the properties. By trying any […]
Show full quote

Hey guys, I managed to run Alone 3... by chance !
I just went to "Aitd3" VDMS shortcut and checked the properties.
By trying anything I could try, I disabled the joystick emulation, the DPMI support and XMS... and now it works !

Well, it doesn't mean that the game isn't going to crash further, but I think it's a good beginning. Isn't it ?

Good, and very interesting. Now two different things come to my mind. First, since the game needs only EMS, disabling DPMI would free a good amount of memory. Your mem listing showed DOSX using some 33K of memory and it should only be loaded if you need DPMI (am I right, Vlad?).

Second, I had my share of problems with joystick emulation in VDMS, so I keep it disabled when I don't need joystick control in the game.

If you are in the mood for some extra debugging effort, you can try re-enabling each of the options and note when the problems happen again, then let us know the results.

Regards,

Okay, I'll do it but give a few days, because I have some exams coming on the next weeks !

What?! Who studies for exams when they can be playing Alone in the Dark 3?!! 😉

Originally posted by Twinsen I just went to "Aitd3" VDMS shortcut and checked the properties.
By trying anything I could try, I disabled the joystick emulation, the DPMI support and XMS... and now it works !

Well that's good. Your lack of conventional memory is still a concern, but I'm not sure if there is much that can be done about it.

Well, I don't really understand why it works now... maybe the joystick took too much mem !!!

Probably so... You had too little conventional memory. Your machine reported 579.8K available. Mine reported 619.1K.

579K is well below the minimum 592K that it requires. Removing DPMI "frees up" about 34K, allowing it to run.

Originally posted by MajorGrubert Your mem listing showed DOSX using some 33K of memory and it should only be loaded if you need DPMI

It's loaded if enabled in VDMSound.

Second, I had my share of problems with joystick emulation in VDMS, so I keep it disabled when I don't need joystick control in the game.

Serial-port sticks that need constant calibration...I've always had a special dislike of them...

Originally posted by Snover What?! Who studies for exams when they can be playing Alone in the Dark 3?!!

The Admin really needs to stop encouraging people to ruin their lives...

Ha ha ! It's not funny guys ! There are lots of games which are better not to be played during exam periods : Alone, LBA, Half-Life, Jedi Knight 2, etc... And God da**ed, somebody just offered me Jedi Knight 2 !... Uh, I want my license...