Error loading ZH or Generals

[trunkskgb 0]

Ok, I'm getting this error that I never got before and it's quite annoying. See screen shot below...

 

This will be the first time running it on my new PC and my new PC specs are...

 

 

Processor:

Intel® Core i7 CPU 930 @ 2.80GHz

Memory:

6144MB RAM

Video Card:

ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series

Operating System:

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.100618-1621)

 

It says that my PC is overhearing but that is far from true. Any thoughts on this?

 

 

[rSquar3d 0]

Try running it either in administrator mode, or in compatibility mode, Windows XP Service Pack 2. That usually does the trick with games.

[Plok 319]

This window also appears if there is a mod installed with an error so big that the game won't launch

[Tore 33]

This seems like the all common "I can't create the data folder in my documents" error. This one is easily fixed by extracting the attached file into the documents folder.

Command_and_Conquer_Generals_Zero_Hour_Data.rar

Edited December 28, 2010 by Tore

[trunkskgb 0]

I'm running it in compatibility mode, and as an Administrator, so I don't think that's the problem.

 

As far as the Data folder not being created, I found the fix for there HERE on this forum. It wouldn't even launch the game until I created that options.ini file and set my resolution.

 

Also, I DID have the the Tiberium Redux mod installed and that gave me the same error as I am getting now, so I uninstalled that, and uninstalled ZH and Generals and tried to start from scrated. I am still getting this error. Would be something simple as a resolution error?

 

I'm going to run some more tests on this tonight.

 

PS: My resolution is set to 1600 900 because I have a wide screen monitor. When I filled out the options.ini that's the resolution I entered. I notice however after launching the game and going into the options menu, it' still set at 800 600. Weird huh? I thought if I exited the game, set my desktop to 800 600 and THEN tried it, it would fix it. It didn't, it must be a bad file from that Tiberium Redux, but I deleted all the folders! o.0

Edited December 28, 2010 by trunkskgb

[rSquar3d 0]

I'm not so sure about this next suggestion, but maybe it's with your copy of Generals. Or overheating, it may be possible, depending on the number of fans your PC has and the weather where you're living. Meh, I really have no other suggestions, since I cannot test on my PC (I'm running a Win7 Ultimate Edition 64 bit on specs way different from yours).

 

I'm not so sure about this next suggestion, but maybe it's with your copy of Generals. Or overheating, it may be possible, depending on the number of fans your PC has and the weather where you're living. Meh, I really have no other suggestions, since I cannot test on my PC (I'm running a Win7 Ultimate Edition 64 bit on specs way different from yours).

[Plok 319]

Or overheating, it may be possible, depending on the number of fans your PC has and the weather where you're living.

Overheating to measures so great that you can't play a 2003 game on such a computer is totally out of the question. You didn't read the error at all. It always says that errors may come from viruses, overheating software, etc., but none can affect ZH nowadays.

 

Is that Generals/Zero Hour patched to the latest version, and is it legit?

[rSquar3d 0]

It is in the realm of possibility. And I did experience that before. Never assume that something is impossible.

[Plok 319]

It is in the realm of possibility. And I did experience that before. Never assume that something is impossible.

Yes, we've all experienced overheating, but only with those games our computers can barely run on minimal detail. This summer I've pretty much tortured my PC with StarCraft II and hi-detail Kane's Wrath. But that is only because I don't have an air conditioner at home, while everyone else has one.

 

Overheating on 7 almost 8 year old games on a computer with 2,8 GHz and 6 GB RAM, as trunkskgb has, is impossible. Plus, that error window is written like that for people who don't know what to do when the game crashes. Viruses and overheating hardware are only implied to be the cause, but no viruses specifically effect generals.exe or generalsZH.exe, and overheating is possible only if you can hear your PC moan. I've had dealings with that error window before, but those errors turned out to be only wrongly written mod stuff.

 

@trunkskgb, did you make sure you manually deleted all Tiberian Dawn Redux files from that folder? If not, you may have put the game in the same directory as you did before, along with left-over files from the mod.

Edited December 30, 2010 by Plokite_Wolf

[rSquar3d 0]

No need to hear the PC moan... And for the virus, well. there's one that can affect all exe files (but not all at the same time, but at random), Sality. It doesn't outright kill all exe files, but it kills enough to necessitate either a full reformat (of all partitions), or a manual MS-DOS deletion (unless you have an anti-virus that cleans everything, including the boot-sector, accessible only through MS-DOS, before Windows boots up).

[Tore 33]

The "serious error" message is mostly due to either the data folder issue, corrupt files or a mod conflicting with another mod.

 

(unless you have an anti-virus that cleans everything, including the boot-sector, accessible only through MS-DOS, before Windows boots up).

 

MS-DOS? What are you talking about? All modern versions of Windows are based on NT not DOS, maybe you are confusing the Command-line (CMD) and DOS?

 

Tiberium Redux

 

Why are everyone calling Tiberian Dawn Redux for Tiberium Redux?

[rSquar3d 0]

No, no, I am not talking about which basis. I'm talking about accessing the boot sectors of the drives, which is where Sality and some other viruses reside.

[Nyerguds 100]

And Tore is just saying that on modern Windows there is no MS-DOS before Windows boots up. At all. Last one that had that was Win98.

[rSquar3d 0]

Hm? Then how do you do it? I mean, remove boot sector virsues manually?

[Plok 319]

And Tore is just saying that on modern Windows there is no MS-DOS before Windows boots up. At all. Last one that had that was Win98.

Actually, you can call it up while loading the OS by hitting F8 like a maniac until it shows up

[Nyerguds 100]

That's not DOS, that's NT before it loads its GUI. Text mode isn't the same as DOS.

[rSquar3d 0]

AAAARGH! Now I'm just confused. Can anyone explain what the interface that is used before Windows boots up is called? And am I right in assuming that it is the one being used to access and clean boot sectors of viruses?

>.<

[Plok 319]

I think we're steering a bit too much away from the initial meaning of this topic. If trunkskgb has an antivirus with an active protection service (like Symantec Endpoint Protection), then he couldn't have Sality (who knows how old that virus is?). If he doesn't, than he is pretty much on his own now, presuming he has Sality. MS-DOS and NT are not the same, story ended.

 

trunkskgb didn't answer to any of our possible solutions, so maybe it's best that we wait until he says: did he manually delete all mod files, or if not - did he install Generals in the same directory as before; is Generals patched to 1.08 and ZH to 1.04; is the game legit.

 

Also, you might want to take a look at this little guide written by Johnnyxp64

Edited December 31, 2010 by Plokite_Wolf

[trunkskgb 0]

Ok, here's what's been going on recently.

 

I deleted everything, and started from scratch and it still gave me an error. I then remembered that "another" folder is created in the Application Data folder where data is stored. I deleted that, and Generals worked. The patches I have for my games are from the original Westood FTP site that I have saved on my external storage device from years ago. They are legit. After I had Generals working, I played it for a few days using fan made maps. Bay of Pigs 2 to be exact. I then got bored with that, so I installed Zero Hour. I launched the game, and I got in. I made it all the way to the skirmish mode where you pick bases and colors and everything. I said to myself that it works, and I exited the game. The VERY next time I launched ZH, I got that error again just after the loading screen after the EA movie, and the opening intro.

 

What is going on here? Could it be related to the fan maps? I will try another clean start again soon.

 

PS: My pc does not over heat, I have 7 fans and I have a program running that monitors temperatures and fan speeds. It's not my machine lol.

[Plok 319]

Fan maps can't have anything to do with those errors. All changes made on those maps STAY on those maps. They do not effect the game itself.

Try installing both Generals and Generals Zero Hour on different directories than before (I hope you know that Zero Hour needs a separate directory, apart from the vanilla Generals)

[Citrus94 0]

hey there, i know this reply is very late haha, im having exactly the same problems, and about the overheating issue, its not my laptop overheating, but the cooler my laptop, the more of a chance i have of my game running hahaha, dont ask why, i havent found any solutions to this yet, my zero hour is on 1.4 or 04, something like that and i have bought it from retail, not cracked either, with no mods, i dont have a solution to this, but im only posting to share my experience and hope that when u find your solution, you can share too.

Personally i would go back to my old computer, its os was vista, but recently the motherboard stopped working and i havent had the money to buy a new one, this current computer is windows 7, and i know for a fact that zero hour isnt working because of the OS, on my vista, i had no problems, and every since getting this laptop, with 7, most of my games have stopped working, or not worked very well at all, i believe it has something to do with its compatibility, games like GTA4 and Fallout 3 aren't working on this computer as they were on my old one, and this laptop could run 20million circles around my old one before the old one would know whats happening its that much more powerful.

but yeah, im here posting to shed some light and hope to find a solution too

[Plok 319]

This may very well be the thread for you. http://forums.cncnz.com/index.php?showtopi...t=0&start=0

[General Recon 0]

Have you set compatbillity mode to Window XP SP3?

[Citrus94 0]

you want to know something funny , wolf i visited that site earlier today haha, still didnt work, thanks anyway hey

and yes, ive tried like every os you can run in compatibility mode haha, windows 7 fails so bad hey, they really need to redo XP like EA should redo Generals haha

[Doctor Destiny 41]

All of my games work fine on Windows 7 and I'm talking games from back in the day. I got Tib Dawn and Red Alert working on 7, but that was 32-bit rather than 64-bit. I know some games rely on full administrator permissions before they can run properly. May need to set Run as Admin on the game executable, and see if that helps any. Because, to be honest, it's not the OS that won't run the games... it's something else.