AOE II

S

Saqib

I recently got a new computer with XP Home preinstalled. I
loaded AOE II and it ran perfectly about 2 months ago.
After, I suppose several windows updates, security patches
and what not, 2 months after the first time I tried to run
it again.
The screen turns blank and the system hangs up. I try to
shut it down using the task manager (ALT-TAB-DEL) but AOE
program does not end. I have to hard boot the computer to
get around it.
I uninstalled AOE II using its uninstall and reinstalled
it to no avail.
Can someone provide a step by step sure shot solution for
the not so tech savvy. It was basically the only game i
used to play.
Thanks.
 
J

Jimmy S.

Hi Saqib,

The most common causes for that problem can be solved with
these five steps. If the problem persists after you've tried these,
please post back and we'll try some more solutions. Good luck! :)

1. To see if it's a software conflict: Temporarily disable Startup
programs one at a time, starting with Firewall, Antivirus, and ad
blockers using: http://new.jtsoft2001.com/windows/startup.php

You can lookup what a program does before you disable it here:
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_pages/startup_full.htm

2. Run a virus scan at: http://housecall.antivirus.com Afterwards
Download & Run Spybot from: http://security.kolla.de to find any
Trojans, Adware, or Spyware which could clog up your system.

3. Click My Computer / Rightclick the Drive & Choose Properties
/ Run the "Disk Cleanup..." / Next Click the "Tools" Tab and run
the "Error-Checking" and "Defragmentation" utilities.

4. Go to the Windows Update site for everything under Critical and
Recommended: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

5. Update DirectX and your Chipset, Sound, &Video Drivers:
For all Video / DirectX / Game and Hardware Issues, I have a
Checklist of Solutions at: http://NibblesNbitsVideo.tk

--
Cheers, Windows XP MVP Shell / User
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Game FAQs: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite: http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
MS Support at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=sz;en-us;top
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

| I recently got a new computer with XP Home preinstalled. I
| loaded AOE II and it ran perfectly about 2 months ago.
| After, I suppose several windows updates, security patches
| and what not, 2 months after the first time I tried to run
| it again.
| The screen turns blank and the system hangs up. I try to
| shut it down using the task manager (ALT-TAB-DEL) but AOE
| program does not end. I have to hard boot the computer to
| get around it.
| I uninstalled AOE II using its uninstall and reinstalled
| it to no avail.
| Can someone provide a step by step sure shot solution for
| the not so tech savvy. It was basically the only game i
| used to play.
| Thanks.
 
G

Guest

Pretty much tried everything here and no result. The only thing i can think of is to try and use restore point back to when i got the computer and know that AOE II was working but that is not a happy solution. I have internet access and it may revert my settings...
are there any suggestions out there beyond the generic steps? thanks
 
J

Jimmy S.

Hi,

Yes, there's a possible solution. Delete some of the latest
Security updates via Control Panel / Add - Remove programs,
in particular KB810217 might have caused that problem, so
remove that update before you remove any others. Good luck!

--
Cheers, Windows XP MVP Shell / User
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Game FAQs: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite: http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
MS Support at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=sz;en-us;top
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

| Pretty much tried everything here and no result. The only thing i can think of is to try and use restore point back to when i got
the computer and know that AOE II was working but that is not a happy solution. I have internet access and it may revert my
settings....
| are there any suggestions out there beyond the generic steps? thanks
 
G

Guest

Hi Jimmy, thanks for you help. That did not work.A couple
of questions:
1. When the system freezes the program i am unable to
shut down via CTRl-ALT-DEL is Empires2.icd. Does that
mean anything? I can't end that program. After the
hardboot sometime the system also slows and when I try
to 'restart' it says DDE server not responding. After the
2nd reboot the system works ok.
2. Are all the updates part of the add/remove program?
There was a emachines program called BigFix on the
machine which alerted and made updates from windows for
patches. Are the programs i got thru this also in the
add/remove? It might be easier to take out all the
patches from the add/remove than to restore, which i am
hesitant to do.

Thanks.
-----Original Message-----
Hi,

Yes, there's a possible solution. Delete some of the latest
Security updates via Control Panel / Add - Remove programs,
in particular KB810217 might have caused that problem, so
remove that update before you remove any others. Good luck!

--
Cheers, Windows XP MVP Shell / User
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Game FAQs: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx? scid=FH;[LN];gms
Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite:
Click to expand...
http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
MS Support at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx? scid=sz;en-us;top
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

news:7431CDD8-F414-40D8-BCB8- (e-mail address removed)...
| Pretty much tried everything here and no result. The
Click to expand...
only thing i can think of is to try and use restore point
back to when i got
the computer and know that AOE II was working but that
Click to expand...
is not a happy solution. I have internet access and it
may revert my
 
J

Jimmy S.

Hi Saqib,

Item 1 is most likely due to you having installed the .NET
package from Windows Updates. This isn't essential, and
you can remove it if it's listed in your add-remove programs
list. You can look up each kb number on that list at:
http://search.microsoft.com/search/search.aspx?st=b&View=en-us

I'm not familiar with BigFix. Unless the folks that provided
that software provide support for it as well, I wouldn't use it
unless of course it's easy to use, and makes removing these
updates easier. Personally, I would use a restore point instead.

--
Cheers, Windows XP MVP Shell / User
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Game FAQs: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite: http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
MS Support at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=sz;en-us;top
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

| Hi Jimmy, thanks for you help. That did not work.A couple
| of questions:
| 1. When the system freezes the program i am unable to
| shut down via CTRl-ALT-DEL is Empires2.icd. Does that
| mean anything? I can't end that program. After the
| hardboot sometime the system also slows and when I try
| to 'restart' it says DDE server not responding. After the
| 2nd reboot the system works ok.
| 2. Are all the updates part of the add/remove program?
| There was a emachines program called BigFix on the
| machine which alerted and made updates from windows for
| patches. Are the programs i got thru this also in the
| add/remove? It might be easier to take out all the
| patches from the add/remove than to restore, which i am
| hesitant to do.
|
| Thanks.
| >-----Original Message-----
| >Hi,
| >
| >Yes, there's a possible solution. Delete some of the
| latest
| >Security updates via Control Panel / Add - Remove
| programs,
| >in particular KB810217 might have caused that problem, so
| >remove that update before you remove any others. Good
| luck!
| >
| >--
| >Cheers, Windows XP MVP
| Shell / User
| >Jimmy S.
| http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
| >
| >Game FAQs: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
| scid=FH;[LN];gms
| >Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite:
| http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
| >MS Support at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
| scid=sz;en-us;top
| >My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I
| confer any rights.
| >_________________________________________________________
| >
| > | (e-mail address removed)...
| >| Pretty much tried everything here and no result. The
| only thing i can think of is to try and use restore point
| back to when i got
| >the computer and know that AOE II was working but that
| is not a happy solution. I have internet access and it
| may revert my
| >settings....
| >| are there any suggestions out there beyond the generic
| steps? thanks
| >
| >
| >.
| >
 

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