Installed New HD: EA MLB Now Won't Run Anymore. Suggestions Please?

[Bob]

Hello:

Had to replace the HD in my son's PC, which runs XP.

When I replaced his HD, I (believe) I also installed the latest
version of
DirectX.

Apparently, he now cannot play one of his EA (Electronic Arts) games
anymore.
It worked fine with the original HD (also XP based)

I live a fair distance away, so it makes it kind of difficult to
diagnose
these sorts of problems on his; would be most appreciative for any
help that
we can try via phone with him to resolve this.

The game in question is Electronic Arts MLB (I think 2003 vers.)

Also, I run W98 on my PC, and really don't know too much about XP.

For information, one comment I read was:

" The problem is the installer. EA apparently used
InstallShield to
create the installer (typical) and coded the installer to fail if a
*unicode* version of DirectX (both Windows 2000 and XP are
unicode-based) is
detected.
You may have to use *Compatibility Mode* for the install,
selecting
Windows ME as your emulation target). Surprisingly, NFS: High Stakes
(which,
like all recent EA games for the PC, uses Direct3D, not OpenGL) does
*not*
have this problem. "

My questions are:

a. Since it ran before under XP, is it likely there was an older
Direct X
installed ?
If so, any way of (just) having this game use an older DirectX
version ?

**How ?

b. How (exactly please) does one get into this Compatibility Mode to
change things, such as the emulation mode mentioned above ? When?

**Is it done during the initial install of the game program, or
just
when one is about to play the game ?

Details would really be appreciated, as I know nothing about doing
this,
and am a real newbie with PC's and XP.

(The game has 2 CD disks: you start it with one, and then it
immediately asks you to insert the second. So, I guess, but don't
really know, that there probably isn't too much of the game program
truly resident on the HD)

c. I know on y W98 PC there is a "RUN" box available.
I seem to remember that this allows you to run DOS based programs
directly.

Anything to try here to get the game to run ?
If so, what would I type: the name of the .exe for the program
?

Any other thoughts would be most appreciated.

Much thanks,
Bob

 

[Jimmy S.]

Hi Bob,

I advise to first update DX and system drivers, then install the
game again. If it fails, use the Compatibility options. Step by
step information is provided below. Hope it helps your son Bob!

=============================================================
UPDATE DX + DRIVERS:
=============================================================
Updating video card drivers can solve most gaming issues.

* Shut DL accelerators, firewalls and antivirus programs off while downloading or installing.
Also, check the game's website before continuing in case they released a new patch/update!

Before you update your drivers, I recommend that you install DirectX 9.0b:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/9/c/c9c8a1d4-7690-4c98-baf3-0c67e7f3751f/dx90b_redist.exe

Here are the steps I recommend you use to update your driver:

1. To identify the make and model of your card, right click your
Desktop, choose Properties / Settings / Advanced / Adapter.

2. Download the latest video driver for your card online, using
http://www3.sympatico.ca/nibblesnbits/Video.html#drivers
to find the website to download from. I also have advanced
video driver and direct X troubleshooting steps on that page.

3. Save the .exe driver (or uncompress the zip file) to a folder
in My Documents named after the driver version number.

4. Restart the computer in Safe Mode by pressing the F8 key
about once every second as it's rebooting to pick Safe Mode.

5. Click Start / (settings) Control Panel / System / Hardware
Device Manager / expand +Display Adapters / right click on
the adapter, pick "Uninstall", and click No if asked to reboot.

6. Use Control Panel / Add-Remove programs to uninstall the
previous driver (exe)software which may have been installed.

7. Restart the computer in Safe Mode by pressing the F8 key
about once every second as it's rebooting to pick Safe Mode.

8. If the driver is a (exe)program file, GO DIRECTLY TO step 10.

9. When Windows prompts you to install the video adapter, click
"Install from a list or specific location", click the "Browse" button,
browse to the My documents folder where you saved the driver,
and finally click on one of the driver files to begin installation.
Skip step 10 and go directly to step 11.

10. When Windows prompts you to install the video adapter, click
"Cancel" and Double click the driver program to begin installation.

11. After you reboot, go to Control Panel / Display / Settings and
choose 32 bit Color Quality, and 1024x768 Screen Resolution.

TROUBLESHOOTING:

Test your drivers using DXDiag: Click Start / Run / type: DXDIAG
Click the "Test" buttons in the Display, Sound, Music & Network Tabs;
If any of the Display options are Disabled and you cannot Enable them,
your most likely solution would be to update your Chipset Drivers as per:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/nibblesnbits/Video.html#v11

Along with your Video card, Sound Cards, Motherboard Chipsets,
and Video Monitors may also require updated drivers. Even your
motherboard's BIOS may need to be updated for compatibility with
your Video card. These steps are listed at: http://NibblesNbitsVideo.tk

Perhaps the old Nvidia drivers did not completely uninstall. If that's the
case, use this utility to completely uninstall the drivers and go to step 7:
http://content.guru3d.com/index.php?page=detonatorrip&menu=0

The latest video drivers sometime don't work with a particular game.
(Check the Video suggestions in the readme.txt file in your game folder/CD)
If there's no suggestions, try an older (WHQL) driver, and/or if you still
experience problems try a Beta driver, or even an Omega driver instead:

BETA Drivers: http://download.guru3d.com/
OMEGA Drivers: http://www.omegacorner.com/

==============================================================
COMPATIBILITY MODE:
==============================================================

To install a program using Windows XP's Compatibility Mode, hold
down SHIFT as you insert the game CD, use My Computer to browse
to the setup program, and then skip down to step 1 in the list below:

To run an installed program using Windows XP's Compatibility Mode,
first right click the program and "Send To..." / Desktop (create shortcut).

1.. Right click on the shortcut to the program.
2.. Click on Properties.
3.. Click on the Compatibility tab.
4.. Click on Run this program in compatibility mode and select one of these:
a.. Windows 95
b.. Windows 98
c.. Windows NT 4
d.. Windows 2000
5.. Under Display settings, check mark the mode that you think that is best:
a.. Run in 256 colors.
b.. Run in 640 X 480 screen resolution.
c.. Disable visual themes.

Click on Apply.Click on Ok.Double click on the program.

For more details please review the source at:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=292533

--
Cheers,
Jimmy S.

Additional Support Resources: My Zone.com Helpsite: http://nibblesnbits.tk
Microsoft Online Tech Support: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=376
Game FAQ's: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

| Hello:
|
| Had to replace the HD in my son's PC, which runs XP.
|
| When I replaced his HD, I (believe) I also installed the latest
| version of
| DirectX.
|
| Apparently, he now cannot play one of his EA (Electronic Arts) games
| anymore.
| It worked fine with the original HD (also XP based)
|
| I live a fair distance away, so it makes it kind of difficult to
| diagnose
| these sorts of problems on his; would be most appreciative for any
| help that
| we can try via phone with him to resolve this.
|
| The game in question is Electronic Arts MLB (I think 2003 vers.)
|
| Also, I run W98 on my PC, and really don't know too much about XP.
|
| For information, one comment I read was:
|
| " The problem is the installer. EA apparently used
| InstallShield to
| create the installer (typical) and coded the installer to fail if a
| *unicode* version of DirectX (both Windows 2000 and XP are
| unicode-based) is
| detected.
| You may have to use *Compatibility Mode* for the install,
| selecting
| Windows ME as your emulation target). Surprisingly, NFS: High Stakes
| (which,
| like all recent EA games for the PC, uses Direct3D, not OpenGL) does
| *not*
| have this problem. "
|
| My questions are:
|
| a. Since it ran before under XP, is it likely there was an older
| Direct X
| installed ?
| If so, any way of (just) having this game use an older DirectX
| version ?
|
| **How ?
|
| b. How (exactly please) does one get into this Compatibility Mode to
| change things, such as the emulation mode mentioned above ? When?
|
| **Is it done during the initial install of the game program, or
| just
| when one is about to play the game ?
|
| Details would really be appreciated, as I know nothing about doing
| this,
| and am a real newbie with PC's and XP.
|
| (The game has 2 CD disks: you start it with one, and then it
| immediately asks you to insert the second. So, I guess, but don't
| really know, that there probably isn't too much of the game program
| truly resident on the HD)
|
| c. I know on y W98 PC there is a "RUN" box available.
| I seem to remember that this allows you to run DOS based programs
| directly.
|
| Anything to try here to get the game to run ?
| If so, what would I type: the name of the .exe for the program
| ?
|
| Any other thoughts would be most appreciated.
|
| Much thanks,
| Bob