Old games on XP

[Guest]

Hi,

I bought a new PC last week (P4, 3.2 Ghz) and wanted to install some old
games on it. I know XP has problems with older games (made for Win 95/98),
but in some cases they can run smoothly. I can install them, they run, but
the picture is divided by a black bar in the middle, having the top of the
picture in the bottom and vice-versa. I tried changing the compatibility
settings for each game, but with little effect on the performance. My screen
is set at 1280x1024 pixels.

Are there any ways to adjust the game settings so that they may run in XP?

I have checked a few of the producers' websites for patches, upgrades etc.
but none of them present anything for the particular games. One mentions
(Eidos), that the game was not produced for XP (Tomb Raider 3), but they do
not have problems themselves running it on an XP-based PC.

Thanks!

 

[Chris H.]

If you right-click the link you use to launch the game, then use
Compatibility Mode, it is possible to set not only the "operating system"
for which the game was designed, but the display resolution and number of
colors. It might help the situation.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -

 

[RobertVA]

This sounds like a vertical refresh rate problem. Some video monitors
have a menu system that will tell you what vertical refresh rate your
video card is generating. If your monitor has this feature use it to
determine what refresh rates are being used when you are attempting to
display the games. Also determine what refresh rate is being used when
your Windows desktop is on the screen.

Under advanced display properties you should find provisions for setting
vertical refresh rates for various screen resolutions. You may be able
to get your games to display properly by reducing the vertical refresh
rate for the resolution your game is operating at. Sixty Hz (per second)
should work on any monitor, but most monitors will have a bit less
flickering effect at 70 or 80.

Some video cards have independent size and alignment settings for each
resolution. Sometimes these settings will cause odd effects like split
screen images. Sometimes I have to go back and forth betwen adjusting
the monitor and adjusting the video card to get the proper alijnment and
size for each vertical refresh rate without getting the split image
effect. Again the card's size and alignment settings are under advanced
screen properties.

Screen properties are accesable by right clicking on an open area of the
desktop and clicking properties. Display properties are on the settings
tab. There is a button near the bottom of the tab for advanced settings.
the popup for advanced settings is set up by the video accelerator
driver and may be different depending on the video accelerator brand.