Warzone 2100 Fails to Run on Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit

[Violin]

NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS
Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit with Service Pack 1

I used to play Warzone 2100 2.1.2 without any problem. But recently I cannot play it! Once the program is launched, no window shows, but from the task manager, the process of warzone2100.exe can be seen.
And you see that on Windows, Warzone 2100 create folders under Documents. I tried to remove the folder and launch the program, found that no folder is created, which meant that the program had stuck before creating the folder.
Recently I performed the April's update of Windows and installed some programs. I am not sure what is the cause.
I have tried both 2.1.2 and 2.1.3. Now I cannot play it! I wish to solve my problem quickly. Any clue is appreciated. Thank you!

[Zarel]

Yeah, that's a known bug. If you wait long enough, it'll start, but I think I've seen it take as long as half an hour.

[Violin]

Yeah, that's a known bug. If you wait long enough, it'll start, but I think I've seen it take as long as half an hour.

Thank you!
But could you please explain more or point me to some related materials? Why could I play it without any problem not long before? How can I solve this problem?

[Kaldera]

The folder "documents" is protected by Windows Security features which are "improved" in SP1. Maybe this is the problem.
Try using command line options.
For example: "c:\Warzone\warzone2100.exe" --datadir c:\Warzone\ --configdir c:\Warzone\saves\
--datadir DIR Set default datadir to DIR
--configdir DIR Set the location of game settings and save games to DIR

[Zarel]

Thank you!
But could you please explain more or point me to some related materials? Why could I play it without any problem not long before? How can I solve this problem?

We don't know much about it, except that sometimes it takes a really long time to start, and sometimes it doesn't. It seems to take shorter to start up if you've started it before since the last reboot.

We're trying to fix it, but until then, I guess you just have to wait for it to start.

[Violin]

The folder "documents" is protected by Windows Security features which are "improved" in SP1. Maybe this is the problem.
Try using command line options.
For example: "c:\Warzone\warzone2100.exe" --datadir c:\Warzone\ --configdir c:\Warzone\saves\
--datadir DIR Set default datadir to DIR
--configdir DIR Set the location of game settings and save games to DIR

I think that is not the point. The folder "Documents" is not protected, but "Program Files" is, that's why Warzone 2100 stores your personal data under "Documents".
Thank you all the same!

[Kaldera]

Have red about similar problems in other 3rd-party software. Don't install in "Program Files" !!! Since in Vista SP1 security features are improved only Microsoft certified software will work properly if installed therein (and i believe Warzone will never become certified since its open source)... maybe next patches from M$ will fix some of this problems.

edit: oO a faster typer.
all system directories are protected by this "feature"... so i believe "documents" too.

[Violin]

We don't know much about it, except that sometimes it takes a really long time to start, and sometimes it doesn't. It seems to take shorter to start up if you've started it before since the last reboot.

We're trying to fix it, but until then, I guess you just have to wait for it to start.

It is lucky that I am able to play it on my Ubuntu 8.10.

[Zarel]

Have red about similar problems in other 3rd-party software. Don't install in "Program Files" !!! Since in Vista SP1 security features are improved only Microsoft certified software will work properly if installed therein (and i believe Warzone will never become certified since its open source)... maybe next patches from M$ will fix some of this problems.

edit: oO a faster typer.
all system directories are protected by this "feature"... so i believe "documents" too.

Nah, that's not the problem. It's true that Program Files is protected, but Documents isn't.

[Violin]

Have red about similar problems in other 3rd-party software. Don't install in "Program Files" !!! Since in Vista SP1 security features are improved only Microsoft certified software will work properly if installed therein (and i believe Warzone will never become certified since its open source)... maybe next patches from M$ will fix some of this problems.

edit: oO a faster typer.
all system directories are protected by this "feature"... so i believe "documents" too.

Warzone 2100 never writes into the folder where it is installed in. In order to be compatible with Windows Vista, Warzone 2100 writes personal data into the folder under Documents. So installing Warzone 2100 under "Program Files" would not cause any problem.
The folder "Documents" is not protected. One simple method to determine whether a folder has been protected, is to copy a file into that folder and see whether that operation evokes UAC.
However, Warzone 2100 was not installed into "Program Files" on my machine. And my problem is, with the same specifications and the same system, I could run it not long ago, but now I cannot!
Thank you!

[Thyranim]

Never got this Problem before, so i've downloaded and installed v2.1.3.
Started task-manager and warzone after that to see, whether the task only reads or writes and why it hangs...
starting paramter was

Code: Select all

--configdir "."

And it hangs.... only 1 minute and only on first start, but it hangs...
But I've seen something interessting in the task-manager.
Starting warzone next time, or other version, then it reads about 16 mbytes of data, writes about 100 kbytes and a window appears as it should. Time elapsing about 1 or 2 seconds.
Starting 2.1.3 first time then it reads about 1.700 mbytes before doing anything!

For approval I've deleted the folder, and reinstalled 2.1.3, but was unable to reproduce...

[EvilGuru]

I would love to know exactly what it is read. I suspect it is font related -- most issues we have usually are.

Regards, Freddie.

[Thyranim]

but it annoys me that i'm unable to reproduce the error :mad;

[Violin]

I would love to know exactly what it is read. I suspect it is font related -- most issues we have usually are.

Regards, Freddie.

Now I can confirm it is font related. When it launches the first time since the system boots, Warzone 2100 reads all fonts in "C:\Windows\Fonts". After finishing that, the window of the game shows. Please fix that. Thank you!

[stiv]

Warzone 2100 reads all fonts in "C:\Windows\Fonts"

Just out of curiosity, how many fonts do you have in there?