CFS1 Game Crashing

[Tko]

Ive been playing CFS1 since 1999 and it worked great on my old PC which was a windows 98. I recently upgraded to a windows XP and i cant play a decent game of CFS1 due to frequent crashes. Everytime i play it in campaign mode or free flight the screen goes blank and a message appears saying Combat Simulator Module has encountered a problem and needs to close. Then it sends the crash data to Microsoft, who never replies or helps, and im stuck. Ive tried re-installing it and even downloading CFS1 utilities from this site but nothing works. Can anyone help me on this issue without me having to waste more time, money and patience?

[H]

I have only recently used CFS1 on the new XP computer (which I basically got so I could again visit SimV  ;)). Since I slaved a hard drive, that I'd had CFS installed on, from one of my old 98SE computers, I thought the crashes may have had something to do with that.
Possibly, it does. There was a change made in the wordpad format used by XP (due to an online vulnerability in its original 98 format). I'm not sure how that might interact with older game scripts like CFS1 (and may not be the reason at all) but I noticed that I could no longer hi-light anything in notepad or wordpad until I rebooted after a CFS1 crash (even though I could succesfully restart CFS1 without the reboot).

[ozzy72]

All the default planes and missions should work fine in XP, however a number of add-on missions and aircraft do seem to cause trouble. There isn't a hard and fast fix for this unfortunately

[DrRedskwirrell]

I've run CFS1 on my XP machine almost every day for the last 2 years and it hasn't crashed once.
I don't use add-ons though* and ozzy's correct saying that could be yr problem.
What add-ons do you have, if any?
Things like TG2 have been upgraded to work with XP and, if you're using old 98 files, you'll have to find the replacements rather than just installing old ones on your new CFS1 installation.
If it's not that, many problems can be cured in CFS1 by a complete un-install and fresh re-install, which it seems to like every now and then.

*Only add-ons I use for my game are the Ark Royal(2), Multi-player Combat Recorder, and RAF662 Gunsights.

[JG57_Rall]

The answers above are all possible solutions, but I have one more possible fix. It seems to me that I remember that I had to grant permission in my XP firewall for CFS1 to work. I may be wrong but it may well work. It won`t hurt to take a look at your firewall and see.  ;)

Ferlin
Aka: _45th_Hank_OB

[Mushroom_Farmer]

Don't know which XP version you have, but XP Pro is more compatible with older softer and more stable. So, you must ask, why is XP home the version shipped with many big box store versions?

[H]

Don't know which XP version you have, but XP Pro is more compatible with older softer and more stable. So, you must ask, why is XP home the version shipped with many bix box store versions?  ;)

So that you'll get frustrated and pay out some more for the Pro version?  ???

[james007]

In my experience it has not been XP the problem but the capability of your PC and it compability to new programs.

In other words the quality of your video card and sound program is the main issue here. If you install newer games in your PC and they came with upgrades for your older video card and sound card then your older games may start crashing when you play with them.

The only solution is to upgrade your PC with new ones or to decrease your game video and sound requirement with in the game.

I had the same problem with my older PC when my son install Roman Total war game in the older PC.

James007

[Tko]

I think it was some of the add ons i placed, i removed some and im playing to see if this works or not.

[DrRedskwirrell]

Good luck with it.
Pity you couldn't get it working while it was still available on the Zone.
The online experience is quite different to playing it as a solo player.
Many of us who became quite good offline were a tad depressed the first time we flew online and realised something of how far we still had to go.
lol

[Tko]

I wouldnt mind playing with any of you guys on whatever they have to play multiplayer with. Im just a die hard CFS1 fan so ill gladly wait to see if there are any more opportunities.

[DrRedskwirrell]

The game still exisits online because of other die-hards, like yourself, not willing to let it go.
You can already find it on Gamespy and Hyperlobby but beware of Gamespy:-
I tried it and the game actually runs very very well. But, the drawback is that you have to install Gamespy. I ran a virus check after I did it and found nine spy/adware viruses. I removed them all and, the next day, three of them were back. It took me another 24 hours to manage to find the root files and delete them all properly.
You can get different install files from them but this means paying them for a subscription.

Individual squads are also arranging meets on their own dedicated CFS1 game servers and there's a new games site just starting up which will eventually host CFS1 although it's still not part of their games portfolio at the moment.
I shall post more details of it when it appears.

[JG57_Rall]

TKO

We at the 45th are flying on gamespy and a few of our guys dont care to fly there so we join via IP. We fly every Tuesday and Thursday night. Guests are welcome and we are accepting new members in our squad. So if you just want to fly or are interested in joining a squad. Checkout our site at:

http://www.geocities.com/the_45th_peacemakers/index.html

~S~
45th_Hank_OB

[DrRedskwirrell]

You could do a lot worse than Hank and his bud's, Tko.

The 45th is a good squad and they're interested in playing many aspects of the game (whereas old soaks like me only dogfight).
They'll help you get to grips with the online quirks of the game as well.

Watch out for Hank though... he shoots first, then giggles while you head for the dirt!

[JG57_Rall]

Hey Doc,

I flew your favorite plane the other day, (Hurricane) and tore up some ponys "gigglin all the while",was fun but I still prefer shootin down them bombers in my 190.  ;D

My aim is getting better thanks to fifties and the JO school. I miss our early mornin lessons, though.

Have you talked with GP lately he started a group chat on msn groups.

Well its good to see your two cents is still available here though.

Contact me on MSN Messenger I have a cool pic of a skwirrel for you.  ;)

45th_Hank_OB