Screen Freeze

[Chrislo]

System:
HP 750uk P4 1.6Ghz
Nvidia Geforce 2 Mx400
712 DDR SDRAM
60GB Ultra HD
Avance AC97 Sound
Win XP

Please can anyone help a very mature, and non technical, born again gamer to sort yet another problem in this frustrating game?
I have tried all the tweaks, have loaded the 3.1 Patch, installed Direct X9 and have the latest Nvidia Drivers. The game was running reasonably smoothly, I could live with the few stutters etc, but I am now getting a complete screen freeze, which always appears to happen at the end of a Mission if I crash or bail out!
Just as the Pilot or plane hit the deck the picture freezes, I have to reboot to get out of it.
Has anyone any suggestions as to what I can try? I have reversed the tweaks but it still does it, could it be the latest Nvidia Driver?
Thanks
Chris

[ozzy72]

Chris try installing the no CD patch, this cured the problem for my friend. I have no idea why, but his machine kept going ape whenever it had to access the CD-ROM (mind you his CD drive is rather stroppy at the best of times).

Ozzy

[chrislo]

Hi Ozzy

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply, you will have to excuse my ignorance but what is the 'no cd' patch?
Do I get this from the Microsoft web site?

Thanks again
Chris

[Oso]

I doubt seriously if Msoft would have a sense of humor if you asked them for the no cd patch. This link will automatically start the no cd download from Simviation site.

http://www.simviation.com/files/2cfs/CFS3_31No-cd.zip


BTW Chrislo - I am an old geezer breaking into the game too. So Howdy!

[chrislo]

Hi Oso

Thanks for your reply, I now see the irony in my last enquiry!

I managed to find the 'no cd' download last night but am unable to open it, it says that I have a dll file missing? Have you any idea what I need to do?
I tried downloading the programme twice from 2 different sites but ended up with the same message!

I'm glad I'm not the only 'old geezer' trying to have fun!

Chris

[Professor Brensec]

I had that "ddl file missing" thing happen to me too.

I downloaded the patch again and it work OK 2nd time round.

Hope it does for you.

Delete the 1st patch file from the location you are downloading to first. Don't let the down just "update or replace" the existing one. Delete it and start from scratch.  ;D

[chrislo]

Thanks for that, I will give it another go tonight.

Chris

[bobc1]

Hi Chrislo,

Even with a Radeon 9700 Pro every once in awhile my computer would freeze as you describe. I have a pretty fresh format and clean install of WinXP so I know that it wasn't my OS. Just last week I upgraded my processor from a P4_2.0GHz to a P4_2.6GHz and this behavior has stopped.

If you ever get the desire to further upgrade your computer you could always use a new video card. I have a Radeon 9700 Pro that really helped with my framerates. And I believe you can upgrade your processor like I did to mine to a P4_2.6GHz 400MHz FSB using a PowerLeap PL-P4/N adapter.

http://www.powerleap.com/Products/P4N.htm

It's a simple upgrade. You can see how it's done here.

http://duhvoodooman.com/powrleap/P4N/P4N_1.htm

The PL-P4/N adapter is $49.95 US Funds and the processor is:

P4_2.6 = $239.00 400Mhz FSB
P4_2.4 = $168.00 400MHz FSB

http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductLi ... ode=010408

I'm pretty sure you can upgrade as I said but some other research would need to be done on your Hewlitt-Packard motherboard to make certain.

Good luck.

Alienware Intel D850GB mobo w/P4_1.3GHz 400MHz FSB CPU upgraded to P4_2.6GHz with PowerLeap PL-P4/N adapter
WinXP Pro_SP-1
512MBs PC-800 RDRAM
Radeon 9700 Pro w/Catalyst 3.1 Driver Suite
DirectX_9.0
45GB 7200RPM IBM Deskstar
Creative Soundblaster Live! Value
U.S. Robotics 56K Fax PCI
HOTAS Cougar joystick/throttle
Latest 3DMark2001 SE = 13,930
http://service.futuremark.com/servlet/I ... ectmanager

[chrislo]

Thanks to all for the advice and tips, but I am still unable to open the 'no cd' patch, I have just tried downloading again for third time and am getting the same message.
'Unable to install as COMMON Dll is missing?'

Anyone have any clue what I can try next?

Chris

[chrislo]

Thanks to all for the advice and tips, but I am still unable to open the 'no cd' patch, I have just tried downloading again for third time and am getting the same message.
'Unable to install as COMMON Dll is missing?'

Anyone have any clue what I can try next?

Chris

[Oso]

Just a long shot here Chrislo, please take no offense, I do not know what you do or do not know about Puters.

But you keep saying you cannot "open" the downloads.

Do you have Winzip installed?

It is the prog used to unzip or unpack so to speak, a compressed file. Which is the format the downloads are coming in. If you respond that you do not have it, I will post a step by step on how to unzip and install the no-cd crack.

As for Winzip, if you do not have it. It is at this URL and has instructions for installation. They make it sound like you have to buy it, but you do not. Just download load and use.

http://www.winzip.com/ddchomea.htm

If you do have it, all I can say is that it went in first time for me. I had the Cfs3 3.1 installed prior to trying the no-cd. I have installed several planes and this with no probs. So, sorry, I would not be much help to you after this.

If you need to chat about it hit me up on ICQ# 101846333  As far as waking hours go I am in Texas.

Oso

[bobc1]

Hi Chrislo,

I've installed the no_CD crack a couple of times with and without the CFS3.1 update so I may have things a bit confused. But I just copy and paste the CFS3 icon-looking .exe file into the main directory (folder) of CFS3 and it asks me if I want to overwrite the file and I say "Yes". And it's done. You may want to backup the old CFS3 .exe icon into a separate folder you create and then name to say "OrigCFS3Exe" or something like that.

Did this make any sense?

Good luck.

PS. It's possible that your Operating System is starting to go south on you and your hard drive may need to be formatted and the OS clean installed. Just an idea.

PS. You need WinZip or some other unzipping utility installed so that you can uncompress the .zip file first. After it's unzipped you should get an icon that looks like the CFS3 .exe icon that's in your CFS3 main folder or the Shortcut icon on your desktop minus the small arrow on the bottom right hand side of the icon. Then do as I described above about copying and pasting it in the main CFS3 folder.

[Professor Brensec]

I know what your problem is Crislo.

You get this after you have opened the no-cd patch download, right?



You must be trying to OPEN the CFS3 logo. You don't. You will get the DDL bullcrap.
What you have to do is move this CFS3 logo into the CFS3 main folder (below) after you have taken the existing one out (and saved a copy somewhere away from the game)



Here's how you move it (or copy, doesn't matter, copying just leaves the existing one where it is and moving leaves you with nothing in the original spot)

Highlight the CFS3 logo (usual 1 click, not 2, that tries to open it. Some people have there comp configured to highlight just by pointing at the object and 1 click for opening. I prefer the double click to open). Then hit EDIT, select MOVE TO FOLDER, then BROWSE, then navigate thru your folders to the CFS3 Main Folder (above). Having already moved the existing logo elsewhere (in case you want it later) you just hit OK.

Let me know if you have probs.  ;D

[chrislo]

Just to thank all you very helpful people out there for all the tips and tricks.
I did manage to unzip the file ok, I think my problem is as mentioned by Brensec in the last post.
I will give this a go tonight, so watch this space!

Thanks again
Chris