[EL 1.0888] Game no loads - DirectX Installation Problem. *INFO*

[Raptorrdude]

- Include relevant system specifications:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
- Version of Windows: 20H2.19042.631
- Installed memory (RAM) 16GB
- 3D video card make, model, and driver version: AMD Radeon RX 560X, Acer Specific Version 17.40.6001.3304
- Sound card make, model, and driver version (if audio related problem): Realtek Acer Version 6.0.1.8351
- Describe the problem in detail and the steps necessary to duplicate it, if applicable.

Game doesn't run period. Tried using Windows compatibility mode, running in admin. Nothing. Click it, wait, doesn't even boot.

Tried a fresh install from website. Same deal. No go. Worked before, But i can't go back on Windows update version.

My guess is Windows broke it from running at all with latest update of windows.

[Vice]

A silent CTD on launch is usually just caused by a missing dependency or interference from an outside program (ie security related). If you want to send a msinfo report to me on your system, I can look further into it (no need to send the zipped save game, just the zipped msinfo report): https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/faq.htm#208

In the meantime, you can try the following:

- Check the steps to solve crash solutions here (focus on symptoms #1 and #3): https://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewto ... =26&t=6595

- If this is the Steam version, run the Microsoft DirectX installer here: c:\Program Files (X86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Evochron Legacy\_CommonRedist\DirectX\June2010\ Locate and run the DXSETUP.EXE program in that folder (make sure it's the one in the _CommonRedist folder).

- Extract the 'sw.cfg' file from the attached zip and place it in the save data folder (default location '\Documents\EvochronLegacy\'). It may not be configured correctly for your system, which a msinfo report will help with. But it's generic enough to try some alternate options.

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[Raptorrdude]

Not sure what you mean on Silent load. But it doesn't boot at all, No task manager info. No black screen, etc.

Also with a fresh install of the game from the direct dropbox on Starwraith website download file. Unless the game even boots. There is no Evochron Legacy in Documents.

Even still, I had Evochron Legacy saved on a SD card that i copied since the first time i even downloaded the game (and it worked.). And even That doesn't work when trying to start. No boot, Nothing. Just a run of the wheel icon for a split second, na.

So ether something of the game isn't sensing Windows new update patch in some form of matter. Or Windows basically destroyed Evochron from ever running on it? Because i haven't changed anything from both a Fresh and old file start.

I also even reformated my PC just few days ago to fix a few probs i had, Even from a pure reformat of the PC. It did same deal as above. From Fresh windows install, to after getting drives. Even to blacking my PC out from removing it's internet systems to work just solo and also turning off ALL of windows security systems. (Defender, Firewall, App protection, etc.). Zip notta.

[Vice]

Silent CTD = crash to desktop without an error message (just closes).

The cause is likely one of the ones I listed above. I run the latest Win10 updates on 4-5 systems at a time, including 20H2 with its latest updates as of today, they all work fine with the game. So indeed, something has apparently changed locally with your specific configuration. It may be related to Windows 10 updates, but probably only secondarily as some other element in your system's operating environment may have been altered because of an update in a way to prevent the game from starting.

Again, I'll be happy to review your setup for possible causes if you complete the msinfo steps at the link I posted above. You can also try installing some common runtime dependencies in the meantime to see if those help:

- First, try updating your display driver (sometimes important after certain Win10 updates). The display driver you cited above is pretty far out of date (December 2018) and is two Windows 10 feature updates behind. That right there might cause a game like EL to not launch.

- After updating the display driver to something more current (one after the 2004 Win10 feature update at least), then try running the DirectX installer at the path I indicated above.

- Although they shouldn't be needed, you can also install both of these Microsoft VC++ runtimes manually to see if there's something among them that might help:

VC++ Runtime x86 - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... px?id=5555

VC++ Runtime x64 - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... x?id=14632

But most of the time, the issue rests with a display related dependency (especially if the game never gets far enough along to create the save data folder, indicating a potential display issue on the system). So I'd guess that a more current driver and/or the DirectX installer may help. If not, the msinfo report would be the next best option to go with so I can evaluate the exact configuration and software environment you are running.

[Vice]

On a related note, I'd like to know if your system can launch a Vulkan based game or not: https://www.starwraith.com/arvochalliance/downloads.htm See if your setup can at least launch the free demo for that game or see if it behaves in a similar way. If that game doesn't launch or it provides an error (namely something related to 'vk'), that will at least provide me with another piece of information to go on.

An additional possibility to keep in mind that is some configurations may not do a very good job at detecting when an application or game needs the dedicated/discreet display device on a laptop that has two display devices (one being integrated and possibly much less capable of running a game). In those situations, sometimes you need to point the operating system to the preferred display device for a game. I've run into this with some laptops before over the years with certain display configurations and driver versions. So this might be something else to try:

- To enable the system's dedicated graphics system for the game manually, type in 'graphics settings' in the Windows 10 search box, launch the app by the same name, then browse for the game's executable and select it, then click on 'Options', then select the graphics device you want to use with the game (560X in your case). Once that's applied, try launching the game to see if the behavior changes at all.

Edit: Something else to try, although I don't think it would manifest in a startup problem without a prompt from Windows. Type in 'turn windows features on or off' in the taskbar search field, open the app by the same name, find 'Legacy Components' and make sure 'Direct Play' is checked. Then click 'OK' and try launching the game. Again, I doubt this would be the cause of such an issue, but it's something else to check. Most likely, the issue is with something display or dependency related.

[Raptorrdude]

Arvoch works.

None of your methods work.

Also what more info are you getting from the info i gave, that is different to msinfo? I feel this info has more private info of my pc then should be given.

I can try directx install. But i'll need just the file. Can't get steam to work.


Other then that nothing has worked. So unless you did something recently to improve EL, Maybe that's why it's running on the latest. Unless anyone else on the forums are having similar probs with the recent updates for Windows 10 December systems.

[Vice]

Arvoch works.

Good to know. That indicates the issue must be with either the Direct3D side of the display environment or a module dependency of some kind (one that isn't shared between the two games). So that would narrow the scope of the problem somewhat.

Also what more info are you getting from the info i gave, that is different to msinfo? I feel this info has more private info of my pc then should be given.

More detailed and complete list of driver versions, device makes/models, running tasks, error log, installed programs, and other factors with the operating system environment you are trying to run the game in. A silent CTD launch issue is generally always caused by:

- Outdated or incompatible display device driver.
- Running background security program blocking a game from starting.
- Missing dependency(ies) required for one or more of a game's libraries/modules.

The msinfo report is a way to consolidate the needed info to help determine which of those may be a factor. And such a problem is almost always solvable so long as the system meets the minimum requirements. You are certainly welcome not to send it or parts of it, but that may limit what I can do to help. If you prefer, feel free to contact me via e-mail (starwraith.com > contact) and I can walk you through the steps needed to gather the most important details manually that you can then copy and paste in an e-mail back to me.

I can try directx install. But i'll need just the file. Can't get steam to work.

If Microsoft's own DirectX installer isn't working in that Steam folder, that could indicate a related problem. On a side note, was 'DirectPlay' already checked in the 'Turn Windows Features On or Off' menu, or did you have to check it?

Other then that nothing has worked. So unless you did something recently to improve EL, Maybe that's why it's running on the latest. Unless anyone else on the forums are having similar probs with the recent updates for Windows 10 December systems.

The game's startup structure and procedure has basically been unchanged and running reliably for roughly 5 years now, including up through the latest 2004 and 20H2 updates. So system specific issues/causes will generally need system specific solutions. Since it sounds like you are running on a fresh installation of Windows 10 that probably isn't running interfering security software at this point, my guess is something is lacking for DirectX (especially if you can't even get Microsoft's updater to run) or some other dependency is lacking. So if you contact me via e-mail, I can walk you through the steps to try and get more information that may provide a clue as to what it may be specifically.

[Vice]

Since you say you can't get the Microsoft DirectX installer to work and since the game not launching suggests a problem with missing DirectX dependencies, another idea came to mind involving someone back in April indicating they could not get Microsoft's DirectX installer/updater to launch either (related to 'advpack.dll' reports in the error log). The problem turned out to be altered variables that prevented software from being able to access the temp folder, including Microsoft's own installer(s). And without DirectX being properly installed, the game doesn't have the resources it needs to run. Here is a procedure to check that as well. You can set it back to the old values if nothing changes. So to try this, follow these steps:

1. In File Explorer, right-click on This PC/Computer and click on Properties or navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > System.

2. Click on Advanced system settings on the left panel resulting in a dialog box click on the Advanced tab.

3. Click on the button near the bottom labeled Environment Variables. Note the current values in 'TEMP' and 'TMP' for later restoration if desired. They'll likely say '%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp'.

4. Change the 'TEMP' and 'TMP' values to match your exact user account in the '\Users' folder tree. So it will look like - 'C:\Users\YourUserNameHere\AppData\Local\Temp', apply/save the changes, restart the system (verify the new temp values are still in place if you want to), and then try starting the DirectX installer again.

5. If both fail, try changing the values to 'C:\Temp' and try again. Note any errors along the way.


If the problem continues, we can try the following as well. Although without specifics, it's tough to say for sure what dependencies may be involved (hence, what might be missing, damaged, or otherwise unavailable). So I'm including the links to some of the common ones in case you want to try installing them to test further (you can always uninstall them later, if desired). Try launching the game after installing each of them one at a time. If one of these enables the game to launch on your system, please let me know which one:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... aspx?id=26 (.NET 1.1 redistributable installer)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... x?id=16217 (full SDK runtime installer with additional dependency files, uninstall later if desired if nothing changes)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... aspx?id=29 (VC++ 2008 redistributable installer x86)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Downloa ... x?id=15336 (VC++ 2008 redistributable installer x64)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... px?id=5555 (VC++ 2010 redistributable installer x86)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... x?id=14632 (VC++ 2010 redistributable installer x64)


If nothing changes after installing the last of these, run the system file check using this procedure:

In the Windows 10 search field, type in CMD and -right- click on the 'Command Prompt' app that appears at the top of the search list, then click on 'Run as administrator'. At the command prompt, type in SFC /SCANNOW and press enter. Allow the scan tool to complete, which may take several minutes. It will report any errors or damage it finds and attempt to repair it. Once that process has finished, restart your system and try launching the game again.

If we can pin it down to some kind of missing or damaged dependency, then I can likely formulate a solution in the future for anyone else running into the same thing. If it's related to the display driver or damaged system files, then trying the driver update and system file check above may reveal the cause.

[Raptorrdude]

Ok. Alittle note that might be nice for updating your Direct Dropbox installer next time, Instead of Steam. As some might use just the normal Direct installer method.

Add a DirectX force installer on Evochron Legacy. And any other 'needed' files. Cause if a person fresh installs windows and their GPU or Windows doesn't install it itself, It'd be nice for the game to supply that if it doesn't detect some required files.


But after getting steam to work, And installing 'The Isle' game that supplies 'DirectX' on first boot up. The Evochron Legacy works.

But you normally cannot get 'Evochron Legacy' DirectX file from Steam, Unless you bought the steam version, To download it. Hance why i asked for a Direct Microsoft DirectX file location help. Lol.

Anyways Thanks for the help and hope this can be added in for direct download users from Starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/download.htm files.

[Raptorrdude]

Also Merry Christmas to you and everyone else. Fly safe and Game greatly!

[Vice]

Glad you got it to work. The DirectX installer (along with other needed files) is bundled with both the direct download version and Steam version and forces an attempted install before a first launch. So the inability to run those Microsoft installers appears to be the rootcause. The temp folder environment parameter referred to above may have prevented both from installing (caused/altered by whatever unknown reason(s)) or a prerequisite for the Microsoft DX installers was missing. I'll look into what method 'The Isle' uses to install and see what difference(s) there may be. Thanks for continuing to follow up on this until it got fixed. Merry Christmas and good flying.


Edit: After some reading around the net about the problem of not being able to run the Microsoft Installers (web or DXSETUP), this checklist should help resolve any similar issues for anyone else that may run into the same problem on a new Windows 10 installation or if system files/values are corrupted/damaged in a way that prevents DirectX from being installed or updated. Here is the checklist:

1 - Install the .NET redistributable needed for DirectX: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... x?id=25150 (.NET redistributable installer)

1b - Next, try installing DirectX via either the web installer or DXSETUP. The direct download version of the game bundles the installer, so you can just reinstall the direct download version of the game for this step. If you are using the Steam version of the game, the DXSETUP program is bundled with the Steam version of the game and is located in the '\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Evochron Legacy\_CommonRedist\DirectX\June2010\' folder. If the DirectX installers still won't work, proceed to step 2.

2 - Run the .NET repair utility to look for damaged or missing elements and repair them: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet ... all/repair Once finished, return to step 1b and try again. If the DirectX installers still won't work, proceed to step 3.

3 - Run the Windows scan tool to look for damaged system files. In the Windows 10 search field, type in CMD and -right- click on the 'Command Prompt' app that appears at the top of the search list, then click on 'Run as administrator'. At the command prompt, type in SFC /SCANNOW and press enter. Allow the scan tool to complete, which may take several minutes. It will report any errors or damage it finds and attempt to repair it. Once that process has finished, restart your system and return to step 1b. If the DirectX installers still won't work, proceed to step 4.

4 - Check for altered/invalid temp folder values in system settings: Go to Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced system settings > click on the 'Advanced' tab. Click on the button near the bottom labeled 'Environment Variables'. Note the current values in 'TEMP' and 'TMP' for later restoration if desired. They'll likely say '%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp'. Change the 'TEMP' and 'TMP' values to match your exact user account in the '\Users' folder tree, so it will look like - 'C:\Users\YourUserNameHere\AppData\Local\Temp', apply/save the changes, restart the system (verify the new temp values are still in place if you want to), and then return to step 1b and try again. These steps should resolve any of the more common causes for DirectX not being able to install or update.

Rare/quirky dependency problems like this are one of the reasons I'm motivated to move away from these types of elements going forward (which Arvoch Alliance SE is a first big step in that effort). Something similar may be coming for Evochron Legacy, but there's still a lot of work left to do and testing I need to complete across a wide enough range of system configurations before I would green light such an effort for that game also. If there is a change in that regard, I'll post the details in the announcement section.

[Ohsirus]

Something similar may be coming for Evochron Legacy, but there's still a lot of work left to do and testing I need to complete across a wide enough range of system configurations before I would green light such an effort for that game also. If there is a change in that regard, I'll post the details in the announcement section.

Cool. Fingers crossed.

[Raptorrdude]

Sorry if i sound like i'm dragging this on a bit more. But no the installer doesn't seem to install DirectX or run a check, If it did my 3 fresh windows install With or Without networking, Would've ran the game straight out of the box once it installed (Hance why i had trouble with it even booting.).

Microsoft does have a built in DXsetup yea (But unless you know about it, you gotta also run it yourself, doesn't do it on it's own.), But i just tested and it doesn't seem like a correctly run version that runs smooth. I ran 2 more reinstalls of windows 10 as a test, 1 with this tactic, and 1 running another The Isle installer.

Because another game X4 requires DirectX also to run, And i noticed on the Microsoft's built in DXsetup. It's choppy in X4. But when doing The isle's 2et format. It X4 ran much smoother. I'm not a coder to know exactly what differences are in these two, So maybe this'll help you to pin a more compatible and smoother DirectX system for Evochron before your reformat to Vulcan.


But surely looking forward to this new version of Evochron legacy Vulcan system.

Keep up the great work on your games Vice!

[Vice]

I don't mind the follow ups and appreciate the additional test results and troubleshooting you've done. There does indeed seem to be some quirky dependency, perhaps with particular variants of the DX installer, that seem to not work under certain conditions. After reading around on 'The Isle's' forum, I see where other users have been unable to run the DirectX installer for that game as well (and the game itself won't launch either). Whether the problem involves specific builds of Windows 10 or other factors (affecting one or more dependencies at least), I don't know and it doesn't appear that just using a different installer solves the issue entirely either. It's been a long running mystery why DX installers seem to work just fine on 99.9% of systems and don't on others. But for gamers who have been unable to get it to work with any system configuration for any game, it usually seems to relate to missing or damaged .NET components (hence, the suggested steps I posted above). Certainly a motivation to move away from such dependencies in the future any way

For additional analysis, I'd be interested in the following additional details:

- What specific build number of Windows 10 are you installing with these fresh installs?
- After you install Windows 10, are you trying to run the DXSetup program before or after installing all other successive Windows 10 updates? Or both?
- What is the date and time stamp (including the Microsoft code signing time stamp) and file size in bytes of the DX installer you used with The Isle?
- Did you try the '.NET' installation/repair step(s) above (steps 1 and 2) whenever a DirectX installer would not work properly?

Progress is being made on a Vulkan version, but I'm not quite yet to a point where it's a sure thing. The fact that Arvoch in its Vulkan format works on such a system without various DirectX files (and .NET dependencies) in place is an encouraging sign though.

[Raptorrdude]

For additional analysis, I'd be interested in the following additional details:

(- What specific build number of Windows 10 are you installing with these fresh installs?)

Normally it's whatever Microsoft has supplied on their Windows 10 IOS media tool installer kit. Since my laptop is a OEM Acer with preinstalled windows 10 key built in. I can reformat it any time and it just automatically fits the key down. As what version, It's what i listed in the start of this topic. Unless you're meaning something else, Then i can't really confirm that. I'm done hassling with windows 10 system for the time. But if i ever screw with formating again down the ladder. I'll see what i can pick up. Unless you can give me more info on where to exactly look for this (picture/screenshot would be super handy.).

(- After you install Windows 10, are you trying to run the DXSetup program before or after installing all other successive Windows 10 updates? Or both?)

Before. Being i locked the system off of using network access. So can't really 'update' windows without net. I just used the acer drivers to install, Ran DXsetup and it self installed without net. And i didn't exactly need to run DXsetup on the next install because The Isle provided all the requirements.

(- What is the date and time stamp (including the Microsoft code signing time stamp) and file size in bytes of the DX installer you used with The Isle?)

Uh......not sure what this means. But when you download the 'The Isle' It goes through a first boot up installer to install any optional files required that weren't installed during the normal installer. So it downloads most of the files mentioned above. So again not sure exactly how it works.

(- Did you try the '.NET' installation/repair step(s) above (steps 1 and 2) whenever a DirectX installer would not work properly?)

Unless you're meaning my first DX installer from MS DXsetup, No never tried this.


Also the The Isles startup with this stuff, is not the Beta or Evrima. Though not sure if the Evrima/Beta also includes these files, Haven't tried that.


(Progress is being made on a Vulkan version, but I'm not quite yet to a point where it's a sure thing. The fact that Arvoch in its Vulkan format works on such a system without various DirectX file in place is an encouraging sign though.)

I hope i helped as much then. If Vulkan is anywhere easier for anything. It'll surely be a nice turn around. Etherway. Whenever you feel is right.

[Vice]

Thanks for the info.

(- What is the date and time stamp (including the Microsoft code signing time stamp) and file size in bytes of the DX installer you used with The Isle?)

Uh......not sure what this means. But when you download the 'The Isle' It goes through a first boot up installer to install any optional files required that weren't installed during the normal installer. So it downloads most of the files mentioned above. So again not sure exactly how it works.

This just refers to the origin date, file size, and code signing time stamp of the 'DXSetup.exe' file itself, although I'm mostly interested in the code signing date. For example, the version bundled with the game is code sign dated by Microsoft on 3-30-2011, 11:42:52 AM. To retrieve the code signing date, right click on the file, click on Properties, then click on Digital Signatures, then select the Microsoft entry and click Details.

(- Did you try the '.NET' installation/repair step(s) above (steps 1 and 2) whenever a DirectX installer would not work properly?)

Unless you're meaning my first DX installer from MS DXsetup, No never tried this.

This is what most DX installer problems might relate to. There must be something with '.NET' that is installed a certain way (or not) and/or is altered at some point that interferes with DX installer dependencies. It must be intermittent and impact different versions of installers and/or involve certain specific conditions/configurations. Although I'm not sure it matters much at this stage, if I can collect some info about installer versions and '.NET' conditions, I might be able to test against it to try and determine what might work and what might not. If you do run in to this problem again, I'd give the .NET steps above a first try next time.