Arcanum wont run on XP

I recently got Arcanum at a discount store, and I wanted to try it on my XP computer. It installed, and when clicking on the .exe the screen goes blank like it's going to load the game, then it goes back to the desktop. I did several searches online, apparently lots of people over time have had this problem with XP, and with other windows too. I tried all the tips offered in those posts, reinstall drivers, safe mode, different compatibility modes and such. Still goes back to desktop. So, to put a rpg comparison here, is getting Arcanum to run on a computer pretty much the roll of a computer setup dice, if it strikes, then you play, if it doesnt you're shat outa luck?

 

Enable or disable write combining.

Run with -no3d parameter.

Also, UltraVNC's video hook driver can fuck up things

 

Write combining was enabled, I disabled it, rebooted, still goes back to desktop. Tried -no3d same. i dont have ultra vnc installed. Im starting to think this game doesnt like me.

 

same happened to me with the original mass effect. For the hell of it (and because I tried everything else) I set my screen's resolution to the lowest I could and that seemed to fix it. Not really sure why either.

 

It ran fine on my XP computer, and runs fine on my Vista now (in XP mode compatibility mode!). It does not run and did not run, however, under Win98 compatibility :/.

Did you

- disable all background apps before installation?

- patch Windows XP to its latest state (Service Pack 2 and whatever else applies)? Also, did you check the Windows Knowledge Base for additional compatibility fixes?

- Did you do a proper uninstall/ reinstall of both graphics card drivers and DirectX?

- Did you install to the default folder?

- Did you install all available updates for Arcanum (latest official patch & possibly the UAP and Hi-res patch)?

- To the poster above me, I would venture a guess that the lowest resolution for his screen could be 800x600 which is Arcanum's native resolution. Did you try that?

- add both -doublebuffer and -no3d?

- did you have administrative rights during all this?

- tried different combinations of all / some of the things you have done?


If so,

But I can't confirm that getting it to run is pure jeopardy. I got it to run on two completely different setups, both times not under the OS it was programmed for.




edit: well, so much for my wisecracking. I can't seem to get the UAP working properly. At least, the restored race icons aren't used, so I guess something doesn't work right. Got this on two installs. Just from the looks of it, it seems as if on starting the patch setup, the install bar seems to fill up to 50% but nothing happens, only for the other 50% of the bar files seem to get unpacked/ modified. :???: