PTW Error

[The 777 Hoax]

I have two computers at my house, and on this one, the game works fine. However, when I attempt to play PTW on my other computer, it won't work. I am allowed to pick the map settings and my civ, but when I attempt to begin the game, it says that there is an error and PTW needs to close. I hate those errors! They aren't specific at all!

Help.

 

[CommandoBob]

On the bad computer, what are its specs? Is it fast enough to run PTW? Does it have enough RAM?

 

[ainwood]

Best bet for that is a reinstall, and making sure you've got the patches.

 

[The 777 Hoax]

On the bad computer, what are its specs? Is it fast enough to run PTW? Does it have enough RAM?

That's what's weird about it. The computer is wonderful. I don't have the specific stuff right now, but it's an amazing computer.

 

[O.H.Dog]

The problem is one of the April Microsoft updates. I think it is (KB908531) MS06-015, but it could also be (KB911565) MS06-005

There is no question that it is Microsoft's fault. I tried removing all the April updates, and was able to play just fine for about eight hours. I just tried putting some of them back, and I get the exact same failure.

It is not MS06-013, which causes a different kind of crash, and it is not MS06-016. I get the crashes with both of these patches removed. It is probably not MS06-014 as I was able to play all night with that installed.

I am looking for a work around.

Warning: these are security patches so if you do not have them, you must not use Internet Explorer. (Firefox is just fine.)

 

[O.H.Dog]

It appears there may be an undocumented problem with Microsoft April patches. I originally installed them out of order, not in the order that they would have been automatically installed.

When I installed MS06-015 last, the problem seemed to have gone away. At least, I have played for two days with no crash.

The trick seems to be to:
download compatibility fix KB917425
uninstall Microsoft patches
KB911567
KB911565
KB912812
KB908531
(Ignore the warnings that various random programs may no loger work.)
reboot
reinstall the patches in this order:
KB911567
KB911565
KB912812
KB917425
reboot
KB908531
Run windows update to verify that you have all the patches.

Please post an update if this did not work.

 

[The 777 Hoax]

Um, the other computer doesn't have the Internet so it hasn't had any of those updates...

Thanks though.

 

[conquer_dude]

I would try reinstalling it.

 

[O.H.Dog]

Um, the other computer doesn't have the Internet so it hasn't had any of those updates...

Thanks though.

That is very insteresting. Some of the many Microsoft patches included bug fixes. Do you have Service Pack 2? Pperhaps I should first ask: are you running Windows XP?

Certainly, as others have suggested, reinstalling the game might help.

BTW. For anyone interested: The air gap is the best known firewall. You can run without security patches so long as you stay with known good commercial software, and NEVER conect to the internet. Even Windows 95 is safe in that case.

 

[The 777 Hoax]

It's Windows ME.

 

[O.H.Dog]

I don't know much about Windows ME. The manuals for Civ III and Civ III Complete say it should work. Maybe someone using ME can advise you.

 

[The 777 Hoax]

Also, if it helps anyone, Vanilla works fine. I only have problems with PTW.