Quick Start Tab stopped working

[Thund3rb1rd]

I've been playing SMACX continuously since 1999. Hard to believe, but until now, I've never had any problems. Back in September 2015, I ran afoul of the SECDRV.SYS mess, which completely hosed my installation.

Since then, I've put in probably two weeks work trying to get things working correctly again. I've reloaded SMAC and SMAX at least a dozen times on two different Win7 machines. I finally got SMAC working reasonably reliably, EXCEPT FOR the Quick Start tab off the main menu.

The Quick Start tab stopped functioning and nothing I've thought of or tried has got it working again.

I've searched all of the SMACX-oriented sites I can find, and apparently I'm the only one in the known universe having had this problem. It exists on two different machines, one Win7 Home and the other Win7 Pro. Up until I installed the MS patch for SECDRV.SYS, I had no problems on either machine.

HELP!!!

 

[Petek]

Welcome to CivFanatics and the Alpha Centauri forum!

Quick Start is supposed to read your Alpha Centauri.ini file and start a game with the options from that file. Perhaps in the course of all your troubleshooting, the ini file has become corrupt. (If I recall correctly, the ini file might not be deleted when uninstalling the game.)

Try renaming Alpha Centauri.ini. or moving it to a different folder. Start a new game. Doing so should create a new bare-bones ini file. Play a few turns and then exit. Does Quick Start work now? (If you customized your original ini file, you might have to restore those customizations from the old copy. However, I suggest first, if possible, using the bare-bones ini file to test Quick Start.)

If this suggestion doesn't help, what happens when you select the Quick Start button? Any error messages?

 

[Thund3rb1rd]

Greetings, petek. Thanks for your help.

First, thanks for confirming what I suspected - that the data for the Quick Start tab is supposed to be pulled from the .INI file. Except in this case, it isn't.

I renamed the .INI file and ran the game. I input all the parameters and played a dozen or so rounds. As expected, a new .INI file was created with the options I input. I then tested Quick Start using two methods - one by returning to the main menu and selecting Quick Start, and one by completely exiting the game, and then going back in and selecting Quick Start. Same results in either case - no parameters of any kind were read from the .INI file... none. I double-checked the .INI file and all my original parameters were still there. Quick Start just wasn't reading any of them. The game that comes up is completely basic - no options of any kind. Doesn't even remember which faction I was playing.

On a hunch, I checked my event log and found that in each instance of starting the game, I'm receiving a Sidebyside error 33, which results from a version discrepancy in C++. In those instances where I started the game and tried to use Quick Start, I received four errors. The date-time stamp on each error leads me to believe that two came when starting the game and the other two came from trying to use Quick Start.

Normally, I would be all over this, but I started getting these errors back in May 2015, yet didn't start having problems with Quick Start until the SECDRV.SYS mess started in September 2015. I know there's a connection, but haven't figured it out yet.

Any thoughts?

By the way, I love your palindrome. Took me awhile to figure out what it was, tho'.

 

[Petek]

Try searching your hard drive(s) for other copies of Alpha Centauri.ini. I've seen situations in which the info was being pulled from a different ini file. You also could change one of the values (such as DisableOpeningMovie from 0 to 1 or vice versa) to see if the change is reflected in a new game.

(The palindrome is a parody of the classic A man, a plan, a canal -- Panama)

 

[Thund3rb1rd]

Good idea about the duplicate files. I'm so used to DOS doing what it's supposed to do when defining a file path that I don't even consider it anymore. I found three .INI files, but on closer examination, it turned out to be a single file with the expanded and indexed file paths.

I do, however, have distressing news... I think I mentioned I've been testing everything on two machines; one Win7 Home and one Win7 Pro, and getting the same results on each.

Again, on a hunch, I loaded SMAC onto a third Win7 Pro machine that is as close to being "out-of-the-box" as possible. I've only been using it to run BOINC projects, and it has been completely updated through Windows Update. The SMAC is bare-bones version 1.0 right off the original CD, no patches or updates of any kind. The only changes I made were to add WinXP/SP2 compatibility and administrator privileges.

Long story short, the Quick Start tab still doesn't work. It still won't read the .INI file.

I think it's becoming more and more likely that this is some sort of weird Windows 7 thing, although I still can't figure out why I seem to be the only one having this issue, and on three different machines yet!

What do you think?

 

[Petek]

I'm running Windows 7 x64 with the secdrv.sys patch installed. No problems with Quick Start. I keep multiple versions of terran(x).exe on my system. Those that require a CD to be in the drive don't launch; those that don't require a CD work fine. Are you running SMAC or SMAX? SMAC with the Win 2K/XP patch doesn't require a CD. SMAX with all official patches requires a CD. You need one of the unofficial patches to play SMAX with the secdrv.sys patch installed.

What happens if you re-enable secdrv.sys by following these instructions?

 

[Thund3rb1rd]

What is this secdrv.sys patch of which you speak? Are you talking about re-registering secdrv and restarting it, or is this something else?

Anyway, I'd seen those instructions for restarting secdrv on several sites and have tried them using two or three different processes... reloading secdrv, then restarting the machine, then insuring the service is running, and on and on and on...

No matter what I do, secdrv has no effect on the quick tab problem; it just causes other problems that affect the game directly.

On two machines I run SMAC fully patched, and on one, bare-bones SMAC right off the original CD. At this point, I'm holding off dealing with SMACX. I need to get SMAC functioning first.

 

[Thund3rb1rd]

Here's another distressing datum that I've just noticed.

When going through the Game Rules menu, the tab marked "Play with current rules" isn't working either. One wouldn't necessarily notice this if Quick Start were working correctly, because one wouldn't be using that particular menu. My assumption would be that this tab would also be reading the .INI file to pick up the previous rules choices, but it doesn't. The game starts as if no options had been selected at all even though the .INI file clearly includes them.

I'm on my ninth bag of Tootsie Pops since all this started... even the lemon ones! Honestly, who eats the lemon ones?

 

[Petek]

I was referring to the patch (security update) that was described here (same as the link in my previous post). You've clearly already tried that.

I've discovered something unusual. When I start SMAC with the run as administrator option, it reads a different alpha centauri.in file than if I start it without the option. This is probably caused by my having installed the GOG version of SMAC. GOG's version makes changes to the registry, although I haven't figured out why that affects how I start the game. Anyway, using the run as administrator option makes SMAC use the expected alpha centauri.ini. If you haven't been using that option, do so and see if that makes a difference.

 

[Thund3rb1rd]

God, I hate computers! they're just stupid. Fast, but stupid.

Okay. The point about SMAC reading different .INI files was well taken. If a user/.exe logs on without administrator privileges, they/it gets a different DOS path than if they/it have admin privileges. This can be demonstrated by opening a DOS window with the CMD function in native mode and entering the PATH command, then by doing the same except running the CMD function with admin rights. Right away the different paths should be obvious. Makes sense in a convoluted, Microsofty sort of way.

In the process of testing your point about running terran.exe with or without admin rights, I found another slight speed bump. On the machine running plain vanilla SMAC, I started a game but only got as far as entering the profile from the start menu before the grandkids bubbled up. I shut SMAC down and went to do whatever it was that needed doing. When I came back later and restarted everything, on a hunch I pressed the Quick Start tab and it worked!!! HOWEVER, when I entered the rest of the preferences, saved the file, played a dozen or so rounds, exited that game, and tried to use the Quick Start tab again, it didn't work. Hence, my opening sentence above.

Apparently, the tab is reading the "customize" and "custom world" lines, but when the "preferences" and "more preferences" entries are introduced, something goes awry within the program. This holds true even if the .INI file has been previously created.

None of this, however, helps explain why I seem to be the only one on the planet having this issue, and on 3 different computers no less.

 

[Petek]

Hmm ...

Running out of ideas. That's really strange that Quick Start worked once.

See attached bare-bones Alpha Centauri.ini file (I renamed the file extension to .txt to upload it). If loading it doesn't help, search your registry for Alpha Centauri and look for oddball entries. You also could uninstall the game, then search the registry for Alpha Centauri and delete any hits.

You also could try installing one of the unofficial patches. See here for a link to scient's patch 1.0 (there's a more recent version, but v1.0 is the most thoroughly vetted).

 

[Thund3rb1rd]

I used the bare-bones .INI file you sent me. When I first started the game, the Quick Start tab worked flawlessly time after time UNTIL I went to the Start Game menus to load the initial game rules. Then the QS tab worked one more time, then no more.

At first, the tab was obviously reading the .INI file because the display was showing both my game rules and game preferences. After that initial success, nothing.

Personally, I'm out of ideas. I even spent four fruitless hours dinking around with VirtualStore in the hopes that terren.exe was somehow getting confused. However, examining the registry proved that terran.exe was in fact following the correct path.

On a related note, in my travels through the different SMAC/SMAX-related fan sites, I've found a number of suggested sequences for installing SMAC/SMAX. Is there a correct one? I'm given to understand that SMAX updates SMAC through the 4th official update, but at what point does the XP upgrade come in?

Given these four files, in what order should they be installed?

1. SMAC off the original CD.
2. SMAX off the original CD (negates SMACP4V?)
3. XP update v 1.03f (needed for SMAX?)
4. SMAX update 2.0.

I'M NOT surrendering to the Quick Start tab; just beating a temporary attack in a different direction. I'll be back, to quote Ahnold.

Besides, my local Fred Meyers is temporarily out of Tootsie Pops.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Petek]

Hold everything! I now realize that I'm having the same or similar problem with Quick Start. Haven't had the time to sort things out, but there's definitely an issue. I discovered another instance of the .ini file that wasn't found by searching in Windows Explorer. Its location on my system is

C:\Users\(user name)\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri

Files in the "VirtualStore" are supposed to be mirrors of the same file that's kept in a protected folder, such as the C:\Program Files (x86 folder, but something funny is going on. The .ini file in the VirtualStore isn't being updated regularly and this might explain why the game's setting aren't being used by Quick Start.

More on this situation as it develops.

 

[Thund3rb1rd]

There is a HUGE library of comments on the Microsoft site about problems with VirtualStore, which was introduced in Win7. You're right... it's supposed to be a mirror, but it isn't. terran.exe can't update the files there because it isn't in it's registered path.

SOMEONE ELSE IS SEEING WHAT I SEE!!!!

 

[Petek]

My .ini in the Virtual Store is being updated, but only after a lag of many hours. Also, the .ini file is located in the location I gave above, but the file is a copy of the .ini file in my GOG installation (C:\GOG Games\Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri). I know from communications with GOG that they deliberately chose not to install the game in the Programs (x86) folder so they wouldn't have to support the problems it causes.

 

[Petek]

I haven't forgotten about this issue. Other matters are taking up my time right now.

Does anyone (Darsnan?) know of documentation for the entries in Alpha Centauri.ini? Specifically, for Preferences, More Preferences, Semaphore, Announce and Rules?

 

[Thund3rb1rd]

I was sure of that, petek. Nor have I, although the local tootsie pop supply is endangered.

I've dinked around with this enough to be able to reliably replicate the problem.

If I start the program and go through the "start game" menu WITHOUT actually starting a game, the Quick Start tab works flawlessly time after time. HOWEVER, once I make the first game move, Quick Start will no longer function. Pressing the tab after making the first move results in a game file with no "start game" options loaded whatsoever. For example, one of the game options I like to use is having the world map visible off the "customize rules" sub-menu. The Quick Start tab no longer recognizes this option after I make the first move... it simply reverts back to a black map display.

I've also discovered that it makes no differences whether there are any preferences loaded or not. It appears the trigger is actually making that first move.

ADDENDUM: Immediately after making the above entry, I started playing SMAX. I set up my game rules through the 'Start Game" menus and probably cycled through Quick Start a dozen or more times with no problems. Yes, I admit it - I was looking for a setup I liked. Each time, I used the shift-ctrl-Q key set to return to the main menu and the Quick Start tab. However, at one point, I fat-fingered the key set and entered shift-ctrl-W instead. Quick Start immediately stopped working. I'm not so sure anymore the .INI file is the culprit, or at least not one of the usual suspects.

I've also gone ahead and loaded SMAX onto one of my machines... I missed some of the enhancements. This made no difference one way or the other.