NWN + Windows 7 + AMD Bulldozer Processor

[Legacy_Zeroark]

                Hello guys! 
This is my first time around here, because I've honestly tried everything and asked everyone I know about this and I haven't been able to fix this, so I think you guys are the only hope left for me u_u ~

Anyway, I've been playing Neverwinter Nights from my Pentium IV since 2004 and two days ago, on Saturday, I upgraded my PC to the next specs:

Motherboard: ASUS M5A88-M
Graphics: Integrated ATI Radeonâ„¢ HD 4250 GPU
CPU: AMD FX-4100 Quad Core Processor (3.6 Ghz)
RAM: 4 GB
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate - 64 bits

Anyway, as soon as I got the PC I installed basic things, such as Antivirus, Office and stuff like that. Just in case this piece of information helps, I installed AVG Security Suite x64 - But I don't think this is the problem, because I also had it on my old PC-

Anyway, you already know my PC, so I'll go to the problem: I Installed NWN normally, no errors, no nothing. Everything went smoothly, so I upgraded it to 1.69. Everything seemed right up to now. I tried running the game... No response. I'm using Raptr, so I got a "You played NWN for 10 seconds" I checked myself, and the process started whenever I ran the game.... But after some time (5 - 10 seconds, more or less) it gets automatically closed. At first I worried about this, so I asked some of my friends that are currently playing on multicore PCs and on Windows 7 how they made it work. They told me to try running the game as an admin, no good. Then they told me to do the same and add Compatibility with "Windows XP SP3", I did so, no luck. Also tried with SP2 and 98, but still.

Later on, I followed this guide, step by step... No luck either, haven't tried the graphics adapter thing yet, but I don't thing it has to do with this, since the Aurora Toolset works just fine (And I'm working on a 100MB+ module...) My last resort yesterday was mounting a Virtual PC using VirtualBox and getting my old PC "Enviroment" on it. I tried, but when the game tried to run I got a "A required security module can not be activated. This program can not be executed." error, and tried this solution, but still no luck. Tried several "random" things as well, but I gave up with this.

Anyway, for now I'm out of ideas... I even tried copying my old PC nwn.ini to the new one but no good either. I'm at work right now, so I wanted to ask you guys for your thoughts to try. Later on, I'll try getting the latest graphic adapter drivers, but as I mentioned I don't think that's the problem. Also, I haven't checked but will also try installing .NET Framework 3.5 (Not sure if installed already)

Thanks in advance for the help and thoughts provided guys >_<
If you need more information, or anything, please let me know and I'll provide anything you need ~
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               I am assuming your former PC config was either running XP or Vista so try disabling UAC and any security software you may have running.  Security & antivirus software is essentially an accident waiting to happen as far as NWN (and many other games for that matter) is concerned.

It seems suspicious (to me anyway) that it ran without gliche until you patched to v1.69 which would lead me to believe you may have ended up with a slightly corrupted DL when you retrieved the patch.  Make sure you use only the Critical Rebuild patch for your particular version of NWN when you apply the patch. If you did DL the CR the try again and try installing THAT copy.

BTW, are you using the Catalyst driver utility in the new installation?
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 12 décembre 2011 - 05:04 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Zeroark]

               Hi! ~ Yes, my former PC was running Windows XP. I'll try totally disabling my Antivirus tonight and let you know (Up to now I just disabled the "Real-Time Protection")

I didn't try playing the game on this new PC without patching the game to 1.69. If needed, I can try this. Regarding the upgrade DL, I use the Critical Rebuild for 1.69 and got it burnt on a DVD that several friends have already used and worked succesfully. In any case I'll try redownloading it, just to make sure.

EDIT: BTW, are you using the Catalyst driver utility in the new installation?
Not sure if using it. I have the Catalyst Utility installed on the PC, but I don't know how to check this. I'll look into this, but if a guide or anything is at hand, please let me know.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Zeroark, 12 décembre 2011 - 05:05 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               

Zeroark wrote...
I didn't try playing the game on this new PC without patching the game to 1.69. If needed, I can try this.

Sry.  Misinterpreted your description of the installation process.  I assumed you tested it before and after patching.

Also, may help (who really knows at this point) to know what version you are installing (i.e. Gold, Diamond, GoG or other DL version, etc.)

Not sure if using it. I have the Catalyst Utility installed on the PC, but I don't know how to check this. I'll look into this, but if a guide or anything is at hand, please let me know.

I am also an AMD (i.e.ATI) user but have no experience with the Catalyst though I have read much about it in this and the legacy forum. There may be some relevant posts still available regarding the set-up vs. NWN but I'd wait until you have eliminated the peripheral issues first.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 12 décembre 2011 - 05:17 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Zeroark]

               

Also, may help (who really knows at this point) to know what version you are installing (i.e. Gold, Diamond, GoG or other DL version, etc.)

Tried Installing NWN Diamond version. I think I also have the "normal" (NWN + NWN SoU + NWN HotU) version available at home, so I can test installing those if needed.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Lightfoot8]

               Have you tried playing it without the Raptr?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Zeroark]

               

Lightfoot8 wrote...

Have you tried playing it without the Raptr?

Now that you mention, no. I'll try killing Raptr proccess once I'm back at home and check it out with the rest of the ideas. Thanks!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_wyldhunt1]

               This may be obvious, but just just to be sure...
Make sure that it's not installed in your programs folder.
Keep it somewhere like C:Neverwinter Nights\\NWN
Win7 UAC tends to break programs installed in the programs folder unless they were made for Win7 because UAC prevents any file from updating or changing in your programs folder.

If you completely disable UAC (As mentioned above), it would probably work in the same way.
Usually, when I get odd errors with programs failing to load in Win7, it turns out to be UAC crashing it because it's trying to update an ini on load or something.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Zeroark]

               

wyldhunt1 wrote...

This may be obvious, but just just to be sure...
Make sure that it's not installed in your programs folder.
Keep it somewhere like C:Neverwinter NightsNWN
Win7 UAC tends to break programs installed in the programs folder unless they were made for Win7 because UAC prevents any file from updating or changing in your programs folder.

If you completely disable UAC (As mentioned above), it would probably work in the same way.
Usually, when I get odd errors with programs failing to load in Win7, it turns out to be UAC crashing it because it's trying to update an ini on load or something.

Hi! Regarding the installation path, I used the default NWN installtion path, which is C:\\Neverwinter Nights\\NWN ... Regarding the UAC, I haven't tested it myself yet. I'll add that to my "To do" testing things, and will let you know the outcome tonight. Thanks for the ideas!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_wyldhunt1]

               As long as it's not installed in your program folders path, UAC probably isn't the problem this time.
As far as I know, it only monitors your critical OS folders and your program folders.
I suppose disabling it would be worth trying if nothing else works, but it sounds like that's probably not your problem.
Seeing as how so many of us don't have an issue with it on Win7 (My Toolset always crashes when I close it, but... I'm closing it anyway) my next guess would be a driver issue somewhere.
I forget the name of it, but there's an executable in the NWN directory that runs the config utility to test your settings for compatibility.
If you can find it, I'd be curious to see what settings it comes up with (Assuming it doesn't also crash).

EDIT:
Oh, and, if you haven't yet, you should download and install the newest DX 9.0c. Win7 doesn't use DX 9.x by default and the version that gets intalled from the NWN install didn't work on my PC. I think Microsoft may have tweaked it to work on Win7. The page lists this versions published date as 4/18/2011
Link:
http://www.microsoft...ails.aspx?id=35
               
               

               

                     Modifié par wyldhunt1, 12 décembre 2011 - 10:36 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Zeroark]

               Regarding the last suggestion, I've already installed this as a guide to Install NWN on Windows 7 Suggested: http://www.microsoft...lang=en&id=9033

In any case, I will also try installing that one. Thanks again!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Lightfoot8]

               Just to make sure.  You are running NWN by the nwmain.exe program correct?  Not the nwn.exe program.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Zeroark]

                Ok guys! Last night I was trying what you suggested and now have some feedback for you:

Lightfoot8 wrote...

Have you tried playing it without the Raptr?

First thing I tried... No luck. I first tried closing Raptr, then I tried closing the process tree associated to Raptr from Task Manager, just to make sure, still no luck.

HipMaestro wrote...
I am assuming your former PC config was either running XP or Vista so try disabling UAC and any security software you may have running.  Security & antivirus software is essentially an accident waiting to happen as far as NWN (and many other games for that matter) is concerned.

wyldhunt1 wrote...
If you completely disable UAC (As mentioned above), it would probably work in the same way.
Usually, when I get odd errors with programs failing to load in Win7, it turns out to be UAC crashing it because it's trying to update an ini on load or something.

Regarding UAC, yesterday I checked myself and the UAC was already disabled from the beginning, so I don't think this is the case. Regarding the Antivirus, I couldn't find a way to "kill" the AVG Process (I tried several things) so the only equivalent thing I could do was to disable every single module (Antivirus, Antispam, Firewall and everything that could be disabled) but still no good.

wyldhunt1 wrote...

EDIT:
Oh, and, if you haven't yet, you should download and install the newest DX 9.0c. Win7 doesn't use DX 9.x by default and the version that gets intalled from the NWN install didn't work on my PC. I think Microsoft may have tweaked it to work on Win7. The page lists this versions published date as 4/18/2011
Link:
http://www.microsoft...ails.aspx?id=35

Tried installing this and I got a "You have a newer DirectX version installed" (Or something like that) so no installation was made.

Lightfoot8 wrote...

Just to make sure. You are running NWN by the nwmain.exe program correct? Not the nwn.exe program.

Correct. Tried both, using the nwn.exe and "Play" option, which will popup the Loader and then the game itself, no good. Then I just went with the nwmain.exe, same problem.

I'm thinking to get a new partition on my disks this weekend and try with XP or Linux, because I'm desperate already, lol ... In any case, thanks a lot for your suggestions guys, I don't know what else to do. The only pending things is updating Graphics Adapter drivers, but I doubt that's the problem. Will update this thread as I keep testing things.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Knight_Shield]

               wubi ubuntu 10.04 64bit will give you 30G hardrive max install with ubuntu..Then loading game with wine .By the time I did that I was close to 28G.

You can shrink win7 leaving what you want.Say you have 500G shrink win7 to 400 ,Then you have 100G for your linux distro.The linux is going to grub the boot menu.Win7 when restarted will say hey somebody has been doing something and it will want to scan(let it scan and all SHOULD be fine).I have not tried this yet.

I think best way is to install a second harddrive.Disconnect your win7 harddrive first.Install your linux distro on second drive.Then when thats working you reconnect win7 drive.This way when computer boots you hit (f2) or (del) could be something else to go into setup and choose what harddrive you want to boot from.

Oh also ran a vm of xp inside linux.It eats up 2.7G of memory.

Have not tried dual booting a win7 & xp .I hear xp should be installed first.

If you know what your doing disreguard my input.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Zeroark]

               I don't really know how to proceed, so your input is highly appreciated. Will try doing the way you suggest!