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The screen goes blank, the product crashes or does not run.
Game
crashes or freezes are often caused by incompatibilities between your
computer’s graphics or audio and the game you are playing.
Before proceeding please run the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (DxDiag). This a tool that is part of Windows and the Windows Component (Direct X). The DxDiag will allow you to preview a summary of your computer’s system information, which will help you locate necessary information to resolve this issue.
Instructions on using DxDiag:
- Click Start on your Windows operating system
- Click Run…
- In the text field please type "DxDiag"
- Click OK
Note: Occasionally, you will be prompted with a Yes or No question concerning Microsoft Windows digitally signing your drivers. If this occurs, and your computer is connected to the internet, select Yes, otherwise, select No.
Now,
try these options to resolve the problem:
1. Update your video card drivers.
Video card manufactures typically release free updated drivers every 3 to 6 months to fix certain issues and to add new support for software. The model and manufacturer of your video card can be located under the
Display tab in your DxDiag. Here you will find the model of your video card next to
Name and the manufacturer of your video card next to Manufacturer
Usually, the best way to locate and download the most current video card drivers is by visiting the manufacturer’s website, and searching for your particular model of video card under the support or drivers section.
2.
Update your sound card drivers.
It is recommended that you update your sound card drivers every 6 to 9 months.
If you have outdated drivers, you can typically download the drivers at no charge from the sound card manufacturer’s website.
The model and manufacturer of your sound card can be located under the Sound tab in your DxDiag. Here you will find the model of your sound card next to
Name and the manufacturer of your video card next to Provider
3. Ensure you have the most current version of DirectX installed on your system.
DirectX is a set of drivers from Microsoft that controls the sound
and video displays on your computer. DirectX drivers are required for
many games and utilities besides our products, having the latest version
of DirectX installed on your computer can be very beneficial. Please update your DirectX, restart your computer, and then
start the game. To get the most current version of DirectX, click on this link and follow the on-screen
instructions:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.aspx
Click where it says "Download the latest
DirectX", when you are prompted to SAVE/OPEN the file, choose open and proceed through the installation.
4. Too many programs running.
This issue is often a result of too many processes (applications) running in Windows’ background.
Microsoft Windows XP allows you to have many programs (processes) running simultaneously. Frequently, these background processes will conflict with foreground processes (i.e. computer games). Reducing the number of applications running in your system’s background will help your system’s performance not only when playing games, but when running other applications as well.
To reduce the number of background processes running please perform the following steps:
If you are running Windows
Vista, XP or Windows
2000
- Right click on the task bar at the bottom of your screen.
- Select Task Manager
- On the Processes tab you’ll see all the processes currently running.
- With a process highlighted, select End Task. Dismiss the warning by selecting
OK
- Perform the above steps until the number of processes appears between 20 – 25.
If you are running Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me
- Press CTRL + ALT + Del. A "Close Program" dialog box will appear.
- Scroll down the list and you’ll see all the processes currently running.
- With a process highlighted, select End Task. Dismiss the warning by selecting
OK
- Perform the above steps until the number of processes appears between 20 – 25.
Processes you WILL NOT want to end include "explorer.exe",
"taskmgr.exe", and any instance of the "SVCHost.exe" process.
With your computer’s background processes within 20 – 25, you can attempt to play the game.
5.
Uninstall and re-download your game.
Un-install the game using the un-install tool located in the game’s folder (Start Menu/All
Programs/Game/). Please visit our website to download the most current version of your game.
If the above steps don’t resolve your issue, your computer may not have the correct configuration to run the product. The amount of memory, hard disk space,
video card features (especially with 3D games), and operating system you are running
may prevent you from using your product correctly.
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