Getting I-War to work on modern computers

[R2_D2]

I-War seems to work just fine under Windows XP (at least if you play around with DirectDraw acceleration settings) -- except that it usually crashes when exiting a mission. It doesn't seem to crash when sound is disabled (-xsound command line option). Tweaking DirectSound settings has no effect.

So, I have a few questions to the community:

When did it start crashing? Windows NT, ME, 2000, XP? DirectX 7, 8, 9? What sound card do you have? Do you happen to have a more recent version of the Smacker dll - have you tried replacing the I-War one with it? Please reply if you have encountered crashing under a pre-XP or pre-DX9 configuration.


BTW, did you know that I-War runs just as well under Linux using Cedega? The exit-mission-crashes occur also under Linux, but not as often (I think). I still have to get my joystick configured right: the rudder and the throttle are swapped for some reason. Now, if Glidewrapper worked under Linux...

Currently I'm hoping that using an old DLL file would solve the crashing problem. I'd hate to build a legacy computer just for I-War.

[TonyG2]

I'm currently running three machines...

(1) a two and a bit year old Packard Bell Pentium 3 Windows XP SP1, 60gig memory and 128 meg Ram. No idea as to graphics.

(2) a year old Compaq Presario laptop with an Athalon chip 20gig 128meg Ram XP but no updates whatsoever and

(3) A new Advent Pentium 4 HT 400Gig SATA hardDrive with 1064Meg DDR Ram and an ATI Radeon 245meg PCI Express Graphics, XP SP1.

IWar runs OK on (1) and (2) provided I disable the direct draw facility and put both sound acceleration sliders to zero in dxdiag. I also have to set the compatability to Win95 or 98 but it crashes on both machines if I set the option of 256 colours.

I've had no problems crashing after missions only occasional joystick lock up problems.

Nothing I've tried will get the game to run on the new Advent machine...

However I'm seriously considering obtaining an refurbished older machine to run both Iwar and Wing Co 3 and 4...

[Ranger]

Have you tried reducing the page file size to about 512 mb? It seems to crash at anything over that. Regarding Machine 3.

[Uh...I-War_Fan]

Ok i have XP, and try to make game run, but like R2_D2, after every mission, when i start a new mission, it crashes my game. I went striaght to the I-War homepage to try nd rectify this problem, and saw something that may fix it? (I wish). It was under FAQ, as "can i run the game off my hard drive?" (or close)
Ne wayz, i did almost all of it, but when i got to step d, i couldn't for the life of me, figure out what it meant by put "-disk" at "the end of the target line", mainly because whenever i tried to put it at the end, it said it was an invlaid target or something. Ne ideas bout what it means?

P.S. if this does fix game, pls post what they mean, and if i can actually do what it says, runnning XP.


Thanks

[Stephen Robertson]

To get I-War running on a modern PC with XP:

1) Install Zeckensack's glide wrapper
2) Limit your pagefile to < 512mb (Not a problem if you have a large amount of memory)
3) Set the game's 3Dfx Vooodo 1 and 3Dfx Voodoo 2 shortcuts to use windows 95 / 98 compatibility mode. (See XP help about compatibility mode)
4) Run the voodoo1 or voodoo2 shortcut
5) Enjoy the game in its 3Dfx glory!

As far as the crash when pressing shift-Q goes, I think it's in the sound code. If you disable the sound in the game (add -xsound to the shortcut's target line) then the crash doesn't happen on my PC. Unfortunately playing around with the sound hardware acceleration settings doesn't seem to fix the problem.

[Zarhan]

Originally posted by Stephen Robertson

As far as the crash when pressing shift-Q goes, I think it's in the sound code. If you disable the sound in the game (add -xsound to the shortcut's target line) then the crash doesn't happen on my PC. Unfortunately playing around with the sound hardware acceleration settings doesn't seem to fix the problem.

Has anyone been able to narrow down what is causing this? Too fast computer? I actually ran I-War on a Pentium 2 @ 416 MHz (5x83) and Voodoo 1, no problems whatsoever, when I originally played the game all those years ago.

I *still* have the same motherboard. Sound card is the same, ie. SB Live. Graphics card has gone from Voodoo to Geforce 4, processor has gone to Celeron2@1,2GHz. And a bigger hard drive.
Windows is the same, ie. Win'98. DirectX version is now 9.0c of course.

Is this *only* due to computer speed? Or does the Directsound version have an effect?

Maybe if I'll just slow down my processor speed with bus settings back to 600Mhz (100 -> 50 MHz bus speed) I can get the game to run without crashes..I'll try that tomorrow.

Of course, glide wrapper probably does not run anymore.

Anyway, this could be just a simple timing issue, and might be really easy to fix....IF we had the source code. (Particle systems did not, by any chance, compile the game in debug mode so that it could be loaded into gdb just like that?-))

Anyway...if the game cannot be fixed, maybe those slowdown programs might work, though I doubt it. Most of them are just resource-hogging programs that slow down *ALL* other processes in Windows, so you can achieve the same effect by running Seti@home at realtime priority. Anyway, the Glide wrapper would have to run in normal speed so it could actually manage to run the emulation, while the game executable should be slowed down...

[sauron1]

Interesting that you've narrowed it down to a sound bug, Steve. That's half the battle. Now we just have to figure out a workaround. I'm surprised that dropping the DirectSound Acceleration didn't do it.

Anyone got any suggestions?

[Stephen Robertson]

It needs some other users to try the game without sound before we can say it's definitely s sound bug.

Anyone want to try?

[R2_D2]

Debug output from Cedega (Linux DirectX emulator):

85 Unhandled exception: page fault on read access to 0x46f5ed2c in 32-bit code (0x4006429e).
86 In 32-bit mode.
87 Register dump:
88 CS:0073 SS:007b DS:007b ES:007b FS:0033 GS:003b
89 EIP:4006429e ESP:408a26f4 EBP:408a2700 EFLAGS:00010206( R- 00 I - -P1 )
90 EAX:46fa0000 EBX:40100340 ECX:46f5ed30 EDX:40340000
91 ESI:46f5ed30 EDI:46f5ed28
92 Stack dump:
93 0x408a26f4 (NTDLL.DLL.memcpy+0x615204): 40100340 46f5ed30 46e90000 408a2724
94 0x408a2704 (NTDLL.DLL.memcpy+0x615214): 400645f4 46e90000 46f5ed28 00000001
95 0x408a2714 (NTDLL.DLL.memcpy+0x615224): 00000001 40100340 4038d51c 40340000
96 0x408a2724 (NTDLL.DLL.memcpy+0x615234): 408a274c 40064a2b 40340000 00000003
97 0x408a2734 (NTDLL.DLL.memcpy+0x615244): 46f5ed30 00000001 00000000 408d4ce8
98 0x408a2744 (NTDLL.DLL.memcpy+0x615254): 4038d51c 4044fb74 408a2770 408c19c5
99 0x408a2754 (NTDLL.DLL.memcpy+0x615264):
100
101 Backtrace:
102 =>0 0x4006429e (NTDLL.DLL.ZwQueryVolumeInformationFile+0xdf2 in libntdll.so) (ebp=408a2700)
103 1 0x400645f4 (NTDLL.DLL.ZwQueryVolumeInformationFile+0x1148 in libntdll.so) (ebp=408a2724)
104 2 0x40064a2b (NTDLL.DLL.RtlFreeHeap+0x5b in libntdll.so) (ebp=408a274c)
105 3 0x408c19c5 (DSOUND.DLL.DirectSoundFullDuplexCreate+0x955 in DSOUND.DLL) (ebp=408a2770)
106 4 0x004cd3af (game.exe..text+0xcc3af in G:\mnt\winprogs\Pelit\I-War\game.exe) (ebp=408a2788)
107 5 0x004b9f7d (game.exe..text+0xb8f7d in G:\mnt\winprogs\Pelit\I-War\game.exe) (ebp=408a2ca4)
108 6 0x004ba4a0 (game.exe..text+0xb94a0 in G:\mnt\winprogs\Pelit\I-War\game.exe) (ebp=408a2ccc)
109 7 0x00460c55 (game.exe..text+0x5fc55 in G:\mnt\winprogs\Pelit\I-War\game.exe) (ebp=408a2e00)
110 8 0x004eaa5f (game.exe.EntryPoint+0x13f in G:\mnt\winprogs\Pelit\I-War\game.exe) (ebp=408a2e8c)
111 9 0x400c7744 (NTDLL.DLL.wine_server_call+0x1a80 in libntdll.so) (ebp=408a2f30)
112 10 0x400cb895 (NTDLL.DLL.__wine_get_wmain_args+0x3c71 in libntdll.so) (ebp=408a2ff4)
113 11 0x400cb9e0 (NTDLL.DLL.__wine_get_wmain_args+0x3dbc in libntdll.so) (ebp=00000000)
114
115 0x4006429e (NTDLL.DLL.ZwQueryVolumeInformationFile+0xdf2 in libntdll.so): cmpl $0x44455355,0x4(%edi)

Basically the backtrace means I-War calls DirectSound, which causes it to access invalid memory. It's obvious the call to DirectSoundFullDuplexCreate (which is in dsound.dll) creates the problem. So it's very likely a DirectSound issue -- unless there's a separate problem with the emulator.

I'll have to test it with older dsound.dll.

[R2_D2]

For you C programmers: A link to MSDN description of DirectSoundFullDuplexCreate. A lot of pointers which could be invalid.

And a snippet of DirectX 9 dsound.h:

#if DIRECTSOUND_VERSION >= 0x0800
...
extern HRESULT WINAPI DirectSoundFullDuplexCreate(LPCGUID pcGuidCaptureDevice, LPCGUID pcGuidRenderDevice,
LPCDSCBUFFERDESC pcDSCBufferDesc, LPCDSBUFFERDESC pcDSBufferDesc, HWND hWnd,
DWORD dwLevel, LPDIRECTSOUNDFULLDUPLEX* ppDSFD, LPDIRECTSOUNDCAPTUREBUFFER8 *ppDSCBuffer8,
LPDIRECTSOUNDBUFFER8 *ppDSBuffer8, LPUNKNOWN pUnkOuter);
#define DirectSoundFullDuplexCreate8 DirectSoundFullDuplexCreate
...
#endif // DIRECTSOUND_VERSION >= 0x0800

I think that means the syntax is the same with all the DirectX versions.

[R2_D2]

A solution might be to make a patch that would wrap the calls to DirectSoundFullDuplexCreate, or perhaps force the game to use a dsound.dll which wraps the real dsound.dll. The wrapper would then somehow guess wether the call was valid or not. The first option would require some assembly knowledge which I don't have.

What one could try:
1. make it use an old dsound.dll (might be easily possible with Cedega, which supports having native dlls)
2. make it call DirectSoundFullDuplexCreate8 (who knows... should be easy to try)
3. remove the problem-causing call to DirectSoundFullDuplexCreate (probably crashes later)
4. wrap the call and try to detect the invalid call and fix it somehow (quite hard, but might reveal interesting stuff even if it didn't work)
5. fix I-War so that it makes a valid call (probably hardest)

More ideas? Any assembly programmers?

It's also possible that timing or multithreading problems are the primary cause for the crash.

This makes me envy the Freespace 2 community: they have the source code. I wonder why game developers hesitate to release their source codes -- at least after a year or two there's nothing to lose and all to gain.

But then again, Final Fantasy 7 fans were able to make XP/timing fixes... there's hope.

[sauron1]

That is extremely helpful, THANKS!!

Now all we have to do is get to a workaround. Option #2 sounds good to me, although I'm not a programmer, ie can we make it call an alternative (more up-to-date) path/file?

[lmhr]

I installed Iwar on my new pc, also installed glidewrapper as well as using all compatibility settings getting the Shift-Q crash, i decided to see what would happen when i removed all compatiblity settings an let it run under XP w/SP 2, the only crash i get now is between missions instead of Shift-Q. It runs very well and i can normally get between 1 and/or 2 missions in before it crashes back to desktop. The crash occurs as program attempts to start next mission.

System spec's:

HP Pavilion xt973
1.10 ghz Celeron processor
intel audio card (came with pc)
ATI Radeon 9200 128mb PCI card (recently upgraded to latest drivers)
256mb Ram

Spec's listed as info for those working on a work around.

[Stephen Robertson]

Originally posted by lmhr
I installed Iwar on my new pc, also installed glidewrapper as well as using all compatibility settings getting the Shift-Q crash, i decided to see what would happen when i removed all compatiblity settings an let it run under XP w/SP 2, the only crash i get now is between missions instead of Shift-Q. It runs very well and i can normally get between 1 and/or 2 missions in before it crashes back to desktop. The crash occurs as program attempts to start next mission.

Your right - running it normally and not in compatibility mode fixes the shift-q crash!

Great work!

[pahtih]

yes but it crash for memory issues on next mission on my computer...

"trying to write xBLABLABLALEZQEDSD
on x0000000000000000

error....

[Zarhan]

Has anyone had any progress in creating a "dsound.dll wrapper"?-)

[hoom]

I suspect none of us know how to.
I most certainly don't.

[USS Edmonds]

Originally posted by Stephen Robertson
To get I-War running on a modern PC with XP:

1) Install Zeckensack's glide wrapper
2) Limit your pagefile to < 512mb (Not a problem if you have a large amount of memory)
3) Set the game's 3Dfx Vooodo 1 and 3Dfx Voodoo 2 shortcuts to use windows 95 / 98 compatibility mode. (See XP help about compatibility mode)
4) Run the voodoo1 or voodoo2 shortcut
5) Enjoy the game in its 3Dfx glory!

As far as the crash when pressing shift-Q goes, I think it's in the sound code. If you disable the sound in the game (add -xsound to the shortcut's target line) then the crash doesn't happen on my PC. Unfortunately playing around with the sound hardware acceleration settings doesn't seem to fix the problem.

What if I don't own a Vooodo series card, would I go under software render? I own a ATI Radeon 9200 128 Mb apg. I'll play with the settings.

[Unheard Of]

The glide wrapper mimics a voodoo card, so you'll be fine using those shortcuts.

[AR81]

Originally posted by Stephen Robertson
To get I-War running on a modern PC with XP:

2) Limit your pagefile to < 512mb (Not a problem if you have a large amount of memory)

As far as the crash when pressing shift-Q goes, I think it's in the sound code. If you disable the sound in the game (add -xsound to the shortcut's target line) then the crash doesn't happen on my PC. Unfortunately playing around with the sound hardware acceleration settings doesn't seem to fix the problem.

I have 512Mb RAM. Do I need to do that? How do I do it?

[luuuuki]

About that WORKing on a modern Comps.. how about PLAYing with modern controls ..

Does anyone know how to set the heading control (pitch up/down etc) so it could be controlled BY MOUSE??

Pleeease pleease.. the numpad really sucks and I hate (and dont have any joysticks.

[Stephen Robertson]

I think there was a program called 'mousejoy' or something that allowed you to map joystick axes onto a mouse. Other than that it's just not possible without rewriting or hacking the game.

[luuuuki]

thank you that was swift.. but in fact programs like mousejoy only work the other way round turning your joy into a mouse. n/m .. just thought there'd be a patch or smth lost somewhere in the community.

[luuuuki]

hi guyz

Can you make an MOUSE-CONTROL mod/patch to the game? I'm sure some of us (notSoReallisticButQuiteFun)Freespace fans would apreciate it greatly.

If some of u do so, I'll personally attend to yer webpage, as I'm a webdesigner of sorts, if u like.

[Ranger]

I'm not a modder, but I have heard of some trick (not sure if it was done with I-War since most everyone uses a stick for flight sims) where you could go into the game's joystick profiles and rewrite the axis assignments to mouse assignments. I've never done it personally nor have I fooled with key assignments very much but that's the most logical action to me.

[hoom]

I have 512Mb RAM. Do I need to do that? How do I do it?

Assuming Win XP: (dummy language just in case)
Start > Settings > Control panel.
System > 'Advanced' tab > 'Performance' section 'Settings' button.
'Advanced' tab > 'Virtual Memory' section 'Change' button.

On this screen, there's a list of drives on the computer at the top.
Left column is drive letter, middle drive name, right is size of virtual memory page file on that drive (blank if none).

WinXP defaults to a 'custom size' (apparently of size RAM + page file = 2.5Gb) on the C: drive.
Select that drive.
(If its a 'System managed' page file, you need to change to 'custom size' first)
In the middle section of the screen 'Paging file size for selected drive', change the numbers for 'Initial size (MB)' and 'Maximum size (MB)' to '512'.
Click the 'Set' button then 'ok' your way back to desktop.
Unless one of the windows says you need to restart before the settings will take effect, then it should work.
Probably best to reset anyway?

I understand that sometimes this setting doesn't stick so its worth going back & checking that it worked.

I would think that with 512Mb RAM you should be OK for most things with a 512Mb page file (I actually had been running for some months with 0Mb page file with 1Gb RAM & no problems when this 512Mb limitation was discovered), though if you do stuff that requires more than 1Gb of Memory, then you could get problems.
egs being Rendering complex scenes, image editing with very large files, loading large databases or having a large number of programs open simultaneously esp. if they are doing any of the above

[Dash_Merc]

speaking of problems:

I-War Classic crashes every other mission on Win 2k SP4:

I run the game, I play a mission, I either fail it, or I complete it, then I'm back at the mission select screen.

Upon loading of the next mission that I select, the game crashes. I can still do the whole game like this, but it's rather annoying, and it's be nice if I could alleviate this problem. Anything special or specific to my problem that you could help me out with?

[Mtway]

I just bought I-war, At first it did not wanty to run so I followed everyones advice posted here:

Limiting page file size did not resolve all my issues, but turning off the hardware acceleration on my video card did. I can now run the game in software render mode.

I tried to install the glidewrapper, but I get a message saying "the glide2.dll is missing" when I ran the configurator. I downloaded the file on-line and dropped it in the Windows/System folder and the glidewrapper folder. - Nothing...

What am I doing wrong???

Thanks

[Jinto]

The glidewrapper uses its own special version of the glide2x.dll file to emulate the functions of a voodoo card. It's supposed to put this file in your system folder during installation, but a bug in the install program causes it to install to your windows folder instead. Fortunately this is easy to fix, just copy the file glide2x.dll from your windows folder to your windows\system32 folder, and it should work fine.

[Mtway]

I tried that, same message as before. I even tried rebooting the machine.

I'm running a P4 with a 1.6 processor, 1gb Ram, 60GB HD, and a PCI Bus NVidia FX5200 128MB video card (don't ask-but don't let your wife buy the new computer while you are gone).

HELLLLPPPPP!


Marshall