CD-ROM problem with EA and microsoft games

BodyMaker

Distinguished
May 15, 2005
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18,510
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.games (More info?)

I cannot seem to play EA games...
They seem install o.k....
but when I try ot play them it keeps asking for the right CD to be put in
the drive or doesnt use the drive ...ie starts but then just goes back to
windows main screen.

All updates are installed on mainboard and vid card and Direct X and sound
card and even firmware from Diamond data DVD RW combo drive have been
upgraded...
It only seems to be a problem with EA or microsoft games like BF1942 and
Vietnam and Starwars Knights of the old republic etc....it seems to happen
with all these games....other games like Warhammer 40K and warcraft are no
problem....

any ideas?
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.games (More info?)

"Bodymaker" <Bodymaker@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:B9935130-7F37-4237-8AB3-08BC0DF435B1@microsoft.com...
|I cannot seem to play EA games...
| They seem install o.k....
| but when I try ot play them it keeps asking for the right CD to be put in
| the drive or doesnt use the drive ...ie starts but then just goes back to
| windows main screen.
|
| All updates are installed on mainboard and vid card and Direct X and sound
| card and even firmware from Diamond data DVD RW combo drive have been
| upgraded...
| It only seems to be a problem with EA or microsoft games like BF1942 and
| Vietnam and Starwars Knights of the old republic etc....it seems to happen
| with all these games....other games like Warhammer 40K and warcraft are no
| problem....
|
| any ideas?
|

Hi Bodymaker,

Before we begin troubleshooting the issue, if you have more than one
DISC player (CD/DVD/CDRW/DVDR/ETC) in your system, I've seen
this type of problem resolved by simply using the other DISC player. :)

Here are some other more involved solutions which have worked:

1. Before we begin, please save a restore point for your system.
How to use Windows XP System Restore:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gethelp/systemrestore.asp

2. You might be affected by problems similar to the Insert CD error.
- Try the advice and DL at: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=228985
Another trick that I found sometimes works is to make the limited account an
administrator account and run that game once. This should create the registry
settings and permissions for that user to be able to properly run the game.

3. Kazaa or Kazaa light is installed on your system.
- Uninstall the game(s) and Kazaa, and reinstall from original CD.

4. Multiple CD drives on your system including Virtual CD drives.
- Disconnect all but the main CD drive and try the game. You
might have an older drive, or a CD Writer which is incompatible
with the Safe Disk copy protection on the CD. (Contact Vendor).

5. Your antivirus or application firewall might be conflicting with it.
- Disable the software temporarily.

6. There might be a patch available for your game to correct the issue.
- Try www.avault.com/pcrl/patches_list.asp?letter=a/ or the game's site.

7. Your desktop may need to be set at least 800x600 and 16 colors.
- Click Start / (Settings) Control Panel / Click Display

8. Your Video, Sound, or Monitor drivers may need updating.
- Try updating your Video drivers using the instructions at:
http://mvps.org/nibblesnbits/Video.html#drivers

9. You might have software running on your system which is causing conflicts.
- Temporarily disable Startup programs one at a time, starting with Firewall,
AV, and ad blockers using: http://new.jtsoft2001.com/windows/startup.php
You can lookup what a program does before you disable it here:
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_pages/startup_full.htm

10. If you created other drive letters on your system by installing another drive,
creating partitions or virtual drives you may need to change the CD back
to the same drive letter it was originally. Usually the CD uses the letter D:
- Click Start / Run / type: diskmgmt.msc < to access the tool to change it.

11. Maybe a Microsoft Security patch is the culprit. The only way to be sure is
to Unplug from your Internet connection, and then repair Windows using
this method: http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

After you reboot, try the game again. If it works, save a new restore point.

Lastly, boot up your system, turn on your XP Internet Firewall, plug back
into your Internet connection and install all Critical and Recommended updates
from: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com one at a time. Test the game after
each update to find which is causing the game not to start on your PC. :)

--
Cheers, Windows XP MVP Shell / User
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Game FAQs: ;gms]http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite: http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
MS Support at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=sz;en-us;top
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.games (More info?)

Go to megagames.com and find a "No-CD" patch/crack for the game(s).

Personally, the FIRST thing I do with a new cd is make a copy ...
everything. If I can't make a backup copy for daily use that'll work for
install, the software goes back to place of purchase. I then will only
reluctantly accept the software demanding a cd be present if it'll accept
the backup copy. If it does, I almost envariably create a virtual cd to even
avoid having to put the backup copy in. If it won't, I first try for a
"no-cd" patch to avoid any need for cd. If this is unsuccessfull, the
software goes back.

My attitude is simply I will not ever risk the original being "harmed" in
any manner. Having to use it on a more-or-less daily basis almost insures
that at some point the cd will become scratched etc. I've already found out
some time ago that even MS will not (or cannot) replace any and all product
cd's and in my case I was simply sool with Encarta one time.

This attitude is simply a continuation of what I used to do with vinyl
records. I would play them once to tape them onto my reel-to-reel and then
they'd go back into their cover and not used again. I still have almost 1000
albums, all pristine shape, most in the process of being played a second
time for recording to pc and then encoding to mp3's. I do similar to music
cd's except they simply get ripped to mp3's. If I want/need something for
the car etc. it gets burned from this mp3 collection. Originals get used
MINIMALLY.

Just my $0.02.

"Bodymaker" <Bodymaker@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B9935130-7F37-4237-8AB3-08BC0DF435B1@microsoft.com...
> I cannot seem to play EA games...
> They seem install o.k....
> but when I try ot play them it keeps asking for the right CD to be put in
> the drive or doesnt use the drive ...ie starts but then just goes back to
> windows main screen.
>
> All updates are installed on mainboard and vid card and Direct X and sound
> card and even firmware from Diamond data DVD RW combo drive have been
> upgraded...
> It only seems to be a problem with EA or microsoft games like BF1942 and
> Vietnam and Starwars Knights of the old republic etc....it seems to happen
> with all these games....other games like Warhammer 40K and warcraft are no
> problem....
>
> any ideas?
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.games (More info?)

"Bodymaker" <Bodymaker@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B9935130-7F37-4237-8AB3-08BC0DF435B1@microsoft.com...
>I cannot seem to play EA games...
> They seem install o.k....
> but when I try ot play them it keeps asking for the right CD to be put in
> the drive or doesnt use the drive ...ie starts but then just goes back to
> windows main screen.
>
> All updates are installed on mainboard and vid card and Direct X and sound
> card and even firmware from Diamond data DVD RW combo drive have been
> upgraded...
> It only seems to be a problem with EA or microsoft games like BF1942 and
> Vietnam and Starwars Knights of the old republic etc....it seems to happen
> with all these games....other games like Warhammer 40K and warcraft are no
> problem....

Have you got CD imaging software, or virtual CD software installed?
CloneCD, Alcohol 120%/52%, Virtual Daemon, Nero Image Drive? These can
cause issues with copy protection systems, or more accurately, the copy
protection systems have issues with them.

Check out
http://www.windowsresource.net/troubleshooting/commonproblems.php#correctcd
for more details.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
http://www.windowsresource.net/
http://www.xbox360degrees.com/

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