Crashing and Graphics problem

[P-Sleazy]

Ok...so I have two issues.

The first issue, (the bigger of the two). I recently installed Age of Empires I & II on my laptop. 1 runs fine (to the extent I've played it sofar). but AOE II crashes and it takes my whole system with it meaning I have to hold the powerbutton to turn the computer off and then power back on. It does this mostly in the menu screens (the opening menu, the multiplayer menu, and the tech tree menu) however, it does occassionally (and this is rare) crash during game-play. It also happens right when I click a menu button (like start game or single player or close for the tech-tree).

Now, the second problem is a graphics related problem with AOE II and Starcraft (the original) (also, AOE I graphics are just fine for some reason). Its the reverse problem for both games so in AOE II the menus all look fine, in their intended color but in game alot of the colors are off so that the water looks purple and 4 of the players on the radar share the same color (yellow and orange both take yellow on the radar and blue and purple both take blue on the radar, but thier individual units still show up as thier respective color when they are on screen). In starcraft, the menus are all discolored (severely) and in-game everything is the color it should be (to the extent I've noticed).

Also, a note for starcraft is that the graphics related issue to discolor its menus is only a recent development in the game as I have played it a few months ago and the menus were not discolored, whereas with AOEII I just re-purchased it a few weeks ago and never bothered to ask about this problem till now.

Ok, now for what kind of system I'm running since I'm sure you're all gonna ask that.

Windows 7 64-bit
ATI Radeon HD 3200
4GB RAM
300 GB hard-disk
AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile RM 75 2.2

any help at all would be greatly appreciated!

[EVILNess]

Run the games in Windows XP service pack 2 compatibility mode if you already aren't. Also make sure that you are running the game as an administrator.

I have similar problems with Starcraft if I don't do that, and even then rarely it still has the messed up graphics. Basically, I just have to restart the game until it gets it right and then I can play with no problems.

[P-Sleazy]

I am indeed running AOE II in compatibility mode for WIN XP SP 2. I wasn't doing it for Starcraft, I put it in compatibility and administrator and the graphics problem is resolved for a second and then the screen flickers and goes back to being discolored.

[bluestarultor]

Just to get the really obvious stuff out of the way, they're both installed in the x86 area, right? Does it throw any errors?


For a less obvious solution, have you tried tossing a copy of the game into the Program Files folder? Some games got lazy and hard-coded addresses, even newer ones in the past 5 years, so it might be looking for some sort of information in Program Files instead of Program Files (x86).

[P-Sleazy]

It does not throw any errors for why its crashing, and it is indeed installed in the (x86) program files folder.

[bluestarultor]

Originally Posted by P-Sleazy

It does not throw any errors for why its crashing, and it is indeed installed in the (x86) program files folder.

Well, try putting a copy in the other Program Files. Also see if there are any patches available. Netstorm came out at roughly the same time and people still play it, and it, too, suffers from certain odd coloration things like purple tornadoes (although they look really good that way, oddly) unless you apply the patch.

[P-Sleazy]

ok, well, I have resolved one of the issues. After I start the game up, I just have to ctrl+alt+delete and end the explorer process and then alt+tab back into the game the graphics are all fixed. The graphics do not fix if I alt+tab out of the game and then back in if explorer is still running.

I'll be trying installing the game in the regular program files folder later tonight and report back the results.

[synkr0nized]

For what it's worth, everyone I hang out with in person that has Windows 7 and runs the original Starcraft fullscreen [without something like DXwnd to window it] has the menu discoloration issue. I have not bothered looking online to see if this is a common problem or anything, as it has no bearing on actual gameplay or functionality.

I have not witnessed any of them putting the game in any compatibility modes, though I am pretty sure one of them had tried a few before not caring any more.


The menus and such in that game glitched similarly when you alt-tabbed to and from the game, though not consistently, ever since release, so this effect isn't really one I'd worry about.