Okay, here goes. It's (another) Windows 7 problem. This time I find out I can't play my favorite game. Starcraft / SC BW will not launch at all from my Windows 7 PC. Is this a glitch with Duo/Quad core computers or does it have something to do with the fact that I'm running what I consider to be the worst OS ever?

I've tried:

• Driver updates - no good
  
• DirectX updates - no good
  
• Patched the game - no good
  
• Ran in compatibility mode - no good
  
• Windows Compatibility site - no good (did anyone actually expect to get anything out of that site??)
  

I've attached the latest error message so you can all laugh at how horrible this is and then actually help me fix it.

Anyone, please, help a person who's up a creek with no paddle courtesy of Microsoft.

Attachments:

When does the game crash? Try using different loaders, try using windowed mode. Try reinstalling SC itself. You said you updated drivers, what drivers? Graphic drivers?

Works fine for me on Win7.

The only issue I have with SC on my Windows 7 is that it wont actually load the latest patch so I can never play on Battle.net. Not sure why it would crash, though. Have you tried "Running it as Administrator?"

You need these Compatibility Options checked in the Properties of your executable:

-256 Color Mode
-640x480 Resolution
-Disable Desktop Composition

And run as administrator.

• Have run as administrator with all Compatibility Options checked - failed
  
• Updated graphics card drivers - failed
  
• Swapped graphics card with a different one - failed
  
• Checked the amount of RAM on the actual graphics card - OK, no change
  
• Checked the amount of RAM the computer has - OK, no change
  
• Checked BIOS (odd) - OK, no change
  
• Created and tested with an ISO of the game disk(s) (both) - failed
  
• Checked DirectX version - latest version, no change
  
• Checked graphics accelerator properties and version - latest version, no change
  

Any more ideas??

Reinstalling SC? Loading with windowed mode? Loading with different loaders?

When exactly does the game crash? Before or after the application tries to go fullscreen?

Have you tried running windows update again? Try running chkdsk. Try patching SC: BW with a downloaded patcher before running the game.

Why do you have the starcraft cd in?

Reinstalling SC? - Done
Loading with windowed mode? - Done
Have you tried running windows update again? - Done
Try running chkdsk. - Clean disk - I do regular scans
Try patching SC: BW with a downloaded patcher before running the game - Done

The application goes fullscreen for about 1-2 seconds, squeels this horrid high-pitched "buzz" and then dumps with the memory error.

Is this a hardware issue? I've read that SC crashes on Duo or Quad core machines (I use a Duo on my SC machine). (And yes, I have the latest drivers for all my devices)

It is likely some weird hardware/driver issue with your computer. SC has no general problems with Vista or Win7.

Also, if it "crashes on Due or Quad core machines" most people buying new computers for the last 2 years wouldn't have been able to run it, so that is clearly not the case. I have a quad core with Win 7 64bit and it runs fine, as does Diablo.

I ran it on my Win7 back at home perfectly fine. The only problems I ever had was recording the screen, which was fixed by disabling desktop compositing, and the monitor was widescreen, which I fixed by using wmode. That computer was a quad, as well. I don't think it's Win7 at all, probably something wrong with your version for whatever reason.

If Heinermann got a look at this, he would definitely know why. I'll search the crash database for instruction 0x10011e91 memory 0x87778d10.

Also, what's with the absolute crap of this .png? The quality is horrendous...if all of your screenshots look like this, I'd say SCI is the least of your problems...

That's what happens when you switch to 256 colors to play SC.

I still don't understand why you're using the CD. The download version would probably work.

rockz: The CD version is a little better for mods, if you want to play versions older than 1.15.2 on private servers, though mainly just for versions significantly older.

You could try out the download version just to make sure you aren't getting any corrupt files from your CD, though. If it doesn't work either, then there is some other issue.

There is now officially 'some other issue'. If need be, I'll dump my entire computer's specs, software and configuration, but that could be about 2-3 posts long, so I don't want to have to go that far. Is there any known programs that cause this error? If so, what are they?


EDIT:
Attached some Print Screens of my computer configuration using MMC -> Computer Management -> Device Manager. Hope this helps.


And no, I do not have a Floppy Disk Drive. Don't even know why the hell it shows there.

Attachments:

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Oct 15 2010, 10:04 pm by AfterLifeLochie.

Chkdsk isn't an antivirus, if you mean you regularly scan with an antivirus.

Other than that, I have no idea how to help you out, besides trying to contact Blizzard.

I'm aware that CHKDSK is not an antivirus. I use AVG, and I meant a "Clean Test" - no errors (or all errors were repaired).

After more diagnostics, I've discovered that all my Windows 7 machines do not play SC. Same buzz and error.

Running Windows 7 Ultimate Build 7600 (V6.1) (Genuine).

Seriously, if you're having problems on multiple computers running Win7, when many other people have no problems at all, there's going to be something common between all of them that is fucking it up. One obvious thing that springs to mind is common drivers you use, like printer drivers, or maybe you've got some weird software that works in conjunction with your router/modem or something else from your ISP installed, etc. Ideally, if you *really* want to sort this out, you could reinstall Win7 from scratch, and then install SC and only SC and see if it works then, or not. Then install programs 1 by 1 until you can work out what it is that makes it fuck up.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Oct 16 2010, 11:29 pm by NudeRaider. Reason: removed flame

Ouch. That means they all have the same problem. I think your best bet would be to reinstall windows 7 on one of them, and then immediately install and run SC. If it crashes, whatever you're using to install 7 with absolutely sucks, and you should go install windows from another source.

Okay. Downloaded and installed the same version of Windows 7 Ultimate from the TechNet Website and grabbed a new key, installed it on a dummy PC, no additional software or drivers, and it still causes the same error. This is really irritating. I've contacted Blizzard and Microsoft, and so far have heard nothing from them (typical).

I'll keep you guys posted on what I come up with.

Incidentally, I am also using a TechNet Win7 Ultimate Key. So that shouldn't be a source of the problem either.