need help! applied 1.02 patch but FF7 doesnt run (Win2k)

[FF7lover]

Somebody pls help me!  

Here's my prob:

I've a GeForce2 MX400... I install maximum setup, apply the 1.02 patch and follow the instruction exactly from here

But when I click on FF7.exe, nothing happens (not even the monitor flicker) though when I check on task manager, the FF7.exe is in process but the game never runs.

I've tried many resolution options like uncheck the NVIDIA, check the NVIDIA and RIVA and check the NVIDIA and TNT, but still game wont run even I choose the Software Renderer mode (before I applied the 1.02 patch, the game works fine in Software Renderer mode but no fun at all if couldnt get the hardware acceleration work with FF7)

And btw, my NVIDIA driver version is the latest vers, 56.72

So what's the actual problem?  :-?

I have a feeling it could be the driver. If so, what driver should I use or any other better recommendation or suggestion?

Really appreciate your help, many thanks  

 

[FLiXD]

Try an earlier nVidia driver, like a 4.xx.xx one. Have a look middle to bottom of page 2 of The Great FF7 FAQ, there are more details there.

 

[EmperorSteele]

Wait, do you have a mx400 or mx/mx 400?  Cuz i thinkk thats the card I was using before, and it ran ff7 perfectly. (even got AA working w/out rivatuner) Though i was using the 52.03 drivers.  You can find 'em over at guru3d.com.

And not that ff7 is a memory hog, but try turning off a few programs.  It sounds like your whole system is hanging becasse something else didnt exit corectly.  Though I assume you've rebooted your system sometime lately, and did a virus scan... anything can be the colprit, unfortiunatly.

 

[FF7lover]

Bad news guys  :weep:

I've tried your recommendations but the same problem still exists.

I keep on installing and uninstalling all the NVIDIA drivers you guys suggest. I've also installed the RivaTuner (but have no idea how to operate it like FLiXD does: "got AA set to 4x & 8-bit disabled"). Again I try many different resolution options.

But the game just wont run.

@FLiXD: Would you pls teach me how to set the RivaTuner like you do?

@EmperorSteele: btw my system isnt hanging or crashing. Win2k still run normally and can execute any other programs besides FF7.exe and the config.exe unless I end the FF7.exe process in Task Manager. I have the MX/MX400. I dont run many programs beside my third party internet utilities like firewall and antivirus. I couldnt just exit those programs coz I'm on LAN and my system is the server.

So any further suggestion and recommendations?

Thanks  

 

[EmperorSteele]

Well, crap o_o.

okay, i re-re-re read your post.  And what you did wrong was follow directiosn that don't even apply to your problem!

Uninstall ff7 (but bak up your saves).  Reinstall, and make usre its a FULL reinstall.

Make sure the game at least turns on before applying any patches.

Once that's set, NOW install the 1.02 patch  Put BOTH ff7config AND ff7.exe from the patch into your ff7 directory.  Screw all the crap about TNT drivers or whatever, you dont even have a tnt card.  (bold cuz the faq says to do something else, and it's wrong)

Once its patched, restart your comp just to be certain, then try running ff7 (actually, you should run ff7config first).  DO NOT check the nvidia box., but put it to full hardware exceleration, fullscreen.

That should work.

 

[dickie]

yeah i agree... only try the riva tuner thing or whatever if it dont work on software renderer.. i had similar problems and using a software render was the only way around it... if it helps i have installed the nvidia patch but i dont select the nvidia option... (dont ask me why but its the only way that works) and i use software renderer try that.. oh and play around with your compatibilty mode if ur running xp.. give win98/me a try

 

[FF7lover]

Got bad news    and good news guys  

Bad news first

@EmperorSteele: I've tried your suggestion. Sorry to disappoint or frustrate you but the problem still cant be solved

@dickie: I've also tried your suggestion but it fails too. Still the same problem

Good news is I can finally get the Direct3D Hardware work with FF7. The solution may sound weird. When I applied the 1.02 patch, FF7.exe wont run even in Software Renderer mode. But when I copy paste the FF7.exe version 1.00, it runs well in Software Renderer mode but there's no option to choose to run in Direct3D Hardware. So I figured that the problem is on 1.02 patch FF7.exe. Then I just copy paste the 1.02 patch config.exe and copy paste the 1.00 version FF7.exe, run the config, set to Direct3D Hardware, uncheck NVIDIA then finally I can play FF7 in Direct3D Hardware. And yes, there is a significance difference graphic textures (field,map and characters) compared to Software Renderer.

Thanks to FLiXD, EmperorSteele and dickie for providing me recommendations.

But probably some guys out there had the same problem as mine and already tried the same solution as I did, but when they managed to get the 1.02 patch work out turns out to have more satisfying graphic textures and performance. Well, who knows  

If there is, pls let me know and I'll give it a try

Many thanks  

 

[Threesixty]

I think your problem is Win2000, not the video card. For Win2000 I think you need a compatiblity patch from Microsoft....think there is a thread about Win2000 here somewhere. I think it's in the FAQ forum (not the thread...the forum)

Win2000 is twice as hard to get games working on, compared to WinXP.


...oh I guess you fixed it....but your instructions sound like the regular instructions that are at Eidos' support page. (except for the checking of the TNT box, they got that wrong)

Link.

BTW: I submitted those direction to Eidos, back in 2002 around June (I only remember this because of the post I left in the FF7FAQ section)....guy by the name of Griever (long, long ago...) is who orginally told us forum members, at Eidos, the solution of getting Hardware mode working. Those instructons are based of off Griever's discovery.

His solution was to use Rivatuner, to disable the 8 bit pallet....and use the full TNT patch...and check the Nvidia box, it may still work. (or maybe his solution was just to use the TNT patch...I can't remember. I think I may have came up with the Rivatuner part after Nvidia's drivers started passing the 8bit palletization test, but not working in the game. It was so long ago I can't really remember...it was back in the Detonator 6 days, afterall...Besides, It's the guy that made Rivatuner and continues to update it, that should really get the credit.)

Nvidia later fixed their 8bit pallet in their drivers.....that's when I stumbled onto the newer solution of not use the FF7.exe from the patch and not checking the boxes.....and told Redlegg about it at Eidos. But it looks like they still have the instructions wrong.....the part that say to check the Tnt box is wrong, guess I'll try to get in contact with those guys again, and tell them. You should only check the Nvidia box, if your using the patched FF7.exe, not the original.


EmperorSteele:
Just so you know...the Tnt patch isn't just for TNT cards. What the TNT originally did was bypass the 8 bit pallet. The FF7.exe is patched so that it works with the 8bit pallet disabled in the video drivers at the cost of some graphic errors, such as the odin cut, and the wind maze...where you can't see the wind or the twisters moving across the screen.

If you can get the 8 bit pallet to say FAIL. You can use the whole TNT patch and follow the directions that are in the Readme file that comes with the TNT patch. Regardless of whether it's an ATI card or a Nvidia. The trick is getting it to say FAIL, which as far as I know isn't possible with ATI cards without using outdated drivers, that probably don't even work with the newer DirectX.  But since Rivatuner can still disable the 8bit pallet, it's should still be possible to use it for Nvidia cards.....but I haven't tested it, since the DirectX7.1 days.

The reason the TNT patch is still being used, is because the FF7config.exe program has the pulldown menus to select Hardware mode....they changed the system checks or something, where it doesn't disappear if it can't recognise the video card, unlike the orginal FF7config.exe. It's easier in saying to use that part of the patch than to give instruction on how to modify Window' registery of FF7.