Game fails to launch

[DraconX3]

After installing the old 1.1 update and then the new 1.3 public beta 6.1 patch. I get this error before the game even fully launches, thus closeing the program.
---- Battlezone II Log File ----
//=====================================================
App version: bzone 1.3.6.2 Public Beta Jul 29 2011 21:43:22
Windows version: Windows Version: 5.1.2600 'Service Pack 3' PlatformID=2

Last few battlezone.log lines (may or may not be relevant):
DIAG| input:1129 |12:49:38|2134 |3 button mouse, Left=0 Right=1
DIAG| input:143 |12:49:38|2134 |Keyboard repeat delay=[500] speed=[31]
ERR | bitmap:755 |12:49:38|2134 |[vsmoke_interface.dxtbz2] smallest mip is (4 x 4), D3D9 max texture is (0 x 0) - convert with more mips!
ERR | bitmap:421 |12:49:38|2134 |Can't load texture vsmoke_interface.dxtbz2.
ERR | bitmap:332 |12:49:38|2134 |Unrecoverable DirectX error. Please ensure you have the latest DirectX drivers for your graphics card downloaded from the maker's website.
ERR | vid:260 |12:49:38|2134 |Bitmap::Create
ERR | vid:263 |12:49:38|2134 |.\bitmap.cpp(340): failed with DX Error 0x8876086C(-2005530516) == 'D3DERR_INVALIDCALL'
DIAG| bitmap:344 |12:49:38|2164 |D3DXCreateTexture(0x00000000, 256, 256, 1, 0, 21, MANAGED) FAILED, dxError = 0x8876086C
(done)

Exception code: C0000005 (ACCESS VIOLATION) READING from 00000000h
Message : Exception
Error occurred at 9/8/2011 12:49:40.
C:\Program Files\Battlezone II\bzone.exe, run by XPMUser.
C:\Program Files\Battlezone II\bzone.exe, run by XPMUser.
CPU: 1 processor(s), Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz
x86 Family 6 Model 23 Stepping 10
Process Memory : 1856 MB free out of 2048 MB total
Physical memory: 141 MB free out of 512 MB total
Page(swap) file: 854 MB free out of 1247 MB total
This exe is using 45 MB (12 MB dlmalloc), peak use 45 MB

Fault address: 005C71B0 01:001C61B0 C:\Program Files\Battlezone II\bzone.exe

Registers:
EAX:00000000
EBX:06DC870C
ECX:00000001
EDX:00040000
ESI:7F590128
EDI:000000CF
CS:EIP:001B:005C71B0
SS:ESP:0023:062AE2B0 EBP:0000005F
DS:0023 ES:0023 FS:003B GS:0000
Flags:00010206

Call stack:
Address Offset1 Offset2 Module SourceFile
005C71B0 +001C71B0 000002E0 bzone (bzone): : Font::Read

005C5A4A +001C5A4A 0000009A bzone (bzone): : FontSys::Create

005D41D6 +001D41D6 000000E6 bzone (bzone): : IFace::Init

0044AEC2 +0004AEC2 00000546 bzone (bzone): : HandledMain

0044AE30 +0004AE30 000004B4 bzone (bzone): : HandledMain

0044AB1F +0004AB1F 000001A3 bzone (bzone): : HandledMain

00447AB7 +00047AB7 0000005E bzone (bzone): : WinMain

005AB30F +001AB30F 00000191 bzone (bzone): : strcat

7C817077 +00017077 00000049 kernel32 (kernel32): : RegisterWaitForInputIdle


How do I fix this so I can play?

[TheJamsh]

First of all, you're using an out-of-date patch. Get the 6.2 patch for better stability (we hope).

It also looks as if you didnt install the other items that run when you run the PB6.1 Installer. Make sure you install EVERYTHING that it shows you, including Direct X and Microsoft updates. If you don't, game wont run.

[GSH]

The logfile presented in the first is from 1.3.6.2, not 1.3.6.1. So, the latest patch has been downloaded/installed. But, this log line is critical:

ERR | bitmap:332 |12:49:38|2134 |Unrecoverable DirectX error. Please ensure you have the latest DirectX drivers for your graphics card downloaded from the maker's website.

As it notes, DirectX on your system is not happy. You can re-run the DirectX installer without reinstalling 1.3.6.2. To do that, go to the folder you installed 1.3.6.2 into, then open up the 'Redist' subfolder, then the 'DX9_WebInstaller' subfolder. Run the executable in there to get the latest version of DirectX installed. As DirectX 9 has had quarterly (now semiannual) updates, you do need to make sure you have the right version of DirectX present on your system for BZ2.

You may want to reboot at this point. Sometimes DirectX gets properly installed by doing this.

If BZ2 still doesn't run, then odds are, you need to update your graphics drivers, per the message above. What graphics card do you have? If you don't know which one, try posting the contents of the 'Battlezone.log' file, which is created by running BZ2. That Battlezone.log file is located in the same folder you installed 1.3.6.2, as your log says you're running on XP. (If running on Vista/Win7, that log file would be in My Documents/My Games/Battlezone II folder). Certain older graphics cards in the nVidia GeForce 2MX/4MX series require the latest drivers from the manufacturer's website; the drivers published by Windows Update do not work with Battlezone II and DirectX 9.

If the problem persists, posting the contents of the battlezone.log can help us figure out what hardware you have, and what drivers to pick up.

-- GSH

[DraconX3]

Well see, at the same time. I have WIndows 7 X64 and the game will not install for me on that, so I am running in WIndows XP mode in order to install the game. Ive downloaded the DirectX version that works for Windows XP but still theres no makeing this thing happy. Other than the thing I posted before, what other log is there to do?

[GSH]

BZ2 runs just fine on Win7/64. However, the BZ2 CD's autorun application does not run on a 64 bit Windows machine due to AMD/Intel's hardware limitations that lock out 16-bit code when a 64-bit AMD/Intel chip is running in 64-bit mode. Happily, as the 1.3.6.2 readme file notes (freely available at http://matesfamily.org/bz2/ , viewable in RTF or PDF format), you can bypass the autorun application for the actual installer, which does work on Win7/64:

Installing Battlezone II from CD on Windows XP/Vista/7
The Battlezone II CD does not contain the best installer, as many have noticed. Especially for 64-bit versions of Windows, the setup.exe in the root folder of the BZ2 CD does NOT run, because that setup.exe is a 16-bit application. Battlezone II (the game) is a proper 32-bit application that runs on 32 or 64 bit versions of Windows. But, the CD's initial installer does not run well on modern systems. The best thing to do is to try this first:
1. Insert BZ2 CD. Do not run anything if prompted
2. In Windows, go to 'My Computer' (Windows XP), or 'Computer' (Windows 7)
3. Find the BZ2 CD entry, click on it
4. Go to the setup directory in the BZ2 CD
5. Run the setup.exe (shown simply as the application called 'setup' if you use the Windows default of hiding file extensions)

Once you do all this, you shouldn't need XP mode at all. Just install on Win7/64, and run the 1.3.6.2 installer.

-- GSH

[TheJamsh]

As above, I run BZ2 on Win7 64/bit just fine and can also install from the CD.

You just have to do it manually rather than using Activisions launcher.

[Nielk1]

As above, but in summary:
Install from the CD using the method noted above.
Make a zip or 7zip of the install directory for later use so you do not need to install again.
Apply the 1.3 patch, do not install prior patches, go straight for 1.3pb6.2 when patching.