Rome Total War crashes on title screen?

[ToonTotalWar]

Ok guys i cannot even get the damn game to play in Vanilla and i have three versions installed already!! in fact 2 of my previous installs dont work anymore and i can only get RTRPE to play on my C drive install and Vanilla game does not play?

Basically i do a fresh install of the game in either of my 4 drives (C,D,E or F) then once i click the icon to play on my desktop i get the opening RTW screen then black screen and then CTD!! (I remove my older versions of RTW so that there are no conflicts, for when i try the existing drives with game in there).

What is confusing is that every drive i try to place a fresh install of RTW in any (or drive E and F that dont have RTW installed) drive i get this same CTD??
Thats as much info as i can give as i cannot get into menu etc.., now i had RTW working back in September 09, cause i remember playing it back then as i bought a new PC and i tested all my games installed.

Any ideas? or am i doing something wrong here? i tried looking for this error in Technical help forum but cannot see any help there. I also did a Registry Cleanup but this has made no difference
Thanks i hope someone can help

[Brusilov]

You need to post what the error message is as we don't know what it is.

Are you using the -show_err switch on the shortcut target? It can return a diagnostic message that could be used to work out what is gong wrong.

There is no reason to install RTW more than once on a machine. Keep the original install 'clean' and simply copy the entire 'Rome - Total War' folder (and rename it) to another location.

[ToonTotalWar]

You need to post what the error message is as we don't know what it is.

Are you using the -show_err switch on the shortcut target? It can return a diagnostic message that could be used to work out what is gong wrong.

There is no reason to install RTW more than once on a machine. Keep the original install 'clean' and simply copy the entire 'Rome - Total War' folder (and rename it) to another location.

I have tried the -show_err, but nothing appears?? where do i find this error logged?
I have a clean install of RTW as well and that does not work in any of my drives?

[irishron]

What are you computer specs?

If you have one of the new monitors for playing Empire in its glory, try editing the autoptimize file with your monitor resolution.

[ToonTotalWar]

What are you computer specs?

If you have one of the new monitors for playing Empire in its glory, try editing the autoptimize file with your monitor resolution.

Intel Core duo 2.8ghz
Windows XP Service Pack 3
4GB RAM
Directx 9.0c
Nvidia GeoForce 275 GTX 896mb
22" inch monitor

Anything else you need?

so you saying change the monitor size to something smaller to play RTW?? thank you

[irishron]

No. the other way around. When Rome was released the common big screen 1280x1024, believe it or not.

In the data foler, find decsr_auto_otimize_options.txt and edit it for the rosutions of your moniter. It might take few tries to get the right combination.

[ToonTotalWar]

No. the other way around. When Rome was released the common big screen 1280x1024, believe it or not.

In the data foler, find decsr_auto_otimize_options.txt and edit it for the rosutions of your moniter. It might take few tries to get the right combination.

Ah ok, i will try this. I have looked in the decsr_auto_otimize_options.txt file, but i cannot see anywhere where i can change the monitor resolution?? i have my monitor set to 1680x1050. can you explain further please where i need to adjust the entries in the decsr_auto_otimize_options.txt file

Sorry for the "noob" type questions but i have never used RTW in this depth before, as you know i am a ETW fan!! but really want to play Sparta:Total War and again thank you for your help

[irishron]

My old monitor still does Rome well. Brusilov did it when he got a widescreen but he did not explain past that.

I would make a backup and in the 1280x1024 entries put in yours.

[ToonTotalWar]

My old monitor still does Rome well. Brusilov did it when he got a widescreen but he did not explain past that.

I would make a backup and in the 1280x1024 entries put in yours.

Ok i tried that but still did not work?? so i replaced all the 1280 entries with 1680 and all the 1024 entries with 1050.
What i find confusing is that i can play one version of the game which is in my C drive and it is RTRPE?? this plays fine, i also checked the descr_auto_optimise_options in the RTRPE and they are all set to the prefix versions before (1024 etc..) and it loads up fine?

This is really confusing?? anything else i can try mate?

[irishron]

I thinK RTRPE is not mod-foldered and so it overwrites the vanilla files. If that is true you can no longer play vanilla on that copy.

[Brusilov]

There are two different versions of RTR PE - a mod-foldered version and a non mod-foldered version. So it depends upon which version was used - it's easy to look at the game folder and see which folders are there.

[ToonTotalWar]

Ok the version i have is 1.9 of RTRPE?? but this is strange how i can play this game no problem, but any other RTW install crashes at startup?
Do we have any other suggestions or any other options i can try?? thanks

[irishron]

The best way I know is a total uninstall, reinstall routine, then install all the patches.

Now make a copy of the Rome Total war folder so you have one clean copy and install RTRPE in the copy you made.

Now you have both.

When you want to install Sparta, make another copy of your clean copy and install Sprta in it.

[Brusilov]

Ok the version i have is 1.9 of RTRPE?? but this is strange how i can play this game no problem, but any other RTW install crashes at startup?
Do we have any other suggestions or any other options i can try?? thanks

RTR PE 1.9 is the latest version. It is available as a mod-foldered and non mod-foldered versions. You need to look at the install to see if there is a RTRPE folder at the same level as the exes. Only you can do that - we can't see your folders.

[ToonTotalWar]

The best way I know is a total uninstall, reinstall routine, then install all the patches.

Now make a copy of the Rome Total war folder so you have one clean copy and install RTRPE in the copy you made.

Now you have both.

When you want to install Sparta, make another copy of your clean copy and install Sprta in it.

I have done this already and i still get the CTD!! i was referring to RTRPE as this is the only RTW game i can get to work. It is Sparta: Total War that i am trying to use, but first I must get Vanilla game to work

RTR PE 1.9 is the latest version. It is available as a mod-foldered and non mod-foldered versions. You need to look at the install to see if there is a RTRPE folder at the same level as the exes. Only you can do that - we can't see your folders.

Ok lets forget RTRPE i was only referring to that game as it is the only one that works, since i upgraded my PC. It is Sparta: Total War that i am trying to use, but first I must get Vanilla game to work as it is constatntly CTD on startup screen

[irishron]

Do you have the discs or is it Steam's version?

[ToonTotalWar]

Do you have the discs or is it Steam's version?

3 x disc version

[irishron]

I have the old 3-cd set and mine works. Do you have the BI expansion? Solvo Populus mod work on mine yet. The only thing I haven't upgraded is the monitor because it works fine for me.

On a total clean reinstall, version 1.0, does it work?

[ToonTotalWar]

I have the old 3-cd set and mine works. Do you have the BI expansion? Solvo Populus mod work on mine yet. The only thing I haven't upgraded is the monitor because it works fine for me.

On a total clean reinstall, version 1.0, does it work?

Nope, i get the CTD as mentioned before!! i cannot get the Vanilla game started?? i do have BI?? what do you suggest thanks

[irishron]

Our specs aren't that much different unless it's a real bad install, confict between Rome and what you may have running in the background, bad registry entry left over from RTRPE or another mod, and what else can go wrong.

Have you tried using regedit to see if there are any entries left over from Rome and/or RTRPE? Registry cleaners won't delete something if they still find a trace and it has hung me in other programs.