Game crashes on opening

**Mahmut Tuncer** · January 01, 2006, 04:11 AM

After the activision logo game crashes to windows, i didnt change or modify anything, i didnt do anything to trigger this. Why this game has so many such silly bugs, i wont reinstall the game so suggest me other solutions please.

**Casius Cherea** · January 01, 2006, 06:34 AM

you should install some codec divix or something like this because the game crushes on the beginning movie...
this is a common problem but BI fixes it (the game is stabile but without movies)

**theexbrit** · January 01, 2006, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by Mahmut Tuncer

After the activision logo game crashes to windows, i didnt change or modify anything, i didnt do anything to trigger this. Why this game has so many such silly bugs, i wont reinstall the game so suggest me other solutions please.

Are you using Win XP sp2 with all the updates? If so, there is a problem with one of the updates making Windows think that your disc is a copy. Thank "Bill" for being paranoid about losing a couple of bucks to "Pirates"!! Also, is this the first time that you've installed the game? If not, did it work fine before?

There are some fixes, post a reply if this is your scenario & I'll give you the fix.

**randrc** · March 02, 2006, 02:09 PM

I'm having this same problem. RTW causes a re-boot a minute after the logo screen appears. Any help would be appreciated.

**Proximus** · March 02, 2006, 02:22 PM

Moved to the help center.

**Dantheman102100** · March 04, 2006, 05:35 PM

Most CTDs that aren't caused by you can be fixed with a reinstall.

But, if you must be stubborn, try the -show_err tag on your short cut. Can't offer much help other than this.

**boy-ninja** · September 15, 2007, 04:25 AM

The exact same thing is happening to me.
I have uninstalled and reinstalled the game about three times today.
I have defragmented my computer.
I have checked for scratches on my disc.

I am using a DVD version. I have installed and played sucessfully RTW on my computer using the CD version but now, when I try to use the DVD version it doesn't work.

Please help me get this fantastic game to work. Thanks

**boy-ninja** · September 15, 2007, 03:38 PM

RE: the post above:

If i click on the shortcut it comes up with an error alert saying:
"Rome: Total War encounted an unspecified error and will now exit."

Which is very annoying because it doesn't specify what that error is.

If i place the DVD in the computer it cames up with the Rome Total War menu: "Install - Play Rome Total War - view readme - links - Quit"
I click on "Play Rome Total War" it comes up with

ROME
__________
TOTAL WAR

And the pictures arround the edge (it takes up about 1/9th of the page and the pictures are red and black)you know what I mean). Then, after that the picture goes away and nothing else happens, no error alert or anything but sometimes comes up with the "Rome: Total War encounted an unspecified error and will now exit." error.

Please help me because I know that many other people have the same problem.

**Cap** · February 18, 2008, 08:48 PM

Guys any of u know a solution for thous crashes now ? if so pls let me know because i have the same problem right now .Thanks

**Brusilov** · February 19, 2008, 02:04 AM

You could also try the -nm switch on the shortcut target. It stops the movies from being played.

If this resolves the problem then I'd suggest downloading the most recent Windows Media Player (11) and installing that.

**Cap** · February 19, 2008, 02:49 AM

I have latest Media Player... still wont work..

Can you tell me more about -nm switch pls and where i can find it (I have windows XP).. thank u

**Brusilov** · February 19, 2008, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by Cap

I have latest Media Player... still wont work..

Can you tell me more about -nm switch pls and where i can find it (I have windows XP).. thank u

Well, if you don't know about the -nm switch then you probably don't know about the -show_err switch.

The -show_err switch will trap some errors when the game crashes. Typically this is a file not found type of message. Not all CTDs will have a message. However, I always play with the -show_err switch.

Check out the bottom of the following post on how to set it up;

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showp...65&postcount=1

You need to be playing the game using a shortcut.

If you don't have one just right mouse click on the executable and send to desktop (this will create a shortcut).

Now, right mouse click the shortcut and select properties. That will bring up the window that is shown at the bottom of the link I've included.

Note: some shortcuts have the target within quotes and other do not. The details show both versions.

Originally Posted by boy-ninja

RE: the post above:

If i click on the shortcut it comes up with an error alert saying:
"Rome: Total War encounted an unspecified error and will now exit."

Which is very annoying because it doesn't specify what that error is.

If i place the DVD in the computer it cames up with the Rome Total War menu: "Install - Play Rome Total War - view readme - links - Quit"
I click on "Play Rome Total War" it comes up with

ROME
__________
TOTAL WAR

And the pictures arround the edge (it takes up about 1/9th of the page and the pictures are red and black)you know what I mean). Then, after that the picture goes away and nothing else happens, no error alert or anything but sometimes comes up with the "Rome: Total War encounted an unspecified error and will now exit." error.

Please help me because I know that many other people have the same problem.

Did you install the game from the CD-ROM and are trying to play it using the DVD-ROM in the drive?

RTW is very fussy about using a different disk than the one that it was first installed with (I presume this is something to do with trying to avoid piracy of disks).

I've got the original RTW 1.0 CD_ROM and the RTW Gold (RTW and RTW BI on a single DVD). I can't launch my games with different disks.

**Cap** · February 19, 2008, 12:23 PM

Ok i went on that website to see how -show_err switch works on shortcut so i clicked on that image to maximize it and it shows me some foggy /laggy typing on it so i couldnt even tell whats on it ....then i tried to open it again and it says "page couldnt be found" It was using imageshake program for search.Couldnt this be a reason why RTW not working ??

**Brusilov** · February 19, 2008, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by Cap

Ok i went on that website to see how -show_err switch works on shortcut so i clicked on that image to maximize it and it shows me some foggy /laggy typing on it so i couldnt even tell whats on it ....then i tried to open it again and it says "page couldnt be found" It was using imageshake program for search.Couldnt this be a reason why RTW not working ??

The image displays OK on my screen. This one should be easier to read;

**Cap** · February 19, 2008, 05:14 PM

When im adding -show_err it saying : The name "" C:\Program Files\The Crearive Assembly\Rome -Total War\RomeTW.exe"-show_err' specified in the Target box is not valid. Make sure the path and file are correct.

Also i noticed that on ur pic u have in Start in :"C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome_RTR" and i have "C:\Program Files\The Creative Assembly\Rome- Total War" so yeah my Rome game in Creative assembly folder i dont know if that makes any diffrents.

**Brusilov** · February 20, 2008, 01:28 AM

The first part of the line is where the executable can be found on your PC. All you need to do is add the -show_err at the end of whatever you have there.

When you create a shortcut to the executable (if there's not one there after the install) it will have the correct path name. Details of how to create shortcut are in post #12.

Also it's possible that some versions don't have quotes around the path - this was shown on the original post that I included.

**Cap** · February 20, 2008, 03:39 PM

I did added -show_err and i get same error "" C:\Program Files\The Crearive Assembly\Rome -Total War\RomeTW.exe"-show_err' specified in the Target box is not valid. Make sure the path and file are correct.

**allypup** · February 20, 2008, 10:04 PM

The problem may be in spacing and the ' at the end of the line. Here are the properties from the shortcuts to my EB 1.0 and RTW vannila as examples:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Rome EB\Rome - Total War\RomeTW-BI.exe" -nm: -mod:eb -show_err
"C:\Program Files (x86)\The Creative Assembly\Rome - Total War\RomeTW.exe"

Yours probably should read:
"C:\Program Files\The Creative Assembly\Rome - Total War\RomeTW.exe" -show_err

**Cap** · February 20, 2008, 10:46 PM

Thank you guys but it didnt work.No error messages nothing it just goes to first page (where u can see Logo ) and it frezzes there and after few min it restarts my computer .

**allypup** · February 21, 2008, 06:30 AM

You might want to add the -nm switch to the shortcut, it will disable the startup movies and may help isolate where the problem is.

I had a problem with a different game after installing a vid editing program. It defaulted to the open with attribute for all video images, but was guite buggy. I removed the program, all traces and registry entries and the game returned to full function. Programs can interfere with each other.

I know you say you don't want to re-install, but it may be the only solution.