Trouble with Gold edition

[Norkus]

Hello,

I've been playing MTW II, mostly Third Age and various sub mods for a few years on my laptop - without any problems.
As I was forced to reinstall the game from scratch it now longer is working anymore.

After a successful install I try to launch MTW II Vanilla, but I only receive a message telling me that "An unhandled exception has occurred in your application...Input string was not in a correct format" and then the game crashes.

Any ideas?

This is the CD Gold edition, no steam involved.

Would appreciate very much any help as I love playing Third Age!

[danny X]

Use CC Cleaner to remove all remnants of the game and then reinstall it.

Make sure you use the correct patch when you reinstall.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...Download-Links

If using mods or modding on Vista or newer OS's it may be best to install in a custom location outside of Program Files.

[Norkus]

OK, Thanks - I'll try that!

[Norkus]

OK, I finally got the time to try a fresh install. Removed all traces of the game and installed it and the Teutonic campaign on C:. Path 1.5 also applied successfully, but still the game will not launch.

I am on Windows 7. I have tried to run it as administrator, but no luck.
I seem to remember one had to do some changes to the UAC, but that was only for mods like Third Age, right?

The error log is giving me this:

************** Exception Text **************
System.FormatException: Input string was not in a correct format.
at System.Number.ParseDouble(String s, NumberStyles style, NumberFormatInfo info)
at System.Double.Parse(String s, NumberStyles style, IFormatProvider provider)
at System.Convert.ToDouble(String value, IFormatProvider provider)
at System.String.System.IConvertible.ToDouble(IFormatProvider provider)
at System.Convert.ToDouble(Object value)
at UpdateLib.UpdateCore.Init(String updateDbPath, String versionDbPath, Boolean isUpdater)
at Launcher.LauncherMainForm.LauncherMainForm_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnCreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/microsoft.net/fra...2/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
Launcher
Assembly Version: 1.0.2669.20298
Win32 Version: 1.0.2669.20298
CodeBase: file:///C:/Launcher.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/syst...dows.forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/syst...089/system.dll
----------------------------------------
CoreLib
Assembly Version: 1.0.2669.20298
Win32 Version: 1.0.2669.20298
CodeBase: file:///C:/CoreLib.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/syst...em.drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
SkinLib
Assembly Version: 1.0.2669.20298
Win32 Version: 1.0.2669.20298
CodeBase: file:///C:/SkinLib.DLL
----------------------------------------
AxInterop.SHDocVw
Assembly Version: 1.1.0.0
Win32 Version: 1.1.0.0
CodeBase: file:///C:/AxInterop.SHDocVw.DLL
----------------------------------------
Interop.SHDocVw
Assembly Version: 1.1.0.0
Win32 Version: 1.1.0.0
CodeBase: file:///C:/Interop.SHDocVw.DLL
----------------------------------------
Accessibility
Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/acce...essibility.dll
----------------------------------------
UpdateLib
Assembly Version: 1.0.2669.20298
Win32 Version: 1.0.2669.20298
CodeBase: file:///C:/UpdateLib.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/syst...system.xml.dll
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.DirectX.AudioVideoPlayback
Assembly Version: 1.0.2902.0
Win32 Version: 5.04.00.2904
CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/micr...eoplayback.dll
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.DirectX
Assembly Version: 1.0.2902.0
Win32 Version: 5.04.00.2904
CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/micr...0.2902.0__31bf

And here is the system log for the crash itself:

09:26:23.622 [system.rpt] [always] CPU: SSE2
09:26:23.638 [system.rpt] [always] ==== system log start, build date: Jun 25 2007 version bld-medieval2-update2.1-30 (43169) ===
09:26:23.638 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_0.pack
09:26:23.638 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_1.pack
09:26:23.638 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_2.pack
09:26:23.638 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_3.pack
09:26:23.638 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_4.pack
09:26:23.638 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/localized.pack
09:26:23.638 [system.io] [warning] open: preferences/player.txt is missing
09:26:23.638 [system.io] [warning] open: preferences/keys.dat is missing
09:26:23.638 [system.io] [warning] open: preferences/keys.dat is missing
09:26:23.669 [system.rpt] [error] Medieval 2: Total War encountered an unspecified error and will now exit.

[danny X]

The only thing I can think of is that maybe there are still files of the original install somewhere, also it's possible your anti-virus could be interfering with either the launching or installation of the game.

I found this thread, below, it might help.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...stall-problems

If you can maybe it's worth buying the Steam version of the game, that's what I have and I know that works, although you would've just missed the summer sales unfortunately.

[Norkus]

All right, I tried again. Removed all traces of MTWII with regedit and CCleaner, rebooted, made a new GAMES folder, disabled UAC.

Still the same error. :-(

I have not tampered with the antivirus program as I am reluctant to do so. Is that the only possibility left?
The game (from these CDs) functioned so well a few weeks ago... :-(

[danny X]

"An unhandled exception has occurred in your application...Input string was not in a correct format"

Well that is telling me that some files aren't being converted to the correct format e.g converting data from one type to another, and the conversion was not successful.

Why that is still persisting after removing all the game files for a fresh install I don't know.

Another possibility could be the Virtual store, as from what I understand it's separate from the UAC in Windows 7.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...Store-Problems

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...e-d2b9cf5bcff6

Do you have any other problems with games on CD? I think it's unlikely but another possibility is the cd or the drive might be damaged, or the cd could need cleaning.

Why were you forced to reinstall the game in the first place?

[Norkus]

Well that is telling me that some files aren't being converted to the correct format e.g converting data from one type to another, and the conversion was not successful.

Why that is still persisting after removing all the game files for a fresh install I don't know.

Another possibility could be the Virtual store, as from what I understand it's separate from the UAC in Windows 7.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...Store-Problems

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...e-d2b9cf5bcff6

Do you have any other problems with games on CD? I think it's unlikely but another possibility is the cd or the drive might be damaged, or the cd could need cleaning.

Why were you forced to reinstall the game in the first place?

'

Thanks for looking into this.
I have made sure the Virtual Store is not interfering, that did not change anything.

I have googled around, and it seems that I am not the only one that has been receiving the first error message ("An unhandled exception has occurred in your application...Input string was not in a correct format"), however, other players were able to start the game regardless. I can also open the launcher, but the game crashes to desktop when it tries to launch.

I am really at a loss here.

I had to reinstall the game as I was forced to reconfigure my laptop as I for some reason could not get my remote desktop-function to work.


EDIT: Out of curiosity I installed the Third Age-mod (3.2) and tried to launch it. Now the game claims that I have the wrong CD (I don't).

[danny X]

I'm stumped then I'm afraid mate.

There's this you could try - Converting Disk to Steam:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...-Disk-to-Steam

As I understand it, all you need is the activation code and then you can download the Steam version for no extra charge.

The only other thing I can think of is you could post that first log (a fresh one) from post 4 at the Windows forums and see if there's anyone there who knows what that is specifically pointing to.

You could also try updating DirectX and .NET Framework via Windows Updates.

[Norkus]

I bought the Steam version and downloaded it.
The game immediately crashes.

[danny X]

Nuts, you bought it, was I too late with the converting disk to steam thing?
You're gonna have to make sure you remove anything M2TW again before you install the Steam version.

I think that you are either missing something or something is interfering. If it's not something malicious, then I think it's Windows related, so I would post your problem at their forums. Do you have any other games that are running ok?

Malwarebytes, it's free and layered protection, so it will work even with your current anti-virus installed.

http://948806.r.msn.com/?ld=d38gb_ne...e%7cpdv%7cc%7c

Similar problem perhaps:

http://forums.techguy.org/windows-vi...rror-help.html

Might help:

How to perform a clean boot procedure to determine whether background programs are interfering with a game or a program that you currently use

Just in case it's Direct x missing:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35

Also make sure that you install all the latest updates through Windows Updates especially those related to .NET Framework.

[Norkus]

Yes, I was a bit too fast! :-)

One thing is certain, there is nothing wrong with the game itself. I got the Steam-version to work on another PC (which is also Windows 7).

Malwarebytes did not find anything.

I have DirectX updated.

I always install all Windows updates.

Actually, I don't have any other games, as I am only able to play 2-3 hours a week (busy job and two kids).

I am making a new attempt with Steam now, then we'll see.

EDIT: Nope - still not working :-(

[danny X]

Damn, sorry about that

I think we're gonna have to put this down to a tech fault or windows fault, possibly something went wrong during the reformat.

You could post your problem below, there might be someone there that can give you some advice:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forum...8-The-Basement

It would probably be better to try Toms Hardware, Tech Support forum or the Windows forum.

If/when you do manage to solve your problem then post your solution here and it could help someone else

[Norkus]

I'll try that. Thanks a bunch!

:-)

[Norkus]

In the end there was a happy ending to this one. After installing DriverToolKit I discovered that my video card drivers were out of date, and after a quick upgrade I am now back to playing MIITW Third Age and its submods! :-)
Thanks for all the help, really appreciate it!