Crash to desktop after first loading screen

[jenko4202]

I had the game working fine a while back but then i stopped playing for a while, I think it has been patched a couple of times since i last had it working. Now whenever I try to start the game it brings up the black screen with ship plans courtesy of national maritime museum and bink video and things and then crashes to desktop, I have done a full reinstall and waited 5+ hours waiting for the downloads and i'm now getting very irritated, what do i need to do?
Its on a laptop
And I got the CD version not download, is there some way to "roll back" the patches?

Stuff you might need to know but im not really an expert
Nvidia Gforce 9200M GE
Driver Version: 7.15.0011.7597
Display Memory: 1521 MB
Dedicated Memory: 243 MB
Shared Memory: 1278 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (59Hz)
System Model: HP G70 Notebook PC
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T5800 @ 2.00GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.0GHz
Memory: 3068MB RAM
Page File: 1384MB used, 4954MB available

 

[irishron]

You cannot roll back the patches.

Someone will probably say I'm wrong but the game has left your notebook behind. Your graphics chis is not an honest 256mb. Resolution 59Hz instead of 60Hz?

 

[jenko4202]

I dont understand how that can be true, used to work fine, very occasional slow frame rate but good apart from that.
I live in the UK who do i go to to get a new Graphics Card?

 

[irishron]

1.3 patch was when they optimized for multicore cpus. That made a positive difference for those running 2.4Ghz or more. It also made a negative difference with cpus and graphics cards and chips. 1.4 and 1.5 graphics optimzations have thinned some more graphics cards.
99% notebooks and laptops are impossible to upgrade.

 

[jenko4202]

So the patches have broken the game for me?

 

[Scylla]

I'm having the same problem, at first the game whas running fine. Then the patch came and from then on i can't play anymore. I'm running it on a pc. Win XP with an Athlon 64 X2 Dual core 5800+ and an Ati 4850 1 GB. I really want to know what's wrong.

 

[Krisz87]

Ayyyy i have the same problem to, have not playd for a long time so i install the game agian but the gam will not start just crash

 

[jenko4202]

People seem to think that this error is caused by patch 1.5 because the game started to crash for a lot of people after that patch. So either a hotfix or the next patch will hopefully fix it. I have emailed steam and CA and got no reply after several days. I feel a bit let down. Anyone know of a fix or the eta of the next patch?

 

[burden010]

Question: Did you have any mods installed before you reinstalled/upgraded to 1.5? If so, you will need to remove the non-vanilla files from the scripts folder before ETW will load.

 

[jenko4202]

Never had any mods nope

 

[Scylla]

Nope, just vanilla. Thought about that too, so i installed vanilla first. Didn't make any difference.

 

[xenomorph83]

yes i also have this problem, i posted my own message on this issue. I didnt realise it was effecting this many people to be honest. I have been running it fine since launch and now it wont boot up. I have been using mods but i have tried dissabling them also deleting the scripts also tried deleting my saves just incase that was causing some kind of problem but nothing has worked.
So is the only option to wait for the next patch?

 

[xenomorph83]

well, ive tried dleteing all of the mods i have from the data folder, deleted all my save games, deleted scripts/preferences ive verified integrity of game cache and STILL the game wont boot up.

 

[Dice42]

I'm having the same problem,
I wondered wether buying the expansion might unintentionally solve it, but don't really want to risk the money, £6 is a useful amount when you're a student

 

[xenomorph83]

Its funny you should say that actually because ive tried that in the hope it may fix it.......but it doesnt. I have however fixed my crash anyway and the following should apply to vista i think, basically if you are using any mods then make sure you delete all of them from your data folder (c:/program files/steam/steam apps/common/empire total war/data), then delete your scripts and preferences (start menu/users/Appdata/roaming/The creative assembly/Empire/scripts). then verify integrity of game cache by opening steam selecting my games right click on empire total war and then select properties then select local files and there it is.
After i had done all that i tried booting the game again and it worked........i just hope this helps some of you guys also because i know how frustrating this is.

 

[Dice42]

Are you saying to delete local content? Because I have done the rest (doing those tended to solve other patch problems). Need to ask though, if i delete local content, will i need the disk to reload them? My disk is at home while i'm at uni, which is why i haven't attempted to reinstall.

 

[xenomorph83]

Nah i didnt delete local content, the last thing i did was to verify integrity of game cache. A full reinstall is not necessary.....well not in my case anyway. Let me know if what i explained above works for you though.

 

[Dice42]

ah found it, a miss understanding on my part, doing it now, finger's crossed

 

[Dice42]

didn't work unfortunately, will have to keep looking, thanks for your help though

 

[xenomorph83]

No worries, im sorry to hear that it hasn't worked for you. Fingers crossed you sort it soon mate this problem is just rediculous.

 

[Obi Wan Asterix]

Still having this problem after 1.6 ... have had it since 1.5... anybody found a fix yet?

 

[irishron]

Delete ALL mods?
Delete the Empire folder inCreative Assembly?
Verify your game cache afterwards?

 

[Obi Wan Asterix]

Delete ALL mods?
Delete the Empire folder inCreative Assembly?
Verify your game cache afterwards?

I have done all short of deleting my unmodded empire and reloading (I am on a mobile broadband connection ths summer so slower dl)