KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q287152: MechWarrior 4: Known Video Issues in MechWarrior 4

Article: Q287152
Product(s): Microsoft Home Games
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbdisplay kbgraphic kbimu
Last Modified: 17-JUL-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MechWarrior 4: Vengeance, version 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

This article describes some known video-related issues that you may experience
when you play Microsoft MechWarrior 4: Vengeance.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The following video adapters and chip sets have known video-related issues in
MechWarrior 4: Vengeance:

NOTE: MechWarrior 4 fully supports only DirectX 8-compliant video adapters and
video drivers. Install the latest WHQL digitally-signed driver for all of your
hardware.

These drivers are listed in the Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility List
(HCL) at the following Microsoft Windows Update web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/hcl Or, visit your computer or hardware manufacturer's
support web site.

3DLabs Permedia 2 chipset
-------------------------

- Graphics irregularities may occur.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver from
  the following 3DLabs Web site:

  http://www.3dlabs.com

AccelStar II 3D Accelerator
---------------------------

- Graphics rendering may be damaged.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver from
  the following 3DLabs Web site:

  http://www.3dlabs.com

AOpen PA3000
------------

- The computer may stop responding (hang) with the retail video driver
  installed.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver from
  the following nVidia Web site:

  http://www.nvidia.com

ASUS 3DexPlorer 3000
--------------------

- You may experience screen corruption when the opening movie starts.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest driver from ASUS or the
  latest driver from the following nVidia Web site:

  http://www.nvidia.com

ASUS V2740
----------

- Textures may not render properly.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver from
  the following Intel Web site:

  http://www.intel.com

ASUS V-6600
-----------

- When you start a game, your computer may stop responding (hang).

  To resolve this issue, please contact your hardware manufacturer for updated
  driver or download the latest reference driver from ASUS or nVidia:

  http://www.asus.com

  http://www.nvidia.com

ATI All-in-Wonder 128 Pro
-------------------------

- When you use 32-bit color, you may experience graphic instability.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver from
  the following ATI Web site:

  http://support.atitech.com

ATI Rage Fury Maxx
------------------

- Graphics may be corrupted.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest video driver from the
  following ATI Web site:

  http://support.atitech.com

ATI Rage Pro Turbo
------------------

- Some graphics irregularities may occur.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the "Special Released" driver from
  the following ATI Web site:

  http://support.atitech.com

ATI Rage II+ and ATI Xpert 128
------------------------------

- Slight texture corruption may occur.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest driver from the
  following ATI Web site

  http://support.atitech.com

Creative Blaster Riva TNT
-------------------------

- When you use the latest reference driver from nVidia (version 6.31), your
  computer may stop responding (hang).

  To resolve this issue, contact your hardware manufacturer for the latest
  available video driver at the following ATI Web site:

  http://support.atitech.com

  Also, you may need to lower your AGP aperture size. Contact your hardware
  manufacturer for more information about how to change your AGP aperture size.

Creative Labs 3D Blaster Savage4
--------------------------------

- Game resolution changes may give unreliable results.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest driver from the
  following Creative Labs Web site:

  http://www.creative.com

Diamond Fire Pro GL and Diamond Viper II Z200
---------------------------------------------

- Graphics may appear corrupt.

  Contact the manufacturer for the latest available driver at the following S3
  Web site:

  http://www.s3.com

Diamond Monster II 3D
---------------------

- With driver version 2207 from the Diamond Web site, your computer may not
  recognize your video adapter.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver for
  your Voodoo 2 from the following 3dfx Interactive Web site:

  http://www.3dfx.com

Diamond Monster Fusion
----------------------

- Texture corruption may occur.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver for
  the 3dfx Voodoo Banshee display chip set from the following 3dfx Interactive
  Web site:

  http://www.3dfx.com

Diamond Stealth II G-460
------------------------

- Textures may not appear.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest driver from the
  following S3 Web site:

  http://www.S3.com

Diamond Viper V550
------------------

- Texture may appear corrupt.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest driver from the
  following Diamond Web site:

  http://www.diamondmm.com

Diamond Viper V770 Ultra
------------------------

- Graphics may appear corrupt and the game may hang.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest driver from the
  following S3 Web site or the reference driver from the following nVidia Web
  site:

  http://www.S3.com

  http://www.nvidia.com

Elsa Gladiac
------------

- The game may hang or the video adapter may not be recognized when you use the
  latest retail driver (version.6.34) for this video adapter.

  To resolve this issue, download and install updated driver from the following
  Elsa Web site or download and install the latest reference driver from the
  following nVidia Web site:

  http://www.elsa.de

  http://www.nvidia.com

Guillemot 3D Prophet GeForce
----------------------------

- There may be slight graphic irregularities.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest driver from the
  following Guillemot Web site:

  http://www.guillemot.com

Guillemot Maxi Gamer Phoenix 2
------------------------------

- Sporadic menu corruption may occur.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest video driver from the
  following Guillemot Web site:

  http://www.guillemot.com

Intel 810 Graphics Chip Set
---------------------------

- When you use a video adapter that contains the Intel 810 graphics chip set,
  download and install the latest video driver from the following Intel Web
  site.

  http://www.intel.com

NOTE: The Intel 810 chip set dynamically allocates video memory up to 11 MB, as
needed. You cannot adjust the amount of video memory that is allocated. The
Intel 810 chip set is not fully compatible with the latest Microsoft games
because of the memory allocation structure.

When you play Microsoft MechWarrior 4, you may experience one of the following
symptoms:

- Poor video performance in the game.

- Poor game performance (choppy game play).

Verify Video Adapter Memory:

Use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to determine the amount of video memory installed
on your video adapter. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.

2. In the Open box, type the following line, and then click OK:

  "<drive>:\program files\directx\setup\dxdiag.exe" (without the
  quotation marks)

  where <drive> is the drive letter of the hard disk on which Microsoft
  Windows is installed.

3. Click the Display or Display 1 tab.

4. Note the amount of video memory on the Approx. Total Memory line under
  Device, and then click Exit.

  If less than 8 megabytes (MB) of video memory are installed on your video
  adapter, install additional video memory on your video adapter, or install a
  video adapter with more video memory.

To view MechWarrior system requirements, see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q279362 MechWarrior 4: Vengeance: Minimum System Requirements

  Q310627 MechWarrior 4 Black Knight/Mech Paks: Minimum System Requirements

If your video adapter meets the game requirements, update to use the latest video
adapter driver available for your video adapter.

Install an Updated Video Driver:

Download and install the latest version of the video driver for your video
adapter from your hardware manufacturer's Web site, or download and install the
video driver from the following Intel Web site:

  http://support.intel.com/support/swd/graphics.htm

Reduce Graphics Settings:

1. Exit MechWarrior 4.

2. Click Start, and then click Run.

3. In the Open box, type the following line, and then click OK:

  "<drive>:\program files\Microsoft Games\MechWarrior
  Vengeance\AutoConfig.exe" (without the quotation marks)

  where <drive> is the drive letter of the hard disk on which Microsoft
  Windows is installed.

4. Select the Graphics Setting:Low check box, and then click Continue.

5. Restart the game.

Matrox Marvel G-400
-------------------

- You may experience stability problems in MechWarrior 4.

  To resolve this issue, configure the game to use 16-bit color in the
  Autoconfig.exe tool located in your MechWarrior Vengeance folder or download
  and install the latest video driver from the following Matrox Web site:

  http://www.matrox.com

Matrox Millennium G200 AGP
--------------------------

- Texture flashes may occur.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest driver from the
  following Matrox Web site:

  http://www.matrox.com

Number Nine Revolution IV
-------------------------

- Texture corruption may occur or the game may hang.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest driver from the
  following Number Nine Web site:

  http://www.nine.com

nVIDIA Chip Set: TNT, TNT2, and GeForce
---------------------------------------

- When you run Microsoft Windows 2000, the game may not run in accelerated
  hardware mode.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver from
  the following nVidia Web site, or contact your hardware manufacturer for the
  latest video driver:

  http://www.nvidia.com

nVIDIA GeForce 2 GTS
--------------------

- A split screen may occur when you change video modes.

  To work around this issue, press ALT+TAB to minimize the game, and then press
  ALT+TAB again to maximize the game.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver from
  the following nVidia Web site or contact your hardware manufacturer for an
  updated video driver. Also, make sure you have the correct driver installed
  for your monitor.

  http://www.nvidia.com

S3 Savage 4 Chip Set
--------------------

- When you run Windows 2000, the game may not run in accelerated hardware
  mode.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver from
  the following S3 Web site, or contact your hardware manufacturer for the
  latest driver.

  http://www.s3.com

STB BlackMagic 3D
-----------------

1. Slight graphic corruption may occur.

  To resolve this issue, install the latest Voodoo 2 reference driver from the
  following 3dfx Interactive Web site:

  http://www.3dfx.com

STB Velocity 128
----------------

- The computer may hang after the opening movie is played, or graphic
  irregularities may occur.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference driver from
  the following nVidia Web site:

  http://www.nvidia.com

STB Velocity 4400
-----------------

- The game may hang while the opening movie is playing or in other places in
  the game.

  To resolve this issue, download and install the latest reference video driver
  from the following nVidia Web site:

  http://www.nvidia.com

If this issue continues to occur, contact your hardware manufacturer for driver
updates or for system settings that may resolve the issue.

Contact Your Video Adapter Manufacturer
---------------------------------------

For information about how to contact your video adapter manufacturer to inquire
about how to obtain and install the latest video driver for your video adapter,
click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

  Q60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

  Q60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

To identify the manufacturer and model of your video adapter:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click System.

3. If you are using a Microsoft Windows 95-based or a Microsoft Windows 98-based
  computer, click the Device Manager tab.

  If you are using a Microsoft Windows 2000-based computer, click the Hardware
  tab, and then click Device Manager.

4. Click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to "Display adapters" to expand the branch.

5. Under the "Display adapters" branch, note the manufacturer and model of your
  video adapter, and then click OK.

6. Close all of the open windows on the desktop.

To identify the driver version of your video driver, see the following Microsoft
Knowledge Base article:

  Q159487 Games: How to Determine the Version of Installed Video Driver

NOTES:

Reference drivers are drivers that are released by the manufacturers of specific
video chip sets.

Retail drivers are drivers that are released by the manufacturer of a video
adapter or sound card.

If you experience issues when you use the most recent retail driver supplied by
the manufacturer of your video adapter, use the latest reference driver from the
manufacturer of your video adapter chip set.

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical
support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not
guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by
companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty,
implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these
products.

Additional query words: msgame freeze crash lock up

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbdisplay kbgraphic kbimu 
Technology        : kbGamesSearch kbMechWarrior4
Version           : :4.0
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.