Windows XP question

[Sean]

I have two PCs. One is newer (1 year old) and uses windows XP home edition. The other one is older and uses windows 98. I don't have a monitor for the one with windows 98 just yet, I looking for a cheapie. Anyway...

The problem is that when I try to start a few computer games for my daughter two of them give me an error that says "you need at least 3MB of virtual memory to play this game". But if I put them in the older PC with windows 98 they play fine.

Why is XP giving me problems? Isn't virtual memory handled automatically? Other games from the same company play fine.

So is there some setting I can change to fix this?

If I get a switch box (I just saw some on ebay) does it need to be SVGA?

 

[Negeltu]

right click on the icon for the game and go to properties on the popup menu. then click on the tab for compatibiliity settings. set it to win98 compatibility..and click ok. now try running the game. if that doesn't work...try uninstalling the game and running the setup file in win98 compatibility mode and reinstall. see if that helps.

 

[evan9162]

Go find the EXE that actually runs the game. Right-click on the EXE file, go to "Properties". Go to the "Memory" tab, then pick an EMS (expanded memory) amount from the pull-down list. The amounts shown are in KB, so for 3MB you choose 3072.

You'll notice by default that windows chooses to give no EMS to DOS programs by default.

Doing this will cause windows to generate a shortcut file which tells the DOS system how to setup the environment to run this EXE.

 

[Sean]

Negeltu,
I tried that and I still get the same error message.

evan9162,
This is what I get when I right click on the EXE that runs the program:

 

[was_jlh]

Sean, you signed in with admin privileges? If not, sign in with those privs, then try Evan's suggestion. Also try the XMS memory setting, XMS was more popular than EMS in the recent past.

 

[Sean]

[ QUOTE ]
was_jlh said:
Sean, you signed in with admin privileges? If not, sign in with those privs, then try Evan's suggestion. Also try the XMS memory setting, XMS was more popular than EMS in the recent past.


[/ QUOTE ]

How do I do that? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[was_jlh]

Go into control panel, user accounts, see if there's one listed as admin or with admin description.

 

[evan9162]

Duh

I guess I should re-read before posting. Ignore everything I said - my reading comprehension wasn't working this morning - I somehow read "expanded" memory, instead of "virtual" memory, and somehow thought it was a DOS game.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif

 

[Sean]

[ QUOTE ]
was_jlh said:
Go into control panel, user accounts, see if there's one listed as admin or with admin description.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am the only user set up. It says I am the computer admin.

Now what? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Hornet]

Try the right click on the .exe like you did above and click on the compatibility tab. Here you can tell the program to run in a w98 form. the changes will take effect after you click ok and then dbl click on the .exe You can also change the screen resolution here automatically if needed for the game when it first starts. I hope this helps.
Dana

 

[was_jlh]

Dana, I think he already tried that, I believe Negeltu suggested it.

Sean, if Evan's on the right track, maybe you should check your virtual memory setting :
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308417#31

 

[JSamilo]

It will mosty likely be corrected by changing the Compatibility settings. Since the program is a native Win32 app, (it said "virtual memory") it does not use EMS or XMS, which are methods DOS uses to allow applications to address greater than 640k of memory. No native Windows application, Win16 or Win32, addresses memory through EMS or XMS. If that does not solve your problem, make sure you have installed all XP updates (SP1 and the Compatibility patch) then try it again. Finally, make sure your Virtual Memory is enabled. You may have to manually set its size, as your program may look at the value set for pagefile size and since it comes default set to automatic think there is no pagefile.

 

[Sean]

[ QUOTE ]
was_jlh said:
Dana, I think he already tried that, I believe Negeltu suggested it.

Sean, if Evan's on the right track, maybe you should check your virtual memory setting :
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308417#31



[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, I did that but the programs still don't work. Same error message.

 

[Negeltu]

Some applications that were designed for earlier Windows versions just don't work on XP.

 

[Sean]

[ QUOTE ]
Negeltu said:
Some applications that were designed for earlier Windows versions just don't work on XP.

[/ QUOTE ]

One of the two games used to work a few weeks ago. That's what is frustrating out it. They are new educational games too, although that doesn't mean they haven't been around for awhile.

 

[Negeltu]

Even if a game or application says that is it XP compatible...you are still not guaranteed compatibility. Your XP systems configuration can still cause trouble with apps made to be compatible with XP. I have a few games that don't work with XP...and they aren't even what I would call old. They were not designed for XP.

 

[was_jlh]

Sean, post the names of the games, their publisher, and the exact error messages. I'll poke around this week when I get some free time.

 

[Sean]

[ QUOTE ]
was_jlh said:
Sean, post the names of the games, their publisher, and the exact error messages. I'll poke around this week when I get some free time.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly what happends when I try to play both these games:

These are the games:
Jump Start Spanish by Knowledge Adventure
and
Jump Start Learning Games ABC's by Knowledge Adventure

 

[was_jlh]

Sean, "director player" in window title, does that always appear for either game, or was that just an example, wondering if the games share a common component that is the culprit.

Joe

 

[Sean]

[ QUOTE ]
was_jlh said:
Sean, "director player" in window title, does that always appear for either game, or was that just an example, wondering if the games share a common component that is the culprit.

Joe

[/ QUOTE ]

That always shows up. Not sure what it means.