A list of common problems for games
 

Currupt Installs

If you experience a currupt install of your game try a reinstall or update any hardware devices you have on your computer.

Patching

Normally when you experience anything major in a game: a graphics problem for example, try updating your game with any patches from the games offical website. You can alternativly try to update your graphics card drivers.

http://www.nvidia.co.uk
http://www.ati.com

etc.

Uninstalling

• System Restore,
• Safe Mode (Must be logged on as an Administrator)
• Return the computer to its last known good configuration

For system restore you NEED to disable you Anti - Virus software as it protects certain files. Remember do this BEFORE you make a restore.

Safe Mode is the safest way to uninstall software from your PC. You need to be logged in as an Administrator to perform this task. When you restart your PC just keep hitting F8 untill the safe mode menu appears.

Return the computer to its last known good configuration - This is an option with in the safe mode menu.

Other Hardware
If you just have a problem with an internal or external device, a motherboard for example try updating the drivers for that hardware.

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

Why not just use the games uninstall application? Less hassle :erm:

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

Not all uninstall applications are any good - many leave traces of the game in the registry and files on the hard drive.

But you can try to uninstall if you like :)

Some games will refuse to uninstall if they've installed wrongly too.

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

Alright then just gang up on me :p:

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

Tempting :) - But nah - I haven't got the energy tonight - and it IS the only way you'll learn these things :)

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

*starts running* :D

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

I was going along those sort of lines. :D

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

I havent had a single game that has had trouble uninstalling since windows 98. For that matter even if the uninstall is buggered you could just delete the files manually and then remove the entry from the Add/Remove Programs menu. Installing/uninstalling drivers seems to be better in safe mode though so I'll give you that :)
Personally the biggest problem for most games now are D3D issues, I have had more games with Graphical corruption or startup failures down to hardware/driver issues with D3D than anything else and even those are becoming rare.

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

Game companies say D3D is more stable than OpenGL, I think it's the other way around. I have had more problems with D3D than OpenGL :erm:

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

Using system restore as a first option for uninstalling software is just stupid imo - there could have been lots of other system changes made while the game was installed.

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

D3D seems more stable once initialised to me, OpenGL based games seem to be able to run on anything but have the nasty habbit of dropping you back to the desktop randomly if they dont like your hardware.

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

That's why I mentioned the unistall of the game ;)

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

Your original post was spot on, using system restore to remove a game (or any software) should be an absolute last resort, I can safely say that since I've been using XP (right back from when I received the beta through MSDN) I have never had to use system restore to get rid of something I've installed.

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

Like The Sims when you have all the EP's installed.

Re: A list of common problems for games
 

Tsk tsk tsk, you're not suggesting that there's a problem if you uninstall things in a different order to which they were installed, are you? Personally, I wouldn't consider that a fault with the uninstall routine of the s/w being uninstalled.

edit: although there might be a case for a bad design issue if the original software doesn't take into consideration any dependent software still installed whilst being uninstalled. er....does that make sense?!? /me is tired :dozey: