PROBLEM:

My game randomly freezes or crashes to the desktop

VERIFY THAT YOUR COMPUTER MEETS THE VIDEO REQUIREMENT OF THE GAME

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type dxdiag, and then click OK.
3. Click the Display tab.
4. Under Device, look for Name, Manufacturer, and Approx. Total Memory.

NOTE: If the Name or Manufacturer lists SiS, S3, Intel, or Via, your computer has an inegrated graphics controller which is not sufficient to run the game. In addition, the Approx. Total Memory must be 8 MB or higher.

UPDATE YOUR VIDEO AND SOUND DRIVERS

Visit the website of your video card and sound card manufacturer to download and install the most recent drivers.

RESTART YOUR COMPUTER USING A CLEAN-BOOT PROCEDURE

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Place your cursor in the Open box, type msconfig and click OK.
3. Under the General tab, click Selective Startup.
4. Below the Selective Startup option, click to clear the following check boxes:
   • Process SYSTEM.INI File
   • Process WIN.INI File
   • Load Startup Items
5. Under the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
6. Click OK, and then click Restart.
7. Once your computer restarts and the notification window for the System Configuration appears, place a checkmark in the box next to "Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts" and click the OK button.

RUN THE GAME WITH WINDOWS XP'S COMPATIBILITY MODE

1. Locate the shortcut for the game (found either on the Desktop or in the Start > All Programs menu), right-click on it and select Properties.
2. From the Properties window, click on the Compatibility tab.
3. Place a checkmark within the section labeled Compatibility mode and select Windows 98 / Windows ME from the drop-down list.
4. Click the Apply button, then click the OK button.
5. Click (or double-click) the shortcut to launch the game.

UNINSTALL AND REINSTALL THE GAME

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
3. In the list of Currently installed programs, click your game to select it, and then click Uninstall or Change/Remove.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to uninstall the game.
5. Restart your computer using a clean-boot procedure.
6. Insert the game CD-ROM into the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
7. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation process.

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type drive:\setup.exe, where drive is the drive letter of the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
3. Click OK.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation process.

REDUCE HARDWARE ACCELERATION

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Display.
3. On the Settings tab, click the Advanced button.
4. Click the Troubleshoot tab.
5. Move the Hardware Acceleration slider two notches to the left of Full (the Disable all cursor and advanced drawing accelerations setting).
6. Click OK, and then click OK again.

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Place your cursor in the Open box, type dxiag and click OK.
3. Under the Sound tab, in the DirectX Features section, change the Hardware Sound Acceleration Level to Basic acceleration.
4. Click Exit.

Microsoft DirectX Download Center

SCAN YOUR COMPUTER FOR VIRUSES

NOTE: If you already have an antivirus program installed, before you scan your computer for viruses, remember to update your antivirus program with the latest signature files. Most software companies that create antivirus programs release a new signature file each month. After you obtain the latest signature files, scan your computer. For help obtaining the antivirus signature files, contact the antivus software manufacturer.

If you do not have antivirus software installed, you may use Symantec's online virus scanning utility:

Symantec Security Check