Tech Issue With Unreal Tournament 2003...

[PacoL250]

Here's the issue: While I'm playing UT 2003, the game just goes to a black screen and locks up the computer, and any sound that was playing (e.g. the in-game music or a sound effect) starts skipping and looping at the same time. I was told by a friend that it was an issue with my CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive not being able to read the copy protection on the disk.

Well, I had to, but I got a no-CD crack (yes, I may be evil, but apparently this crack was made to address this problem, as it said to install the game completely...ok sort of), and it seemed to help to solve the problem, but it still locked up (although I was able to play longer before it did lock up). I've tried all options possible, from analog sound, to digital sound in Windows, to all audio options in the game.

So was it possibly the sound card acting up (an SB Live! X-Gamer 5.1 and now recently a SB Audigy 2) or the copy protection issue? I had all my system drivers, including my motherboard BIOS, updated to the latest versions before I even installed the game.

I'm not sure if the newly released patch solves this problem, but seem to doubt it because of the nature of the problem.

Also, just for your benefit, I use WinXP Professional. My motherboard is an ASUS A7V333 (VIA KT333 Chipset).

I'm wondering if anybody's had this problem, because I'm supposedly not the only one.

Thanks for any help! Cause this is really pissing me off!

[Poseidon]

What are the rest of your system specs? It could be a heat issue.

Also, what services do you have running? Have you changed any other than the default?

[PacoL250]

Sytem Specs:
1.2 GHz AMD Athlon
512 MB PC2100 DDR RAM
VIA KT333 Chipset Mobo (by ASUS; Model: A7V333)
GeForce 4 Ti 4600 (by VisionTek/nVIDIA)
Creative Soundblaster Audigy 2
60 GB, 7200 RPM HDD (by IBM)
16x DVD-ROM/48x CD-ROM Drive (by Toshiba)
16x/10x/40x CD Burner (by Plextor)

I have about 4-5 case fans in my case, which is a full tower case. So I don't think it's a heating problem...like so:

Also, what do you mean by what services I have running? Do you mean what programs I have running in the background?

I really want to play this game if you haven't noticed...

[Radical Dreamer]

What Nvidia drivers are you running? The 30.82 and the 30.87 seem to be the most stable. Also, you have a VIA chipset, have you updataed the via 4-in-1 drivers yet?

www.viarena.com

[Poseidon]

Here is a good place to learn about services and which ones are safe to turn off.

And I would go ahead and apply the 2136 patch: File Planet

[Tazdrummer]

DEFINATELY check into the patch as well as the latest VIA drivers. Once I installed the patch it made a big differance. I feel it did fix alot of things.

The no CD crack isnt evil, it gives back the performance that the copyright protection takes away.

Try Filefront for the patch.... less wait than Fileplanet.

[PacoL250]

I am running the 30.82 nVIDIA drivers, which is what the readme for the game said to use instead of the 40.41 drivers (or some version like that).

I also have 4.43v 4-in-1 drivers (which is the latest version)

I just patched the game itself, and it seems to last a bit longer now (and the game seems to run MUCH faster now), but it still locks up and goes to a black screen (if I didn't mention this before, my monitor seems to go to suspend mode as if no signal is being sent to it). I am going to try out all audio options in the game before I post again, but feel free to give me any suggestions in the meantime...I really appreciate all the help.

I WANT TO PLAY THE GAME!

BTW, I have check all power options, and none are on, so I don't think that should be an issue.

[PacoL250]

ARRRRRRGGG!

If you haven't noticed yet, I'm getting pretty ticked off not being able to play the game. The lock-up issue isn't as bad as before, but the game still locks up.

I can get through a match or 2 but I've played the original UT before for a couple of hours without any problems. I've downloaded the most recent VIA 4-in-1 drivers (Hyperion drivers now), and everything is up to date except the nVIDIA drivers (which I'm running version 30.82; the new one on nVIDIA's site is version 41.09. The one on VisionTek's site, the maker of my GeForce 4 Ti 4600, however, is still the one I have, 30.82). The version of the game I have has been updated with the latest patch.

I keep thinking it's a sound issue, but who knows at this point. It could even be a video issue (although I don't see any video problems).

Anybody know how to get the game running in OpenGL mode? I just want to see if that does anything.

Thanks for any help!

[Radical Dreamer]

Update the drivers from nvidias site, if you notice in the readme they say not the use the BETA 40 series drivers. And they are no longer beta and work for me just fine.

[Kermit D. Frog]

Have you tried unistalling and reinstalling the game?

[PacoL250]

Thanks everybody! A toast to all those who helped me!

I can finally play the game without any hitches! WOOHOO!

And yes Radical Dreamer, it was those god-forsaken drivers!

The freaking readme had said the v30.82 drivers would work, but apparently they did not with my system...even though it met and exceeded the reccommended specs, sheesh.

Just a note to everybody out there, get those v41.09 drivers from nVIDIA! Who cares if they're not digitally signed!
(At least for me they were not...oh well).

Time to frag away, just as my finals for college are about to end this semester!

Quite smilie intensive am I not?

Thanks again to everybody!