FAQ: Chocobo races crash under NT/2000/XP (technical)

[Qhimm]

I'm currently examining the code in question, trying to find out what it was meant to do and why it doesn't. I have some suspicions, but clearly it can't be that important since the game runs even when the offset it changed to random data...

[Qhimm]

The latest incarnation of the chocobo patch is available at http://www.qhimm.com/ff7_chocobo_patch.zip. This combined patch applies to both FF7 versions, and should make the patching process a piece of cake for most users.

[CatsClaw]

CatsClaw=Grey Mouser?

Check...this be my name when Not At Eidos (like at TTLG & T-Com)....extra bonus points for knowing the Mouser>CatsClaw connection

************************

Qhimm - Thanks for posting patch update and link on our forums. Appreciate it.

[Qhimm]

We aim to please.

Maybe a bit cliché, that. What I really aim for is a good job, a loving girl, and enough money to hire Bill Gates as a butler.  

[Sephiroth 3D]

But don't we all aim for that?

Sephiroth 3D

"I don't understand..." "You don't have to understand." - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Sephiroth 3D.com
[email protected]

[Goku7]

But don't we all aim for that?

Because, he'd get tired working for all of us!  Still, I wouldn't mind seeing that.

Actually, you gotta hand it to him for looking like a complete nerd, yet runs a successful business (meaning it actually makes money) and has a wife that still seems to love him for who he is.  Sure, nerds can do the first easily, but the second seems so infinitely much more difficult.

Oh, wait, wrong topic.  Doh!

[grizzly]

i recently reinstalled ff7 on my new computer with winxp and have problems with the chocobo racing. that's why i downloaded the most actual patch, but it doesn't seem to recognize my exe. Can anyone please send me a usexe or try to make a patch for the german exe. thanks

[Qhimm]

If someone sends me the german .exe, I'll update the patch to include it. Funny, didn't know it was different really  

[Qhimm]

An updated version of the chocobo patch is now available here. No changes to the patch itself, but now it supports the german(?) version, hereafter referred to as 1.00g.

[grizzly]

An updated version of the chocobo patch is now available here. No changes to the patch itself, but now it supports the german(?) version, hereafter referred to as 1.00g.

Just wanted to say thanks to qhimm for is REALLY fast reaction.

[Threesixty]

I've discovered something....

I don't know which FF7.exe has been patched with the Chocobo Race thing.

But, It seems that with the new Detonator drivers the 8 bit pallet function has been, finally, repaired.

The 29.42's work perfectly in FF7 with Direct3D Hardware Acceleration. The only thing you need to use from the TNT patch is the FF7config.exe. DO NOT use the FF7.exe from the TNT patch, the game will crash if you do....unless you like using Rivatuner to disable the 8 bit pallet.

No need for Rivatuner, anylonger.

The new drivers also work fine with FF8.

So, I guess I'm asking, Did you patch the original FF7.exe or the TNT version? Because, I don't think the TNT version is needed anymore. That is, unless Nvidia decides to break the driver in the future.

[Aaron]

I believe the patch that Qhimm made will work on both versions.

[Sephiroth 3D]

Yeah, Qhimm's patch will do the both the release & the patch versions AND the newly included German version.

Wow... Threesixty's right. Grab the 29.42 Nvidia drivers, use the original FF7.exe and the TNT patched FF7Config.exe & visually, FF7 works perfectly!

Now if only I could figure out what's causing mine to crash...

Sephiroth 3D

"I don't understand..." "You don't have to understand." - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Sephiroth 3D.com
[email protected]

[Threesixty]

Have you tried using different music modes? How about pushing Directsound Acceleration down to basic? Underclocking the Video card? The blitting functions of Rivatuner? (well, I guess you can't try blitting, until Rivatuner gets updated for the newest drivers). Maybe it's a bad stick of RAM?

[Sephiroth 3D]

The only thing I'm sure of, is that it's a driver problem. I've reinstalled windows with all my drivers & FF7, and it still fubars on me. Therefore, it must be a driver problem. I was thinking of chaning my sound settings, but I just haven't had time to do it recently. That's on my todo list.

A bad stick of RAM? Wouldn't that fubar everything else too? If it is the problem, why is it only effecting FF7?

Sephiroth 3D

"I don't understand..." "You don't have to understand." - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Sephiroth 3D.com
[email protected]

[Aaron]

Maybe it's a bad stick of RAM?

Yeah... a bad stick of RAM would affect more than FF7, and it wouldn't keep coming up with the same error... it would be more random, I think.

[Black Materia Cloud]

I have just downloaded this old 'Whistler Application Compatibility Pack' because someone said it'd make FF7 work on Windows 2000, and so it should on Windows XP *Which I have* and it DID! I can now play ALL of the mini-games without any glitches, or crashes, and I've played if for a while now, so I think it's pretty reliable.

Here's the step-by-step solution (Taken from http://www.ntcompatible.com/f.shtml ):

1) It works with the "Secret" compatibility update from Microsoft! Here's how you can make it work:

1) Download and install this file:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/compatibility/act.exe

2) Run AppFix.exe, located in the applications subdirectory in the ACT install folder.

3) Play FF7!

And just to make sure, go on your Start-bar, Programs, Application Compatibility Toolkit, then AppCompat, this should come up with a Window with the title 'Application Compatibility'

All you have to do from here on, is select your 'FF7.exe' and select 'Windows 98' check the box 'Use pre-Windows 2000 Temp path' then check the box 'Make the above check box settings permanent' and click 'OK'

This should now start FF7, so be sure you have one of the discs in the CD-ROM drive before you perform all of this.

Please let me know if this works for anyone else other than me.

-Good Luck-  

[The Skillster]

bloody heck didnt know this section existed!
must remember to post them Qs in ere.
im getting lost in here
i want my old forum back! mwaaa
2 sections where enuff then

[Qhimm]

I've implemented adaptive patching into the latest release of the FF7 chocobo patch. It should work on the previously unsupported FF7.exe versions (like french), so feel free to try it out and report bugs to me.

http://www.qhimm.com/ff7_chocobo_patch.zip (release 4)

[justanaverageguy]

ok i have this patch...but my game isnt patched to 1.02 where can i find this since it  didnt come with the game.?

[Aaron]

Search around online to find the 1.02 patch.  I think its on Eidos's web site, and also on File Planet...

If you download the 1.02 patch, you'll need to apply the Chocobo patch again.

[MoxieSailor]

I've been recently playing this game again and I successfully got the first patch mentioned here to work on my XP.  However, I discovered in the Battle Arena that my Omnislash limit break locked up my computer completely and I had to restart.  I've tested other limit breaks, and they all seem to work fine, including level 4 limit breaks for the other characters.  I was wondering if anyone knew of any patches that would fix this.  I'm going to try re-patching my ff7 version with the appfix mentioned above and see if that works.  Anyone else have any ideas?

[Alhexx]

Qhimm: I know this reply is kinda late, but I was playing FF7 the first time on my WinXP system and now I have that problem...
Well, what I wanted to say: I'm gonna try your latest Patch on the FF7 1.02 Nvidia German Release. I'll post a reply telling you if it works.

 - Alhexx

 - edit -
Qhimm: Alright, your patch worked. If you are going to write a new version of your patcher, here's some (maybe) helpful info:

German FF7 1.02 Nvidia Patched exe

Filesize: 5.886.976 Bytes

The offset of the command(s) that was NOPed out is:
3.189.010


If there is anything else you need to know, just tell me.

[rocket_surgery]

Well, the patch fixed it from crashing at the beginning, but as soon as i finish the race it crashes.  What should i do now?  I'm running windoes xp.

[Djsngi]

  What...so why does't the patch work anyways? i don't know what you guys are talking about, so im wondering when you can get a patch that works for um, everyone...