The Great FF7 FAQ (now outdated)

[Ryft]

Wow seems like everyone is having problems with this gridline ordeal.... including me, but I haven't seen anyone else with my video card. I am using S3 Graphics ProSavageDDR (yes it's onboard and I know it's not really a gaming card, but I was low on cash and it came with a 2 gig processor so I said what the heck). I can play it on software but it goes really slow and skips at certain parts like during fast paced videos. If I play it on the Riva option, I get the multi-colored gridlines and it takes awhile to load when I go into a new area. On TNT I get alot less gridlines but they are still there. If anyone knows how to tweak the settings to remove the gridlines on this type of video, please let me know.

[iopq]

hi guys

I tried installing FF7 on Windows XP and it worked

But when I tried to run it would give a black screen and sometimes lock up my PC
then I tried many of the methods here

it still wouldn't work
then I enabled the win 98/ME compatibility mode to run the exe with

OMG!! IT WORKS! Now I'll just hex edit the .exe for the Chocobo races and I'll be set.

This forum rules. Thanks, guys. I appreciate all your efforts. Just be sure to try enabling the compatibility mode if it doesn't work for you.
To do this, you need to right click the ff7.exe file, click Properties, Compatibility
Check Run this program in Compatibility mode for:
and select Windows 98/Windows ME

[Hybir]

Hello, I'm new here but does anyone have FSAA problems in battle.

I followed the instructions on this thread, everything works except that the battle effect sprites are streched enormously(eg. Sword slash, Explosions etc.). (I used Rivatuner)

Does anyone know how to fix this?

 AMD Athlon 2000+
 Geforce2mx
 512mb ram

[EmperorSteele]

Er, can you post a screen shot of the problem?

[Hybir]

I found out it affects stuff outside battle as well.
I can only see the top-left quarter of movies and the world map gets corrupt. (Tried with both Forceware 53.03 and 61.77)
Here is a link with 5 screenshots of my game:

http://www.angelfire.com/games5/hybir0/
----------------------------
EDITED: I went and bought a new graphics card once I tested on another GeForce2 and it had the same problem. Thanks for trying to help

[EmperorSteele]

Holy mother of GOD that's funny, hahahahahaha XD

Sorry, sorry, it's just.... uhm... This is fuggin wierd.

Do you have an option turned on that enlarges texture files or something?

Hmm, i think your ff7 files are messed up or something =/  try reinstalling the game.

[Fezza]

I have a Fx 5200 and cant mange to get the opening movie or the opening chocobo logo to load it just has a blank screen and then the new game continue menu comes up then it just goes black screen again...........i have tried a few of the above suggestions but none have worked so far......all help muchly appreciated

[Fezza]

When i install FF7 and the codec install pops up i click on the yes button to install it and then it minimizes and comes up and error say:

16 bit Windows Subsystem

C;\windows\system32\autoexec.nt. The systen file is not siutable for running Ms-Dos and Microsoft Windows Applications. Chosse close to terminate the application.

                 CLOSE           IGNORE


I usually just click on ignore but im not sure whether or not the codecs install or not.....any ideas

[Jedimark]

When i install FF7 and the codec install pops up i click on the yes button to install it and then it minimizes and comes up and error say:

16 bit Windows Subsystem

C;\windows\system32\autoexec.nt. The systen file is not siutable for running Ms-Dos and Microsoft Windows Applications. Chosse close to terminate the application.

                 CLOSE           IGNORE


I usually just click on ignore but im not sure whether or not the codecs install or not.....any ideas

Yeah, I've experienced this problem before myself with other applications.

Resolution (from MS):

1. Insert your WINDOWS CD into the CD drive or DVD drive.

2. Click Start, and then click Run.

3. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.

4. At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command:

Code: [Select]


expand CD-ROM Drive Letter:\i386\config.nt_ c:\windows\system32\config.nt
expand CD-ROM Drive Letter:\i386\autoexec.nt_ c:\windows\system32\autoexec.nt
expand CD-ROM Drive Letter:\i386\command.co_ c:\windows\system32\command.com

exit  

5. Start or install the program. If the issue is resolved, do not complete the remaining steps. If the issue is not resolved, go to the next step.

6. Note: The Command.com file is not edited or created in this in the following process. Because of this, you may have to expand it from your Windows XP CD-ROM.

Start Notepad.

7. In Notepad, type the following entries:    

Code: [Select]


dos=high, umb
device=%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\himem.sys
files=40

 
8. On the File menu, click Save As.

9. In the File Name box, type Config.nt, and then click Save. Close the Config.nt file.

10. On the File menu, click New.

11. In the new blank document, type the following entries:

Code: [Select]


@echo off
    lh %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\mscdexnt.exe
    lh %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\redir
    lh %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\dosx
    SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 P330 T3
 
12. On the File menu, click Save As.

13. In the File Name box, type Autoexec.nt, and then click Save. Close the Autoexec.nt file.

14. Start Windows Explorer. Locate the Config.nt file, right-click the Config.nt file, and then click Copy.

15. Right-click the %SYSTEMROOT%\System32 folder, and then click Paste.

16. Locate the Autoexec.nt file, right-click the Autoexec.nt file, and then click Copy.

17. Right-click the %SYSTEMROOT%\System32 folder, and then click Paste.

18. Locate the Command.com file, right-click the expanded Command.com file, and then click Copy.

19. Right-click the %SYSTEMROOT%\System32 folder, and then click Paste. Restart your computer.

[ruby54501]

I just installed the game to pc with out changing anything and the game play great only crashes when I am playing for a time with user.exe errors! No graphic problems no ther problems of any kind! But Windows me and 128 bit Radeon 9250 even using my old Intel 810 Graphic's with only 3mb Direct X memory no problems of any kind other than that darn user.exe crash after a time!

[lazyzombie]

Hi

I am using window xp with ati Radeon 9800 pro. the weird thing is, i have had problems that is similiar to the nvidia card users. the first time i installed ff7, in ff7config.exe, the 8 bit option failed, i can only select software rendering. then i tried this 1.02 patch, but it is not working either. the most weird thing is, when i used the original 1.00 version, i can run the game in 320x240, although the whole screen only showed about 1/4 of the animation; when i selected 640x480, the progrm won't run at all. so any suggestion for this problem?

[Aaron]

When you installed the 1.02 patch, did you go to the Graphics tab and check the NVIDIA / TNT box?  (If the box is checked, you don't need 8-bit palleted textures to pass... doesn't matter if you don't have an nVidia card.)

[lazyzombie]

When you installed the 1.02 patch, did you go to the Graphics tab and check the NVIDIA / TNT box?  (If the box is checked, you don't need 8-bit palleted textures to pass... doesn't matter if you don't have an nVidia card.)

did just that, when i used hardware acceleration, animation won't show at all, it completely blacks out. if i use software rendering, program won't boot at all

[Threesixty]

From what I remember.... and this is with Nvidia... Never owned an ATI.
When you use the FF7config.exe from the TNT patch:

If you use the FF7.exe from the game, you should NOT check any of the Riva options, or a crash will be the results... Either a crash or missing backgrounds...can't really remember.

If you use the FF7.exe from the Patch.... You must check one of the Riva options, and the 8 bit pallet must say Failed before you check the Riva options. If neither of these requirements are met.... You'll see a nice pretty little crash.

Anyway, that's what I found out a long time ago, back when. http://forums.qhimm.com/viewtopic.php?t=813

And so you'll know..... I came up with the instructions of using the FF7config.exe and the FF7.exe from the game.... That's mine. There is a record of it on this Forum somewhere.....
Yeah.. here it is:
http://forums.qhimm.com/viewtopic.php?t=1245&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60

Anyway, lazyzombie.
I think your going to need to find some ATI drivers, where the 8bit pallet says Fails on them, before you can see Direct3d. Either that or go into Window's, FF7's registery and change that hex number.... I'd give instructions, but I've forgotten what to change and to what. A 0 or a 1. I read about it here....somewhere. So, the instructions could be buried in this forum.

Here it is... Ha... look at who suggested it.
(I always felt we were a bit a like...except for three little things. I have patience, forgiveness...and I enjoy playing the fool.)

http://forums.qhimm.com/viewtopic.php?t=2054

that's ngemu. they are for EMULATING. FF7pc isn't emulation. it's a pc program. try different drivers, just for the hell of it.

you'll need to edit stuff in :

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/software/square soft, inc./final fantasy VII/1.00/graphics/

Find "driver" and set it to 1. This sets the graphics mode to direct3d. When this DWORD is set to 0, it is software mode. When it's set to 2, it's in opengl mode, which does not work.

Set "mode" to 0 if you want to play in 320x240. Set it to 1 if you want to play in 640x480, but in a quarter screen dealy (blows). Set it to 2 if you want to play in 640x480(the best, choose this one).

[Qhimm]

Actually, when "driver" is "2" it does not refer to OpenGL mode, rather to a plugin renderer. It's just that no one has ever written a plugin.

[Beautiful_Intended]

Hi Everyone!I have FF7 and FF8 for Pc but i have a problem with both games about the 3d acceleration.I have a Geforce 6800 Gt and in the FF7 settings i can put nVidia accelerator but it fails at the 8-bit palleted textures.The same happens in FF8.I know that i my video card is new but a patch or something like that must be around to fix these problems.Can you help me to resolve these problems please???HELP!!!!!!!!!!I REALLY WANT TO PLAY THESE GAMES WITH THE FULL 3D ACCELERATION!!!I tried everything until now and resolved nothing. :weep:

[Aaron]

Please read the FAQ.

To get 3D accelleration in FF7, get the 1.02 patch and check the nVidia/TNT box.  Then it won't matter if 8-bit palleted textures passes or not.  You should be able to select Direct3D in FF8 even if 8-bit palleted textures fails.

[Beautiful_Intended]

In fact i can.The problem is that i see some black parts during the game.

[Threesixty]

Aaron....it's not that simple....it never was.

The FF7.exe from the game, is designed to work with that 8 bit pallet. And the FF7.exe from the TNT patch is designed to work without 8 bit pallet support.
 
The toggle of telling FF7 if your using the TNTpatch's FF7.exe is checking the Riva box. If you don't keep that in mind...your going to have either blacked out backgrounds...or a game that won't start.

The problem with the original FF7config...is that it doesn't reconize todays cards as Direct3d capable cards. And the FF7config from the TNTpatch would reconize them (or used to, anyway). Now...I haven't tried running this game in a long while... So, it's very possible that the FF7config.exe from the TNTpatch doesn't reconize this generation of Video cards. If that's the case... your only option is to hack the registery manually. And do it last, because if you go into FF7config.exe....It'll just change it back to software mode.

Of course, the problem of the newer drivers (somewhere around the 40's and up) was that the Nvidia drivers didn't handle the 8 bit pallet like correctly. It would cause a wierd layering problem in all backgrounds. I haven't tested the drivers for about 12 months... So I don't know what today's Nvidia drivers, do. According to Beautiful_Intended's post. They Fail, now. That may be a good thing. 'Cause if that is so, then you can just use the Full TNT patch as orginally intended. But I'm only guessing....still haven't looked into it. And I'm really in no hurry in doing so.


Now the FF7.exe from the TNTpatch does have too known grapical errors. One is Odin's Cut (which is mentioned in the Readme file)... The cut monsters show up as black squares. The other is the Wind in a certain puzzle, that I can't remember the name of. YOu have to walk across a cliff or something. And if you hit the Wind...you go into a battle. The wind animation is broken. You have to play thru that part in Software mode....or just get lucky with the timing.

As for FF8.... there are no easy solutions... Mainly because there is no TNTpatch for it (a patch that does what the TNTpatch did for FF7). Your at the mercy of the Drivers that Nivida puts out. It either works, or it doesn't. There is a Geforce specific, patch for FF8PC out there....Have you tried it?

[Aaron]

Ah, excuse me... do what Threesixty says.

My experience:
GeForce4 Ti = "Pass" on 8-bit Palleted Textures, works with FF7.exe 1.00 and 1.02 (text is messed up, have to fix with FSAA or use RivaTuner to disable 8-bit Palleted Textures, detailed in FAQ above)
Radeon 9800 = "Fail" on 8-bit Palleted Textures, works with FF7.exe 1.02 + TNT box

[Beautiful_Intended]

Yes i tried the Geforce patch for FF8 and i resolved the problem about the lines during the game.But the 8-bit paletted textures always fail and i see something black during the game just like in FF7 with the acceleration.

[lazyzombie]

well, i am using both ff7config.exe and ff7.exe from the patch. before i check the riva box, that 8-bit option says failed; after i checked riva box, it appears as -----. i also changed the setting in the registry, still it won't work at all

[Threesixty]

Okay...

I just installed FF7PC on my new System with WinXP Home SP2.
...and I saw no problems.

I'm using a Gigabyte PCI-Express 6600GT Video Card, and using their Drivers. I haven't tested using the Nvidia Reference Drivers. But I doubt that there is any difference. The Forceware Driver number says 71.24. But I have no idea what Gigabyte is using as their Reference, because if you go to Nvidia's site, you won't fine 71.24. I guess I can test the 71.89, but I really don't wanna. I was having trouble with Nvidia's reference drivers, compaired to Gigabyte's, with a certain Deus Ex 2 game I was playing. The Manufacture Drivers, just seem better, to me. Maybe someone can test the  71.89's with the simple below instructions, and save me the trouble of uninstalling and reinstalling drivers.

The instructions are simple, It appears that the 8 bit pallet is disabled in these drivers, and that's a good thing. What you need to do is install the Full TNT patch.

(Put the FF7.exe and FF7config.exe of the game in a safe place first, because Nvidia may reactivate the 8bit pallet on the next driver release...and well....it's just a good idea to save the originals somewhere.)

Anyway Install the full TNTpatch into your FF7 directory.
(Program Files\Square Soft, Inc\Final Fantasy VII)

Then run FF7Config.exe
Go to the Graphics Tab.
Check the Nvidia Box (and ignore the warning)
Check the TNT Box (Riva 128 may work...but I did TNT)
After doing the above a new option should appear in the Renderer pulldown box. And lines should appear in the 8bit palleted textures Test, inplace of FAIL.

Select 'Direct3d Hardware Acceleration', For Renderer
And then select '640x480 16bpp (Full Screen)'.
And it should work.

After testing to see if there are no problems.
Install Jedwin/Qhimm's Chocobo patch.

I didn't see any graphical errors, at all... At least, not towards the journey to the First Save Point. Backgrounds looked Fine, and the Text look Fine, too.

I just don't understand the meaning of seeing some black parts during the game. Granted...i only played until the First Save Point. And I really don't intend on playing much further. But I didn't notice any Black Parts... All seems pretty, much the same from those Voodoo 2, Days.

[Beautiful_Intended]

I wanted to mean that in FF7 the characters and the texts are black and in FF8 only some parts of the background are black and the characters are fine.I'll try the patch again and then i'll let you know

[Threesixty]

Well it could be the drivers...
I'll get around to testing Nvidia's 71.89 Drivers....but not for a while. Won't have access to my PC for a couple of days. I'm not at home.