FF7 problem

[owenno6]

Ok, I have played FF7 alot on XP with nVidia cards using the patches before, but I puled it out and blew the dust off tongith and installed on a different computer, and cannot get it to play.

The computer:

Dell Dimension E520 with Intel dual core processor
ATI Radeon x1300 with 256 ram

When I first installed, before applying ANY patches, I tried to start it up and it went straight to the "New Game/Continue" screen, I hit New game, screen went black, and then I remembered to get the patches

THEN I found what I assume is that Animevamp patch everyone loves so much and applied it (it was an XP patch "1.4" that I got from the "Eyes on FF" site)  from that moment, when I try to run the game, I get the

"ff7.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close.  We are sorry for any inconvienence"

message popup and that is all

I have since uninstalled, and reinstalled the game several times, taking care to delete the leftover squaresoft folder it was in also, but I know get that message popup everytime I try to play.

I have installed both the Chocobo patch and the Riva/TNT patches and played with the graphics settings on the Riva/TNT patch, but to no avail.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled and applied no patches and tried and still get the message popup (can't even get it to go to the "New Game/continue" screen at all even with a fresh install)

I have uninstalled as many codecs as possible that I've installed since getting the PC

I have searched for Radeon and ATI patches... to no avail

I have noticed the bald spot on the back of my head feels bigger now

I need a drink...

Mostly, I need any advice any of you may have, thank you in advance

[obesebear]

You might try double checking your registry to make sure it's searching for the movies in the correct place.
Start >> Run>> type in "regedit">> open "hkey local machine">> open "software">> open "squaresoft inc">> click on "final fantasy vii" and check the contents in the right window pane and make sure everything is correct.   Once you do that then install the 1.2 patch.  But DO NOT use the 1.4/XP patch, it's unofficial and will just ruin your game.
Hope this helps.

[owenno6]

I checked the Registry, and everything checks out fine.

By 1.2 patch, I assume you mean the Riva/TNT patch or the 1.02 patch?

I have installed both.

I am still recieving this message, could it be that the 1.4 patch put something on my computer that is a bit more persistant and is still interferring even after uninstalling and reinstaling everything without the 1.4 patch?

If so, how do I permanently rid my machine of the 1.4 patch?

Thank you for your help

[obesebear]

yeah I meant 1.02, sorry about that.

I also installed the 1.4 patch before finding this forum but when I uninstalled and reinstalled the game everything worked normally, so unless you got a newer 1.4  patch with some kind of virus on it, I doubt it has anything to do with it.

In your original post you said the game immediately went to the new game/continue screen and then wouldn't start once you clicked new game.  It sounds like your computer isn't reading or finding the fmv's.  For help with that all I can think of is to copy all the movies to your hard drive and have the registry read them from there.

For other help with the videos you'll have to search through the many posts of video problems.

Then again, the videos may not be the problem at all...

[owenno6]

Ok, how do I copy all the movies? Copy them from disk 1?

I will try that and see what happens

thank you again

[owenno6]

Ok, copied movies from disk 1 to HD, and adjusted registry accordingly, I can once again get the "New Game/Continue" screen, but nothing else happens, so I appear to have a video problem.

I shall comb through the video related posts and see what happens

Thank you for your help

[kini]

ive only just got ffvii working on vista , the main problem for me was that i missed the true motion codec, before i installed that it kept crashing all over the place, dont know if it will help you

[owenno6]

I think the easiest couse of action for me at this moment is thus

I have a tower I built a few years ago that I am going to install win98 on to play FF7

Problem is, it has winxp pro on it, and it doesnt seem to like to downgrade or uninstall xp pro

Has anyone found a way to uninstall xp pro?

[obesebear]

I run mine on XP pro and it runs beautifully as long as I run it in compatibility mode for windows98/ME.  If you really want Windows 98 though all you have to do is insert the disc with the computer off, turn the computer on and at the DOS prompt screen you delete the C: (or something to that affect).

Once it's finished doing that it will return you to the same screen, this time opt to install your Windows 98 OS.  If your 98 disc won't work just use the XP disc to delete the C:, turn the computer off and insert the 98 CD.

Like I said though, XP works perfectly, plus I can play newer games.