Black Screen

[skye07]

I recently got FF7 from a friend. This is what I did.

Patched to 1.02
Xp Patch 1.04
Result: Black Screen at start up
Press enter
New Game / continue ==> I click on new game
black screen
nothing....

so, what can I do to fix this? And what other fixes do I need to get the game to work?

[dziugo]

Welcome to the board.

Steps to be taken:
 - uninstall 1.04
 - install DirectShow filters from install CD
 - if the movies play upside-down, install upside-down movie patch from our Great FF7 FAQ

dziugo

[skye07]

So you say I sould uninstall the XP patch? Will the game still work then?

[dziugo]

Just make sure you installed jedwin's chocobo patch (the only thing useful in the XP Patch).

dziugo

[skye07]

Ok I deinstalled everything and I did what u said:

1) Install FFVII + that Showview thing or whatever it's called.
2) Restart PC
3) Install FF7 1.02 patch
4) Install that chocobo patch
5) Run game => FF7 has encountered an internal error (you know the classic WinXP form with send error report).

What can I do now?

EDIT: in the "more info" form it said sometihng about aclayers.dll

[dziugo]

Does it crash without chocobo patch installed? Did you try setting compatibility mode for your ff7.exe? Which mode are you running FF7 in?

dziugo

[skye07]

How can u uninstall the choco patch? First I trid in no compatiblity. Then in win95 with all those other options too.

EDIT: Ok for he uninstall part of choco I found it, just had to rename the backup back to ff7.exe and yes it also gives the same error

[dziugo]

Just reapply the 1.02 patch

[skye07]

Even better now. I reapplied the 1.02 patch and set compatiblity to win98 and display in 640*480 thingy and it gave me a blackscreen where I didn't even could alt-tab or ctrl-alt-del I had to press the reset button of my pc -_-

[dziugo]

IIRC, the 1.04 patch is an official 1.02 patch with jedwin's chocobo patch applied. It does delete some sys files and changes few strings in ff7config.exe and ff7readme, but that's all - no other changes... Are you sure you didn't do anything else while trying to get it to run with WinXP patch?

dziugo

[skye07]

Nope, like I said I uninstalled the game and removed all files and reinstalled it like I said in my previous msg.

[dziugo]

But you cannot recover files deleted while installing the 1.04 patch... Does FF7 runs if you install XPPatch once again?

[corpse]

with the black screen have you tried just pressing enter. this sometimes brings up the menu.

Also you could try just using the ff7config.exe from 1.02 and leave ff7.exe as original. this may fix black screen.

I wouldn't use an XPpatch.

[skye07]

with the black screen have you tried just pressing enter. this sometimes brings up the menu.

Also you could try just using the ff7config.exe from 1.02 and leave ff7.exe as original. this may fix black screen.

I wouldn't use an XPpatch.

When I press enter at the black screen I get the "New Game "Continue" Menu but when I click new game another black screen and can't get any more further than alt tab and closing.

[dziugo]

Guess I was too tired yesterday...

If the black screen is still there (and FF7 is not crashing), it means that installing DirectShow filter wasn't a success. It usually requires restarting your OS (which is quite obvious) but it may also not install correctly until you uninstall other codecs (of course you can install them later, just ensure that the FMVs play).

Oh, and no matter what, FF7 will always react to Ctrl+Q shortcut (that is, if it didn't crash).

dziugo

[Aaron]

That's right...  The game doesn't seem to be able to play movies.

Install the upside-down movie patch (TrueMotion DirectShow codec) and reboot.  If it doesn't work still, try removing codec packs if you have any installed.  Also, verify that you are able to play the .avi files off the CD in Windows Media Player.

[Relf]

Or it could be an issue with the movie file itself. My original disk is so scratched that I get the same problem.

[lanzado]

I recently got FF7 from a friend. This is what I did.

Patched to 1.02
Xp Patch 1.04
Result: Black Screen at start up
Press enter
New Game / continue ==> I click on new game
black screen
nothing....

so, what can I do to fix this? And what other fixes do I need to get the game to work?

I had the black screen issue from the very opening of the game. im was trying to run it on xp and got it to work on xp, so my following solution is only for xp.  btw, it worked well with vista in terms of the black screen issue in that it was never an issue. i made sure i had all my video/graphics related drivers were updated before i started tinkering.
 
the following is for the purpose of getting pass the black screen part only:
dwld the true motion codec (about 2mb)
also attain ffdshow program

once true motion thing is installed, open ffdshow video decoder configuration
look for true motion and disable this decoder

now that worked for me. I had to install a lot of different true motion files that i searched all over online cause i thought i just didnt have the right copy, eventually found the one from http://fem1.uniag.sk/Miroslav.Jezik/ff7ncopam.html.  I did not try doing the ffdshow thing until i had this one (no particular reasoning for doing it for this one).  also, i thought i would have to make the shortcut of ffvii compatible to 95 or 98 (right click ffvii shortcut->properties->compatability tab->run this program...button (98 or 95 since it is an old game)) but not required.  this site formerly mentioned (also posted in one of the forums here as neat compilation of patches or something) is helpful for other issues/revamps, but have yet to try all of them.  This gets u passed the beginning movie, the new game screen and the train scene at the begginning of the game.  I have yet to play the rest so can only say that it works that much. luck.

Also for those on laptop, that keyboard issue, well i use the fn on my comp to bypass it.  Holding that and pressing any of the fn buttons on ur comp, u should be able to figure out what does what. holding fn and pressing enter is basically enter, holding fn and 8 i think is up, etc...  once the game starts, go to the menu screen and change keys with the config option in the game.  i did not use the key board patches and it worked the last time i tried.  didnt try it recently so dont hold me on this.

One issue i have, which i can do without but would be nice to get, is the saints high res file. One of the two patches (the one with higher res than the other) works.  The other is considered a trojan and the system would not allow one to unzip this patch.  likewise for the reunion file.  Any ideas on how to use these files without trojan response issues.  Also, is the npc 0.6 file better than any of the former two? any other revamp suggestions would be greatly appreciated