FF 7 won't even start, couldn't find an answer here yet

[z3phyre]

Hello guys, i just reinstalled FF7 after watching Advent Children to replay the story again. I read many forum posts and already dowloaded Saint's High Res Patch and the codecs. My problem is that the game not even starts, 2 seconds black and then I'm back to desktop. What kind of reasons could invoke this problem? I have to add that neither the original nor the patched version starts, and even in Software Rendering mode nothing happens. I run Windows XP SP3 with an Ati 3850. Thanks in advance.

[CyberPirate]

First of all, you should get the game starting by not using any mods what so ever. The next thing I suggest you try is to install this patch and the TrueMotion 2.0 codec.

I know for a fact that it's not your graphics card that is messing things up because I have the same card, and FF7 works fine for me.

[z3phyre]

Thanks for the reply. Yes I already tried starting the game without any patches, the symptoms are the same. And I used exactly the patch from the page you told me and also installed this codec. But I did also install the directx media codec from cd, perhaps it interferes with the truemotion one? Is there a way to uninstall the CD codecs?

Concerning the graphics card, interesting. But which driver version do you use, and do you have SP3 installed? I remember reading a post where someone got FF7 working without any Packs at all, but not with SP2. That would be a problem..

[CyberPirate]

I use Windows Service pack 3, also you have to disable the TrueMotion codec in your codec pack if you have one. I bet you're using K-Lite codec pack, no?

[z3phyre]

Wrong, I don't (actively) use any codec pack at all, that's the thing confusing me too  So if SP3 is not the reason for the problems, i should perhaps have a closer look at the codecs installed.. Under Hardware Manager -> Videocodecs my system lists the following:

iccvid.dll
Indeo video 5.10
ir32_32.dll
ir41_32.ax
iyuv_32.dll
msh263.drv
msrle32.dll
msvidc32.dll
msyuv.dll
tsbyuv.dll
Xvid MPEG-4 Video Codec

Now, what's wrong in there?..

[CyberPirate]

Install K-Lite Codec Pack with full installation, after that go to start -> all programs -> k-lite codec pack -> configuration ->ffdshow video decoder, and disable the truemotion 1.2, then try the game. Dunno if this works, but it works great for me

[z3phyre]

Haha, thanks a lot, installed the standard pack and it works, dunno why. Merry Christmas! That's the perfect christmas present indeed