Can't read memory

[Sir Vaylance Radar]

Hi folks
When trying to open FS2004, I'm getting the following message :
The instruction@ ......referenced memory @ ....... The memory could not be "read".
Other games seem to work ok.
Any clues as to what is wrong please?
I have Athlon 2100 proc, 1GB on board memory & have Zone Alarm Security Suite 6.0.6 for firewall & anti-virus protection.
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[Gertrude the Wombat]

<Shrug!> Could be anything.

From what you say it's probably a software bug rather than hardware falling apart, but whether it's in the operating system, the game, some driver, the firewall ... is anybody's guess.

Well, OK, there are some things you can do, such as

(1) install the debug symbols for the operating system
(2) run it up under a debugger
(3) when it crashes get a stack backtrace

which might, or might not, help you identify which components are involved in the problem, but this sort of stuff is typically beyond yer average punter (I can do it for you of course, at £xx/hour, no results guaranteed at all, but most people don't take me up on such offers).

Or just switch off and/or install unnecessary crap and see if it works on a more basic machine, but you're poking around in the dark here. One might try some of the following, pulling your network cable if you're really relying on stuff on the local host to protect you from malware:

(a) disabling antivirus, personal firewalls, suchlike (zonealarm is a horrendous nasty, but there are plenty of others you could have)

(b) uninstalling the above

(c) junking your screen driver and going back to whatever basic one the operating system provides (you don't say which operating system you're running, which might, or might not, have helped)

(d) switching off or uninstalling any services you don't recognise that aren't contributing to FS2004.

[maxell]

if you have an nvidia vid card have a look if its set for quality on image settings. If it is change it too high performance and see if that helps

[Conan the Librarian]

I think with FS9 I would start by uninstalling and reinstalling. It is one of the more flaky products in my estimation (though more stable than its predecessors)

If it works and you are at a loose end, Google up FSNavigator and have a looksie. Priceless add on....

Conan

[Mac the Knife]

Each x86 symbol package needs about 750Mb of hard disk space, so you might want to hold off on that....:cool:

[Sir Vaylance Radar]

Thanks to those who took the trouble to reply - no luck yet but I'm working on it !
:ok:

[Conan the Librarian]

Just a thought - have you applied the MS patch for FS2004? Whether it makes it more or less stable I do not know, but Microsoft think that it does.

Again, I say and especially if you haven't applied this patch -uninstall and reinstall so that you are starting with a clean piece of paper - or at least, one on which you have not wiped your bottom.


Conan

[Sir Vaylance Radar]

Getting somewhere now - reinstalled the original prog , installed latest drivers for NVIDIA card & new TFT monitor, installed the M/s 9.1patch, have run Ad-Aware & Spybot, disabled Zone Alarm & few other progs such as InCD when running the FS prog.
The "cant read memeory" message has gone but prog now stops on the "Create a Flight" menu screen, which flickers rapidly on a black background. I've tried different screen resolutions, different refresh rates & maxell's suggestion re NVIDIA card but it keeps stalling at the same place !
:confused:

[Conan the Librarian]

Try the latest version of Microsofts DirectX - have seen this problem myself and DX9 cured it.


Let us know how it goes,

Conan

[Conan the Librarian]

And while you are at it, you may be running add ons which use Pete Dowson's FSUIPC.DLL. This lives in the modules folder and doesn't work with the patched FS9.1 You will need to update this as well.

Hope you are making progress,

Conan

[Sir Vaylance Radar]

Thanks Conan - I've installed the latest DirectX file & deleted all my add-ins but I'm still stuck with the flickering screen. I think I'll have to bite the bullet & go for a reformat & clean XP installation
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[Conan the Librarian]

If you are going to bite the B, then a reformat will no doubt clean the system up a bit, but I am still a bit perplexed with this one.

Good luck!


Conan

[Sir Vaylance Radar]

Success of a sort ! I set up a new user account & ran the prog from it & guess what ? - it worked !! :-)
Now all I have to do is figure out which prog is running at start up on my original account & I've cracked it !
:)