1.2.0.1: No Joy

It looks like I won't be doing any N2003 online racing any time soon. I installed the 1.2.0.1. patch, and after a few false starts (it didn't seem to like the fact that I'd removed tracks I never race on, like Bristol and Richmond) it seemed to install and run OK. So I moved over the new and converted roadies like Surfers, Queensland, etc. Still OK. Then I moved over my old player folder (I know a lot of the setup info wouldn't apply, but the gearing dies, and so do the player preferences) and the game wouldn't launch. That is, when I clicked on the shortcut or the executable, the CD and HD would spin, I'd get a spinning-CD icon on the desktop, but after 20 sec. or so, the icon would disappear, the drives would stop spinning, and all action would cease. So I uninstalled and reinstalled...five times. Same deal: it would work a few times, then refuse to launch. It seemed capricious and inconsistent. Sometimes it would fail after a few launches without changing anything. Sometimes it would fail if I launched once, then changed anything, then relaunched. Sometimes it would fail on the first launch, sometimes on the third or fourth (I never got it to launch five times). I know the CD is good because it installed the game flawlessly, because 1.0.0.0 runs fine, and because it works fine on my other computers. I assume the patch is good, because it installed five times, and ran at least once with every install...before it died. Any ideas?

If you are copying files from the previous version, you probably should copy just separate files, not folders. The patch changed some of the ini files and if you copy the folder with old ini files to the patched version you probably will get conflicts. Wayne Templin "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:yciab.75673$[email hidden]...

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> It looks like I won't be doing any N2003 online racing any time soon. I > installed the 1.2.0.1. patch, and after a few false starts (it didn't seem > to like the fact that I'd removed tracks I never race on, like Bristol and > Richmond) it seemed to install and run OK. So I moved over the new and > converted roadies like Surfers, Queensland, etc. Still OK. Then I moved > over my old player folder (I know a lot of the setup info wouldn't apply, > but the gearing dies, and so do the player preferences) and the game > wouldn't launch. That is, when I clicked on the shortcut or the

executable,

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> the CD and HD would spin, I'd get a spinning-CD icon on the desktop, but > after 20 sec. or so, the icon would disappear, the drives would stop > spinning, and all action would cease. > > So I uninstalled and reinstalled...five times. Same deal: it would work a > few times, then refuse to launch. It seemed capricious and inconsistent. > Sometimes it would fail after a few launches without changing anything. > Sometimes it would fail if I launched once, then changed anything, then > relaunched. Sometimes it would fail on the first launch, sometimes on the > third or fourth (I never got it to launch five times). I know the CD is > good because it installed the game flawlessly, because 1.0.0.0 runs fine, > and because it works fine on my other computers. I assume the patch is > good, because it installed five times, and ran at least once with every > install...before it died. > > Any ideas? > > >

Theres a lot of discussion going on over at the papy tech discussion forum for n2003 about this same problem. Its starting to look like in the offical patch, the copy protection has been tightened. The moderators and tech guys seem to be pretty quiet about the problem. some people have emailed tech support and their answer has been to get new cdrom drivers.... that doesn't seem to be fixing it either.. also the problem generally(with a few exceptions) seems to be affecting puters running a combination of win98/se or ME,sound blaster live sound cards and nvidia video cards. Steve Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:yciab.75673$[email hidden]...

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> It looks like I won't be doing any N2003 online racing any time soon. I > installed the 1.2.0.1. patch, and after a few false starts (it didn't seem > to like the fact that I'd removed tracks I never race on, like Bristol and > Richmond) it seemed to install and run OK. So I moved over the new and > converted roadies like Surfers, Queensland, etc. Still OK. Then I moved > over my old player folder (I know a lot of the setup info wouldn't apply, > but the gearing dies, and so do the player preferences) and the game > wouldn't launch. That is, when I clicked on the shortcut or the

executable,

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> the CD and HD would spin, I'd get a spinning-CD icon on the desktop, but > after 20 sec. or so, the icon would disappear, the drives would stop > spinning, and all action would cease. > > So I uninstalled and reinstalled...five times. Same deal: it would work a > few times, then refuse to launch. It seemed capricious and inconsistent. > Sometimes it would fail after a few launches without changing anything. > Sometimes it would fail if I launched once, then changed anything, then > relaunched. Sometimes it would fail on the first launch, sometimes on the > third or fourth (I never got it to launch five times). I know the CD is > good because it installed the game flawlessly, because 1.0.0.0 runs fine, > and because it works fine on my other computers. I assume the patch is > good, because it installed five times, and ran at least once with every > install...before it died. > > Any ideas? > > >

Been there; got the burka. After my first attempts (moving folders), I tried copying just files (or even just *editing* files). Boomsky! But as I say, sometimes, even with a virgin install and without copying or changing *anything*, the game would fail to launch after a few attempts. Hmmmn. "Wayne Templin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:gliab.7410$[email hidden]... > If you are copying files from the previous version, you probably shouldcopy

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> just separate files, not folders. The patch changed some of the ini files > and if you copy the folder with old ini files to the patched version you > probably will get conflicts. > > Wayne Templin > > > "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:yciab.75673$[email hidden]... > > It looks like I won't be doing any N2003 online racing any time soon. I > > installed the 1.2.0.1. patch, and after a few false starts (it didn't

seem > > to like the fact that I'd removed tracks I never race on, like Bristoland > > Richmond) it seemed to install and run OK. So I moved over the new and > > converted roadies like Surfers, Queensland, etc. Still OK. Then Imoved > > over my old player folder (I know a lot of the setup info wouldn'tapply,

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> > but the gearing dies, and so do the player preferences) and the game > > wouldn't launch. That is, when I clicked on the shortcut or the > executable, > > the CD and HD would spin, I'd get a spinning-CD icon on the desktop, but > > after 20 sec. or so, the icon would disappear, the drives would stop > > spinning, and all action would cease. > > > > So I uninstalled and reinstalled...five times. Same deal: it would work

a > > few times, then refuse to launch. It seemed capricious andinconsistent. > > Sometimes it would fail after a few launches without changing anything. > > Sometimes it would fail if I launched once, then changed anything, then > > relaunched. Sometimes it would fail on the first launch, sometimes onthe > > third or fourth (I never got it to launch five times). I know the CD is > > good because it installed the game flawlessly, because 1.0.0.0 runsfine,

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> > and because it works fine on my other computers. I assume the patch is > > good, because it installed five times, and ran at least once with every > > install...before it died. > > > > Any ideas? > > > > > > > >

This does sound like it might be the copy protection on the cd causing a problem. Blackhole motorsports (do a search) has a new no-cd crack. You might try that just to see if it works. You can't play online at Sierra's servers with it but it would at least let you know if it was an issue with the copy protection after the patch. On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 13:44:25 GMT, "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>Been there; got the burka. After my first attempts (moving folders), I >tried copying just files (or even just *editing* files). Boomsky! But as I >say, sometimes, even with a virgin install and without copying or changing >*anything*, the game would fail to launch after a few attempts. Hmmmn. > >"Wayne Templin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >news:gliab.7410$[email hidden]... >> If you are copying files from the previous version, you probably should >copy >> just separate files, not folders. The patch changed some of the ini files >> and if you copy the folder with old ini files to the patched version you >> probably will get conflicts. >> >> Wayne Templin >> >> >> "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >> news:yciab.75673$[email hidden]... >> > It looks like I won't be doing any N2003 online racing any time soon. I >> > installed the 1.2.0.1. patch, and after a few false starts (it didn't >seem >> > to like the fact that I'd removed tracks I never race on, like Bristol >and >> > Richmond) it seemed to install and run OK. So I moved over the new and >> > converted roadies like Surfers, Queensland, etc. Still OK. Then I >moved >> > over my old player folder (I know a lot of the setup info wouldn't >apply, >> > but the gearing dies, and so do the player preferences) and the game >> > wouldn't launch. That is, when I clicked on the shortcut or the >> executable, >> > the CD and HD would spin, I'd get a spinning-CD icon on the desktop, but >> > after 20 sec. or so, the icon would disappear, the drives would stop >> > spinning, and all action would cease. >> > >> > So I uninstalled and reinstalled...five times. Same deal: it would work >a >> > few times, then refuse to launch. It seemed capricious and >inconsistent. >> > Sometimes it would fail after a few launches without changing anything. >> > Sometimes it would fail if I launched once, then changed anything, then >> > relaunched. Sometimes it would fail on the first launch, sometimes on >the >> > third or fourth (I never got it to launch five times). I know the CD is >> > good because it installed the game flawlessly, because 1.0.0.0 runs >fine, >> > and because it works fine on my other computers. I assume the patch is >> > good, because it installed five times, and ran at least once with every >> > install...before it died. >> > >> > Any ideas? >> > >> > >> > >> >> >

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "There would be a lot more civility in this world if people didn't take that as an invitation to walk all over you" - (Calvin and Hobbes)

"EGK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > This does sound like it might be the copy protection on the cd causing a > problem. Blackhole motorsports (do a search) has a new no-cd crack. You > might try that just to see if it works. The patch WILL NOT work with the "no-CD" patch. It scans the file and returns with a message to the effect that "no vaild executable file could be found at the location". Timmy

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 15:31:38 GMT, "Timmy Ferrell" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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> >"EGK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >news:[email hidden]... >> This does sound like it might be the copy protection on the cd causing a >> problem. Blackhole motorsports (do a search) has a new no-cd crack. You >> might try that just to see if it works. > >The patch WILL NOT work with the "no-CD" patch. It scans the file and >returns with a message to the effect that "no vaild executable file could be >found at the location". >Timmy

Uh, yeah, it will. I was just playing lastnight offline with my cd safely in it's case. It's a brand new no-cd .exe file created after you run the patch on the original .exe file. You have to keep the exe file intact after patching if you play on Sierra's servers. I usually just rename the cracked one as "no_cd.exe" then drop that in the folder with the game and make a shortcut to that to play offline. I don't play online much at all anyway and prefer not to have to keep the cd in the drive all the time. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "There would be a lot more civility in this world if people didn't take that as an invitation to walk all over you" - (Calvin and Hobbes)

"Timmy Ferrell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:udkab.6512$[email hidden]... > > "EGK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > This does sound like it might be the copy protection on the cd causing a > > problem. Blackhole motorsports (do a search) has a new no-cd crack.You > > might try that just to see if it works. > > The patch WILL NOT work with the "no-CD" patch. It scans the file and > returns with a message to the effect that "no vaild executable file couldbe > found at the location". > Timmy Sounds like you are trying to patch the No CD .exe and that the Sierra/papy patcher won't let you do that because it can't find the original .exe file. 1. Install nr2003 2. Install patch. 3. Install No CD. Elrikk

There's a copy of the original NR2003.exe in the no cd 1.2.0.1 patch zip file. Put a copy of that original into the game folder 'before' installing the 1.2.0.1 patch upgrade. Of course after the upgrade finishes you replace the newly upgraded original NR2003.exe with the 1.2.0.1 no cd exe patch. On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 15:31:38 GMT, "Timmy Ferrell" <[email hidden]> wrote: >The patch WILL NOT work with the "no-CD" patch. It scans the file and >returns with a message to the effect that "no vaild executable file could be >found at the location".

IOW, it's affecting the first- or second-most popular configuration on the planet: Win 9x/ME, SBL! and nVidia. Doh! Alison Hine reports the same prob with her Win 9x/ME install, but not her XP install, so yer prolly right. We've come a long way since Papyrus realized the .exe was going to be hacked anyway, so why bother with copy protection. If they can't do better than this, I'm going to go the no_CD/private server route. When only hacked executables will work, hackers won't be the only outlaws...erm, or some such. "Steve Whitty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3f69b4be$0$28119$[email hidden]... > Theres a lot of discussion going on over at the papy tech discussion forum > for n2003 about this same problem. Its starting to look like in theoffical > patch, the copy protection has been tightened. The moderators and techguys

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> seem to be pretty quiet about the problem. some people have emailed tech > support and their answer has been to get new cdrom drivers.... that > doesn't seem to be fixing it either.. > also the problem generally(with a few exceptions) seems to be affecting > puters running a combination of win98/se or ME,sound blaster live sound > cards and nvidia video cards. > Steve > > > Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:yciab.75673$[email hidden]... > > It looks like I won't be doing any N2003 online racing any time soon. I > > installed the 1.2.0.1. patch, and after a few false starts (it didn't

seem > > to like the fact that I'd removed tracks I never race on, like Bristoland > > Richmond) it seemed to install and run OK. So I moved over the new and > > converted roadies like Surfers, Queensland, etc. Still OK. Then Imoved > > over my old player folder (I know a lot of the setup info wouldn'tapply,

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> > but the gearing dies, and so do the player preferences) and the game > > wouldn't launch. That is, when I clicked on the shortcut or the > executable, > > the CD and HD would spin, I'd get a spinning-CD icon on the desktop, but > > after 20 sec. or so, the icon would disappear, the drives would stop > > spinning, and all action would cease. > > > > So I uninstalled and reinstalled...five times. Same deal: it would work

a > > few times, then refuse to launch. It seemed capricious andinconsistent. > > Sometimes it would fail after a few launches without changing anything. > > Sometimes it would fail if I launched once, then changed anything, then > > relaunched. Sometimes it would fail on the first launch, sometimes onthe > > third or fourth (I never got it to launch five times). I know the CD is > > good because it installed the game flawlessly, because 1.0.0.0 runsfine,

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> > and because it works fine on my other computers. I assume the patch is > > good, because it installed five times, and ran at least once with every > > install...before it died. > > > > Any ideas? > > > > > > > >

There is away around all this simply download Alcohol 120% and make an image using data type securom (newVersion 4) as slow as possible then mount that image on the virtual drive it creates . install / upgrade through the game auto update/ the the no cd. Now when you fire up the game it goes right to the virtual drive where you mounted the image you made and online play is possible. I know that theres a how to on the alcohol forums So i dont get flamed i do own the retail.