Crash to Desktop. Please help!

[membrain]

Hi folks. I recently started playing CFS3 again, specifically the MAW expansion. In quick combat I was flying Free Flight just to familiarize myself with the controls.

Once I was comfortable with that I tried a ground attack in a Me 109 E with 2 250lb bombs. The target was an airfield. Everything was going great, until, as I approached the target I ordered my wingmen to attack...they answered affirmative...and then.. the screen went black. It took about 4 minutes for my desktop display to fully recover.

Incidentally after rebooting, I tried to attack the airbase without issuing commands to the wingmen and as soon as I got close to the airbase the same thing happened.

I came here and researched CTD problem threads which were very informative indeed.

So far I have; increased my virtual memory; updated my Raedon 9600 driver; and finally deleted the uisel files from all three versions. (I have installed CHS3; OFF and MAW). None of these have worked (although yesterday I did get to see a trusty wingman go in for the kill just before it crashed again ;-))

I'm running XP-Home. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

BTW. It seems as if the CFS3 community is as vibrant as ever, even with all new faces.

Cheers

[membrain]

I thought I'd bump this to see if anyone can help me with my CTD problem:help:

[dsawan]

Hi, is this an all MAW install? i would suggest to do this. look for the usiel file and do a disk defrag right after. useil file is found in document folder or applications. Its an xml file. Also, is this doing it with other missions?

[Lightman]

I thought I'd bump this to see if anyone can help me with my CTD problem:help:

Do you have CFS3 patched with the updates
3.1 1st patch
3.1A 2nd patch (in that order )
I know that sometimes after a reinstall of the game we might forget to
put the patches in , If they are not there your game will crash as you described.

Here is the link for the patches (updates for CFS3 ) in case you need it
http://www.microsoft.com/games/combatfs3/downloads.aspx

Hope this helps , :ernae:

(Note) If these patches are not in the original CFS3 install , none of your add on's will work as they should

[membrain]

Many thanks to both of you Dsawan and IMS_LIGHTMAN. I tried both of your suggestions and it didn't work. I appreciate you assisstance anyway. I've been trying to avoid uninstalling and reinstalling CFS3 anss MAW but now theres no way around it. I found a free uninstallation tool recommended by CNET that will do clean unistall, unlike Micro$oft's own. It's called REVO Uninstaller for anyone who might be interested.

Cheers

[hairyspin]

I'm no expert here, but I'd suggest something on the airfield you're attacking is missing some assets. Everything goes swimmingly until the mission calls for the missing effect/asset and CFS3 then CTDs.

A re-install of MAW may be your only option. Sorry.

[popsaka]

hey kids! ...similar problem w/ MAW here ...and I doubt I'll give up 'till its fixed!

Best guess so far is somehow my MAW Terrains/scenery has become corrupt as I no longer can run Greek campaigns or access any of the Northern map/bases unless I add xtra tanks and fly direct (this wasn't a problem originally)
Anyways after I do a redo I'll post a report. -cheers :typing: