Fatal Error When Installing Quake 3 Arena

Post by **Repth** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:09 pm

Hello. First of all, I have emailed Activision about this and they were of no help at all. Basically, my problem is that I installed Quake 3 Arena and then rebooted my computer to finish the installation. My computer seemed to hang at the Windows XP screen. I tried starting in safe mode (which hung at the OS choice menu the first few times) and then system restore and that did not work. I honestly didn't think Quake 3 Arena was the problem because it is a professional liscensed game and all that stuff. None the less, I deleted it (the uninstallation was on the CD) from Program Files and restarted my PC and everything the was fine. It came up with the "Windows has recovered from a critical system error" screen (it actually comes up with that every time Windows boots, even before this; not good, eh?) but that was it.

So pretty much I was wondering what the hell I could do to possibly get this thing running on my computer. Here are possibly some useful system specifications:

Compaq Presario 6000 Model
Windows XP Home (No service pack at the time, now SP2) OS
AMD Athlon XP 1800+
1.53 GHz Processor
NVidia GeForce 4 MX 440 Graphics Card
992 Mb of RAM
All Windows Updates Installed (None were installed at the time)

Thank you for your help.

On a side note: I notice people with something like 20,000 posts on this forum. How in the hell is that possible? I mean, the lowest postcount I've seen is 453..

Post by **Tormentius** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:20 pm

Many of us have been here for quite awhile. As for your problem, there is nothing that Q3 itself could do to interfere with your boot process. That would be something else entirely.

Post by **Foo** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:33 pm

The Q3 install process simply involves copying a few files from the disc to your hard drive, writing one or two reg entries for the uninstaller, and that's it.

If you want to attempt the process manually, explore the CD and pull out the file 'quake3.exe' and the folder 'baseq3' and put both items into a folder somewhere on your hard drive.... then double click quake3.exe to run the game.

I've never come across Quake 3 destroying someones windows startup before.

Post by **Repth** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:35 pm

I deleted Quake 3 out of my program files and my computer booting up. When Quake 3 was in the program files, it would not boot.

For your information, I have had a somewhat similar problem recently. There is an anti-virus program called Prevx Home that I wanted to use. I installed it and restarted my computer yet as soon as it displayed the user selection screen my PC would reboot; stuck in a loop. I system restored and deleted Prevx Home from the program files and my computer again would boot normally.

You're right, it is probably something wrong my system. What I am thinking is that before or while Windows is booting, the programs that require you to restart are finalizing the process of installing. There is something wrong with my system then that causes these files to conflict with the startup of my computer and my computer restarts again because of this confliction. This is a theory, however; I don't even know if it makes sense at all being that I'm 14 and know just enough about to computers to fix these problems temporarily but obviously not fix the "big problem".

Post by **Foo** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:14 pm

I see.

Well, give the manual method I outlined a try. If you still have the problem even after manually placing the files onto the hard drive, you have something *very* funky going on.

Post by **Repth** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:19 pm

And, what should I do if this kills my computer like it did last time? Just delete the files and system restore?

Post by **Foo** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:26 pm

Presumably, if that can be used to recover from it, yes.

If you can get Q3 sucessfully up and running then we can put that hitch behind us and try and fix the bigger problem.

Post by **Repth** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:26 pm

Whatever the hell you told me to do, it fucked up my computer. Now the resolution is TOTALLY WACKED OUT and the graphics are WAY LIGHT. I haven't tried restarting because I don't know if I should. Please help me NOW.

Also, the taskbar is gone.

Post by **Foo** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:30 pm

Restart. That's just Q3 bombing out for some reason.

Post by **Repth** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:35 pm

I restarted and now the taskbar is gone. Colors are restored, icons are bigger and in different places but that's probably because I messed with the resolution.

Post by **Foo** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:36 pm

Taskbar is still gone after the restart?

Tap CTRL-ALT-DELETE, then click on 'File' then 'Run'. Enter 'Explorer' then hit enter.

Does that bring it back?

Post by **Repth** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:37 pm

No, it comes up with My Documents.

Post by **Repth** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:39 pm

Get on MSN messanger.

Post by **Foo** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:52 pm

Sorry, don't troubleshoot via IM. So you're still missing your start bar and such?

Post by **Repth** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:52 pm

There is no bar at the bottom of my screen.

Edit: I'm waiting to do exactly what you tell me to. I could try system restore or start using last known good configuration settings but I want you to tell me what to do.

Post by **Foo** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:55 pm

Restore the PC so it's back working again.

Post by **Repth** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:58 pm

System restore?

Post by **Foo** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:58 pm

Post by **Foo** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:00 am

Once you're back, I suggest heading to http://www.nvidia.com/page/home.html and getting the latest driver for your graphics card.

BUT I take no responsibility for your installation of this. If something simple like Q3 can really mess your system, something more intense like a graphics driver installation could completely destroy everything. So you run your own risk if you choose to do this.

However, it's one of the pretty standard first things everyone needs to get Q3 working, so the chances are good that it would fix the Q3 problem.

Your choice on that one.

Post by **Repth** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:14 am

It worked, thank you. No offense, I'm not installing anything for a while. At least not until I back up my files. I have an off-topic question: Do you need to reformat to partition a hard drive?

Post by **Foo** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:17 am

I'm not sure, never needed to do it. It's certainly simplest to do it during a reformat, since the tool comes right in the windows setup procedure.

But there are programs like partitionmagic which will let you repartition, I think.

Someone else will be able to answer this more effectively than myself.

Post by **Oeloe** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:34 am

Repth wrote:Do you need to reformat to partition a hard drive?

No, not at all. You can only make an extended partition in free space though, i think. Partition magic 7/8 makes it quite easy.

Post by **Repth** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:17 am

That costs $70 though. Might as well reformat and use the Windows partition tool than pay that much.

Post by **Tormentius** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 5:02 am

Repth wrote:That costs $70 though. Might as well reformat and use the Windows partition tool than pay that much.

Good plan.

Post by **SoM** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 5:18 am

Repth wrote:That costs $70 though. Might as well reformat and use the Windows partition tool than pay that much.

true

but its better to OWN a vital piece of software ( not worry about updates ) that will make sure your PC runs at top efficiency..