Wayfarer

Despite all the help I have received on the forums I have been unable to convince our computer to like CFS3/OFF again. If I ever want to run WOFF in the next few years I think I am going to have to try the 'second hard drive and clean install of OS' route. The original HDD is 500GB SATAII (7200rpm), I am not sure of the make. I was thinking of getting something similar. I have been looking on various retailers sites but I just wondered if anyone had any particular recommendations - or even ones to avoid!

almccoyjr, thanks for your reply. I am not sure how to use disc 1 to uninstal.l I have looked at files on the disc and can't spot anything obvious. When uninstalling before I have used the uninstall option from the list of programs and then tried to search and delete for anything left. I even tried the registry once but was not sure I got everything. Ok, I just had another look at at disc 1 and found it under setup.exe. I presume that's what you mean. I'll try that.

Thanks Von Baur, that's useful information about the registration.

I know, I know ... but it's what we have, and it worked fine for years.

Regarding partitioning a disc and doing a clean original install of Vista from the disc. Would anyone know if I would need to have another activation key? Some sites on the net suggest I would, others don't mention it at all. I know its an unusual situation having the same OS on separate partitions. Wasn't sure if any one might have experience of this.

I really don't think it was the Devs. I would have said it was someone to do with Combat Ace itself, but I couldn't be sure about that part.

Thanks guys. I have kind of skirted around partitioning but I might look into it again. Just a little worried about sabotaging the computer for everyone else.

My wife's a nurse and says that treatment gets very good results so all the best for that. What have you been when you haven't been Canadian?

In my continuing attempts to get my computer to run CFS3/OFF again, prior to installing WOFF (my DVD has arrived - oh, the frustration!) I have been led to the Event Log. Starting up CFS3 (I am using CFS3 as the simplest way to run cfs3.exe) i have got the messages below on the log. I have tried deciphering some of them using the internet, and understand that exception code 0xc0000005 is an 'access violation', but I get no search results at all for the fault offset code. Also, I am not sure of the significance of dbghelp.dll. it seems to be concerned with debugging, and I am not sure if it is a problem file, or just something that kicks in when there is a problem. Would anyone be able to deipher these messages and tell me if they explain a particular error? Then I could try searching for a solution. Thanks Wayfarer Faulting application cfs3.exe, version 3.1.0.30203, time stamp 0x3e3ebe85, faulting module dbghelp.dll_unloaded, version 0.0.0.0, time stamp 0x4791a665, exception code 0xc0000005, fault offset 0x7297bd45, process id 0xbe4, application start time 0x01cf094dbfdf9b20. Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event"> - <System> <Provider Name="Application Error" /> <EventID Qualifiers="0">1000</EventID> <Level>2</Level> <Task>100</Task> <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords> <TimeCreated SystemTime="2014-01-04T13:06:21.000Z" /> <EventRecordID>97605</EventRecordID> <Channel>Application</Channel> <Computer>Helen-PC</Computer> <Security /> </System> - <EventData> <Data>cfs3.exe</Data> <Data>3.1.0.30203</Data> <Data>3e3ebe85</Data> <Data>dbghelp.dll_unloaded</Data> <Data>0.0.0.0</Data> <Data>4791a665</Data> <Data>c0000005</Data> <Data>7297bd45</Data> <Data>be4</Data> <Data>01cf094dbfdf9b20</Data> </EventData> </Event>

Thanks RJW, we're still racking our brains to think what we have installed or uninstalled over the intervening period. Typhoon, thanks, I'll try that. Best wishes for your next consultation.

Thanks RJW. Yes I had been running CFS3 and OFF successfully for several years. Upon encountering problems with both of them (as detailed in other posts - OFF would go as far as 'Go to field' then crash, CFS3 would crash immedeately after the splash screen came up) I have tried reinstalling both but to no avail. I have also specified run as administrator for both. I get the idea that 'access violation' in this case refers to a particular section of memory somewhere in the computer.

A few weeks before WOFF was released, our computer stopped running CFS3/OFF. I am presuming this means it will not run WOFF as it currently is. Digging around the internet, it looks like a Microsoft security update probably caused it to reject certain .dll files. No suggestions I that have tried have worked. The one that I haven't tried is to reload VISTA completely from the original disc. The rest of my family use the computer, however, and I can't justify attempting this, even for WOFF. From what I have read, and having vestigal computer knowledge, I came up with a cunning plan. I wonder if any more knowledgeable forum users might be able to advise me on the vaidity of any of these options: a) Installing VISTA on a separate hard drive that I have. Booting up from this. Running OFF from it's original location on my computer hard drive. b) Installing VISTA and OFF on a separate hard drive . Booting up and running OFF from this. c) Neither of the above as any idiot would know. I was thinking of posting this at the other place, but some of the people there are big and fierce. Thanks Wayfarer

Thanks again guys. I am starting to explore the idea of a second internal hard drive. On an unrelated topic, Tranquilo how are you getting your BOC badge to display now? I got an error message when I tried to display it as per the original.

Thanks for your further advice. It is timely, as I should have said 'external' hard drive earlier. As you probably know, and I found out about 5 minutes ago, I can't install VISTA on a device that connects via USB. So now I am considering partitioning our internal hard drive and your information is good to know.

Although I had in this case, It's never safe to assume I have thought of anything! A reminder never hurts. Thanks Tranquilo.

Thank you both for your replies. I was imagining choosing the drive during POST. I don't know which update might have caused it. A number of people who had encountered the same problem, and could not solve it by any of the easier fixes, believed it was due to a security update so I presumed my problem was.

I missed this due to an unprecedented four days without looking at the computer. I hope you all had/are still having a good Christmas (depending on when you consider it ends). I like the Christmas market Olham. We have actually had a 'German Market' in Birmingham UK for some years now (not sure all the stallholders are German but I think a number are). Helps to give the place some character at Christmas. Was at work yesterday but have some more leave days next week. My main decision for today is - do I try to watch 'The Guns of Navarone' later on? I don't think I have ever quite got with it before, apart from the great theme tune, of course.

I think WOFF is a reasonable price. VAT and delivery racks up the cost a bit for the UK but I still consider it will be worth it. I say will because my computer will not currently run CFS3/OFF and I am still working on that. I bought WOFF anyway becasue I thought that the Devs deserved my patronage after all their efforts.

The 1914 Christmas truce is a particularly poignant episode

Oh Dear!!

I'm having to be a bit philosophical about not being able to run WOFF just yet, but my consolation is that the forums have been a real entertainment these last couple of weeks - keep up the good work guys!

Sorry to hear that Human Drone, hope you can get back everything that's really precious. It is an very timely reminder to myself to backup this weekend.