DescentBB

Have a problem. Under winxp I get into d3 o.k., but then it kicks me back into win xp main screen and d3 has to be completly restarted. I haven't entered any command line statements yet so I don't know if that is the problem, so for winxp what are good command lines?
Also when I went to get updates, nothing could be found. I suppose I have to go somewhere else...where?

I run with -nointro... works fine on my XP Pro without having to go into Compatibility Mode.

I went to planet d. and got patches 1.2,1.3 &1.4. When I tried to run 1.2 it said it couldn't find an older version. P.D. didn't have a 1.1 so I'm not sure whats going on.

IF your copy of Descent3 is of the Dual Jewel variety as is mine, you may have to use the Dual Jewel fix before you patch.

Try this.
Uninstall D3
Reboot
Reinstall D3
Run the DJ fix
Run the 1.4 patch

Both are available at Planetdescent.com.

Mine is the single carboard cover with 2 disks so I don't think the DJ pertains.

Woodchip, the reason the patch didn't work for you may be that many copies of D3 sold in the US were actually the Australian version. That error message usually comes up when using the US patch on the Australian version. Try using the Australian patch and seeing if it works. Also, you don't have to use the 1.2 and 1.3 patches; you can successfully upgrade from 1.0 straight to 1.4 without worrying about intermediate steps. I'm able to run D3 under XP Home without any command line arguments or compatibility issues, so maybe the patch is your problem.

Well, I tried the euro, us, and aussy patchs and I get the same "old file patch error". Maybe I'm doing something wrong
I download patch
I extract to Descent3 file folder
I run it and get message do I want to patch D3
I say yes
Game says no

So whats wrong with my technique?

Probably be quicker to just reinstall D3 at this point and go right to 1.4.

D3 runs fine with my Win XP Home Edition. I've reinstalled D3 several times and patched to 1.4 with no problems. When you reinstall D3 try extracting the 1.4 update into a separate folder. Then when you run the patch input the D3 directory.

Tried that Jeff. Curious enough I just tried to update my Homeworld2 game (which connects to sierras server) and gor the same "old file missing" message. So it appears to be something else...lord knows what though. So I'm doing xp updates and will see what happens.

A little side note here: Punisher, the Dual Jewel patch isn't available on PD, but you can get it from Interplay's website. I'll have to bug BlueFlames about posting it on PD.

Well this gets more interesting. Reading up on the patch file error, one account refered to a possible virii as the cause. So I finally loaded up Nortons 2002 anti-virus, downloaded updates and scanned. Yup...virii. Mydoom in 6 different locations.

Now how in the hell did I get those? Never opened attachments or went to web sites in email. Downloaded windows updates and patches for games. Downloaded mozilla 1.6, sygate etc...so what would have transmitted this heinous bug?
Curious that NAV couldn't repair Mydoom, just quarintine it. Hmm, come to think of it I can now have NAV delete the little vermin.

Okey Dokey, I got homeworld to patch but not D3. I think I'll have to uninstall and reinstall it.

Still no go on d3, so I'm wondering if procedurally I'm doing something wrong.

Suncho - where are you????

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you have to do the D3 patches in succession of eachother like you did for D1 and D2? (ie: 1.1 -> 1.2, 1.2 -> 1.3, etc) If that's so, then looks like you skipped a version, which would explain the file size error msg.

There should have been a guide posted years ago on PD about proper patching proceedures for the different D3 releases because it seems to differ quite a bit from system to system regardless of which D3 was purchased.

I know with mine, the last time I installed D3 was after the auto-downloads stopped working, I just downloaded the standard 1.4 patch from PD and patched it, haven't had any problems with it at all.

The virii you mentioned has nothing to do with D3 giving that error, atleast I don't think, because other people have been running into the same problem for a few years now. Not to mention you said that D3 still didn't patch after you isolated the virus. *shrug*

It might be tedious work, but this is what I recommend....

Step 0: Uninstall D3...

Step 1: Reinstall D3...

Step 2: install http://www.dfiles.de/download/d3/patche ... 4patch.zip ...

If that doesn't work, repeat steps 0 and 1 and then...

Step 3: install http://www.dfiles.de/download/d3/patche ... 2patch.zip and http://www.dfiles.de/download/d3/patche ... 3patch.zip in order and then revert back to Step 2...

If this STILL doesn't work, you *might* have the Australian version....SO...repeat steps 0 and 1 again but this time try...

Step 4: install http://www.dfiles.de/download/d3/patche ... 2patch.zip and
http://www.dfiles.de/download/d3/patche ... 3patch.zip in order, then...

Step 5: install http://www.dfiles.de/download/d3/patche ... 4patch.zip ...

Steps 4 and 5 are the Australian patches 1.2, 1.3 & 1.4...I can't remember if the default D3 started out as 1.0 or 1.1 (Pretty sure it does, because I remember a 1.1 patch even though its not available to download at PD), either way if I remember right 1.2 takes care of that anyways.

You should just be able to extract them to your desktop and run the patch from there. Specify the D3 directory and off it goes. I don't think I've ever extracted patches to the D3 dir, even though I used to do that with D1 and D2 all the time.

Also, do you have the Merc expansion? If so, and you are installing that immediatly after installing regular D3 Merc defaults at 1.3 if I remember right, someone will correct me if I'm wrong I'm sure, so all you should have to do is install the 1.4 patch.

Hope this helps...

Tedious work! I'm tired after just reading how to fix it! BTW also reinstalled D3 and got the patch from PD. Went to 1.0 to 1.4 with no problem.

Here's what I always do: I have a backup of my entire D3 folder. If I have to reinstall D3 I slam in the CDs, then instal Mercs. Then delete the folder and throw my backup in there!

No customizing necessary, nothing to reset except having to set the resolution again.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Arial" size="3">Originally posted by MD-2389:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you have to do the D3 patches in succession of eachother like you did for D1 and D2? (ie: 1.1 -> 1.2, 1.2 -> 1.3, etc) If that's so, then looks like you skipped a version, which would explain the file size error msg.</font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, you're wrong. D3 is a bit more sophisticated than Microsoft Office!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Arial" size="3">Originally posted by MD-2389:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you have to do the D3 patches in succession of eachother like you did for D1 and D2? (ie: 1.1 -> 1.2, 1.2 -> 1.3, etc) If that's so, then looks like you skipped a version, which would explain the file size error msg.</font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That was only for D1 (1.0 -> 1.4 -> 1.5) and because of a bug.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Arial" size="3">Originally posted by Mobius:
<b> Here's what I always do: I have a backup of my entire D3 folder. If I have to reinstall D3 I slam in the CDs, then instal Mercs. Then delete the folder and throw my backup in there!
No customizing necessary, nothing to reset except having to set the resolution again.</b></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Or instead of reinstalling, export the Outrage registry key and [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Descent3 Mercenary] and simply merge. The former is optional, to retain your settings, the latter necessary for Merc to not moan about red guidebots.

Well success is finally obtained. Seems when I opened the patch (after extracting) it went to a install screen asking where the descent file was and I hit the patch and then hit open.
Got the error message
Then I re-tried but this time I put the d3 file location in the browse box and the hit open.
This time it worked
Both times I was asked if I wanted to install the patch to d3 so I thought I was doing it right the first time (and all the other times).
Anyway another problem solved.
Thanks a bunch for all the imput.

Oh and one other thing. When I uninstalled I was asked about removing the a3dapi.dll file as it wasn't being used. Before I never removed it. This time I copied it to another file beforehand and then told uninstall to remove it. Not sure if that had any bearing (a3dapi.dll is a Aureal file).