Giveaway of the Day Forums » Installation and activation problems

1. Swan
   Member

   Good morning everyone ;)

   I'm not sure if I'm in the right forum, but it seems that there is no actual forum for this problem?

   HUGE GRIPE:

   Ok so I downloaded it for my kids to get their opinion on the game :/

   Activated and installed easily enough - launched the game and got nothing but a black screen. This happened twice.

   Tried to uninstall to reinstall - and found NO UNINSTALLER - either within the program OR in ADD/REMOVE programs. HUH??????

   Tried to reinstall anyway and received this message during the install:

   Extracting Original
   Extracting help.html
   Extracting PacaJuma Quest.exe
   Cannot create Pacajuma Quest.exe
   Extracting Squall.dll
   Cannont create Squall.dll
   Extracting sxCore.dll
   Cannot create sxCore.dll
   Extracting sxlnput.dll
   Cannot create sxlnput.dll
   Extracting sxlog.htm
   Cannot create sxlog.htm
   Extracting sxRender.dll
   Cannot create sxRender.dll

   BIG FISH: Can’t install - can’t uninstall - what’s the deal?
   ~ Swan

   Posted 1 year ago #

2. Lee
   Administrator

   System Requirements: Windows 95/ME/NT/2000/XP, Pentium 600 or equivalent, 128MB of RAM, 3D video card

   If it hits those specs should be fine.

   Maybe the problem is firstly, when you tried to reinstall the game was running, you just obviously didn't see it.

   Reboot and try and install again.

   Not been able to display the game maybe that your screen setting are wrong, to be safe adjust them to 800 X 600 at 16bit

   Posted 1 year ago # | Login to Send PM

3. Swan
   Member

   Hi Lee,

   Thank you for your reply, however I fit all system requirements.

   I have a Pentium 600 and my OS is Windows XP. I also have loads of RAM and a great 3D video card. So yes, I do fit all the specs and all is not fine.

   I didn't try to reinstall while the game was running either, as I shut all windows down when I install a new program - that's something I always do anyway. I couldn't have reinstalled while it was running, as I had to kill it with the task manager.

   So - last hope, I rebooted and tried to install again, BUT I still get the black screen. I can hear the game music playing and can STILL only kill the process with the task manager.

   My screen settings aren't wrong either as I've downloaded many games from GOTD with no problem - in fact this is the first time ever that I've had a problem with playing the game after activation and setup. As a last resort I did try it at 800 x 600 @ 16bit - still with the same results.

   I guess I may just have to forfeit this game, unless you can provide a fix before the give away expires? Would appreciate your further help.
   ~ Swan

   Posted 1 year ago #

4. Swan
   Member

   Since I installed the program ok, I came back for a reply on the problem, because I was hoping for a 'fix' to make the game playable.

   I guess the following day isn't enough time for me to check back?

   Perhaps tomorrow :/
   ~ Swan

   Posted 1 year ago #

5. BuBBy
   Administrator

   Hi Swan,

   I'm sure if someone had a solution to your problem they would've posted.

   I have found on my own computer that some games just refuse to work on my PC despite the fact that everyone else seems to have no problems (It's not because I am a "pc novice" either). There have been a few games I just uninstall and announce that game just "wasn't for me".

   Just be careful with your tone as it comes across as very demanding and agressive. The moderators at this site are volunteer users who do not have any additional access to support resources than you have. We download the giveaways the same as everyone else and install them on our home computers using the same activation programs and serial numbers etc.

   At the end of the day, the moderators do not have all (or even "most") of the answers. Remember the giveaways are offered without any support, and you should consider yourself lucky to receive whatever help you can get (for free).

   Likewise other users (like yourself) are welcome to offer insights or opinions to assist with solving other problems or making suggestions of worthwhile (usually freeware) software that others may benefit from knowing about.

   Anyway - I agreed with Lees' observation that the errors you described COULD HAVE been caused by the program being open (or even just still being resident or the file locks in place). That would've been my first guess.

   Can I suggest you try running a program called "Unlocker v1.8.5"

   This runs in the background (in your system tray) - when you try to overwrite or delete a locked file - it provides you with some options as to how to deal with this, and what is "locking" the file.

   I am quite sure, you will find these files are being held open by some other process - the fact all of these files together are being held open would indicate that the game / process is still active or resident in memory. Very rarely I have seen file handles remain open & locked even after the program no longer appears in the task list. In this case - anyones guess is as good as mine.

   Hope that helps.

   Posted 1 year ago # | Login to Send PM

6. Swan
   Member

   Hello Bubby, :)

   Thank you very much for your reply - and your insights. I appreciate all that you had to say. I'll try Unlocker and hopefully it'll prevent future errors of the same kind.

   I really do enjoy GOTD and believe it or not my tone off-line is extremely friendly. I'll try to be more careful in the future. :) It would be nice if we had a choice of emoticons to use, to show whether we're really angry or not when we're making comments - in fact most boards provide them for that very reason and it helps to avoid many misunderstandings.

   I hope you and the other moderators have a wonderful day! ;)
   ~ Swan

   Posted 1 year ago #

7. BuBBy
   Administrator

   No worries, Swan.

   I'll pass on the suggestion regarding the smilies to the webmaster.

   Posted 1 year ago # | Login to Send PM

8. Face
   Member

   BuBBy

   Actually, I was looking for you for another question and ran into this string. If you or (anyone else)are still up:

   In the game Atlantis - how do you save a game in mid-stream?

   Also - Thanks for the suggestion on unlocker (above). I seem to get hung-up like that a lot and thought I'd give it a try.

   Finally, do you know anywhere to get decent jig saw puzzles? Some days that's all my mind can deal with. Thanks for any suggestions. I would love free ones - especially without attached spyware and other bugs, but at this point I would pay for a good one that includes the option to let you to make your own, from your pictures. Thanks again.

   Posted 1 year ago #

9. inneedof1
   Member

   Hi Face, For me when i hit the MENU on the left side of the game in mid-stream it ask me if i want to save, i say yes, so when you are ready to come back to the game it says continue, or new game..hit continue...Hope this helps

   Posted 1 year ago #

10. Face
    Member

    Thanks inneedof1, I'll try that. Since you, too, are obviously playing it some, I have another question: Do you know how to get back the screen on how to use the bonuses? I can get the one on how to move and all, but what I can't remember is how to use the tool that is similar to the spade. I know that one (the spade) will dig out one box, to let the next object fall through and so will the one I am talking about - but I'm pretty sure this other one does something more, additionally (and the "more" is what I can't remember). Also, have you used the magic lamp much? I'm wondering if it generally re-shuffles to a point that is easier to solve, or if I've just been lucky in that. One final question - Do you go for the un-locks first, and do you think the board is set to let you get unlocked in just a few moves? Some of the boards, I'm convinced that that is what they intend, but in others I can't get everything unlocked right off. What has your experience been? Thanks for any help ...

    Posted 1 year ago #

11. emperor
    Member

    Hi, Face.
    There are two items that help to remove boxes underneath the pieces you are trying to free.
    The first is the hammer. This you need to apply to the column holding the piece that you want to free - it only removes one piece from that one column.
    The second is the spade, which is far more useful but should be kept for those (all too common) situations where nothing seems to be working for a number of captive pieces. It will remove a piece from the bottom of each column holding one of the jigsaw pieces. It even unlocks locked pieces which can be a great benefit.
    I have found the lamp quite random - sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.
    All the game needs is a bonus to remove the impenetrable blocks that appear in some columns!

    Posted 1 year ago #

12. Swan
    Member

    Hello again Bubby, ;)

    I just wanted to thank you and to let you know that the program (Unlocker) you suggested for me is wonderful. I've used it two or three times over the past few weeks and it works like a dream!

    Who ever knew that such software even existed !!!

    Have a great day everyone, ;)
    ~ Swan

    Posted 1 year ago #

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