I understand how frustrating it must be to purchase and spend hard earned money for a game that is difficult to install or run.
But to say this: "In the system requirements it says that it runs in windows XP, which is a lie." --- Is just not true...

It most definitely works on Windows XP... And without any glitches -- lock ups --- or problem installs on many systems.

This is directed at all gamers:

The problem is that there are a number of gamers with systems that meet either only the minimum requirements --- or are just below or above. Or meet the recommended game requirements, but have other hardware and/or software running which may conflict with the game. The OS is Not the problem --- it is whatever hardware and/or system configuration one might also have in place that can cause a problem.

For one ---

one should always consider one's own system's specs before purchasing any game.

EX: The minimum specs for RAM list 512MB
and that is exactly what it means -- go now to your task manager

-->Press Ctrl+Alt hold these down and press DEL key -->
now have a look at the tab --> Performance.
Here have a close look at your CPU usage and more importantly what it tells you under Physical Memory.

Under Physical Memory you will see
Physical Memory (K) --- (K) meaning that the information is in Kilobytes.

• Total
• Available
• System Cache

The number that is under Available is what your real RAM has left for you to work with after your OS and all of your background programs have taken thier share. If you do not have the number 524288 after Available --- then that means that you do not have 512MB to work with for the game and your system must rely and work harder for you by utilizing your System Cache. It is as simple as that.

This is why the following tips may work for you:

• Make sure that you have updated all drivers for all hardware before installing the game.
• Install the game from a Clean Boot.
• Install the game from Safe Mode.
• Shutdown all extra programs including your Screen Saver (many gamers forget this)
• Run the game in a Clean Boot environment
• Install and/or run the game after Ccleaner has been applied to your system.
• Run the game in regular mode but first change the compatibility to Windows 98 for the .exe file on the game folder (or the shortcut -which will do the same thing).
• After installing the game go to Start --> All Programs --> The Adventure Company--> Dead Reefs--> Settings: These are your Video Setting make sure that you choose a screen Display that you have as your default Desktop Screen Display of your system does not far exceed the recommended game requirements.

These tips may indeed help to get this game running.

However, there many gamers who (me included) have had no problem installing and/or running this game on thier systems.

inferno

And I agree with Greyfuss that an install in Safe Mode can assure the best possibility of a game installing without any software conflicts. Now playing is another whole ballgame.

Hi, Greyfuss, by the way. Excellent to see you!

And everyone should copy and paste Inferno's basic rules and keep them handy.

Hi Draclvr

How are the tomatoes doing?

I sure appreciate your posts, inferno. I've learned a lot from reading them.

Greyfuss, just pulled my head out of a bowl of 4 big chopped tomatoes with just a dash of Italian dressing. I can't believe I at the whole thing! Yum.

Between Inferno and Chief...I found a solution that may be applicable to many.

I had the same issues with install okay...but got the launch error. I reinstalled in Safe Mode and in Clean boot and got the same thing! But.....

I checked the game log and I had gotten an error message about the screen resolution being 1280 by 1024. (Same as Chief) My default resolution on my laptop is 1440 by 900...I don't have the option for 1280 by 1024. So...I went into Start-Programs-TAC-Dead Reefs-Settings...and of course 1280x1024 is the default for the game. I scrolled and found 2 other options 800x600 or 1024 x 768. I can get both of those as my screen resolution (my laptop has a 17 inch monitor)...so I chose the latter and set my laptop screen resolution to the same as the game.

IT WORKED!!!!

The game launched with no problem...controls are fine...
and even in normal startup...without adjusting my laptop screen resolution to 1024x768 it works!!!

I am guessing that you have to set the game resolution to something your display can mimic...otherwise you get the launch error!!

So that is a good place to start if you get the Windows launch error message.

Thanks to all on this thread and at Mystery Manor for your posts. You have been of help to many!

Thanks for the tip, JKEerie.

Yes thanks I forgot about that one. I've updated the list.
inferno

Great. This one has been a head scratcher for sure.

Here is an alternative way to get into Safe mode.
Start up the computer normally but while it is booting up kill the power by hitting the little toggle switch on the power supply or just pull the power plug on the power supply.
The next time you start the computer it will automatically boot into safe mode.

@JKEerie

Thank you for your advice. I will try it.

------------------------------------------------

I changed the resolution of my monitor and now works. Thanks to everybody you are really lifesavers as always!!

Now if we could just get the game distributor to be as helpful as the gaming forums!

Giovanna...You are very welcome. The folks on this Board and MM are certainly very special folks. Between the walkthroughs, reviews, information and technical help, they certainly keep all of us "adventurers" in the game.

And Drac...I did get a response from TAC when I emailed them that they should include game resolution in their support listing for this game. They wanted to know if I still couldn't get the game to run...and the details of the error message.
I don't think they got what I was trying to tell them.

Oh, well....

JK I was getting the same sort of basic message from Activision when I had Lemony Snicket issues the other day. Update drivers, blah, blah, I googled the part of the error message that seemed like an error and ended up at a forum. Seems the game and others don't "get" dual core, so suggested set game compatibility to Windows 98. No crashes so far, it is working the same as it does on my other computer which is a PIII. I emailed them back, curious as to what they will say, hehehe!!

Hawka, I wondered about your dual core processor with Lemony Snicket. Good to hear you got it going. I will be curious to see what happens when you get your Dead Reefs game!

I can deal with issues once I have something to go by, it is not knowing that upsets me. I certainly won't turn off one of my processors to play a game, that is spooky. The dual core does love the newer games though. I wonder how Shivers will like it, might have to go to compatibility mode again. Anyway this makes my fourth romp through Lemony, my granddaughter who is seven is playing it on the other computer, poor thing, her hands are so little that she can't handle the keyboard and mouse at the same time, but she is getting through it, just slowly. Haha, I am training another one.

I don't know what I do without gameboomers..I was about to give up on this game..But I kept reading all the suggestions and tried some of them..The one that worked for me is..CCleaner first, then the safe-mode installation, then go to folder and click on launcher, change the resolution and the game is running quite well..Thank you all the suggestions and knew you guys would find a solution..In my opinion I think this game developer messed up, never had to installed a game on safe-mode for what ever reason and had us game players figure it out for ourselves how to fix the problem that many of us are experiencing..

I hope for those still having problems with this game find a solution, I hate to buy a game and not be able to play it with the specs it requires to play it and run into these kinds of problems..It gets frustrating cause we look forward when we buy a game and we waited for so long and not be able to play it..

Thank you gameboomers for all your help..I don't try anything until I come here first..

Glad the solution worked for you, housewife. We've been working across two different gaming communities to figure this one out! Gee, I wonder if TAC has anything on their site for support yet...

Drac...TAC does have support posted for Dead Reefs...but it's the same drivel they post for all of their games. They don't even address adjusting the screen resolution in the game settings....and that is key if your graphics resolution can't be set to the game default.

They must have just recently added it to the list of games, JKE. It wasn't there a few days ago. Unfortunately, TAC has very poor online support for their games.

I don't know if this would work for anybody but it worked for me in my attempts to get this game to launch on my computer. I tried just about everything that has been posted or suggested and all I would get was the dark screen. Out of sheer frustration I started hitting the enter key interchangeably with the space bar about 3 times and the game lauched and played beautifully and when I save and go back to playing the game,I have to do the same thing to get it to play but it works everytime.

So basically you just started whippin your keyboard? PLAY DA**IT!!

Hey, whatever works...right?

I think this topic must break some kind of record for the number of posts in one thread on the Glitches board.

I'll bet TAC doesn't add THAT little trick to getting this game to play!

= I too had the "won't start" problem; read all this stuff; cursed; swore; burned a small straw doll with Adventure written on it and wasted lots of time doing un-needed steps.. I then went to my registery, clicked "Adventure Company"/ "Dead Reefs"/ "settings". I then got a small flag which allowed me set the screen resolution to 1024 x 768 (Since my XP won't go bigger.) After that, the game started and ran with no difficulty. I am enjoying it despite the control system. I am again aware that I often think myself into lots of extra and pointless work. All I needed to do was reset the screen resolution using the device provided in the game.

My Dead Reefs game came yesterday, I installed it without a hitch and it launched just fine, plays fine too. Of course default for my monitor is 1280 x 1024. I am slightly tempted to reset it to another size, just to see what the game does, but I won't.