Help with Kings Quest Collection Install

Blondiehrdr · 03-20-2005, 05:34 PM

So, It's been a while since I've pulled out my old games and I just got a new Dell Dimension 8500 so that I can actually load all my games. Now, I've heard that there are programs that you can use to "slow down" your browser so that you can use your older games since they really run best in DOS and XP does not have DOS- just an emulator, but I can't figure it out. When I put in disk 1 of the collection, I can't run it... It comes up with an arror message that says "The Instruction at "0x01ede065" referenced memory at "0x00000000" The memory could not be "written." Click on OK to terminate the program. Click on Cancel to debug the program. When I click on OK, it just terminates and nothing happens. When I click on Cancel to debug it comes up with another error report that says "DrWatson Postmortem Debugger has encountered a problem and needs to close." Then goes on to say "please report this problem to windows." Then you are given the option to Debug- which comes up with the same message, or send the error report, or to not send the report. !!!!!

!!!! So, what do I need to do? Is it something wrong with the way the computer was built? I just got it last week fresh from Dell and haven't changed anything or tried to install anything till now. What do I do?? Please help. I REALLY want to play my games.
Thanks for your help.

Nichole

***fov*** · 03-20-2005, 05:53 PM

Welcome to the forum.

This sounds like a problem with Windows, not this game, to me. The fact that the computer is new and you haven't used it for anything else yet makes me a little wary of what other problems there may be (not to freak you out!) I don't know, maybe it wasn't a clean install of Windows XP? Since the machine is new and you don't have a lot of stuff on it yet, it may be to your benefit to try reformatting it (or send it back to Dell and have them do it).

Okay - that said, when exactly do you get this message? Is it as soon as you pop in the CD, or when you try to run a program off the CD? The KQ Collection has a weird installer that doesn't work well in Windows (at least, mine does - I have the 15th anniversary collector's edition, so the Collection Series might be different). But you should be able to install the games manually by following this sequence:

1. First copy the whole folder for the game you're installing (say KQ1) into C:\Sierra. (If that directory doesn't already exist, make it yourself. I don't know that it needs to be in that specific directory, but I didn't bother trying it anywhere else, and that's the directory it would have gone into if the game had installed it the "real" way.)

2. Open that folder and run _INSTALL.BAT. (This is NOT the same as INSTALL.BAT. Run the one that starts with an underscore.) Don't worry about the stuff that displays really quickly in the DOS box, as far as I can tell it's not important.

3. In your KQ1 folder, you should now have a file called KQ1.COM. Double click this to start the game. (Don't use the KQ1.BAT file, it will give you an error message that the game isn't installed.)

I have only tried this with KQ1, but I assume the same process would work with all the DOS games in the collection. King's Quest 5 and 6 may be a little more complex because they include voices. As far as I know the windows versions of KQ5 and KQ6 are tempermental on XP, but I ran the DOS version of KQ6 on XP with no problem (using VDMSound for the audio).

To answer your other question about programs you may need - DosBox and VDMSound are both good for DOS games. VDMSound helps with sound issues and it's easy to use (you just right-click the game and select Run with VDMSound from your right-click menu). DosBox is a little more complicated - it's like running a game in DOS, with the commands. It does allow you to slow down games that won't work on newer / faster machines, but takes some getting used to.

MoSlo, Turbo, and CPU Killer are other programs that slow down the computer (I've only ever used MoSlo, but you can probably find the others on Google). You may want to try these if you find the games are running too fast and don't feel like dealing with DosBox.

Please post back and let me know if you're able to get the games running.

emily

ps Even if you are able to install the games as I described above, I'd email or call Dell about that error message. You shouldn't be getting errors like that, and might as well get it taken care of while the machine's under warranty.

Blondiehrdr · 03-20-2005, 07:59 PM

Hey Emily,

Thanks for the reply. I believe you are right about the opperating system. I get the same error message when I try to open "My Computer" and the control pannel. Doesn't look good to me.... I have e-mailed Dell Support and should get an answer back from them too. Hopefully I will be able to use my games soon. I miss them

Again, thank you. I'll keep you updated.

Nichole

***fov*** · 03-20-2005, 09:12 PM

Hopefully Dell will respond quickly. I have had good service from them in the past with hardware issues (they sent me a new monitor the day after I called to say I was having trouble with mine) but for software it took a little longer because they tried to talk me through how to fix it on the phone. It was kind of unclear what the problem was then, though (and it went away on its own, strangely enough) - but what's happening to you is pretty obviously a bug!

Anyway, I hope they do right by you (I'm sure they will!)

emily

Elton28 · 03-21-2005, 01:35 AM

Quote:

"The Instruction at "0x01ede065" referenced memory at "0x00000000" The memory could not be "written."

Hmm......could be a dodgy memory stick. I had this problem once, but removed certain sticks of memory and the problem went away.

If you're not confident messing inside your case, then Dell I am sure will get it sorted quick, due to their high levels of service

Blondiehrdr · 03-22-2005, 11:49 AM

So, I ended up having to call dell and turns out that there was a corrupt file in windows XP. That sucks- haven't even had the computer for a week and it's allready got corrupt files

So, they had me remove all programs and re-install windows which I did over night since it takes forever. I will then have to re-install all my other programs like microsoft, my printer hardware etc. Do I get paid for the time I have to put into this?

Kidding, Dell was very helpful and said that I can call anytime to make sure the problem is fixed. So, I haven't been able to see if this fixed my problem yet, but I will know when I get home....Thanks for all your help and keep your fingers crossed that this fixed the problem.

Nichole

***fov*** · 03-22-2005, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Do I get paid for the time I have to put into this?

No kidding!

I hope this gets it straightened out. What a drag, to have that brand new computer and not even be able to use it yet!

-emily

03-20-2005, 05:34 PM	#1
Blondiehrdr Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3	Help with Kings Quest Collection Install So, It's been a while since I've pulled out my old games and I just got a new Dell Dimension 8500 so that I can actually load all my games. Now, I've heard that there are programs that you can use to "slow down" your browser so that you can use your older games since they really run best in DOS and XP does not have DOS- just an emulator, but I can't figure it out. When I put in disk 1 of the collection, I can't run it... It comes up with an arror message that says "The Instruction at "0x01ede065" referenced memory at "0x00000000" The memory could not be "written." Click on OK to terminate the program. Click on Cancel to debug the program. When I click on OK, it just terminates and nothing happens. When I click on Cancel to debug it comes up with another error report that says "DrWatson Postmortem Debugger has encountered a problem and needs to close." Then goes on to say "please report this problem to windows." Then you are given the option to Debug- which comes up with the same message, or send the error report, or to not send the report. !!!!! !!!! So, what do I need to do? Is it something wrong with the way the computer was built? I just got it last week fresh from Dell and haven't changed anything or tried to install anything till now. What do I do?? Please help. I REALLY want to play my games. Thanks for your help. Nichole Share Share this post on Twitter

03-20-2005, 05:53 PM	#2
*fov* Rattenmonster Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 10,404	Welcome to the forum. This sounds like a problem with Windows, not this game, to me. The fact that the computer is new and you haven't used it for anything else yet makes me a little wary of what other problems there may be (not to freak you out!) I don't know, maybe it wasn't a clean install of Windows XP? Since the machine is new and you don't have a lot of stuff on it yet, it may be to your benefit to try reformatting it (or send it back to Dell and have them do it). Okay - that said, when exactly do you get this message? Is it as soon as you pop in the CD, or when you try to run a program off the CD? The KQ Collection has a weird installer that doesn't work well in Windows (at least, mine does - I have the 15th anniversary collector's edition, so the Collection Series might be different). But you should be able to install the games manually by following this sequence: 1. First copy the whole folder for the game you're installing (say KQ1) into C:\Sierra. (If that directory doesn't already exist, make it yourself. I don't know that it needs to be in that specific directory, but I didn't bother trying it anywhere else, and that's the directory it would have gone into if the game had installed it the "real" way.) 2. Open that folder and run _INSTALL.BAT. (This is NOT the same as INSTALL.BAT. Run the one that starts with an underscore.) Don't worry about the stuff that displays really quickly in the DOS box, as far as I can tell it's not important. 3. In your KQ1 folder, you should now have a file called KQ1.COM. Double click this to start the game. (Don't use the KQ1.BAT file, it will give you an error message that the game isn't installed.) I have only tried this with KQ1, but I assume the same process would work with all the DOS games in the collection. King's Quest 5 and 6 may be a little more complex because they include voices. As far as I know the windows versions of KQ5 and KQ6 are tempermental on XP, but I ran the DOS version of KQ6 on XP with no problem (using VDMSound for the audio). To answer your other question about programs you may need - DosBox and VDMSound are both good for DOS games. VDMSound helps with sound issues and it's easy to use (you just right-click the game and select Run with VDMSound from your right-click menu). DosBox is a little more complicated - it's like running a game in DOS, with the commands. It does allow you to slow down games that won't work on newer / faster machines, but takes some getting used to. MoSlo, Turbo, and CPU Killer are other programs that slow down the computer (I've only ever used MoSlo, but you can probably find the others on Google). You may want to try these if you find the games are running too fast and don't feel like dealing with DosBox. Please post back and let me know if you're able to get the games running. emily ps Even if you are able to install the games as I described above, I'd email or call Dell about that error message. You shouldn't be getting errors like that, and might as well get it taken care of while the machine's under warranty. Share Share this post on Twitter Last edited by fov; 03-20-2005 at 06:03 PM.

03-20-2005, 07:59 PM	#3
Blondiehrdr Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3	Hey Emily, Thanks for the reply. I believe you are right about the opperating system. I get the same error message when I try to open "My Computer" and the control pannel. Doesn't look good to me.... I have e-mailed Dell Support and should get an answer back from them too. Hopefully I will be able to use my games soon. I miss them Again, thank you. I'll keep you updated. Nichole Share Share this post on Twitter

03-20-2005, 09:12 PM	#4
*fov* Rattenmonster Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 10,404	Hopefully Dell will respond quickly. I have had good service from them in the past with hardware issues (they sent me a new monitor the day after I called to say I was having trouble with mine) but for software it took a little longer because they tried to talk me through how to fix it on the phone. It was kind of unclear what the problem was then, though (and it went away on its own, strangely enough) - but what's happening to you is pretty obviously a bug! Anyway, I hope they do right by you (I'm sure they will!) emily Share Share this post on Twitter

03-22-2005, 11:49 AM	#6
Blondiehrdr Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3	Contacted Dell So, I ended up having to call dell and turns out that there was a corrupt file in windows XP. That sucks- haven't even had the computer for a week and it's allready got corrupt files So, they had me remove all programs and re-install windows which I did over night since it takes forever. I will then have to re-install all my other programs like microsoft, my printer hardware etc. Do I get paid for the time I have to put into this? Kidding, Dell was very helpful and said that I can call anytime to make sure the problem is fixed. So, I haven't been able to see if this fixed my problem yet, but I will know when I get home....Thanks for all your help and keep your fingers crossed that this fixed the problem. Nichole Share Share this post on Twitter

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