[darkmatter]

Hi, I have just installed The Black Mirror.

Each time I run it I get the Black Mirror Logo, a sound effect (a heart beat and a chord) and then it crashes.

I get the message "agds.exe has encountered a problem and has had to shut down".

I have tried re-installing. I run XP, the newest version of DirectX and a GeForce4.

It is an original (obviously).

Please help meeeee.

[fov]

Welcome to the forum.

Someone else was having the same problem (see this thread, the second page) but in that case, the problem fixed by downloading the most recent DirectX. Sounds like that won't help you.

Do you have the most recent video drivers for your graphics card?

You should also email tech support for whoever published the game (The Adventure Company in the US, or GMX Media in Europe). Even if they can't help (which they may not be able to), they need to know that this is a problem people are having.

-emily

[darkmatter]

Originally Posted by fov

Welcome to the forum.

Someone else was having the same problem (see this thread, the second page) but in that case, the problem fixed by downloading the most recent DirectX. Sounds like that won't help you.

Do you have the most recent video drivers for your graphics card?

-emily

I tried changing my resolution etc, but to no avail. I emailed the publishers a few days ago but have yet to receive a reply.
I'm bloody gutted, I was hoping this would last me until the arrival of Still Life

[fov]

So you already tried all these things?

Adjust the color depth/resolution and refresh rate of your monitor.

To adjust the color depth:

-Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel
-Double-click Display to open the Display Properties window
-Click the Settings tab
-Adjust the color depth to 16 bit
-Adjust the resolution (screen size) to 800 x 600
-Click OK to verify the changes

To adjust refresh rate:

-Click Start -> Run
-Type dxdiag in the Open box and click OK
-Click the More Help tab and click the Override button
-Select Override Value and enter a value of 60
-Click OK

Have you tried putting the game in compatibility mode?

Sorry, these are just stabs in the dark. If your computer meets minimum requirements and you have the newest DirectX, I'm not sure what else this could be.

[darkmatter]

Yep, I just double checked and tried again. Exactly the same result (except now all my desktop icons are scattered everywhere )

If nobody else has any idea about the message;

"agds.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close"

then it looks like it may be a corrupt disk or something like that.

Yours truly,
royally gutted.

[fov]

A google search for AGDS.exe turned this up:

Topic: agds.exe [posted on: Jan 25, 2005 8:42 PM by terry kind

anyone know what adgs.exe means i'm unable to load a game called the black mirror because of it i'm running xp with service pack 2.

Re: agds.exe [posted on: Jan 28, 2005 7:18 PM by anthonygriff*

The only thing I've been able to find out about this is that it seems to be caused by sp2 and at this stage there are no workarounds other than removing sp2.

You might try the solutions offered in the sticky thread at the top of this forum, for dealing with SP2.

The Google search actually turned up several threads about this, but most of them aren't in English. I'm trying to figure out if anyone has a solution but the online translator leaves something to be desired... From what I can tell from some posts on the dtp (German publisher's) website, you might need to use an older driver. It seems like the latest Nvidia driver isn't compatible with the game. So that might be worth a try (but I don't know if it'll work).

Maybe someone who speaks German can step in and help with the translation! The threads I'm looking at are here.

[MaryScots]

Originally Posted by fov

Maybe someone who speaks German can step in and help with the translation! The threads I'm looking at are here.

I'll have look. Give me a minute.

[MaryScots]

OK, first thing I found out was indeed a problem with SP2 v2096. Deinstalling SP2 worked at least for one guy there.

Oh, and there is one more thing especially regarding NVIDIA video cards. Try NOT using the latest driver but the previous one. I know, it sounds silly but exactly this procedure helped with a few other games, too, i.e. MoS, german Still Life demo.

I'd suggest to try that first!

[fov]

Woo! Thanks for translating. I love the internet!

Darkmatter, let us know if an earlier video driver helps or not.

It's too bad the publishers don't talk about these issues. It seems to have been a big deal over at dtp. Of course, TAC doesn't have a forum anymore, or maybe it would have been discussed there too... but it's too bad that what one publisher knows to be a technical issue, they don't share with the other publishers of the same game...

[Wormsie]

Originally Posted by fov

Woo! Thanks for translating. I love the internet!

Internet has solved lots of problems that wouldn't have existed without it.

Ahem. Carry on.

[fov]

Originally Posted by Wormsie

Internet has solved lots of problems that wouldn't have existed without it.

Ahem. Carry on.

Spoil sport.

[MaryScots]

I have found some more detailed driver info on the German forum:

Originally Posted by member on the German forum

Die Dame im Supports ging (wie erwartet) die Treiber mit mir durch. Bei Nvidia 66.93 (November 2004) wurde sie hellhörig und empfahl 61.77 (Juli 2004). Nun, auch ich bin kein Fan von Treiberdowngrades. Ich habe es aber mal spasseshalber versucht. BM startete einwandfrei.

This player had the same problem as you, darkmatter.
She said that the support asked her to uninstall her current driver version -> 66.93 (November 2004) and instead install the older one -> 61.77 (July 2004).
Black Mirror then started without any problems.

This solution didn't work with the GeForce 6600, though. But you have a different card anyway.

Originally Posted by fov

I love the internet!

Me too!

[darkmatter]

Ok, I will try an older driver.

That will probably take me a month or so as I am about as competent at these things as a blind man playing snooker.

Thanks for the help guys, I just hope i can get the thing working.
In the mean time I have to make do with playing the rather inferior looking Jack the Ripper New York 1901. Ho hum.

[fov]

Here's the 61.77 driver.

I think you just have to download it and double-click the executable and it'll do the rest by itself.

-emily

[darkmatter]

You are indeed a legend.

Trying it now. Fingers crossed.

[MaryScots]

Originally Posted by darkmatter

Trying it now. Fingers crossed.

We will.

If you experience any difficulties have a look at the Driver Installation Hints . Or maybe you should do that first.

[darkmatter]

Yeeeees!!

It works.

I am forever in your debt (ish).

I promise to check here every day and do my dangest to help others with my pitiful knowledge. Hey , if anybody needs help with the ancient but brilliant Cruise for a Corpse then I'm your man.

Other wise I may struggle.

Thank you thanks thankyouthankyouthankyou. Ahem.

Cheers.

[fov]

Woo!

I'm really glad we got this resolved because I'm sure it'll come up again.

Enjoy the game.

[MaryScots]

Great, isn't it?! I love it when a plan works!

Have fun with the game! I loved playing it.

[steady]

Originally Posted by fov

Woo! Thanks for translating. I love the internet!

Darkmatter, let us know if an earlier video driver helps or not.

It's too bad the publishers don't talk about these issues. It seems to have been a big deal over at dtp. Of course, TAC doesn't have a forum anymore, or maybe it would have been discussed there too... but it's too bad that what one publisher knows to be a technical issue, they don't share with the other publishers of the same game...

Hi
I tried your idea of installing older video drivers (NVidia version 61.77 July 2004) and it worked.The problem is I have got to uninstall and install just to play this one game.I got a reply back from GMX,and they say to update my drivers,which is a load of rot because it don't work.Surely there must be a patch somewhere.Thanks anyway seems like a good game.My graphics card is an NVidia Geforce MX4 integated GPU 128Mb.