Crashing issues
***Before you EVER reinstall/uninstall
if you EVER need to reinstall the game, or you know you need to reinstall windows, or whatever the case may be,
go into c:/Program Files/Microsoft Games/Zoo Tycoon and MAKE A COPY of the zoo.ini file, and put it somewhere.. like in My Documents or something.. (do this by right-clicking on the file, choosing *copy* and then go into MY Documents and choose *paste*)
THIS baby saved all your scenario settings, game settings ETC (but not saved games.. those are in their own folder)
so once you have reinstalled, paste this file back in the main c:/Program Files/Microsoft Games/Zoo Tycoon folder***
**Point(s) to Ponder.**
...Sometimes a person may think they deleted a file from the Updates folder but the problem (game crash, cannot select zoo, ...) still occurs. Just moving a ZTD file from the Updates folder to the Zoo Tycoon folder or to a Save folder does not stop Zoo Tycoon from finding it. (eg; zoo map still in MAPS folder..) Any files moved from Updates should be put into some folder above Zoo Tycoon. (ie: I use a Save folder in the Microsoft Games folder) - THX JAY!
*new!*
each animal, item, flowerbed, tree, rock, ETC has its own unique ID number.
each time a user creates an item, it gets a new ID number.
if these conflict with any other randomly made object, you'll get crashing issues.
so say you download a statue from a random ZT fan site, then you go over to a different site and download a tree-- they may have the same id number, and you'd get crashes.
there are so many user created items out there, that for sure one or two of them have the same ID number.
so yes, it does depend on the user, and what items they have installed.
do not do every single step at once. try each step, then try the game. only continue the steps if the game is still crashing.
.. try a different map.
..what were the last things you downloaded? take out the last things you downloaded before it started to crash.
....If the game crashes when clicking to see the Zookeeper's Recommendations, there is a problem with a user created object in the same exhibit as the animal. One can remove the user created objects and put them back in the exhibit one by one, checking the Zookeeper's Recommendations after each, until the culprit is found. Then the object can be deleted from the Updates folder. --THX JAY!
...If the game crashes when you pick up an animal and drop it on water, the animal should be deleted from the Updates folder. Note that sometimes an animal can be placed on water when it is first adopted, but not later. -- THX JAY!
... if the game is crashing when you click on the animal tab, or when you are browsing the animal tab,
its a user created download you have installed.
...if its on the objects tab, then same deal. you have something user created in there thats messing up the game.
..For the animal or object tab game crashes, sometimes the crash is when one clicks the item and sometimes the crash is when one waits for the item tooltip to occur. In either case, the item should be deleted from the Updates folder. --THX JAY!
..if it is crashing when you click on an animal that is a user created one, then its an animal that needs to be taken out of the updates folder.
...if it crashes with say, clicking on a user created fence, same deal. i know the invisable fence had this issue before it was updated.
.....if the game crashes after a period of time. For example, the Malayan Tapir crashes my game after waiting two game months after inserting it into a zoo. This happens every time. I only have the original Zoo Tycoon, not Marine Mania. (Actually I have Marine Mania, but I can't run it. But that's another story.) According to one thread, the Malayan Tapir needs Marine Mania, although the original download site has icons for all three versions. I suspect the tapir is trying to do something after two months that needs Marine Mania. So, I guess the lessons here are: crashes may not be immediate; don't rely on sites to say what version is needed for a user created animal; it might take investigation and patience to find the item causing a game crash. --THX JAY!
.. move your updates folder to another location, and load the game. if it doesn't crash,
then you have the FUN task of putting things back in.. about 4 or 5 things at a time.
.. time to reinstall! HAPPY DAY! once you have uninstalled, go back to c:/Program Files/Microsoft Games and delete the Zoo tycoon folder. now reinstall.
.. make sure you have all windows updates current.
.. did you recently update your video driver? if so, get your old one back. if you didn't update the driver, do so. (i highly recommend you visit the manufactuers website instead of visiting windows update to get the drivers. we MAY provide BASIC support for helping you FIND the driver.)
..TRIPLE verify you meet system requirements.
(zoo tycoon, Dino Digs, Marina Mania)
includes: memory, directX, processor, video card, cdrom speed. add more memory just cause!
.. get more memory, or a new video card if you can.
..uninstall anything you had recently installed as in another game or something.
..ask your hardware vender to first check your Virtual Memory settings. (we may provide VERY basic support for this)
...ask your hardware vender to run diagnostics on your video card, memory, and processor
.. ENTER SAFEMODE! go into safemode by restarting the PC. at the black load up screens, tap the f8 key until you get a menu. (if you get a windows splash screen, its too late.. try again) at the menu chose safe mode.. hit Enter. once in here, play your game. does it work? good. this means, possible bad video driver. does it not work? this means, Windows corruption or hardware failure. (video card, or memory.. so, replace it.)
...reinstall windows; a corrupt windows operating system will cause your game to crash as well.
... set the PC ablaze. Cd's make GREAT frisbies.
Loading Issues
My Game won't load to the main screen
If you can't get to the main screen on a fresh install
locate C:/Program Files/Microsoft Games/Zoo Tycoon and locate your zoo.ini file, and open it. look for this string:
[user]
fullscreen=1
screenwidth=1024 -- change this to 800
screenheight=768 -- change this to 600
save changes and exit. try again.
OR if it crashing during the intro movie
clicketh
I can't install my game. im getting errors or it crashes
First of all, let me get this clear:
IF you are having issues installing any expansion pack on a Kazza version of ZT, sorry about your luck. not gonna work. go buy the real deal.
If you are having errors during the install, your CDrom could be at fault. go try the disk on another system. not working? replace the disk. Working? either clean, or replace your cdrom.
If, during the install it locks up on a certain file, hangs, or crashes, try cleaning the disk. if not, try the disk on another system. if the disk works, it may be the cdrom. if it doesn't work, replace the disk.
Can't grab another system?
1. close down the installation screen.
2. double click My Computer
3. right click on the rom-drive the cd is in (D or E or whatever) and choose *explore*
this is what you look for.. X: (where X is the rom letter)
4. now look for the .ztd that was giving you problems. *If it doesnot hang on any specific file, just grab ANY file you see and proceed here..* there have been lots of issues with animals9.ztd, so locate: X:DATAMANIAXPACK2 (where X is the rom letter)disk.
IF you try another cd game/audio cd of your choice, (trying to copy a file over) and it STILL gives you multiple errors, or if you see your cd drive spit it back out, starts to chirp/ bark back at you, flip you off, and start smoking.. get a new cdrom.
REMEMBER: Microsoft gives FREE technical phone support for the game.
searain79 posted Feb 18 2003, 08:33 PM
Loading Issues and Errors
...If the game does not start, there might be too many lang DLL files in the Zoo Tycoon folder. The easiest fix is to delete lang DLL files for user created objects until the game is able to start. (I have problems after 63. But this limit might be different for others. Also, I use a more complicated fix. I have Restorator use lang0.dll for user created objects when Restorator is included with the objects.) - THX JAY
....If the game gets to the main menu, but selecting a scenario or continuing from a saved zoo does not change the screen, there are too many ZTD files in the Updates folders. This is talked about more in "Combining ZTD files". -- THX JAY
..Black Screen or Blue Screen When You Start Game
Error Signature
AppName: Zoo.exe AppVer: 10.10.0.6 ModName: Zoo.exe
ModVer: 10.10.0.6 Offset: 0004360a
uninstall zoo tycoon. locate c:/Program Files/Microsoft Games and delete the Zoo Tycoon folder. reinstall.
clicketh
...Video codec fix for Windows XP SP1 users only:
If you have recently purchased a new computer with Windows XP SP1 installed or you have done a clean installation (not an upgrade to your existing Windows XP installation) of Windows XP SP1 you may have encountered an issue wherein Zoo Tycoon or Dinosaur Digs will lock up when trying to play the intro movies. This patch will solve this problem.
clicketh
...when I go to play the game, I get a message stating that it cannot find the winsock.dll file and it goes back to my desktop.
Make sure you are current with ALL windows updates.
(do this by either clicking START--->windows updates, OR visiting http://www.windowsupdate.com)
PM or email me and i can give you a location to get a new winsock.dll file,
The file will be from a windows cd.
ERRORS
Cannot Locate File Ws2_32.dll or Ws2help.dll" or "Required .DLL Not Found
clicketh
Zoo Tycoon was not installed. We could not install this product.
-or-
Setup was unable to find a Zoo Tycoon installed on your computer to proceed
uninstall zoo tycoon. go back to c:/Program Files/Microsoft Games and delete the Zoo Tycoon folder. reinstall.
do not add any patches.
clicketh
"Zoo Tycoon Has Encountered a Problem"
uninstall zoo tycoon. go back to c:/Program Files/Microsoft Games and delete the Zoo Tycoon folder. reinstall.
clicketh
Indeo Video Playback Error: The program you are trying to run requires a current Indeo codec.
To obtain a current driver that is compatible with this version of Windows, please contact the manufacturer at http://indeo.ligos.com.
PM ME FOR DETAILS PLEASE
Indeo XP for Windows
With the September 2002 update to Windows XP (known as Service Pack 1), Microsoft suspended distribution of the Indeo codecs as a base part of its operating system. This only affects users with new PCs that are shipping with Windows XP Service Pack 1, or clean installs of Windows XP SP1 on an older system. Unfortunately, a number of game and multimedia titles require Indeo to be installed on the OS in order to function.
If you have been referred to this page by a pop-up message or a third-party software provider (for a game or other multimedia product), and are not certain that you require Indeo to make your software work, please contact the original manufacturer. We cannot provide support for or answer questions regarding third party software.
Free versions of Indeo and the Indeo Codecs Legacy Package for Windows are no longer available from Ligos.
so basically, give Microsoft support a phone call (its free) and tell them exactly what you told me in your last post.
best of luck
Z00demo.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close.
This issue occurs when DirectX 8.0a or later is not installed on your computer.
clicketh
Winzip is crashing and will not let me extract anything.
uninstall winzip. then re-download and install winzip, from http://www.winzip.com
inadvertently tried opening a .ztd file. I right clicked it, and tried to open it with Wordpad (don't ask). Like a knucklehead, i forgot to uncheck the little box that says to open all similar files with Wordpad, so now all of my .ztd files are in Wordpad.
right click on that file again, go to *open with*.. if there is an option, choose *choose program* if you have winrar installed (which is a proper program to open the file* then choose winrar. if not, i hope you have winzip installed. on the open with box, choose winzip. if you can't see it, browse to *c:/program files/winzip/winzip.exe and make sure you chk that box.. *always use this program...*
for windows 98 users, to get it to appear, click on the item once, HOLD DOWN THE SHIFT KEY and then right click on the item . *open with* will now appear
When I would put in the Marine Mania CD, it would tell me that I needed to Install it again, so I would try. Then it would say that it couldn't find the original Zoo Tycoon software. So then I'd eject the cd, put in the original Zoo Tycoon Cd. It would then ask if I wanted to play it. I would click Play and it would say "Please Insert your Zoo Tycoon:Marine Mania CD." It's just a big circle.
uninstall ZT completly. then go to c:/Program Files/Microsoft Games and delete the Zoo Tycoon directory. then install ZT. play it. does it work? then install MM. don't install ANY patches/updates from the MS site.
before you uninstall, go to the c:/Program Files/Microsoft Games/Zoo Tycoon MAIN folder and save your zoo.ini file,, it keeps your completed scenario settings and stuff like that. you might also want to save your screenshots folder if you have taken pics. anything in the updates folder can be re-downloaded. and save your saved games folder too... (best bet, make a new folder on your desktop, and move the .ini file, and the screenshots and saved games folder to that new folder.. then when ZT and MM is reinstalled, move it all back.
superlion posted Apr 19 2003, 12:54 AM
And remember to save often! (That'll save you from having to redo more important things like term papers if you get into the habit of saving)...believe me, I know... and now I save what I'm doing often, almost automatically at 10-minute or so intervals... don't recall exactly what I lost to the computer crashing, though thanks to procrastinating on it, my Civics term paper was late (would've been on time, but there was this blackout from three in the morning until I had to go to school)
Searain, you do a great job with all this tech support stuff. Thank you!
Jay posted Oct 6 2003, 01:51 AM
Slowness Issues
Many of the items mentioned in the Crashing Issues section can also cause Zoo Tycoon to run slow. In addition, be aware that the system requirements listed by Microsoft/Blue Fang allow Zoo Tycoon to run, but not necessarily fast.
An experiment was performed using Marine Mania on a Windows 98 computer with a 366 MHz CPU and 64 MB of memory. This meets the system requirements, but barely. A medium size freeform map was used with a zoo containing approximately 30 exhibits, 100 animals, and 750 guests. The Zoo Tycoon Updates folder used 88 MB of disk space. The game took 20-25 minutes to go one game day. When the computer was upgraded to 128 MB of memory, the game took 15-20 seconds to go one game day. That is more than 60 times faster.
It is not easy to determine the actual minimum requirements needed to run fast. Everyone's environment is different. Some of the factors include Windows version, Zoo Tycoon version, CPU speed, hard drive speed and amount of fragmentation, amount of memory, size of zoo map, number of exhibits/animals/guests, amount of disk space used by the Updates folder, what other programs are running at the same time, what video and other drivers are installed, what other programs are loaded on the computer (even when they are not running, since some libraries are shared), what video quality/sound .quality/screen size options are set inside Zoo Tycoon, and how far zoomed in you are in Zoo Tycoon (zoomed in is faster). Although there is no magical answer, if the hard disk light is on solid or nearly on solid (instead of blinking) while running Zoo Tycoon, there is a good chance that more memory will help.
Thanks, Sheila, for performing the experiment !