Windows 7 and Links 2003 all version, with Nvidia Video cards

fop54 · Joined: 03 Nov 2003 Posts: 19 Location Indiana

As you all know I've been the one working, with Nvidia over the failure of there drivers to run Links 2003 correctly for the pass 3 months or so. After keeping in touch with them up to the highest level I can go, top of the brass, they informed me that they hope the problem was corrected with the release of 190.07 drivers, just out. Expecting to play it, I put Links 2003, version 1.0 to test it with the latest driver released. From the start it ran Links in the practice mode for 2 practice hole just fine, however, once restarting it and trying the same course, which was a course issued by the CD on the original, it crashed again, giving me error LCID 1033. Well, that error could be anything of several programs, not including Links, such as Office and many more. I tried to install the latest updates and then the final 1.07 version, and got the same results. It starts going into Links, but start playing, the game it crashes with same error. Thus no links golf. I will try to contact Nvidia again, to see what is going on, but with no luck, after what I've been through, I'd say go to ATI Card, or dual boot with Windows XP. If this sight wants me to keep trying Nvidia, I'll do so but I"m getting pretty fed up with the support.

If anybody has any suggestion on this situation, please contact me-at fop54@comcast.net.

Ken

PCS · Joined: 20 Dec 2003 Posts: 93

Thank you for your efforts Ken, very much appreciated.

But it gets sore, continually banging your head against a brick wall.

It is an old game, but if ATI can do it...........

Peter

Parboy

I made the switch to ATI. I have always been a Nvidia guy, but I've got to have my Links. Thanks for the efforts.

Paying member at http://www.apcd-courses.com

KenR · Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 188

Thanks for the update Ken; but did you mean the 191.07 drivers just out, not 190.07? I hope you will continue to stay in touch with your contacts and let them know the status of your attempts to run Links 2003 with Win7 until they do find a solution. I surely don't want to switch to an ATI card to run Links.

Thanks again for the time you've put into this, it is appreciated by all of us Nvidia users.

michaelst · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 25

I'm with you on this Ken. I certainly hope nVidia will come thru. Is there anyone at MicroSoft who might be able to help... urge... them on?

Perhaps a letter or something we could all sign. There must be 1000's of Links players worldwide.

I'm no coding expert, but Links is kind of 'old school' when it comes to graphics. I can't believe, with all the 3D, and FPS, and realistic explosions in games today, that recreating a golf course could be that much of a coding challenge.

Weed Whacker · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 56 Location Wisconsin

Parboy, do you have any problem with the golfer shadows not being transparent (showing as solid black) If not what ATI driver are you using?

TexRanger7 · Joined: 10 Nov 2005 Posts: 36 Location Plano, Texas

I have a NVIDIA video card in my computer and have never had any problems running Links 2003 with either Windows XP nor Windows Vista. Does this mean that I will have problems if I change to Windows 7 operating system? I don't understand exactly where the problems have been occurring for others unless it has been after upgrading to Windows 7..

SH · Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 213

I'm guessing supporting a 7 year old game is not at the top of Nvidia's priority list. I'm also guessing this issue will eventually be ironed out. I have 2 machines running various flavors of Win7 in multi-boots and only see issues on one machine. Both machines are Nvidia equipped.

Oddly enough, on the machine that does crash, when it does it will not run Links anymore without crashing at startup. I've got an unusual remedy for this issue however. When I first edited the registry to run at 1920x1080 I saved the registry keys pertaining to Links 2003 so I wouldn't have to hunt down forum posts years from now trying to recall the solution. As it turns out, I can import this registry data when in the crashed/unstartable mode and all is well again.

I'm beginning to think Links2K3 needs a code update more than video driver tweaking.

Another fun fact: Same machine different flavor of Win7 (x64) it never crashes.

fop54 · Joined: 03 Nov 2003 Posts: 19 Location Indiana

I was at a friends, and he has a newer card with Windows 7 ultimate version, and a Evga Nvidia 250 896 meg Super Clock Card, with the New 191.07 drivers installed and as Nvidia told me, they believe the problems our corrected for Links threw all version. My friend has version 1.07 update installed on his 2003 Links. I also found out from another friend, who has the 285 Nvidia card, and it is playing Links 2003 with these drivers also-but not with drivers after 185 through all drivers until 191.07. Also the first drivers issued by Microsoft when the beta and RC 1 windows 7 came out for testing they were failures also. It is my guess that what Nvidia told me on the 191.07 drivers is they have fixed the issue maybe. I can't tell on my machine currently because I have the XFX 8800 GTX card. It sure didn't make any difference on my machine, but played find in dual boot of Vista, and XP with any drivers. I also found out when updating a 250 Nvidia card with dual boot XP windows and Windows 7 that these drivers 191.07 will not install on XP with an error that this driver for XP is not compatible. Which is about right, as have ran into this as a tester for MIcrosoft, when XP came out, and Vista. Have had newer boards out when XP first issued that would not install on the board with 98 windows.

Thus in short, if running windows XP, which will be history along with Vista shortly, you can play as always with Nvidia on the new drivers or old. However, it appears that they have some of the of the cards corrected such as 200 version of Nvidia Cards. However the cards in GeForce 9-down our not fixed and don't believe it will be, such is the computer world, with older parts, Sorry People.

I don't want to switch to ATI either, as never own one, but it appears I'm going to have to update my computer with a 260 Nvidia card to play Links 2003 which I love. However, when getting newer board, It will have an Intel chip to take both ATI and Nvida cards to keep from getting burned. Current Intel chips 55 and 58 use these cards.

Anybody that has a newer card in Nvidia 200 series and playing Links 2003, with the 191.07 drivers, please let me know one way or the other, and will get back to Nvidia. They appear there helping me, and maybe get some help for a little update from our Links Site with program writing.

As always I'm open for suggestions or to be contacted any time from this site or by Email, at fop54@comcast.net

Ken

Daniel · Guest

Excellent post fop54, keep up the good work you are doing to inform Links players the best configuration to play Links on a windows 7 system.I use Nvidia and will upgrade my card and try the latest drivers.I did not care for the dual boot but if all else fails I will go back to it just to play Links.A time will come when all are using Windows 7 I think it is a lot faster than any other OS that I have used.So if you love playing Links all the help that we can get to play it on Windows 7 without having to dual boot is much appreciated.

shakey · Joined: 03 Nov 2003 Posts: 10 Location South Carolina

I just put in a new OS Windows 7 and a new card a Radeon HD 5870. Before i had 2 Nvidia 8800GTS in SLI with the 178.24 drivers and Links ran fine i updated to the 190.07 driver nad no joy rolled them back to the 178,24 driver and all was good. With this new card i am seeing things i havent seen before shadows show a lot more even if you have a dark sky interesting. But all in all i like the changes and Links runs well.

grandpabruce · Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 720 Location Northern Minnesota

Life is good!
GrandpaBruce
Vietnam Vet - 1970 - 1971

grandpabruce · Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 720 Location Northern Minnesota

Life is good!
GrandpaBruce
Vietnam Vet - 1970 - 1971

Eagled1 · Joined: 06 Nov 2003 Posts: 101

PCS · Joined: 20 Dec 2003 Posts: 93

Eagled1, if you have been following the recent threads on this subject, you would know it is specifically refering to Windows 7.

Windows 7 WILL NOT RUN Links 2003 with older nVidia graphic cards, with any driver.

What fop54 has been doing is talking to nVidia, to the point where it now appears that if you have a newer 200 series card, and the new drivers, it will work with Links.

He is now looking for comfimation of this from people with this combination.

fop54 · Joined: 03 Nov 2003 Posts: 19 Location Indiana

Eagle 1. You need to do a study in reading the threads. Your right Links will run in any windows version, with any with any card, except for windows 7 version, 64 bit or 32 bit. It is currently only affecting windows 7 with Nvidia cards below 200 series. Your also right in the error LCID 1033, somewhat, but wrong, with the general idea of the error. As a Microsoft license tech,, computer programmer, and computer builder, I think I got a little more insight into operations of computers. The general ideas is this, the error can be a driver issue, a office issue, and paint-shop Pro issue, and this is just a few. Contacted Microsoft and they stated it was driver issue with the card, not the software of windows 7, be it 64 or 32 bit operations. ATI cards our not effected for some odd reason, with the crash of Links in any Windows 7 operations, be it 32 or 64 bit.

1) If you have a Nvidia card of the 200 series, which is 200 to 295 cards links will not crash, with the new 191.07 drivers, so far with 4 people confirming this, it appears that Links is correct and working with the new 191.07 drivers with these card numbers. Plus this is what I'm looking for in confirmation with other links users, before I get back to Nvidia. Nvidia cards with 5600 through 9600 running windows 7 and with drivers below the 185.00 and below will run links with no problem, however any new update from for Nvidia Cards with drivers above 185.00 with cards belows 200 will not run Links 2003, no matter what version of Links you have, in windows 7. However on intalling Windows 7, windows 7 will put a WDDM driver for video cards be it ATI or Nvidia, and if like me you will update your driver for your card. When this is done say with Nvida cards with drivers below 191.07 your going to run into problems playing links golf.

2)With Windows XP, Windows Vista, an others you can run any drivers with Links being Nvidia or ATI, and no crash. However, when you go to windows 7, the crash will happen, with Nvidia only cards until you get Nvidia driver 191.07 but then only on Nvidia cards of 200 or above, not card number below 200. Again ATI cards our not affect, no matter if running 4800 to the new 5800 cards.

3) If any Links user, running Windows 7 no matter what version, 32 or 64 bit, with the newer 200 cards and drivers 191.07 or higher and Links is playing fine-please post message, so I know that our Users have found that with 200 cards or higher, with 191.07 drivers our working fine, so I can get with Nvidia and get this problem solved for all Links users, be it ATI or Nvidia card users. Currently only have local town users with 250 cards to 295 cards with 191.07 drivers playing Links again.

4) After finding that 200 cards and with 191.07 drivers made links play I contacted Nvida again, as they informed me that they believe they have the problem corrected in the 200 series cards, but will not go back and correct cards below this, as they our prepairing the new 300 cards due out by Christmas, sometime. So it looks like you keep up with new equipment or don't play.

Ken

TexRanger7 · Joined: 10 Nov 2005 Posts: 36 Location Plano, Texas

I would very much appreciate some help undersatnding the discussion in this thread. I don't understand what is meant by things such as: "with Nvidia cards below 200 series", "If you have a Nvidia card of the 200 series", "with the new 191.07 drivers", etc.

As best I can determine, my computer has a NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430 graphics card. The current driver is listed as: 7.15.11.7521.

How do these relate to the ongoing discussions?

Right now, I am using Windows Vista and everything works fine (which the previous discussion seems to verify that it should) with Links 2003. But, what happens if I change to Windows 7?

I apologize if this sounds very basic but I am one at least who is confused by the discussion but would love to understand it.

Daniel · Guest

What it means texranger is that if you want Windows 7 on your PC and for it to play links you must upgrade your graphics card to one of the latest that Nvidia have,any from the 200 series up 200,250.275,280.285.295,and use the latest graphic drivers that are provided for that card.As posted they are in the process of bringing out the 300 series now so those would be ok to I think.Or the other option is to use Radeon graphic cards.Hope this helps you.

TexRanger7 · Joined: 10 Nov 2005 Posts: 36 Location Plano, Texas

It sounds like the answer is to stick with Vista. I haven't had any problems with it.

Weed Whacker · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 56 Location Wisconsin

I am running Win 7 64bit w/ an Nvidia GTX280 and driver 191.07, and I still encounter the msg that Links has stopped responding Wall Bash

during the playing of a game. Everything seems to function then all of a sudden that msg will pop up and Links will crash to desktop. The same problem I have had with all Nvidia drivers in Win 7. I am running XP in dual boot and Links works fine w/ 191.07 and all other drivers. I do not have an ATI card as yet to see if that makes the difference for me.