I can't get the game to boot/load up either.

I cant even get the game to boot up either, i don't get a launcher, from start menu it just tries to start game, same with directly from elemental folder. The shortcut that was on my desktop was corrupt on reboot, and was acting like an unknown program(Ie asked me to pick a program to open it). Ive had this problem since Beta 4 atleast, The game hasnt gotten past the splash screen, all I get when full screen is my Hd constantly doing something and everything frozen. When i have it do windowed and have task manager up, it shows as starting off at 50% cpu and flagged as 'not responding', and slowly grows by about 1-200kb per second as far as memory usage goes. Ive left it like this for 10 minutes and no change.

Here is my debug.err, i have never had it get past the initial splash screen, nothing has changed for my system since the first beta, and the only issue ive ever had is random HDR lighting issues where everything is darker. Also, i had done a complete uninstall yesterday, game and my doc folder. Then reinstalled once it was possible. Ive actually had it running in windowed mode the entire time ive been typing this message. Its upto 110mb of mem usage and still on splash screen after about 8 minutes.

Debug.err:

DebugMessage:  Version 1.00 last updated on: Tue Aug 17 17:37:07 2010DebugMessage:  Entering WinMainDebugMessage:  ******* Starting Game Shell *******DebugMessage:  *********DXDiag info follows.*********System InfoTime: 8/23/2010, 01:01:41DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)Machine Name: MACTOPOperating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100216-1514)Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)System Manufacturer: Apple Inc.System Model: MacBookPro4,1BIOS: Default System BIOSProcessor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     T9300  @ 2.50GHz (2 CPUs)Physical Memory: 3052MB RAMPage File: 571MB used, 4366MB availableWindows Dir: C:\WINDOWS

Display InfoDisplay device 1:Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GTManufacturer: NVIDIAChip Type: GeForce 8600M GTDAC Type: Integrated RAMDACKey Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0407&SUBSYS_00A3106B&REV_A1Display Memory: 512.0 MBCurrent Display Mode: 1440 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz)Monitor Name: Default MonitorMonitor Max Resolution: Driver Name: nv4_disp.dllDriver Version: 6.14.0011.9621Driver Date: 1/12/2010 00:03:33DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes 

Sound infoSound device 1:Description: Realtek HD Audio outputDefault Sound Playback: YesDefault Voice Playback: YesHardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0885&SUBSYS_106B3800&REV_1001Manufacturer ID: 1Product ID: 100Driver Name: RtkHDAud.sysProvider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.Driver Version: 5.10.0000.6151Driver Date: 7/6/2010 18:26:54Type: WDMOther Drivers: Acceleration Level: 3Cap Flags: 0Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0 

DebugMessage:  *********END dxdiag info.*********DebugMessage:  No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock Games\Elemental\Fonts\*.ttfDebugMessage:  Using 0 samples for multisampling.DebugMessage:  Game Resolution: 1024 x 768 (windowed mode)DebugMessage:  HAL (hardware vertex processing)NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GTDebugMessage:  Presentation Interval: Immediate.DebugMessage:  Back Buffer Bit Depth: X8R8G8B8.DebugMessage:  32-bit z-buffer using 24-bits for the depth channel and 8-bits for the stencil channel.DebugMessage:  ** Checking Direct3D 9 Device Capabilities ************************************DebugMessage:  A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.DebugMessage:  Bump mapping is supported.Debug Message:  Device is now readyDebug Message:  GFX-THREAD: DISABLEDDebugMessage:  Border size reported as 6 by 32DebugMessage:  Shell initialization completeDebugMessage:  Elemental: War of Magic is activated.DebugMessage:  ***** Initializing Game *****DebugMessage:  Loaded font Arial-13 DebugMessage:  Timer Frequency is 0 369e99DebugMessage:  Initializing sound card.DebugMessage:  initailizing binkDebugMessage:  Create anchor mwinDebugMessage:  Load texture atlas.DebugMessage:  InitializeWorldDebugMessage:  Loaded font Trajan Pro-13Bold DebugMessage:  Loaded font Trajan Pro-16Bold DebugMessage:  Create popup manager.DebugMessage:  InitializeMWinStripEngineDebugMessage:  InitializeMWinDeferredTextRendererDebugMessage:  Initialize effect system.DebugMessage:  InitializeSpellRepositoryDebugMessage:  InitializeTriggerManagerDebugMessage:  InitializeMusicLayerGroupManagerDebugMessage:  InitializeMultiplayerClient

It'd be a good idea to update your video drivers at the least, as they're eight months old.

Update my video drivers to what? My drivers have been the latest version when i first reported the problem, and they still are.

Are you suggesting I need to use unsupported third-party drivers from somewhere?

No change.

Can you post the debug.err again?

I know it's the issue I ran into.

That debug is radically different from the others you posted.

Are you sure that's the full debug.err?

Hi!

We're still companions in misfortune

After patching to 1.01 Elemental only showed a black screen and the ingame cursor. I was reading up on here and playing around with the prefs.ini, but nothing helped.

What fixed it for me was to run Elemental.exe with Administrative Rights (Right click -> Run as Admin...). Voila, Elemental start screen and I can continue playing where I stoped yesterday. Hope this helps some of you.

p.s.

Iam running Vista Business 64 Bit with ATI Radeon 5850 (and installed ATI Catalyst Control Center / Tray)

So, you solved the issue just closing ATT, without uninstalling?

This will be the first thing I'll do when I get home after work this evening. ^^

Finger crossed.

I have the same issue, but closing the ATI control center did not solve the problem.

https://forums.elementalgame.com/391330

I uninstalled everything but the driver but it didn't work.  HD Radeon 4650 Mobility

Ran in windowed mode, as administrator. 

I was in beta, and I do not have that folder that Frogboy was mentioning.