PoE and Windows XP

[TCJ]

So...

 

For awhile everything I read abour PoE said it will run on XP.  It will run on XP.  It will run on XP.   Quite naturally, I'm happy because I have an old computer that uses XP and I would have to do a major overhaul to get a newer operating system running.  Namely, I'd have to get a new cpu which means getting a new motherboard (they don't make the old stuff anymore!).   Now today I'm browsing PoE on GoG reading a little about it again in anticipation of playing it in the near future -- but what should be looming there except the system requirements:  Windows Vista, 7, or 8.  What happened to XP?

 

Does anyone have experience running games meant for newer operating systems on older ones?   Is it possible?   I'm a little miffed and if I can't run it I'd probably be wanting my money back because I'm not really in a position to purchase a new computer right now or in the near future.

[AstralWanderer]

Thanks for including those files - you actually seem to have a different problem from others here since the error occurs when you still have plenty (600MB+) of spare memory (so you shouldnt need /3GB - yet). The stack trace shows a dll from Internet Download Manager present (which has no valid reason to be there) so could you try uninstalling that to see if it could be the cause?

 

The crash with /3GB enabled seems to be due to atioglxx.dll, AMD/ATI's OpenGL driver. I can only suggest checking that you have the latest version of AMD's Catalyst drivers and if you have, try placing a different version of the file in the PoE folder (which should then be used by PoE but nothing else) - see this Steam forums thread for suggestions on that.

[poenewbie]

Thanks for including those files - you actually seem to have a different problem from others here since the error occurs when you still have plenty (600MB+) of spare memory (so you shouldnt need /3GB - yet). The stack trace shows a dll from Internet Download Manager present (which has no valid reason to be there) so could you try uninstalling that to see if it could be the cause?

 

The crash with /3GB enabled seems to be due to atioglxx.dll, AMD/ATI's OpenGL driver. I can only suggest checking that you have the latest version of AMD's Catalyst drivers and if you have, try placing a different version of the file in the PoE folder (which should then be used by PoE but nothing else) - see this Steam forums thread for suggestions on that.

 

Thanks again for the suggestions.

 

I do use Internet Download Manager as a download utility. No idea why it should show up in the stack trace. I'll try disabling it and see.

 

As for the Catalyst drivers, I do have the latest 14.4 version (last available for Win XP anyway). When you say "try placing a different version of the file in the PoE folder" do you mean placing a version other than Catalyst 14.4?

[AstralWanderer]

For the atioglxx.dll file, really just try a few other (older) versions. Since your issue with the /3GB switch hasn't been widely reported elsewhere, I can't offer any more advice than that.

 

With Internet Download Manager, some software works by injecting code into every other running process. This is justifiable in cases where a program needs to alter how others behave (examples include mouse drivers offering >5 button support, macro/automation software and security utiilites) but I don't see how a download manager can fall into the same category. There are plenty of other (free) options available that don't inject code everywhere. Can't be sure it is the cause of your issue, but it does stand out.

Edited May 1, 2015 by AstralWanderer

[jeffstokes72]

So, UserVA is good for not exhausting kernel. /3GB is actually really bad for servers that have lots of inbound connections that use TCP, as one example.

 

http://blogs.technet.com/b/jeff_stokes/archive/2008/08/28/pte-depletion-handle-leaks-and-you.aspx

 

I wrote that a while back to talk about some of the balancing act of /3GB and USERVA. Clint Huffman, a buddy of mine, wrote this as well, but it was on a system with 16GB of RAM so might not fully fit. But it might help understand.

 

One trick I did to my daughters SIMS3 binary was to change the header so it could use more RAM. This likely isn't necessary here, but it is a cool stunt if you run into the need.

 

This is a good forum post on RAM too http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=1900898

 

Anyway back to the SIMS 3 story. http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Insufficient_Memory_Crashes

 

Check that out. Specifically the part on XP. ANd this too

 

http://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/23254/?

 

"The tool will add the "LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE" header for you to your executable."

 

So basically, in 32 Bit land, you can hack a binary (after you /3GB your boot.ini and userva=XXXX to balance it out) to make it LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE (its just a bit set at compile and is easily flipped with a hex editor) and then the binary will be "3GB enabled" and use more RAM

 

 

 

[jeffstokes72]

Oh yeah, and this http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Sims_3:Large_Address_Aware has a list of apps that can modify the hex for LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE for you.

 

I forgot to put on my previous post my disclaimer, apologies.

 

"I am a Microsoft employee. All opinions my own."

 

http://www.windowsperf.com is my blog if anyone wants to check it out, I specialized in boot tracing (slow boot slow logon) for a few years...

[AstralWanderer]

So basically, in 32 Bit land, you can hack a binary (after you /3GB your boot.ini and userva=XXXX to balance it out) to make it LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE (its just a bit set at compile and is easily flipped with a hex editor) and then the binary will be "3GB enabled" and use more RAM

The PoE executable is already large-address-aware and requires no such modification.

 

The /3GB (and recommended /userva switches) have been mentioned and Obsidian's blog entry on this should provide adequate information for most.

 

However some people are having issues with the /3GB switch enabled, and I can't see how the information you're presenting can help there. Certainly not linking to a forum discussion from 2006 with posters there confusing /3GB, PAE and device memory remapping.