This section provides solutions to common techical problems with Hardwar. While the solutions presented here have been reported to work, I cannot be held responsible for them failing. For things specifically related to U3 or UIM, see Upgrade 3 and Upgrade IM sections. On this page:
- 7.1 Installation and Patching
- 7.1.1 When installing the game on Windows 2000 or XP I get a message "not enough free space on target drive" - how do I install?
- 7.1.2 I have just patched the game and now I cannot reload a save. What is wrong?
- 7.1.3 On startup I get an error message saying that the VFX COM class is not registered. What should I do? How do I disable force feedback - the box is greyed out?
- 7.1.4 Why does the game crash when I enter Hardwarp FM? What about "FixVhID: Error!" during play?
- 7.1.5 After patching, why does the game give a graphics card error?
- 7.2 Video
- 7.2.1 How do I stop the game crashing when moving the mouse?
- 7.2.2 Is OpenGL video mode supported?
- 7.2.3 How do I stop the game crashing in 3DFX, particularly on Voodoo Banshee cards?
- 7.2.4 How do I stop the screen jittering in flight, particularly when using a Microsoft Sidewinder Precision Pro joystick?
- 7.2.5 Why does the game crash with "ResOpen - could not find Internal resource data - the resource has been freed" when trying to play video in the patched version?
- 7.2.6 I don't have a version that includes the video. Why can't I finish the plot?
- 7.2.7 How do I take a screenshot?
- 7.2.8 Why have the textures not loaded?
- 7.2.9 When running in Windows 2000 or XP, why does the game window minimize on startup?
- 7.3 Sound
- 7.3.1 The sound inside hangars is getting on my nerves. Can I remove it?
- 7.3.2 Why does the music stop playing after I dock for the first time?
- 7.4 Gameplay 'Bugs'
- 7.4.1 My taxi driver is drunk and/or won't get me to my destination. What should I do?
- 7.4.2 Why does the game crash with "no more police enforcers can be generated"?
- 7.4.3 Why do AI moths not explode when killed in a tunnel?
- 7.4.4 Why does the game crash to desktop when my pilot dies?
- 7.4.5 Why does the autopilot sometimes stop working mid-flight?
- 7.4.6 Why, when I remove a loaded pod from my moth, can't refit it?
7.1 Installation and Patching
7.1.1. When installing the game on Windows 2000 or XP I get a message "not enough free space on target drive" - how do I install?
This problem often occurs where the free space on the installation drive is more than a few GB. Mun and PlaguedMind have written a utility that skips the free space check when installing F2.0 or F2.1: http://www.aqum35.dsl.pipex.com/hardwar/downloads.html . The best manual solution for W2K was to temporarily fill the disk until there is less than 2GB free space - copy some large files a few times and/or change the swap disk/page file size. Remember to reset the changes after you have installed. Alternatively partition your disk to make a smaller disk onto which to install Hardwar. With Windows XP, locate setup.exe on the CD, select properties (right click), and then turn on 'Compatibility mode for Win98'. Now run setup.exe. Compatibility mode can also be enabled in W2K - see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279792 (thanks Seamonkey). Alternatively copy the contents of disk 1 to the hard drive and double click on the hardman icon, then the install button (from sniper). W2K method should also work with XP.
7.1.2 I have just patched the game and now I cannot reload a save. What is wrong?
U1.0 and later, and U2.02 and later will not load save games created using an earlier game version. Also see Can I load an old saved game? in the UIM section.
7.1.3 On startup I get an error message saying that the VFX COM class is not registered. What should I do? How do I disable force feedback - the box is greyed out?
This appears to be due to a bug in the installer, which turns force feedback on, even if you have no joystick. Change the controller to mouse in the standard game launcher. That will clear the greyed-out force feedback checkmark, which can not otherwise be changed. Anti_trend adds: "If you're running a non-CD version of Hardwar, in the Audio tab of the setup screen 'Music (CD Audio)' is checked by default. Uncheck it, and you should be able to play."
7.1.4 Why does the game crash when I enter Hardwarp FM? What about "FixVhID: Error!" during play?
You are probably using a patched demo of the game that is missing some of the resource files from the full game. Download and install missingres.exe from http://www.downloads.hardwar.info/ . The "FixVhID: Error" has also been reported to occur during games played with full installation. It is known to corrupt save games somehow, but there is no known way to recover such save games.
7.1.5 After patching, why does the game give a graphics card error?
Check the display settings in the Hardwar launcher. Some patches automatically change the 3D rendering mode back to 3DFX.
7.2 Video
7.2.1 How do I stop the game crashing when moving the mouse?
This issue affects Windows XP, and may occur when using the navigation screen. Upgrade to at least U2.04. Turn on the software mouse pointer, by ticking "Use software mouse pointer" on the Display tab of the Hardwar launcher. Changing video card drivers may resolve the problem - for Nvidia cards, older drivers or those made available at http://www.omegadrivers.net/ . Cree suggests: "Reduce your desktop colour depth to 16bit." SnakeBite writes: "Click HardWar.exe Properties--Compatibility--Run in 640x480--Disable visual effects. It worked like a charm in 800x600 mode."
7.2.2 Is OpenGL video mode supported?
No.
7.2.3 How do I stop the game crashing with my video card, particularly on 3DFX and Voodoo Banshee cards?
Download the latest game patch. You need at least patch U2.01 to solve all problems. Prior to U1.0 you could solve some of the problems by enabling HardLuck (see What is HardLuck.exe and how do I use it? below) and running the game in windowed mode. Some modern video card drivers are buggy, and may cause the game not to work correctly with the latest game patch/driver/DirectX version combination. These problems can normally be resolved by experimenting with different video card driver versions, or using the software render mode.
7.2.4 How do I stop the screen jittering in flight, particularly when using a Microsoft Sidewinder Precision Pro joystick?
For MS Sidewinder Precision Pro joystick, try turning off 'use rudder for pilots head' on the launcher controls tab, or try downloading and installing Shrekken's setup file: http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/shrekkens_hangar/hangarbay_1/Download/HardControl.zip . Poorly calibrated joysticks can also result in jittering. You cannot set the deadzone within the game. There may not be a solution other than to try a different controller.
7.2.5 Why does the game crash with "ResOpen - could not find Internal resource data - the resource has been freed" when trying to play video in the patched version?
Try upgrading Direct X to version 6 or later. You may also need more recent sound and video drivers. Also consider reinstalling Hardwar. If that does not work, try renaming or moving media.txt which should result in no video being played. In online games, ResOpen errors can indicate the client and server are using different patch versions.
7.2.6 I don't have a version that includes the video. Why can't I finish the plot?
You can complete the plot without the video, however at some critical plot moments the screen will momentarily go black, and you won't see the plot related instructions contained in the video that should have played. Consider referring to a walkthrough and/or Arago Fett's Plot Video Transcripts in the appendices.
7.2.7 How do I take a screenshot?
Pressing CTRL + K will save the screenshot into the main Hardwar directory as grab0000 (from Husky).
7.2.8 Why have the textures not loaded?
Lord_Solarix writes: "This can happen if Hardwar starts up in a way in which you click the mouse to skip through the logos, but it minimizes to the taskbar when you do it. If you fail to click on Hardwar's taskbar button to remaximize it before the end of 'Testing Patience' [the startup sequence], the textures will not load." The result is a snow-covered Titan.
7.2.9 When running in Windows 2000 or XP, why does the game window minimize on startup?
Try upgrading to at least patch U2.04. Select "Use software mouse pointer" from the launcher's Display tab.
7.3 Sound
7.3.1 The sound inside hangars is getting on my nerves. Can I remove it?
Yes. Download hangloop.wav and copy it into the main Hardwar directory. You can get the file here: http://zedo.hardwar.org.uk/hangarloop.zip .
7.3.2 Why does the music stop playing after I dock for the first time?
This has been reported due to a combination of factors: U2.04 or higher, Windows XP, and having more than one CD-ROM installed on the machine (commonly including a CD-burner). The Kurgan writes: "The two 'workarounds' so far are to have an MP3 player playing your own favourites, or use the Windows audio CD player to play the Hardwar music. Start the CD player before you start the game." UIM.01+ has been reported to fix this problem, although Taco notes: "I took a look at my Sounds and Audio Devices Control Panel. On the Hardware tab I selected my DVD drive and brought up the properties for it. On the properties tab is a checkbox for Digital CD Playback - which I have always enabled since it was available in the OS. Unchecking that box to allow analogue playback did the trick."
7.4 Gameplay 'Bugs'
7.4.1 My taxi driver is drunk and/or won't get me to my destination. What should I do?
Sue them for breach of contract ;-) . In U2.04 this often occurs when taking a taxi to monorail stations, particularly Vacant 0030. The solution is to revert to an older saved game, or use God Hangar if possible.
7.4.2 Why does the game crash with "no more police enforcers can be generated"?
You have killed too many police enforcers - at least 80, although the precise number seems to vary. You could reload and see What is an enforcer and how do I get rid of one? above; or just enjoy the 'glory' of having destroyed the police.
7.4.3 Why do AI moths not explode when killed in a tunnel?
From magrat1: "In my experience, this bug is caused by the AI jettisoning its cargo, which promptly hangs on their pod preventing the destruction of the moth. To finish the moth off, just take the stuck cargo and moth explodes."
7.4.4 Why does the game crash to desktop when my pilot dies?
It doesn't crash. The game just ends rather abruptly. There should be a screen that says "Game Over", but it tends not to display for more than a second.
7.4.5 Why does the autopilot sometimes stop working mid-flight?
Sometimes the autopilot just fails to do anything useful, leaving your ship motionless. Prophet recommends: "Adjust your throttle with either stop, full reverse, or full accelerate before pressing 'A' [activating the autopilot]. Don't use a throttle, the accelerate button, or the brake button. Make sure you're not turning when you press 'A'."
7.4.6 Why, when I remove a loaded pod from my moth, can't refit it?
The cargo carried is associated with the moth, not the pod. This means that when you remove a loaded pod, the cargo effectively disappears. While it should be possible to refit the pod and regain the cargo, the game may calculate that you have insufficient space, and prevent you from refitting any pod to the moth again (from The Kurgan).