Age of Empires 2 on Windows XP home edition

[The Ledge]

This game can obviously run on my computer. The trial version I downloaded works perfectly. I have the right system requirements and the game installs correctly. When the game is loading an error message pops up and causes the game to close. I looked for a patch but couldn't find one and when I searched online, I saw some people had the same problem and others had no problem. On the back of the game box, it doesn't mention Windows XP as an operating system used but there's got to be some way around it. Any ideas?

The Ledge 

[Violent Unrest in Allentown]

Could we get the error message?

[The Ledge]

Age of Empires II has encountered a problem and needs to close.  We are sorry for the inconvenience.

AppName: empires2.icd    AppVer: 0.14.22.712    ModName: empires2.icd
ModVer: 0.14.22.712    Offset: 001fe3c1

This error report includes: information regarding the condition of  AoE 2 when the problem occurred; the operating system version and computer hardware in use; your Digital Product ID, which could be used to identify your liscence; and the IP address of your computer.

btw this game was bought new

The Ledge = Adam, part one of the twins that Dave knows.

[The Ledge]

and by Dave I mean Mits

[Violent Unrest in Allentown]

Hey Adam. Sorry to hear about your lack of imperial conquest.

It looks like a lot of support forums are suggesting that people with this problem try and disable any and all firewall and antivirus apps before further troubleshooting is attempted. So why don't you try that and we'll see where we can go from there.

[Violent Unrest in Allentown]

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/38619-45-home-empires

You could also try all this shit, although the person with the problem just reinstalled XP. 

Method 1: Restart your computer by using a clean boot procedure
Method 2: Remove and Reinstall the Game
Method 3: Adjust graphics hardware acceleration
Method 4: Disable AGP Texturing in the DirectX Diagnostic tool
Method 5: Temporarily disable the sound card in Windows
Method 6: Lower sound acceleration
Method 7 : Download and install the most recent version of DirectX
Method 8: Update your video driver
Method 9: Update your sound driver
Method 10: Scan your computer for viruses
Method 11: Remove spyware
Method 12: Install the latest VIA chipset drivers
Method 13: Create a new user account in Windows XP
Method 14: Change the compatibility setting

[The Ledge]

k both are disabled.

[Violent Unrest in Allentown]

All right, go ahead and uninstall the game and then reinstall it. While you're at it, do a Windows Update.

[The Ledge]

well I did the restart and reinstall. My computer is updated and I ran a virus scan. At this point I've already spent way too much time on this. Thanks for the help anyway.

[TemporalRift]

well I did the restart and reinstall. My computer is updated and I ran a virus scan. At this point I've already spent way too much time on this. Thanks for the help anyway.

Hah, back in the DOS days we'd have to edit INI files and change dip switches and sort conflicts like this every time something new came out.

*goes back to telling the kids to get off his lawn*

Seriously though, it looks like a resource conflict to me. If people are fixing it by reinstalling XP, my guess is updating your video card drivers would probably clear it right up.

[Violent Unrest in Allentown]

Yes, agreed (and mentioned before  ).

[The Ledge]

how would I upgrade the video card drivers? update direct x? I installed the one that came with the game. Also as I mentioned before, the trial version of the game that I downloaded works perfectly. Doesn't this mean I have the right video card drivers?

[Violent Unrest in Allentown]

Updating you video card drivers means going to the card's manufacturing website and downloading any new software they've released for that specific card.

This means finding the make and model of the card and then searching for any new downloads at the maker's website.