DOCUMENT:Q321083 14-AUG-2002 [homegame] TITLE :Dungeon Siege: Err Msg: Decoding Error - Compressed Data PRODUCT :Microsoft Home Games PROD/VER::1.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbimu ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Dungeon Siege, version 1.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== While you play Dungeon Siege, you may receive an error message similar to the following: Fatal Error has occurred and the application must be shut down. Decoding error - compressed data is corrupt or unreadable. -or- Unable to open file '' Check your nodes_misc.gas file for a typo. Cannot continue, the program will now exit. -or- Decoding error! Compressed data is either corrupt or unreadable, possibly due to hardware failure. Try replacing or repairing the resource file (reinstall?) to fix this problem. You may also experience the following behavior(s): - During installation a resource file (*.dsres) does not copy. - The game or computer stops responding (hangs). - There is no sound during game play. CAUSE ===== This issue can occur if one or more of the following are true: - Dungeon Siege resource files that are currently being stored in memory are becoming corrupted due to incorrect settings on the computer hardware. - Dungeon Siege interacts extensively with almost every system in the PC and as a result, is very sensitive to the hardware configuration. - There is a corrupted resource file (.dsres). RESOLUTION ========== Verify Files ------------ Verify that the resource files is corrupted by running a cyclical redundancy check (CRC) on the files. To do this, follow these steps. NOTE: Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps. 1. Right-click the desktop, point to New, and then click Shortcut. 2. Click Browse, click DungeonSiege.exe, and then click Open. By default, the path is "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Dungeon Siege\DungeonSiege.exe". 3. In the "Command line" box, to the right of the quotation marks ("), type a space, and then type " verifydata=true" (without the quotation marks). 4. Click Next, and then click Finish. 5. Double-click the new shortcut. The CRC takes several minutes to complete. If any of the files do not pass the CRC test, the files are corrupted. To remove and reinstall the game, use one of the following methods: Method 1: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs. 3. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Dungeon Siege, and then click Add/Remove. 4. Click Uninstall, and then click OK. NOTE: Do not click to select the "Remove saved games" check box. 5. After the removal is complete, verify the integrity of your hard disk to look for lost clusters and errors. To do this, follow these steps: a. Double-click My Computer on the desktop, and then click the hard disk where you will install Dungeon Siege. b. On the File menu, click Properties. c. On the Tools tab, click Check Now under Error-checking. d. Under "Check disk options", click to select the "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors" check box. e. Click Start. 6. Reinstall Dungeon Siege. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q321742 Dungeon Siege: How to Troubleshoot Setup Errors Method 2: 1. Insert the Dungeon Siege disc 1, and hold down the SHIFT key to prevent the autorun program from starting. 2. Copy the resource file or files, as appropriate, from \DSIEGE\RESOUR_1 to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Dungeon Siege\Resources: - OBJECT_1.DSR - VOICES_1.DSR NOTE: If you receive errors copying the files, there may be a problem with the disc or drive. For additional information about troubleshooting CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q218617 How to Troubleshoot CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Read Issues Q321641 How to Troubleshoot Issues with Reading CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD Discs 3. Insert the Dungeon Siege disc 2, and hold down the SHIFT key to prevent the autorun program from starting. 4. Copy the resource file or files, as appropriate, from \DSIEGE\RESOUR_1 to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Dungeon Siege\Resources: - LOGIC_1.DSR - SOUND_1.DSR - TERRAI_1.DSR NOTE: If you receive errors copying the files, there may be a problem with the disc or drive. For additional information about troubleshooting CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q218617 How to Troubleshoot CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Read Issues Q321641 How to Troubleshoot Issues with Reading CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD Discs 5. Right-click each of the damaged files, click Rename, and then change the file name to end with .OLD. 6. Right-click each of the new files, click Rename, and then change the file name as follows: - OBJECT_1.DSR is changed to OBJECTS.DSRES. - VOICES_1.DSR is changed to VOICES.DSRES. - LOGIC_1.DSR is changed to LOGIC.DSRES. - SOUND_1.DSR is changed to SOUND.DSRES. - TERRAI_1.DSR is changed to TERRAIN.DSRES. Install the Dungeon Siege Update -------------------------------- Install the latest Dungeon Siege Update. For additional information about the Dungeon Siege Update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q324477 Dungeon Siege 1.0: Availability of the Dungeon Siege Update and the Fixes Included in the Update Set Hardware to Default Settings -------------------------------- If you have a retail computer and have changed the configuration of the CPU clock rates and other BIOS settings such as memory, contact your computer manufacturer for help restoring the factory default settings. If you have a non-retail computer, such as a computer that you built yourself, and you have configured the CPU clock rates and other BIOS settings such as memory, contact your hardware manufacturer for help in configuring these settings. For information about how to contact , click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K Q60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P Q60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z MORE INFORMATION ================ For additional information about other causes of these behaviors, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q321084 Dungeon Siege: Game Stops During Startup at Black Screen Additional query words: msgame ====================================================================== Keywords : kbimu Technology : kbHomeProdSearch kbGamesSearch _IK kbDungeonSiege Version : :1.0 Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2002.