Privateer refuses to start...like always.

K

k0ng

Spaceman
I have been playing Privateer on and off over the years ever since its release, its always a great game, but never works each time I've tried to reinstall it, each time for different reasons.

"Network Driver Detected. Cannot Safely switch to protected mode."

Thats what it says when I try to start Privateer out of WindowsME. When I try Righteous Fire, it instead says,

"Protected mode driver is not responding to EMS function calls. Make sure your EMS drive is not configured with the NOEMS option. If it is, replace the NOEMS option with RAM."

If this were DOS 6.2, I'd have no troubles. What can I do to fix this? How could be network driver be effecting it? THanks.
 
You need to be playing from pure DOS, not Windows. If you're already doing so, post your system files. You need expanded memory for Privateer.
 
here are the system files...

Config.sys:

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS

Autoexec.bat:

SET windir=C:\WINDOWS
SET winbootdir=C:\WINDOWS
SET COMSPEC=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
SET PATH=C:\QEMM;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND
SET PROMPT=$p$g
SET TEMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
SET TMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
C:\WINDOWS\WIN.COM

What else would you need?
I know I need expanded memory. I have been playing from pure DOS, but it still says the network crap. How do I create EMS? I'm a winner on this front.
 
Yes please, someone say how to fix the EMS problem, I have the same one. Error message reads:Make sure your EMS drive is not configured with the NOEMS option. If it is, replace the NOEMS option with RAM. How does one do this?
 
Add this to the start of your CONFIG.SYS:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE 16384 RAM /I=B000-B7FF
 
That's a start, thanks. But now when I'm in DOS (full restart into DOS) it can't read the cd. How can I fix that? It says "Privateer CD not found, JEMM unloaded"
 
crash boom

At least it didn't crash your computer. My shit wouldn't load after I inserted those lines. I give up, Privateer isn't worth the 1/2 hour I spent trying to find a friend who was at home with windows me to make a bootdisk off of.
 
Ask more nicely next time.

Simply add RAM as one of the parameters in the EMM386.EXE line of CONFIG.SYS

If you become strapped for memory, you may be better off copying the TRE files to the hard drive, editing the CFG files and removing the CD drivers from your startup files.
 
How do I add RAM into the config.sys? I know how to edit config.sys, but I tried just adding \RAM onto the end, and the same error message pops up. "Protected mode EMS drivers do not allow for EMS function calls. If blah blah NOEMS blah change to RAM" Thanks
 
Already said that. Well, DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM 16384 I=B000-B7FF, really. Assuming file is in the 'usual' place for a Windows machine.
 
Sorry Wedge009. However the first line of his mail prior to my reply seemed to call for reiteration.
You are right though, the path to EMM386.EXE is important. I’m so used to using a bootdisk that it slipped my mind.

RiotAct218, my apologies for not including the path to EMM386.EXE in my “assistance”. Make sure that the correct path is included.
 
Okay, I added that line to config.sys path and all. Still says "Protected mode drivers not responding to EMS function calls. If EMS drivers say NOEMS change it to RAM" or something like that. I don't think I'll ever get Privateer to work. Oh well, there are other games to play *sigh*
 
Hmmm, if you already have RAM in the EMM386.EXE line, then I don't know how to fix that. I've seen that problem happen before. Where's John the Repairman when he's needed? :/

Don't be discouraged, though. Privateer (and perhaps Armada because of their similarity) seem to be the hardest WC games to get working on new computers.
 
Try going back to basics. ALL of the problems I’ve had with getting Privateer to run have been self-induced. Simple mistakes are damned hard to find especially when you are on the verge of despair! The following have worked for me in the past:

1) Check that EMM386 really IS in the directory you specify in config.sys.
2) Check the syntax in config.sys VERY CAREFULLY.

At this stage it may be worthwhile for you to post your Autoexec.bat and Config,sys files.
 
Originally posted by Farzone
At this stage it may be worthwhile for you to post your Autoexec.bat and Config,sys files.
Click to expand...

Config.sys
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM 16384 I=B000-B7FF
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS

Do you need the rest? From there down it's all the REM stuff.

Autoexec.bat
@ECHO OFF
 
Could you also post the results of using this command: mem /c

Because I'm quite sure this:
Originally posted by RiotAct218
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM 16384 I=B000-B7FF
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
Click to expand...
should be in this order:

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM 16384 I=B000-B7FF
DOS=HIGH,UMB

It's vital that HIMEM.SYS be loaded first. I'm sure that EMM386.EXE cannot load until HIMEM.SYS is loaded, so I'm guessing that might be where your problem is.

[BTW, since you haven't loaded any CD drivers, you're running Privateer to you hard drive, right?]
 
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