
Signature
Installed AOE Age of Kings on windows Xp SP2. Copied "empires2.exe" from
patch folder to game installation folder. Running empiers2.exe, error message
appears. Encountered a problem and needs to close
Hi Robbie,
Before we begin troubleshooting the issue, if you have more than one
DISC player (CD/DVD/CDRW/DVDR/ETC) in your system, I've seen
this type of problem resolved by simply using the other DISC player. :-)
Here are some other more involved solutions which have worked:
1. Before we begin, please save a restore point for your system.
How to use Windows XP System Restore:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gethelp/systemrestore.asp
2. You might be affected by problems similar to the Insert CD error.
- Try the advice and DL at: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=228985
Another trick that I found sometimes works is to make the limited account an
administrator account and run that game once. This should create the registry
settings and permissions for that user to be able to properly run the game.
3. Kazaa or Kazaa light is installed on your system.
- Uninstall the game(s) and Kazaa, and reinstall from original CD.
4. Multiple CD drives on your system including Virtual CD drives.
- Disconnect all but the main CD drive and try the game. You
might have an older drive, or a CD Writer which is incompatible
with the Safe Disk copy protection on the CD. (Contact Vendor).
5. Your antivirus or application firewall might be conflicting with it.
- Disable the software temporarily.
6. There might be a patch available for your game to correct the issue.
- Try www.avault.com/pcrl/patches_list.asp?letter=a/ or the game's site.
7. Your desktop may need to be set at least 800x600 and 16 colors.
- Click Start / (Settings) Control Panel / Click Display
8. Your Video, Sound, or Monitor drivers may need updating.
- Try updating your Video drivers using the instructions at:
http://mvps.org/nibblesnbits/Video.html#drivers
9. To see if it's a software conflict: Temporarily disable Startup
programs one at a time, starting with Firewall, Antivirus, and ad
blockers using this utility: http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml
or this method: http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php
10. If you created other drive letters on your system by installing another drive,
creating partitions or virtual drives you may need to change the CD back
to the same drive letter it was originally. Usually the CD uses the letter D:
- Click Start / Run / type: diskmgmt.msc < to access the tool to change it.
11. Maybe a Microsoft Security patch is the culprit. The only way to be sure is
to Unplug from your Internet connection, and then repair Windows using
this method: http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
After you reboot, try the game again. If it works, save a new restore point.
Lastly, boot up your system, turn on your XP Internet Firewall, plug back
into your Internet connection and install all Critical and Recommended updates
from: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com one at a time. Test the game after
each update to find which is causing the game not to start on your PC. :-)

Signature
Cheers, *Windows_XP_MVP_Shell/User*
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
Visit my MSN Zone.com and Gaming Help Site: http://mvps.org/nibblesnbits
MS Games Help and Support Center: http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=gms
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________
Robbie Wrote:
=================
| Hi Jimmy S,
|
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
||
|| Please tell Microsoft about this problem.
Robbie - 15 Mar 2006 15:18 GMT
Hi Jimmy S,
I only have one DISC player (CD/DVD/CDRW/DVDR/ETC) in my system.
As I was reading through some of the solutions as to why the error message
Insert CD error occures I came accross a fix that requires to find FIRSTRUN
in the EULA in the regisry. This registry entry is made when the Microsoft
Software Licence Terms screen come up during installation and you click on
Accept.
Microsoft Software Licence Terms screen DID NOT come up during installation
and there is not registry entries as follows.
Click Start, point to Run, and then type regedit.
2. Expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER.
3. Expand Software.
4. Expand Microsoft, and then expand Microsoft Games.
5. Expand the game folder, and then click the folder under the game folder
one time.
The folder under the game name should have a number. For example, 01, 02,03,
or eula.
Make a note of what you see next to FIRSTRUN in the right pane. If you see
the number 0x00000001, you have accepted the Microsoft Software Licence Terms
and this is not the issue. If you see the number 0x00000000 where the last
number is zero, the CD drive is having problems verifying the game disc.
Why is it that I do not see the Microsoft Software Licence Terms screen come
up during installation???

Signature
Installed AOE Age of Kings on windows Xp SP2. Copied "empires2.exe" from
patch folder to game installation folder. Running empiers2.exe, error message
appears. Encountered a problem and needs to close
> Hi Robbie,
>
[quoted text clipped - 87 lines]
> ||
> || Please tell Microsoft about this problem.
Jimmy S. - 15 Mar 2006 15:34 GMT
Hi Robbie,
"Installed AOE Age of Kings on windows Xp SP2. Copied "empires2.exe" from
patch folder to game installation folder. Running empiers2.exe, error message
appears. Encountered a problem and needs to close"
Why are you copying empires2.exe from the patch folder to the game's folder?

Signature
Cheers, *Windows_XP_MVP_Shell/User*
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
Visit my MSN Zone.com and Gaming Help Site: http://mvps.org/nibblesnbits
MS Games Help and Support Center: http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=gms
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________
Robbie Wrote:
=================
| Hi Jimmy S,
|
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
| Why is it that I do not see the Microsoft Software Licence Terms screen come
| up during installation???
Installed AOE Age of Kings on windows Xp SP2. Copied "empires2.exe" from
patch folder to game installation folder. Running empiers2.exe, error message
appears. Encountered a problem and needs to close
|| Hi Robbie,
||
[quoted text clipped - 98 lines]
||||
|||| Please tell Microsoft about this problem.
Draicone - 10 Apr 2006 01:58 GMT
> Hi Robbie,
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Why are you copying empires2.exe from the patch folder to the game's folder?
So that he can play an illegal copy of the game without a genuine CD :P
Chris V - 09 Mar 2008 04:51 GMT
> > Why are you copying empires2.exe from the patch folder to the game's folder?
> >
> So that he can play an illegal copy of the game without a genuine CD :P
Do not always assume that is the case. I have several legit purchased
genuine discs of AOE2 - I even have the Mac version as well. I am having
issues with AOE2:TOK also. I like to use the "NOCD" patch so that I don't
have to find the CD everytime I feel like a game. This is a hassle when you
have a lot of games and not much space to store the media. Also, the disc
check causes small pauses in gameplay which can be annoying.
The problem I tend to get is that the game crashes whenever you try to start
a game.