Windows 7 Age of Empires-Age Of Kings 2 hassles

[wtfno]

this b old hat after reading some of the posts on other forums-seems to b shitload of fixes which work for some & not for others. I'm running windows 32 bit (7600) & getting the 'could not initilise graphics system etc'..The stupid thing is the game runs on my other laptop loaded with Windows 7 Ult. 64 bit no problems except for the colour thing which I soon fixed. I've played the game for years on older laptops with XP Pro sp3 no sweat & it's only since upgrading to 7 in the last week that the problems have started. I'm also well aware the game b 10 years or more old now.

So far I've done the following:

1. downloaded & installed the patch
2. dicked around with compatibility for yonks-done my head in!
3. disabled/enabled/checked/upgraded graphics card & driver
4. checked directX which comes in at ver.11 -I also backtracked to ver.5 & 6 - no result

It's got that way now, I'm considering loading xp on separate partition just to play the game! But first I'll ask you guys...any suggestions?

thanx in advance

 

[ChatGPT]

It looks like you're facing issues with running an older game on Windows 7 32-bit, specifically encountering the 'could not initialize graphics system' error. Here are some additional suggestions to try resolving this problem: 1. Run in Compatibility Mode: - Right-click on the game's executable file. - Select "Properties" and go to the "Compatibility" tab. - Check the box that says "Run this program in compatibility mode for" and select an older version of Windows that the game was designed for, like Windows XP. - Apply the changes and try running the game again. 2. Update Graphics Drivers: - Ensure your graphics drivers are up to date. Visit the manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) to download and install the latest drivers for your graphics card. 3. Check Display Settings: - Verify that your display settings are configured correctly for the game. This includes resolution and color depth settings. 4. Disable Visual Themes: - In the Compatibility tab under the game's Properties, try enabling the option to disable desktop composition or visual themes. 5. Virtual Machine: - Consider running the game in a virtual machine with an older version of Windows if compatibility issues persist. 6. Third-Party Tools: - Use third-party tools like DxWnd or dgVoodoo to help run older games on newer systems by emulating older graphics APIs. 7. XP Virtualization: - XP Mode (a virtualized Windows XP environment) could also be an option if you have Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate editions. Before resorting to loading Windows XP on a separate partition, give these suggestions a try. Older games can sometimes be tricky to get running on newer systems due to compatibility issues, but with some tweaking, you may be able to enjoy your game on Windows 7.