================================== DARK EARTH Version 1.1 Developed by Kalisto Entertainment Published by MicroProse, Inc. September 24, 1998 ================================== How to Update DARK EARTH ======================== 1. Access the MicroProse Web site at www.microprose.com. 2. Download the self-extracting DARKEARTHPATCH.EXE file. 3. Double-click on the DARKEARTHPATCH.EXE icon to open the extractor. 4. The default directory for DARK EARTH is located in the text box underneath the "Unzip To:" message. 5. If you have installed DARK EARTH to a different directory than the default directory (i.e., C:\PROGRAM FILES\ MICROPROSE\DARK EARTH), edit that line of text to reflect the appropriate location. 6. Press the "Unzip" button and follow the onscreen prompts to complete the installation process. It will ask if you want to overwrite the existing version of DKEV.EXE; answer "Yes" for all questions. If you do not get this warning message, you are probably installing to the wrong directory. Updates in DARK EARTH to Version 1.1 ==================================== Version 1.1 adds expanded error messaging for troubleshooting purposes. It corrects the following errors: Error 4 ("File Not Found") Error 8 ("Bmap Error") Error 9 ("Invalid Video Mode") Error 4 ("File Not Found") ========================== Error 4 occurs on systems that have non-contiguous drive designations. For example, if your system is searching for a file located on drive E when it is actually located on drive F. This patch will correct most of these problems. According to Kalisto, however, this type of error can also be caused by the following: 1. If you have more than 5 hard drives or partitions and installed the game on a hard drive past the fifth one, as H: or greater (C:-G: drives). 2. If you have a CD-R drive designated before your standard CD-ROM drive (e.g., D: before E:), or are trying to run the game from another CD-ROM drive than the first one. Error 4 should not occur unless you actually have more than five CD-ROM drives and you're trying to read from a drive past the first five. 3. If you have an illegal copy of DARK EARTH, you may also experience an Error 4. 4. If you load DOS real-mode drivers in the CONFIG.SYS file, your system will automatically label your CD-ROM drive as "CD1." The name of your CD-ROM drive (or any device) MUST NOT be labeled "CD1." NOTE: Users who do not run MS-DOS programs need not load these real-mode drivers, since they are used only for programs that run exclusively in MS-DOS mode. They are included on systems to permit backward-compatibility for DOS applications. To change the name of your CD-ROM driver, do the following: 1. Using the Windows Notepad program, open the file called CONFIG.SYS. This file is located at the root of your hard disk. If you cannot see it, change the view option (in the Explorer) in the display tab and select to show all the files. 2. In the CONFIG.SYS file, locate the line concerning your CD-ROM drive. The line looks something like this: DEVICEHIGH=C:\\.SYS /D:CD1 NOTE: It might just say "DEVICE=" instead of "DEVEICEHIGH=", which is OK. Also, where you see and in the line will be different from system to system. The part of the line we're focusing on is where it says D:/CD1 because that's where the CD-ROM drive is named. 3. Change the name of the CD-ROM drive. An appropriate name could be "MSC0001." You could name it anything you want, as long as it isn't "CD1." The line should now read as follows: DEVICEHIGH=C:\\.SYS /D:MSC0001 4. Save the CONFIG.SYS file. 5. If you changed the /D:CD1 parameter as stated above, you must also change that same parameter in the line that loads the DOS extensions. This parameter is located in either or both of the following files: AUTOEXEC.BAT and DOSSTART.BAT. AUTOEXEC.BAT is located in the root of your drive C. If you don't see a reference to MSCDEX.EXE in your AUTEXEC.BAT file, it's OK and actually preferable. DOSSTART.BAT is located in your WINDOWS folder. 6. Open the file using Notepad as described above, locate the line concerning the CD-ROM driver. The line should read as follows: C:\\MSCDEX.EXE /D:CD1 7. Again, change the name of the CD-ROM drive. Use the same name you used in the CONFIG.SYS file. C:\\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD0001 8. Save the file. 9. You must reboot your computer to make the change operational. NOTE: If your CD-ROM has a short spindown time (the time it takes for the unit to go into "sleep mode"), the game may be timing out while waiting for your CD-ROM to "wake up" and get back up to speed. Contact your CD-ROM manufacturer to determine if your CD-ROM is experiencing this and if so ask for a solution. You can download a shareware utility from the Internet called "Spindown." This utility will allow you to change the spindown time of your CD-ROM. Since it's not user-friendly, it is recommended for technically advanced users only. Error 8 ("Bmap Error") ====================== Error 8 can be caused either by a video card that does not meet the stated system requirements (e.g., has less than 2MB), or by an incompatible driver that cannot handle the video mode. Contact the video card manufacturer and get the latest updated drivers for your card. Error 9 ("Invalid Video Mode") ============================== Error 9 can be caused by having a video card with less than 2MB of memory and you are trying to play the 32K-color version with video settings (in Control Panel) that cannot handle that mode. A video card with less than 2MB of RAM is beneath the game specifications. You will need to install a video card with 2MB of RAM or greater. Error 9 can also occur if the video card's software drivers are not DirectX 5.0 compatable. If this is the situation, you will need to contact your video card manufacturer's Web site and download their updated drivers. Error 9 can also happen if your system does not meet the stated system requirements (i.e., if you are attempting to run on a 486). Note that some Cyrix 6x96 chips may incorrectly identify as 486s. Contact Cyrix to solve this problem. Technical Assistance ==================== If you experience any problems with the DARKEARTHPATCH.EXE file, e-mail MicroProse technical support at support@microprose.com. You may also acquire additional information at the following Web sites: www.darkearth.com www.microprose.com ©1997 MicroProse, Inc. All Rights Reserved. DARK EARTH and KALISTO ENTERTAINMENT are trademarks of Kalisto Technologies. MICROPROSE is a U.S. registered trademark of MicroProse, Inc. or its affiliated companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.