Game Exit issue

[Gelainey]

Hi Ladies and Gents,
Not a big issue but when I exit SPWW2, Windows explorer doesn't restart and I must press ctrl/alt/del and restart it manually.
This has been an issue for me since upgrading to ver 11 CD and the latest patch (which is truly wonderful, thank you!) hasn't cured the problem.
Just by the way, I do use Borderless Gaming 9.5.5 and I am wondering if this might be the issue? It has worked faultlessly in the past...
As I say, not a big issue, just curious if anyone else has encountered this.

[DRG]

I don't normally use Borderless Gaming but when I have it exits normally and I have never had an explorer doesn't restart issue and I don't recall anyone else who did so I am at a loss to explain why it started for you with the ver 11 upgrade.


What OS are you using?

Do you have any compatibility settings made for the game EXE or Borderless Gaming?

Have you tried re-installing the game?



Don

[zovs66]

I use Borderless and have not experienced that issue. Sometimes it will crash (Borderless) but then I just restart it to go back into full screen mode.

I don't mind Ctl+Alt+Tab'ing from full screen to ScenHack/MobHack/Extended Editor though.

I am running Windows 10 and I have seen no issues with explorer.

[Gelainey]

Thanks gents, I am beginning to become pretty sure that this issue is caused by my firewall not allowing explorer to be restarted by the game or by borderless gaming. No big deal - I just need to trawl through the permissions and sort it.
Gelainey

[Mobhack]

If you have the full CD game, then you should use Windowed mode at Desktop resolution. That uses full 32 bit colour mode and seamlessly interacts with windows.

Since you are talking about restarting explorer, I can presume that you are using full-screen mode in Windows 7. In Windows 7, the shell script that kills explorer is required since windows 7 aero thinks it is the only owner of the 256 colour palette that the game relies on in full-screen mode. Windows 8 and above do not have the aero interface.

Full-screen mode is simply a fossil relic of the ancient MSDOS roots of the game and may not work with modern windows video drivers etc. It is therefore only provided "as is" - no guarantee if it works, that is all dependant on your system. Once upon a time, 256 colour mode was the fastest mode - but no longer as modern video cards may not support it, or may have to use emulation leading to stuttering on scrolling etc, as modern video cards and their drivers are now faster in windows native 32 bit full-colour mode.

The other things you may want to check re your termination problems:
1) if you have a foreign language system, the script may not point to the correct directory - may need editing of the shell script paths if so. Unlikely, as at least killing explorer works.
2) It may be an anti-virus issue - you may need to tell your AV about the script and/or the game exe. Your AV may have a way of excluding certain directories as being trustworthy.
3) It may be a permissions thing - if the user login you are using does not have admin privileges. So check if you are not using the admin account. (But if it lets you kill explorer, then you would think it would support restarting it, but this is a Microsoft O/S...:))

[zovs66]

End of Windows 7

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/windowsforbusiness/end-of-windows-7-support

[Gelainey]

Thanks Mobhack. Yes, it is a Microsoft O/S...
I have run the game successfully on Linux/wine. Interestingly,being the nostalgic fossil that I am I have only ever run Win7 without aero. Much prefer the flatter look. I like alternative shells too and have played with a number of different front ends.
@zovs66 - I know that Win7 is a modern fossil but I am holding on tooth and nail. Vista was a disaster, 8 was better, 10? no thanks! I may just end up with a Linux box just to play my favourite game!
Cheers Gelainey