SAL error
 

I just received winSPWW2, and I installed it successfully. However, when I tried to run it, I got the following errors: Sal error lpDD --> SetDispayMode() failed error code 80004001 followed by SAL error DirectDraw could not be initialized error code 80004001. The game would go no further. What can be done about this? I'm running Windows 7 on a Dell machine.

Re: SAL error
 

It would be helpful to know the following:
Are you trying to run the game in full screen or windowed mode?
What resolution were you attempting to use?
Are you using the free demo game, or the full CD version?.
Have you applied all the patches, in order?


Since you have windows 7 - I presume you have installed the game correctly for that as detailed in the installation instructions, and also as laid out in the sticky thread on windows Vista and Seven installation at the top of this forum.

If not, then de-install and reinstall the game as specified in that thread. Install all the patches to the same folder you chose to install to as well.

You will need to be patched up to the latest version for Vista and windows 7 support (batch file full screen mode).

The DirectX error is usually seen when trying to run the game at a graphics mode that is not supported by your video hardware. For example - you may be trying to run the free demo at 640x480 full screen and some modern machines may not support that. Or rarely - if you actually don't have DirectX installed (not usually the case these days).

So try running in windowed mode, instead.

Also try one of the other resolutions and see if the machine runs that (in both of windowed and full screen modes)


Cheers
Andy

Re: SAL error
 

I wonder if mr./mrs. ´dmcrawford1948´ ever find the solution to this...

I´m having this issue now with Full Screen on Windows 10. I have the CD-version. Doesn´t work on at least 3 different resolutions I tried. Re-install (right order, no ´program files´) didn´t help either.

Windowed mode works but I don´t play with windowed mode.

Re: SAL error
 

I guess you didn't see this sticky thread...

Re: SAL error
 

All the non-windowed resolutions are antique MSDOS and windows 4;3 aspect ratio square CRT video modes. They are antiques, and not supported, are only there for those of you who might have a video driver that supports them, or possibly still have an old CRT 4:3 monitor. Modern windows wide screen monitor drivers often cannot handle a 4:3 mode, nor do some of them even allow 800x600 or less either. Also, many of them wont handle full-screen 256 colour mode either, so Full screen mode may be iffy or impossible to use on those.

Desktop resolution uses your current screen size. That applies to both Full-screen and Windowed modes. Desktop resolution mode was written specifically to handle modern wide screen monitors.

Thus Desktop resolution is what you use with modern wide-screen monitors, in Windowed Mode. It uses Windows friendly graphics, and coexists with the rest of the Windows environment, allowing task-switching between the game and other windows programmes without the game palette being scrambled by "modern" versions of Windows that think they own the 256 colour palette. Plus, you can see the task bar with its clock, notifications of incoming mail etc.

Summary:
- Use desktop resolution
- Use Windowed mode
- Ensure your Windows task-bar is set up as detailed in the Game Guide "running SPMBT/SPWW2" sections and the "Tuning your machines" one (i.e. in the default position at the bottom of the screen, with auto-hide off. There is a nag screen for that, and that nag screen can be turned off as described in the Game Guide, for those whose video drivers dont mess the game up when auto-hide is on)

Re: SAL error
 

I guess I was lucky then to survive with full screen so far! I can probably live with windowed mode on desktop resolution even though tiny options menu rips my eyes off.

Re: SAL error
 

Before I replaced my HDD I could run fullscreen to test but with the new one and all the little changes I cannot any longer and I had NO idea what I might have done to get it to run fullscreen but as we have said, we don't use fullscreen....we don't LIKE fullscreen and it only there for people still running old computers. I would have been happy to remove it when we went to windows but its there for those that need it but we don't support it any longer.

Don

Re: SAL error
 

Did you run the game at say 1024x768 or 1152 or some such in full screen mode so that things "looked larger"?

If so the same effect with windowed mode run in desktop resolution is

1) Change windows to a lower resolution (like 1280x960) that suits your preference.
(You will likely need to experiment with the resolutions your video card allows - some may well stretch the game icons. Find one that is the correct aspect ratio by trial and error.)

2) Now launch and play the game - desktop resolution uses the current windows settings, which you have set in step 1

3) Once you have finished and closed the game, return the windows desktop to whatever it was before step 1

Many folks with poor eyesight, or who dont want to use their reading glasses, or for whatever reason dont want such a big screen with "little" dialogues etc, use exactly that method of making the game play at a lower resolution than the "full" windows desktop.

The old "fixed" resolutions are for 4:3 square CRT. Modern monitors are wide-screen ones, and the desktop resolution is designed to handle those. You simply have to use windows own desktop sizing before launching the game. (It also handles the nasty 1366 wide screen as used on cheaper laptops (like mine) that dont have the correct 4 pixel divisible area that the game's video requires, so it knows to chop 2 pixels off the width).

Re: SAL error
 

Our desktop icons have their own places around the desktop so changing windows resolution back and forth would mess them up. 1024x768 would otherwise be ideal for SP.

Re: SAL error
 

If switching the resolution back does not reposition your icons correctly get hold of something like fences.
Can just use the snapshot desktop feature if dont want the rest. Now you just restore the snapshot & your desktop is displayed as it was.