Ok, i could REALLY use your help guys.

So i recently bought a Toshiba Nb305 netbook for travel, as my laptop is at the end of its life cycle. Anyways, ive been loading it up with older games, like Starcraft and Diablo2, and others from Steam, but im having major issues.

For once, Starcraft. It runs GREAT in game, but when i start it, the window shrinks to about 4 inches across. ive tried everything under the sun to fix it And after hours of searching, i came close with this www.iki.fi/sol - Code - DirectDraw Hack

It let me run it in full screen, but the game became incredibly slow and unplayable. And the mouse was unresponsive in game.


With Diablo 2, i cant start it at all. When i first tried it, i got Error 25: A critical error has occurred while initializing Direct3D. When i run it in XP mode, it asks me to run the video test, i do, and it cant detect my settings, tells me to update DirectX to version 7 or later, plus graphics drivers, and refuses to start.

Ive downloaded the latest drivers, but it wont change anything.

Im flying from Germany to Cali monday, and would really love to have these to play during my travels.

Much thanks
Nydas

O and here are specs.

Windows 7 starter 32bit
intel atom 1.66ghz dual core
1gig ram
Intel GMA 3150

 

You have 2 problems really. The first is Windows 7 which doesn't play nice with SC1 and the second problem is the Intel graphics (drivers). To get Starcraft to work correctly it's best to have an Nvidia capable videocard because of it's compatibility with the Riva and Voodoo cards when the game was released in the late 90's.

One huge suggestion is to run the game in Win 95/98 compatibility mode, disable visual themes, run it in 256 colors, disable desktop compression.

 

Try this. Copy and paste this code into a notepad document, save it as a .bat file in your starcraft main directory, and use it to run Starcraft. I call mine Starcraft Color Fix because I can't fix the odd colors even with compatability mode, etc. Might work for your issue too. You can create a shortcut to it and place the shortcut on your desktop, start menu, wherever.

Code:

REM This fix closes explorer.exe, waits until it is closed and then launches a colour bug free SC.
@echo off

taskkill /f /IM explorer.exe
starcraft.exe
Start explorer.exe

 

Rodknee, those where the very first things i tried


htwingnut, thanks, but it didnt work. The colors in game were fine, but the menus stayed distorted, even with the fix. But the overall size stayed the same. Guess im stuck playing SC1 on a 4 inch window.

 

Update your directX drivers. Fixes lots of issues for me periodically.

Go to microsoft.com/directx

Click the "latest directx downloads for gamers" at the bottom of the page.

Run the DirectX end-user runtime and let it update DirectX.

 

Come on people. Why does everyone give these same basic answers. This was obviously the first thing i did. I dont mean to sound like a , but ive been searching for an answer for several days now, and i obviously would have done basic things like this and run in compatibility mode, on day 1.

 

Because you'd be surprised at the amount of people that don't do or check for the basics and come here looking for answers.

To give you the answer your looking for, Starcraft 1 was not designed to run in Windows 7 and as such has problems running in that environment. I had several issues myself and finally got it to run in W7. It's a game that will run in 800x600 as that was the norm resolution back in the late 90's. Your best option is to Google Starcraft 1 fansites and ask there. Most of us are playing Starcraft 2.

 

You can try some launchers. Like this one:

Play Starcraft in Windowed Mode!

 

Well instead of getting all snippy, maybe state what you HAVE tried, because we can't read your mind, and so we aren't all wasting our time.

You would be surprised how many people haven't done "simple" things like update drivers or update directx. DirectX updates have fixed many an issue and isn't necessarily the first thing that comes to mind.

 

Sounds like it's a scaling issue. Starcraft is running at native pixels rather than being scaled up to display size.

 

Now that I re-read it, I see what you're saying and that's what he meant. Yeah, definitely sounds like scaling issue.

Make sure to download the latest Intel drivers. Go to graphics properties, under general settings there is an option that says "scaling". Set that to "maintain aspect ratio".

 

Does it look something like this:

 

W7 may not play nice with older games, but that's why the higher powers invented Compatibility Modes for every past version of Windows. Try each compatibility mode, it's worth a shot.

 

I think the issue, now that Pitabred mentions it, is scaling, if you read the OP's post carefully. I unfortunately mistook 4 inches as 4 pixels... I was completely off track.

Starcraft has run great on three laptops and three desktops with Win 7 that I've tried so far.

 

Basically this, but much, MUCH, smaller. It takes up about 1/4 of my netbooks screen.

And i have updated my intel drivers

 

ah screw it. Thanks for the help guys, but im done looking for answers. Ill just play it as is.

The thing i dont get, though, is it workerd perfectly on my desktop with windows7..... but whatever.

 

Did you change your scaling options?

 

Ya, nothing works.

I did manage to figure out the Diablo 2 problem. After countless hours of searching and troubleshooting, adding a simple -w to the target made it work. Of course now its also in windowed mode, but better than not playing at all.

 

Strange, wonder if it has anything to do with Windows 7 Starter edition at all? Don't know why or what though.

 

@OP you need to turn off 1:1 scaling on your video card drivers so that it will stretch to fit the screen or stretch to fit aspect. Then it wont be only 3" big anymore

 

Ya, its either that, or the ty intel GMA3150. The options it lets me tinker with is so very limited.

 

If you have an Intel GPU you should have this screen for the drivers. The scaling option is there with a red box around it.

 

It has a similar layout, but far fewer features. let me get a screencap.

 

Now, ive obviously altered the settings, but it has 0 effect on the games.

 

^^ Well, at least you can watch Futurama in full screen

"Fry, of all the friends I've had... you're the first" - Bender

 

That looks like the old GMA control panel. I remember I had issues with aspect ratios with that driver set. I'd check for newer versions although at Intel it shows latest as April 2010, although I'd still give it a shot:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Sea...GMA+3150)&ProdId=3235&LineId=1101&FamilyId=39

If not, try switching your desktop resolution to 640x480, then change the aspect ratio settings to maintain aspect ratio. Then switch desktop back to native (1024x600) and then run Starcraft 2. Maybe also take a photo of your screen so we can see exactly what the issue is.

 

Ive already downloaded the latest. Actually, no i havent. Ive TRIED to download the latest, but any time i launch the update, it tells me i cant update and need to go through the manufacturer. And according to Toshiba, im up-to-date, when intel has updated on its site. My driver is 8.14.0010.2117

Toshibas driver list:
Model Content Page

I cant take a picture of starcraft, because it just comes out solid black, for some reason. Too lazy to download fraps and use it.

 

Maybe use the Intel drivers they have on their site. They're older but if it fixes your issue. Otherwise I dunno. Did you try setting desktop resolution to 640x480 and then set it to "maintain aspect ratio"? If you set your desktop to 640x480 does it fill the screen or is it a small box in the middle of the screen?

 

I only have 2 resolution options. Like i said, its very basic.

The native 1024x600, and 800x600.