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What version of Direct X do you have installed. I ran into the same prob. after installing DX8.2 and then DX9. Try going to Multiplayer and then NEW to start up a server in OFP not Res. Res will not have this prob. Anyway when the server starts up, look to see if you see your name connecting and look to see if your name appears onthe player list. If not, and you have DX8.2 or DX9 installed then you have to use DXBuster and un-install either 8.2 or 9 and go back to 8.1 to rid yourself of this prob. OFP uses Directplay to connect and 8.2 and above blocks the ports needed for OFP to connect. Thats why your names does not appear on local server and that would affect GS games also. Res uses Sockets as default so that problem never appears in Res unless you choose Directplay as your protocol. I hope BIS can come up with a patch for OFP to use Sockets also so we can benifit from DX 9.

I have this prob also....I have previously been thru all these forum threads watching and hoping for a concrete answer. I got away from it for a week or so and now got back on the topic just last night to see if anyone has an answer. DOA forwarded a message from a fellow that could not post for some reasons or another but this guy has answered it for me. Starting at V8.2, DirectX seems to block ports below 2300 and above 2400. If you have 8.1 you should be fine. Also don't upgrade to V9 as it will crash OFP as soon as you truy to open laptop, at leaast for me. OFP uses Directplay exclusively , where Res uses sockets as default an thats why you can connect with Res with no prob if you have 8.2 or above...but watch what happens when you switch to Directplay in Res....Boom! As a test in OFP if you have DX 8.2 installed...go to multiplayer, click on New...choose an island and then a map...then when you open up your server, and if you have the problem that alot of people are experiencing, you shouldn't be able to see you name on the player list nor should you see "player" connecting at top of screen. Now drop back out to laptop screen and click on Ports. You will default port displayed which I believe is something like 2234. Now change that to 2302 or any number above 2300 (maybe better stick to close to 3200 as I am not sure if anything above 3210 might mess with something else) Now click OK and back to laptop...now click New and choose island and map ...go to your server and you now should see your name on player list and see you connecting. For me at least looks like I either use DXbuster to remove DX9 and 8.2 and go back to 8.1 until a fix is found or maybe there is away to make OFP use a default port other than the port number that is below 2300 (2234). But then it seems that if you try to connect to a server that uses 2234 as default you are still in deep dudu.

I found that the dudes explaination of Directx 8.2 interfering with the pots that OFP needs are right on the money for my problem, which is your problem. I tried his experiment and sure enough my name appeared so I thought I would upgrade to DX9 ...bad decision...now game crashes back to desktop when I try to open up the laptop. Oh well...where did I see that DXBuster proggy? Res uses sockets as default protocol and looks like OFP used Directplay exclusively. I go to Directplay in Res and I crash to desktop with DX9, leave it on sockets and all is fine.

I too have same problem exactly, except I was running Win98SE and now have gone back to Millenium in desperation hoping that the registry would be re-written to get rid of the problem...no dice. I never had any probs until adding DG's Addon #1 and the Battlesounds addon. I also upgraded to 1.85 and then 1.90 in the same timeframe or pretty near so I can't narrow it down to exactly what upgrade started it all. Unfortuneatly I was playing Res exclusivly for quite a bit before I went back an tried to log on to a OFP server or tryed to start my own server so that is not helping set a timeframe either. As far as wiping the hard drive, I am sure that will work until what ever caused this is installed or accessed or whatever. We need to find out what this is and delete it/replace it or whatever. I have un-installed ..reinstalled...searched of all references to the addons and programs in registry, etc like everybody else and its got to be maybe something added to the system folder in Windows or heck who knows...getting very frustrated. I think we need a heavy weight from Codemasters or whatever to look into this and at least offer suggestions as to what could interfere with OFP but leave Res alone.