milucom

Hey guys, unfortunately it seems that the beautiful search function doesn't work here in forums. Whatever - had to create a new Thread, hopefully there's no other which addresses this issue. Feel free to slap the forum software as it gives me 0 results when searching for 1.03 or Patch 1.03. Let's get back to topic. At first, I had the error message "Illegal Copies ma degrade". Read in Forums that it could happen due to a faulty install. Before you ask: Sure, bought it for 30 bucks in our local Gamestop here in Cork about a week ago. It's a UK/Ireland 505Games Version. So I tried to reinstall the game (didn't mention the patch error the first time, tbh). Reinstalled base game, tried to apply patch 1.03. Several times. Everytime I get another error message with a different Addon\xxx.pbh file to be corrupt. Any Ideas on solving this? Tried reinstalling (deleting the folders manually ofc coz the uninstall routine doesn't work at all as we know) and copy the files from the dvd by myself. Didn't work at all. Downloaded the patch three times, from three different websites. Absolutely no Idea why this happens. The base game installation works very smooth, no error messages here. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance, milu *UPDATE* Please see recent post. Now having update issues with 1.04 similar to those with 1.03. :/

Okay, tried to install Patch 1.04. Upgrading from 1.02 -> Patch error like before with patch 1.3. Deleted the game, cleaned registry and stuff. Reinstalled from 505 DVD. Installed Patch 1.4 -> Error. I really wonder how this can happen. I mean, why does Patch 1.02 work fine but the others don't? Anyone else have an idea? Is there somehow a possibility to download the game legally (without buying it again), so I can check whether the dvd is screwed? Thanks in Advance, milucom

Oh yea, guess the same. But the HDDs might be usable tho. ;)

Sorry bud. Was about to just quote the KB article. Of course, your first two statements are absolutely right. Was just commenting about the KB article. Pardon me.

Like some of us already mentioned before. If you're performance issues doesn't have to do with ram, you'll mostly not have any performance increasements. ;)# Try tinkle around with different graphics settings. Maybe this will give you some more FPS. There are a couple of Threads already in here so I suggest you'd use the search function. :)

Thank muttly, but tried that already. Patching to 1.2 works fine, no errors, no Illegal copies may degrade anymore. Guess I'll stick with that until 1.4 is out - maybe that works for me. So long, seems like I'm able to play the campaign (amphibious assault atm). Better than nothing. And when I'm finished, I'll tinkle around with the editor as there aint many 1.2 servers out there for MP. However. Thanks for sharing your idea. :)

Sounds good so far. What Windows recommend doesn't really count. ;) Good job. Seems like it's fine for you now.

I'd advise you to read my previous Post which is here. There's your answer. ---------- Post added at 02:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:21 PM ---------- Dunno where the problem should be. If windows starts to cache stuff, it's absolutely okay when the free space lowers. How should it cache files when it doesn't use the free space? Guess I'm not getting your point. Maybe you can give some more information.

Interesting for me is now, after applying some settings which can be found here (It's german - If you need a translation, poke me) I don't have mouselag anymore ingame, but in the Options Menu and stuff. Weird. -.- ---------- Post added at 01:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:20 PM ---------- Oh FYI. Am running an Intel Core2Duo with Nvidia Card (GF8800GTX)

You're welcome buddy. If you need some help on configuring a new, not so expensive, computer, send a PM and we'll see how much of ur old hardware we can still use.

Then we have found the issues. The GeForce 4 Product line doesn't support any new pixelshaders like 2.0 and stuff. Unfortunately you have to go ahead and buy a new graphics card if you're interested in playing any newer game. ---------- Post added at 12:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:55 PM ---------- Oh and btw. If you don't have a mainboard which support PCIe, you should go ahead and think about buying a new one as AGP is not supported by anyone anymore.

Maybe you could save your mission, tell us which version you have, and upload it so we can have a look at it in the editor? :) Guess ure doing something wrong.

Absolutely not. As I mentioned in other posts in this thread, Windows is absolutely incapable of managing RAM and vRAM. Therefore you HAVE to either set the initial and maximum Ram to the same value (1.5x addressable ram - look for an earlier post of me on how to calculate it) or deactivate it. But read carefully what I wrote about deactivating the vRam as it might cause some troubles.

This can have multiple Issues. The first is, obviously, a driver Issue. Maybe he's using an older version or a version which is not compatible with his card. The second one, like Nosedive said, is that his card is absolutely incapable of running the game. Seems like D3D is trying to execute a command which his graphics card doesn't understand. And the third one, like Bulldogs already mentioned, is to download a new DirectX 9 distribution from here.

Aparently you're right with that when it comes to software which has quite 'normal' use of RAM but ArmaII uses the ram like it's nothing. It needs more Ram actually then you could ever have. No Idea why. So the last part doesn't really suit here very well. Of course, windows is that stupid, it uses vRAM and RAM at the same time. Means, it's not like linux, which uses his swapdrive when the ram is quite filled, windows uses its pagefile.sys (which is the actual vRAM assoc file) right from the beginning. If you think that you might have enough RAM, try deactivating the whole crap and see if it brings you performance. But we awared, that If the game needs more RAM and you don't have a vRAM it will mess up your performance. There are also a couple of free tools available, so called RAM BOOSTERS, which will free up the Ram from unused files. This is quite a good thing as windows is absolutely unable to manage the ram. Maybe this works out for some of you. A tool like this is Ram Booster @Cnet for example

Hey folks, unfortunately I have to say that the key to success is to have both values match each others. So do NOT have different values for initial and max. The issue here is quite clear: Windows sucks in management RAM as we all now. So does it with the vRAM. If you have different settings (initial and max) it tries to free up some space (or reserves it) while you are playing. This will fragment your hdd more and more. But for the calculation. 1.5 or 2.0 of the maximum addressable and available RAM is the key to success. It depends on your OS. If you have 4GB RAM in your computer and using a 32bit OS you will most likely have something about 3-3.27GB addressable RAM. You can check it in your task manager and open the performance tab. Next check your the available value in the physical ram field. Divide this number with 1024 and you have it. In my case it would be 3275884 / 1024 -> 3199,10546875 MB. Rounded ~3200MB. now multply this with 1.5 and you will have a good number about what to set your inital and maximum vRAM. And ofc, MaxDogX's comment is absolutely right. If your performance Issue is with graphics card, CPU, too slow HDD or whatever, this might not help you. If your RAM is low as well, this should help you. Whatever - guess most of the peeps here have RAM issues as ArmA2 sucks your ram out of ur computer without any reason. However - hope this helped you abit. And for the Shortcut lovers: Press+Hold Windows-Button (the one with the flag on ur keyboard / Windows Logo) and press PAUSE (mostly on the upper side of your keyboard, next to print screen and stuff) and you'll go immediately to the System Properties Tab. Just my 2 cents. Now feel free to flame me. :D

Does anyone else have an idea how to solve this problem? Tried playing Arma with 1.01 (505 Version) but it's buggy as hell. :/

That's the problem. The game didn't work fine for me with this error. That's why I'm trying to fix it...somehow. Received the "illegal copies ma degrade" error message. Hope this is because something was wrong with the patching process and not that I somehow bought an illegal version of the game from gamestop (which I'd highly doubt - They'd have reputation to lose). Whatever - Trying now to install it to the default folder. Maybe this works, even tho I don't like it this way. We'll see. :) Will keep you informed. Thanks btw for your help. ---------- Post added at 12:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:32 AM ---------- Back after trying to patch again to 1.03. Same Issue, different file. This time it's "error in file ADDONS\structures.pbo, Phase 1." Getting really sick of this game now. :'(