POL crashing on startup - Windows 7

[Feynman]

I just received a new laptop and trying to get everything working. It's running Windows 7. I downloading FFXI Ultimate Edition Abbysea Version online, and the Playonline software that is supposed to be compatible with Windows 7 from the playonline website. When I try to open Playonline it crashes and freezes the entire computer. No POL error but normal windows error "Stopped working, looking for solution". It's a weekend so I'm turning to the player base. Help!

Thanks

[Feynman]

And just to follow rules, here's the information in the template.

Details:Playonline crashing when opened. No POL error.
Steps:
1.Downloaded FFXI Ultimate Edition Abbysea from Gamestop
2.Installed and started playonline from shortcut. Crashed.
3.Downloaded Playonline windows 7 compatible version from SE website.
4.Started playonline from shortcut. Crashed
Date & Time: 2:30 CDT 2011-09-10
Frequency:Always
Platform: PC
PC Manufacturer & Model Number: Dell XPS 15 Model # WY4K8
OS: Windows 7
Graphics Card:NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M 1GB with Optimus
ISP: Suddenlink Communications
Type of Internet Connection:Ethernet connection via wireless router.

[Feynman]

Ok so I just got off the phone with SE support. What they tell me is that since my system is a 64bit system, FFXI "can't" run on it and SE has released no information about how to make it work. They then tell me that other players have found a way to make it work so I should check the forums. So any suggestions guys? Please help me out!

On another note though I'm a little upset (ok a lot) that I purchase a new laptop to run this game, check all of SE info on the playonline site to make sure I'm getting something that will run it and it not work. If the game is too old to run on a 64bit machine they need to include that in the system requirements information. Not let you buy a computer and find out later.

[Feynman]

Ok so I finally got this working! But in the event someone else has the same problem and stumbles across this, here is the link to the post that finally got this working for me! It didn't turn up in any searches I did and took manually flipping through all forum entries. Hopefully mine will be easier to find for people. At any rate here is the link:

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/threads/12986-Playonline-Viewer-problem-issue-unable-to-start-properly

Turns out the problem seems to be with the NVIDIA graphics card. Following this link's instructions I disabled the graphics card in the device manager. Next time I tried to start POL it opened and ran like a charm! It's updating now. I'll post if there are more problems and their resolution (if I find them).

On the other hand I do feel like I'm talking to myself! XD

[Dragoy]

Alone you are not, and I feel like saying sorry, as I think I could have hinted towards the solution had I arrived to the post earlier (I guessed what the issue was while reading the first post), but I am more than glad to see that you solved it by yourself. ^^


On the other hand, I find this borderline hilarious: "can't run under a 64bit system."
SEriously? Sometimes it makes me wonder what the support personnel are paid for, really...

I have built Linux kernels for 'pure 64bit' systems that would not run 32bit applications at all, but as far as I know, there is no such windoze around. 16bits on the other hand is a different story, but even that is not impossible, and Final Fantasy XI is not a 16bit application.

~sighs dejectedly and shakes his head in disappointment~


Sorry, I just had to get that out, and again, good job on finding the solution!
This will no doubt help others in the future as well.

Kind Regards,

[Feynman]

I trust me, I know! You obviously know more about it than I do but I know something was up when he said it "can't run on a 64 bit machine" and then told me "check the forums and see how other people have gotten around it".

[Crippleassassin]

I just bought a new laptop aswell and was having this problem. Ive been looking for days now on how to solve this.
SE needs to get thier stuff together they have got to have the worst customer support out of any .. ANY company ive ever dealt with.

Also, ftlog someone please sticky this! There is no reason to make people dig for this awnser for days. Its just going to be coming up again and again since most computeres are coming with 64 bit versions of windows off the shelf.

[SE_James]

Feynman,

We’d like to apologize for the problems you are experiencing, and we will try to assist as best we can. First off, the FINAL FANTASY XI Ultimate Collection – Abyssea Edition is already Windows Vista / 7 compatible, so no additional downloads are necessary. In fact, that may be causing more problems than it is solving.

Please completely uninstall all traces of PlayOnline and FINAL FANTASY XI from your system to start. This includes the version downloaded from the PlayOnline website, and the version downloaded from GameStop. From there, re-install the FINAL FANTASY XI Ultimate Collection – Abyssea Edition from GameStop.

Based on the other information you have provided, we cannot guarantee compatibility, due to the graphics card in your laptop. As it’s not one of the cards that we have tested for compatibility with FINAL FANTASY XI, we can make no guarantee. However we can only recommend running the NVIDIA drivers that are supported for the newer cards under Windows Vista / 7 compatible, which is version 266.58.

Those would be our suggestions, but we will leave this thread open for the community to provide their input as well.

[Feynman]

Hi James,

Thanks for you suggestions. I did get this working prior to your post so I didn't test your suggestions. Disabling my NVIDIA graphics card seemed to do the trick.

It would be nice if the responsible parties in SE could update the website. For instance many times in the install directions for Windows Vista/7 it makes a point to say that you MUST have all game disks, you cannot download the main game. Obviously now this is incorrect. I think simply keeping the playonline website updated could save many people a lot of headache.

Thanks again for your suggestions.

[Haldarn]

Thanks for sorting this Feynman. I had the problem on my Win7 64-bit pop up a month or so ago after there was a POL Viewer update (might have been the test server one tbh). Interestingly enough, my nVidia graphics card running on that system hasn't had that problem for the last two years...

[jimb0rz]

To the OP and for whoever else that follows. I seem to have gotten the game to work without having to disable the graphics card. I downloaded the latest beta driver from nVidia: Verde 285.38.

I did originally disable the graphics card because I was frustrated that I couldn't even get POL to start properly, but during the long FFXI update I poked around for a solution. I'm not super computer savvy, so I'm not sure how to figure out if the game is still being run through integrated graphics or if it is being sent through the card now, but at the very least, I am able play without having to disable.

System: Dell XPS15 L502
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
Card: nVidia 525M 1GB

[Atomic_Skull]

Ok so I just got off the phone with SE support. What they tell me is that since my system is a 64bit system, FFXI "can't" run on it

Wait, they still sell PCs with 32-bit windows?

[Feynman]

To the OP and for whoever else that follows. I seem to have gotten the game to work without having to disable the graphics card. I downloaded the latest beta driver from nVidia: Verde 285.38.

I did originally disable the graphics card because I was frustrated that I couldn't even get POL to start properly, but during the long FFXI update I poked around for a solution. I'm not super computer savvy, so I'm not sure how to figure out if the game is still being run through integrated graphics or if it is being sent through the card now, but at the very least, I am able play without having to disable.

System: Dell XPS15 L502
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
Card: nVidia 525M 1GB

Thanks for the info. I'll have to check it out!

[Feynman]

Wait, they still sell PCs with 32-bit windows?

What gets me is that while SE isn't known for the best business decisions, not supporting systems that virtually any new player will have seems like an obvious bad move.

New players aren't the most common thing for this game I'd imagine so refusing to help the few that come your way is a good way to lose them.