Kingdom Reborn won't load on new PC

[Kulgan]

First off, here's what I got (someone would probably ask for my specs):

• CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Wolfdale 2.53GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80571E7200
• CPU Cooler: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm
• MB: GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard
• RAM: OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2RPR8004GK
• Video Card: MSI NX8800GT 512M OC GeForce 8800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported
• HD: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s
• DVD: SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S203B
• Case/PSU: RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WBP Black SECC STEEL ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply
• Monitor: Acer X193W+BD Black 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD
• OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit

Now...to the problem...

I download the KR client from http://www.uoherald.com/kingdomreborn/gamefiles/index.php which takes about an hour even on a cable connection. That's one big zip file. I unzip it and launch the "setup.exe" file. Well, the first thing it tries to do is install Direct X 9, but of course I've already got Direct X 10 with Vista. So, it spits out an error saying it can't install Direct X 9 and I'm thinking, no biggie. Vista is just preventing it from doing so since I wouldn't want to overwrite Direct X 10 I'm thinking. After I hit OK to continue installing, the rest of the install goes uneventfully.

So, now I'm launching the client from my desktop shortcut and I start another long process of patching up. By the way, that patch program is kind of screwy. I've been reading some other people's complaints on here about how sometimes it'll download and apply a patch, then instead of looking to see if you're now up to the latest revision, it'll just stop and say you may not have the most recent client, but you can attempt to play anyway. For me, anyway, it left the "OK" greyed out when it would do this, so my only option was to "Cancel" out. Then, I'd go back and launch again, and the patching would resume with the next revision download.

I finish patching and I'm pretty excited to see how the new computer handles things. But now it says, This application has failed to start because d3dx9_30.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.

Fantastic. So, what's the deal? I know there's plenty of people playing UO on Vista without problems. Can someone running Vista 64-bit please confirm that KR runs properly? How do I get it to load with Direct X 10 (of course d3dx9_30.dll is missing -- my OS doesn't use dx9!).

Thanks for the help.

 

[Kulgan]

It looks like I figured it out. Who knew the EA Customer Support website could be helpful? rolleyes:

For anyone else who might come across this and need help, here's what it says:

QUESTION

I am getting a DirectX error after installing Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn. How do I correct this issue?

Answer

If after installing Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn you receive an error saying, "This application has failed to start because d2dx9_30.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem," you will need to update your DirectX with the June 2007 update from Microsoft.

Download the latest runtime installer and follow the update instructions. This may require a Microsoft Windows Validation to complete. Afterwards, you will be able to enter the game without issues.

Development is currently researching an update for UO Kingdom Reborn that will address this issue.

(bold added for emphasis)

Well, time to go see if it works! Wish me luck...

 

[Zooithion]

Cool I hope it works. I was going to recommend reinstalling DX10.

This is actually a problem with a few games, UOKR, FEAR and others.

http://www.microsoft.com/directx

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

It looks like I figured it out. Who knew the EA Customer Support website could be helpful? rolleyes:

......

Well, time to go see if it works! Wish me luck...

*raises hand*

Me!

G'luck!

 

[Kulgan]

Cool I hope it works. I was going to recommend reinstalling DX10.

This is actually a problem with a few games, UOKR, FEAR and others.

http://www.microsoft.com/directx

Thanks for the encouragement guys. Here's how the story ends. After I download the June 2007 update (see link in my second post), I try to launch and get the same error message as before. Rather than give up, I grabbed my KR setup zip file out of the recycle bin and took a look inside.

Instead of launching the setup.exe file in the main folder again, I go straight to the "DirectX" folder. I find a file called "DXSETUP.exe" and launch it directly instead. This time the DirectX installer loads and starts adding files to Vista. Now I'm starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Once it's finished, I cross my fingers and...KR loads! It looks pretty cool, but I must say it aint very stable. At least not yet for me. A quick run around the bank at Luna is all I had to do to get it to crash. Perhaps I really should go into Task Manager and end all programs running in the background before I try to play. It couldn't hurt. I just wonder if it's more an issue with Vista 64 than anything else. I felt like my hands were tied to a 64 bit OS at this point, though. I figure I'll need 4GB of RAM (and 8GB within a couple of years) so I really had no choice.

Oh...and I went into 3dMark06 for a sec to see if I still had DX10 listed as my current version. Luckily, I do. I was hoping UO wouldn't somehow end up downgrading me to 9.0c.

It's been a long day, but I'm going to have to call this one a victory.

 

[lucitus]

You must install dx9 also on vista, go into the kr install folder, there is a folder called directX, there you run dxsetup.exe.

Direct X 10 and 9 are completly other Graphic Platforms dx9 and dx10 are not compatible with each other, this is why you have to buy a new dx10 graphics card in order to use dx10 in games. It is right that with Vista you have DX10 data installed by default, but this means not that you dont have to install dx9 in order to use it.

 

[meridus]

Kudos for keeping at it!! There were a lot of tech threads on the old forums. I hope they're not all gone forever. I'm running 32 bit Vista without issues. I don't remember what people were saying about 64 bit.

 

[Kulgan]

Once it's finished, I cross my fingers and...KR loads! It looks pretty cool, but I must say it aint very stable. At least not yet for me. A quick run around the bank at Luna is all I had to do to get it to crash. Perhaps I really should go into Task Manager and end all programs running in the background before I try to play. It couldn't hurt. I just wonder if it's more an issue with Vista 64 than anything else.

Just a quick update on the above. I would imagine UO runs a lot more stable when you don't have defective RAM. Yeah, I had to send it back to the manufacturer. I'll have to give you all another update when I get the good stuff back and try it out.

 

[Stucky]

Do not forget to "run as administrator" as it will not patch or play the first time without it. thats a right click on the icon and then run as admin. took me a few days to get uo up and running myself.

 

[Mijac_Chmon]

So, theoretically, if I didn't set up an administrator profile, what password do I have to use for it?

Or how do I alter my comp so that I can change the Owner password to something I can remember?

Cheers in advance.

 

[EnigmaMaitreya]

Grats.

I know when EQ went to DX9C there were many customers that had an incomplete upgrade to (C as the MS Website didn't patch it totally.

I do remember the best resolution for many was to run the DX setup directly as you did.

 

[drinkbeerallday]

When it asked me to install Direct X 9 I just hit cancel. That was on XP though and because I already had it.