SK99 won't run on P4, WinXP, SP2 machine --HELP

[Gyula]

Long, long time Sk97, SK98 and SK99 user. Last used SK99on a P4 machine with XP-SP1. Now moved up to a faster P4 machine with XP-SP2. After loading it onto my new machine (with your help about removing the ntinit.ini file) when I start the program the SK flash screen shows up for a few seconds and then disappears and the program stops running. Absolutely no trace can be found that I had started the program.

I have not had the problem with any other program on my new computer. For reasons I cannot explain, I tend to believe that this might not be a software problem but a video driver-type hardware issue?? In going through the various posts here on the SK site, I found no mention of my problem

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated it. PLEASE.

 

[james33]

Dear Gyula,

I am not that experienced with WinXP (even less on SP2) but I do have one suggestion:
Have you tried right-clicking on the Sidekick shortcut you start Sidekick with and going to properties and there is a tab that gives you the option of running it in compatability mode.
Try that first to see if that is the problem.


Regards Jim
Check the FAQ area of this Forum for answers (If there are any FAQs!) , it could save you a lot of time and effort and means that links are more likely to be current. Please 'Comment' on them if they are not!

 

[Gyula]

James, thanks for quick reply.

Unfortunately, changing the compatibility is one of the first things I did. Tried it with both Win95 and Win98--it made no difference at all.

I do hope we can resolve this problem. I feel quite naked without my SK to schedule my life for me.

 

[Gyula]

IT'S A MIRACLE!!

I seem to have fixed the problem:

Right after I sent the above message to James I decided, just for the hell of it, to reinstall my SK99. I should add that I had always loaded SK into my F:> Directory (where I keep my active programs)under F:\program files\starfish\sidekick99. As the reload of SK99 started, it wanted to load the program into C:\program files\starfish\sidekick99 (the default). As I was reaching for my keyboard to change the install from C:> to F:>, I stopped myself and let it load where it wanted to in C:>.

It finished loading into the C:> Directory and then something strange happened. As I was starting the initial set-up run of WK99 (in the C; Directory) a set-up screen I had NEVER seen before came up. It was a rather clunky set-up for the eight cities that go on the EartTime page. Once I laboriously loaded all eight cities the program started just fine and is running just fine. The earlier discussed problem just seemed to disappear as if it had never been there before.

Why changing SK99 Directory from F:> to C:> caused this problem to disappear I have no idea--nor even a clue.

This leaves the problem that the newly-installed SK99 won't read the Calendar files created on the former computer--but I'll open a new thread about that.

 

[james33]

Dear Gyula,
Congratulations.
From your description, I have never seen that screen either, will meet you in the new thread!

You have read the following page I hope:

http://siderealb0x.250free.com/Sidekick99Problems.html

and you do know that you can install Sidekick98 and Sidekick99 on the same machine (as long as you don't try running them both at the same time)!

Regards Jim
Check the FAQ area of this Forum for answers (If there are any FAQs!) , it could save you a lot of time and effort and means that links are more likely to be current. Please 'Comment' on them if they are not!