# [SOLVED] Morrowind Crashes



## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

I've recently begun having a problem with my ElderScrolls: Morrowind game. Whenever i attempted to start up the game, the computer would crash and restart during the startup screen (before the main menu). I've played this particular copy for many years with the Bloodmoon and Tribunal expantion packs without trouble. I've recently reinstalled my system, and upon reinstalling the game, i've found i have the same problem. I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas o_o?

Thanks to all ^__^

I've attached my DxDiag file for evaluation if it helps.


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

Hi ito1matthews,

Please tell us your full system specs (see "Posting System Specs" in my signature), so we know what kind of system we're dealing with.

You said you reinstalled your system - I take it this means the OS (Windows)?

Update your video card drivers, and get the latest version of DirectX. If those two things do not fix the problem, try reinstalling the game.

Post back with results and info.


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Updated my video drivers recently. I've tried reinstalling several times. The exact same result. The startup seems to crash while it says it's "Initializing Data".

I've included the Everest Hardware Report.

And yes, i reinstalled my OS is what i meant to say o_o;

Thanks again ^_^


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

Have you updated your DirectX? Also, give your drives a good defrag.

Post back with the results of those things.


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Nada. Same as before.


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## gamerman0203 (Oct 28, 2005)

when you reinstalled your system, did you change any hardware or install any software that wasn't on before? Have you updated the game (patches, etc)?


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

I have updated the game with the 1.4 Tribunal patch and the 1.6 bloodmoon patch, no change.

I don't believe that i changed anything about my system when i reinstalled, but i'm certain there were somethings installed that i had forgotten about in the 3 years my old OS was running. This problem started with the old OS though, and is virtually identical (same version, etc, of WinXP for both old and new; i just intended the fresh installation to wipe out problems like this). It bamboozles me o_o.

Thanks all ^_^.


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

When you installed the game, what order did you install it in?

Morrowind with expansions must be installed in the order:
1. Morrowind
2. Tribunal
3. Bloodmoon.
4. Latest Bloodmoon patch (I think it's 1.6.1820).

If you do it in any other order, or install any other patches, you're likely to encounter problems. So, if you haven't all ready done it in that order, do so, and let us know how you go.


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Initially, I installed the game Morrowind first, Tribunal second, then Bloodmoon third. When I encountered the problem, I installed both the 1.4 Tribunal patch and the 1.6 Bloodmoon patch (in that order). I noticed no change after installation of the patches.


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

Firstly, uninstall Morrowind and both expansions. Then, try doing these things, and let us know the results:

1. Install Morrowind on its own, with no expansions or patches. If you still have the problem, don't bother with the next steps, but let us know.

2. Install Tribunal. Don't patch it. See if you still have the problem. If you have the problem, continue to step 3. Otherwise, skip to step 4.

3. Patch Tribunal with latest patch. See if you still have problems, then continue to step 4.

4. Remove Tribunal. Check that Morrowind still works fine. Install Bloodmoon, but do not patch it. If you have the problem, continue to step 5.

5. Patch Bloodmoon with the latest patch.

Take note of which stages you have the problem at, and post back with results.


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Very peculiar results.

After installation of only Morrowind (w/o patches, expansions, etc.), the program won't start. I complains that I don't have the CD in the drive .

Thanks for all your help so far. I really appriciate it ^_^.


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

In case this would be useful info o_o.

I reinstalled in all instances with a backup copy I have of the game. The original works well in most instances, except during installation. There's a defect in the CD that prevents the installation of a single file from data2.cab. I use the original CD during gameplay. The results are as i stated before.

More info for your prusal:

Hardware information:
OEM ID: 0	Number of Processors: 1
Page size: 4096	Processor Type: 586


Software Information:
Microsoft Windows 2000 
Workstation 
version 5.1 Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)

Generated by Morrowind built-in tech support.


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

Was the defect on the original disc there when you made the backup copy? If so, the file (data2.cab) would have been corrupted, and that would be why the backup disc also has problems. If the original disc was faulty from the beginning, you should take it back to where you got it and get a replacement disc.

The other thing which might be playing a part in this is your CD ROM drive. do you have another drive you can swap in to test? Or can you borrow a drive from a friend?


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

I've figured out my "CD not in drive problem". For some reason, Morrowind installed using my DVD burner as my prime drive (this time, this didn't happen in any other installation before or after the error). If i start from there, it works, but with the same error. The flaw definately came after i made the backup, as i sucessfully installed the original on another computer after i make the backup.

My DVD burner's firmware is totally updated, so i have some doubts that it's the CD drive. I do remember, however, that when this problem started originally, i thought that i may be connected with my newly installed video drivers from ATI (including the Catalyst Control Center). I've installed the newest drivers as far as i can tell, and no other games exibit this problem, but it's the only other thing i can think of that changed somewhat in parrallel to my morrowind problems. I have an ATI 7500 Radeon All-In-Wonder card (old, i know x_x). You have my DxDiag info. Any chance it could be that?


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

This is some more information i've found in the built-in techsupport in the game.

In the "warnings" part of the TechSupport included in the game, I have the following log:
"Could not find the movie file bethesda logo.bik."

In "program flow":
"000000: Program Started
000000: Computer Name: Administrator
000000: Creating Windows
000000: Begin loading of archive header and invalidation of archived files
000102: Finished with header loading and invalidation 000102: Initializing Main
000103: Video adapter: ALL-IN-WONDER RADEON 7500 (6.14.10.6614)
000307: Start NewRenderer
000408: Video adapter: ALL-IN-WONDER RADEON 7500 (6.14.10.6614)
000510: Stop NewRenderer
001021: Creating Scene 001021: Loading Master/Plugin"

Thanks for all your efforts ^_^


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

It sounds like the disc is the problem. If you have another computer available, try installing Morrowind on it from the original disc. Let us know how it goes. (Make sure you uninstall the game afterwards, as it is illegal to use it on more than one system at a time.)


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

The original disk cannot install, though i can play off it, due to the data2.cab error. I installed morrowind on my friend's laptop and it works like a charm x_x. I'm jelous o_o. hehe


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Maybe I should try ripping out everything from the Morrowind installation (registry keys and all) and reinstalling (assuming that the orginal installation was somehow corrupt and it's been effecting everything after that). I have directions from Bethseda, but they didn't give me instructions on what registry keys to delete. Anyone know o_o? I've included the email so you can see what directions I do have.

Thanks for all ^__^.


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

Bethesda recommends that you call them so they can walk you through the removal of registry keys, and I suggest you do that. They will make sure you don't miss anything, and that you don't remove something you shouldn't.



ito1matthews said:


> The original disk cannot install, though i can play off it, due to the data2.cab error. I installed morrowind on my friend's laptop and it works like a charm


If you can't install from the original disc, how did you install it on the laptop? Do you mean that your computer is the only computer it won't install on?


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Indoril Nerevar said:


> If you can't install from the original disc, how did you install it on the laptop? Do you mean that your computer is the only computer it won't install on?


I have been installing off of my backup copy.

Thanks ^_^


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

So you used the backup copy to install on the laptop, and it worked fine? This would indicate that the problem is with your computer, and your next step would be to follow the instructions provided by Bethesda - make sure you call them for instructions on removing the registry keys.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Well, i've uninstalled everything following Bethseda's instructions and reinstalled. Same problem, totally unchanged. I'm at my wit's end o_o.


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Well, i'm again at my wits end. Besthda has officially started telling me to do the same things i've been doing. Any other thoughts on this? Anyone??


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## Fr4665 (Nov 18, 2004)

have you checked in the microsoft event viewer if there are any entries from the crashing ?


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Attached is a list of errors from event viewer, error reporting post-crash, and Morrowind itself. Hope it clears things up x_x.

Thanks all ^_^.


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

I wonder...

When I look in event viewer, I see that several different drivers are initialized during Morrowind setup. There is no error associated with this particular event, but my DVD-RW drive driver is initialized, starts running, and stops in quick succession. This is peculiar, since I'm not using my DVD-RW drive, but rather my DVD drive. This is the last system event on event viewer before the system error that I presume is the Morrowind crash. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks ^_^.


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## Fr4665 (Nov 18, 2004)

try installing the game over the dvd-rw drive ?


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

No dice. Did a complete uninstall using the Bestheda ripping instructions, then reinstalled using only the DVD-RW. Still exactly the same problem.

Thanks for the attempts guys x_x.

I appriciate it .


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Here's my MSINFO report...if that helps at all o_o...


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

I have gotten a response from Bethsoft that suggests a deeper problem with my computer. I've started a new thread here.

Thanks for all ^_^. If you have any more suggestions, i'm completely open ^_^.


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Well, my Morrowind now gets through "Initializing Data" to the main menu. It crashes soon after though, before i can really do anything else. I scanned my computer with Panda activescan. My computer has been acting better, but fishy since then. I have several other threads going on about different elements of this problem.

Thanks all ^_^.


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Well...

Now I've uninstalled Morrowind completely. There's an empty directory (Bethsda) left. I try to manually delete it. I get an error message saying that the directory is write protected or in use by another program. When i try to install over it, same thing.

What is going on here?

I'm going crazy x__x.


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

Have you tried restarting your system and then deleting the folder?


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## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Yep. I've lived with this particular problem for about a month by now. I've been trying to work through it on an XP thread Registry Key Access Denied.

It appears to be some kind of systemic problem, though I'm not sure what.

Thanks for the thought ^_^


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

I've been looking through your threads, and noticed a few issues. However, some of the threads are fairly old, so I'm not sure which issues are still current. Would you be able to give us some current info about your system, regarding:

- Full specs
- Hard drive setup and remaining space

Thanks.


Also, I noticed you have done this before, but it would be a good idea to do it again to make sure: run memtest68 on your system for 15 cycles, and see if it finds any errors. You are also having a save problem with Rome Total War, and when I ran a search, I found someone else with the same problem - which seemed to be caused by faulty RAM. So give that a go and let us know.


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## H05K1N5 (Jan 28, 2010)

I was wondering... if I uninstall Morrowind, then Re-install it. Will I lose all my files that I've been working on for so long??


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## eric.gr.kim (Jul 6, 2008)

I'm not sure if the uninstall will delete the save files. I don't think it will...

If you want to be safe about it, go to your game directory and copy your safe game files to another directory. Don't remember off the top of my head which directory it is...

You might want to start a new thread to ask...

Cheers!


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