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\ Virgin Troubleshooting Guide Virgin Interactive Entertainment Technical Support 18061 Fitch Ave Irvine CA 92714 Phone 714 833 1999 Fax 714 833 2001 BBS 714 833 3305 N 8 1 up to 14 400bps
\ Virgin Troubleshooting Guide
Virgin Interactive Entertainment Technical Support
18061 Fitch Ave
Irvine, CA 92714
Phone: (714) 833-1999
Fax: (714) 833-2001
BBS: (714) 833-3305 [N,8,1 up to 14,400bps]
////////////////\\\\\\\\
Troubleshooting The Seventh Guest
\\\\\\\\/////////////////
General Information
"""""""""""""""""""
System Requirements: MPC Level 1 Compatible Machine with: 386DX or
better, 2 megabytes RAM, 16-bit SVGA video card with 512K of memory, CD-
ROM drive with minimum of 150K/sec. transfer rate, sound card with FM
and PCM sound, mouse, hard drive with 10 megabytes of free space, MSCDEX
2.2 or higher, DOS 5.0 or higher
Supports: Roland MIDI cards, MT-32, LAPC-1, Sound Canvas, SCC-1,
SoundBlaster and compatibles, SoundBlaster Pro, ProAudio Spectrum (8-
and 16-bit), Thunderboard, AdLib Gold
Recommended: 486SX-20 or faster processor, 4 megabytes RAM, fast 16-bit
SVGA video card with 1 megabyte of memory or local video bus, CD-ROM
drive with 300K/sec. transfer rate and <300 ms seek time, Roland LAPC-1,
MT-32, or Sound Canvas and 16-bit PCM sound
Latest version: 1.30
Free RAM required: 570K + 1 megabyte XMS (version 1.22 and 1.24)
450K + 1 megabyte XMS (version 1.30)
Hints available: Free hint sheet, Automated hint line - (900) 288-4744,
third party strategy guide
Installation Instructions:
''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Insert disc two into your CD-ROM drive, then type the letter of your CD-
ROM drive followed by a colon and press ENTER. (For example, if you CD-
ROM drive is letter D, go to the C:> prompt and type "D:".) Now type
"INSTALL" to run the installation program, which will set-up the program
and copy it to the hard drive. To change the settings at any time,
change to your Seventh Guest directory and type "INSTALL".
Note: The game can only be installed and run from DOS. If you use
Windows, you will need to completely exit out of Windows before
installing the program.
Running the game:
'''''''''''''''''
If you have installed the game to the default directory, use the
following instructions to run the game:
Go to the C:> prompt.
Make sure disc one is in the CD-ROM drive.
Type "CDIDT7G" and press ENTER.
Type "T7G" and press ENTER.
Checking the version of the game:
To check which version of the game you are running, first change to your
Seventh Guest directory. If you used the defaults during installation,
this will be your IDT7G directory. (To get there, go to C:> prompt
and type "CDIDT7G".) Now type "V ?" and press ENTER. At the top
under GROOVIE Player will be the version of the game. If you require an
update, you can either order it through our automated support system at
(714) 833-1999 or download it from our BBS at (714) 833-3305. To order
it, simply start an automated session, go to the Seventh Guest menu, and
select option 4. (Select 1, 1, 1, 1, and 4.) On our BBS, version 1.24
is available as T7G_124.EXE (168,666 bytes); version 1.30 is T7G_130.EXE
(330,491 bytes). From the main menu, select "F" for file, "D" for
download, and enter the filename of the update you need.
Checking your video card:
'''''''''''''''''''''''''
To diagnose video problems with The Seventh Guest, you will need to know
what type of video card you have in your system. To find out, first try
typing the command "MSD" at the DOS command line. This will bring up
the "Microsoft System Diagnostics" utility which among other things will
give you some information about your video card. Also, try checking in
all of the documentation that came with your computer for information
regarding your display system.
You may also want to check for the very first on-screen message
displayed when you perform a hard reset (via the reset button or power
switch). Many video card's BIOS will display information about the
video card manufacturer and model during the initial boot sequence.
The retail outlet from which you purchased the computer or video
card should also be able to provide this information.
Checking your mouse driver:
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Some mouse drivers can cause a problem with The Seventh Guest.
Specifically, versions 7.00 through 7.04 can often cause the game not to
run. To check which version mouse driver you have installed on your
system, first try typing the command "MSD" at the DOS command line.
This will bring up the "Microsoft System Diagnostics" utility which
among other things will give you some information about your mouse.
(Note: If you are using a Logitech mouse driver version 6.30, MSD
reports this as 6.03.) The mouse driver version number is also reported
when you boot the system. If you have an incompatible mouse driver, you
will need to obtain another one, which can usually be done either
through your manufacturer or a computer retailer.
Checking for Stealth (QEMM users only):
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
If you use QEMM, a third-party memory manager made by Quarterdeck, you
will want to check to see if its Stealth option is enabled. Stealth can
often cause problems in running The Seventh Guest. Look at your
CONFIG.SYS file (at the C:> prompt, type "EDIT CONFIG.SYS"), and check
for an "ST:M" or "ST:F" in the QEMM386.SYS line. If present, then
Stealth is active, and you will need to re-run the QSETUP program to
disable Stealth.
Installation Problems
"""""""""""""""""""""
Problem: I'm getting the red warning saying, "The sound hardware you
have selected is not responding..."
Solution: This means that the program was unable to find your sound
card. Make sure you are selecting the correct sound settings. (See the
solutions for specific sound cards later in this section.) If you have
a SoundBlaster or compatible sound card, change the music first to
"Adlib." It will then ask for the digital audio; select "SoundBlaster"
("SoundBlaster and compatibles" in version 1.30) at Port 220 and IRQ 5.
(The Port and IRQ may be configured differently on your system. Consult
your sound card diagnostic software for the correct port address and
IRQ.)
If it still doesn't not recognize the sound card, you will need to
modify your configuration so that you do not boot into Windows. Some
sound cards (including several of the Gateway sound cards) are not
restored to their default state when you exit Windows. Go to the C:>
prompt and type "EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT". One of the last lines in the file
should read "WIN". You need to delete that line, save the file, then
reboot your computer. Now you can re-run the INSTALL program and use
the above settings.
Problem: The INSTALL.BAT is looping at the D:T7GINSTALL> prompt.
Solution: Looping installs usually occur on the NEC triple speed drives.
You should try to obtain newer CD-ROM drive device drivers. Otherwise,
there is a work around. Make a temporary directory on the hard drive,
then copy over everything from the "T7GINSTALL" directory on disc two.
To do this, use the following instructions:
Go to the C:> prompt.
Type "MD TEMP".
Type "CD TEMP".
Make sure disc two is in your CD-ROM drive.
Type "COPY D:T7GINSTALL". (If your CD-ROM drive is not D,
substitute the correct drive letter.)
Type "INSTALL".
If you wish, you can delete the temporary directory after the program is
installed. To do this, go to the C:> prompt and type "DELTREE TEMP".
Problem: The INSTALL program tells me that I don't have enough
conventional memory.
Solution: The INSTALL program requires 540K of free conventional memory
to run.
If you are using MS-DOS 5.0, you will need to consult chapter 12
of your DOS manual for more information on freeing up memory. It
includes many helpful hints that can take care of this problem. If you
are unable to get above the required amount, try creating a boot disk
If you use MS-DOS 6.0 or higher, you can use the utility called
MEMMAKER to free up more memory. To run it, type "MEMMAKER" at a C:>
prompt. When it asks if you have any programs that require expanded
memory, answer NO. If MEMMAKER is unsuccessful or does not free up
enough memory, it may be necessary to create a boot disk. (See the
Making a boot disk section.)
Problem: The INSTALL program locks up after testing video card.
Solution: This usually occurs with Trident video cards. See the T7G
Manual Installation section for information on how to install the
program.
Problem: After running INSTALL, nothing happens. (It returns to File
Manager.)
Solution: The program must be run from DOS.
Problem: I'm told to insert disc two, but I have no disc two.
Solution: Turn the CD case over. It is a double-CD jewel case.
Problem: I'm unable to get the Microsoft Windows Sound System to work
with T7G.
Solution: Get the version 1.30 update, which includes a driver for the
Sound System.
Problem: I'm using the Turtle Beach MultiSound or Roland RAP-10.
Solution: There is no support for the digital audio on either of these
cards. The game will require a second sound card to be present.
Problem: I'm using a Gravis Ultrasound.
Solution: In the INSTALL program, change music to General MIDI and
speech to Sound Blaster. You will need to force these settings by
pressing "Y". Then, edit the GROOVIE.INI file so that the XMI= under
the [General MIDI] section reads "GF1MIDI.ADV". For the PCM=, use
"GF1DIGI.ADV". (This file is not included with T7G, but does come with
Ultramid.) Load Ultramid with the "/M80" parameter and without "-C",
then run the game. If your GUS is on a 16-bit DMA, you may need to
increase the DMA buffers in EMM386. For additional help, Gravis has
more information on getting their drivers to work with this game.
Problem: I'm using an Ensoniq Soundscape.
Solution: Try setting up the Ensoniq as follows: IRQ 5, SB I/O 220h,
Wave I/O 330h, MIDI IRQ 2. These options are set by changing to the
SNDSCAPE directory and running the SSINIT program. In the T7G Install
program, set music to General MIDI and speech to SoundBlaster, port 220
and IRQ 5. If it doesn't work, set the emulation in the SSINIT program
to "FM." Re-run the T7G INSTALL, and select AdLib for music and
SoundBlaster for speech, port 220 and IRQ 5.
Video Problems
""""""""""""""
Problem: The music plays, or starts to play, but I'm getting getting
either a black screen or a dimmed DOS screen. Or, the game reports,
"Unknown video card. Please install VESA driver."
Solution: The game requires that you have a VESA compatible SVGA card
with at least 512K of RAM or you will not get a picture. You will need
to know what type of video card you have and whether or not VESA support
is installed. If you are unsure what type of video card you have, see
"Checking your video card" in the General Information section.
Here is the information for specific video cards:
Diamond Viper - You will need to load the VESA extensions for your
video card before running the game. To do this, change to the VIPER
directory ("CDVIPER") and type "VPRMODE VESA". At this time, it will
report the version number, which needs to be greater than 1.02. If you
have a version older than 1.02, you will need to contact Diamond to get
the updated driver. The game also needs to be version 1.24 or later.
(See "Checking the version of the game" in the General Information
section.)
PS/1, Packard Bell, Tandy - The Paradise VESA driver may be
required to give you a picture. To load it, put disc two into your CD-
ROM drive and go to your CD-ROM drive prompt (for example, D:>). Type
"CDVESAPARADISE" and press ENTER, then type "VESA" and press ENTER.
This will load the VESA driver, and you can now go back to your C: drive
and run the game.
RealTek (MSD reports Quadtel video, VESA support - yes) - You will
need to load an updated VESA driver for your video card. If you have
access to a modem, you can download the Universal VESA driver available
on the Virgin BBS, file UVESA41.EXE.
Diamond Speedstar Pro - Load the Paradise VESA driver on disc two
of T7G (see PS/1 above). Or, get the update.
Matrox MGA - Load the MGAVESA driver before running the game. It
must be the latest version (1.40+?), and you might have to run the game
in MCGA mode to get a picture. (If you have an older version of MGAVESA
or cannot find it on your system, you will need to contact Matrox.)
Cirrus Logic - Make sure that you are using at least version 1.24
of T7G. Version 1.22 did not fully support Cirrus Logic video cards.
(See "Checking the version of the game" in the General Information
section.) If you use QEMM, make sure Stealth is not enabled. Also
check the version of your mouse driver. (See "Still not getting a
picture" below.) Otherwise, try loading the Universal VESA driver or
the Paradise VESA driver. (See PS/1 above.)
Trident - If you are not getting a picture, you will either need
to load the Trident VESA driver, available from Trident, or the
Universal VESA driver, available on our BBS as UVESA41.EXE.
S3-based - Get the version 1.30 update.
XGA - XGA is not supported by The Seventh Guest.
If you need a VESA driver for your video card, we have the
Universal VESA driver available for download on our BBS. The filename
is UVESA41.EXE, and it works with the following cards:
ATI Technologies 18800, 28800
Ahead A & B
Chips & Technologies 82c451/452/453
Everex
Genoa Systems GVGA
OAK Technologies OTI-037C, OTI-067, OTI-077, OTI-087
Paradise PVGA1A, WD90C00/10/11/20/21/30/31
NCR 77C20/21/22E
Trident 88/8900
Video7 V7VGA versions 1-5
Tseng Labs ET3000, ET4000, ET4000/W32
AcuMos AVGA2
S3 86c911/924/801/805/928
Advance Logic AL2101 SuperVGA
MXIC 86010 SuperVGA
Primus 2000 SuperVGA
RealTek 3106 SuperVGA
Cirrus Logic CL-GD 5420, 5422, 5424, 5426, 5428
If you are still not getting a picture:
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
If you use QEMM, make sure Stealth is not enabled. (See "Checking for
Stealth" in the General Information section.) You will also want to
check the version of your mouse driver. (See "Checking your mouse
driver" in the General Information section.) The game often will not
work if you are using a version 7.0x mouse driver. If you are using a
version 7.0x mouse driver, you will need to get an updated mouse driver
to play the game. If you use Windows for Workgroups on your system, try
disabling SMARTDRV.
Problem: The skeletal hand corrupts the screen as it moves. Or, I'm
getting distorted graphics.
Solution: This is caused by an incompatible VESA driver, most common on
Trident cards. Try a newer version of the Trident VESA driver or
download the Universal VESA driver from the Virgin BBS, file
UVESA41.EXE.
If you are running on a Packard Bell computer, disable HTVESA.COM.
(See next problem.)
Problem: I'm getting horizontal bars across the screen.
Solution: This occurs on Packard Bell computers and is caused by a
program called HTVESA, located in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. This driver
must be disabled. To do this, go to the C:> prompt and type "EDIT
AUTOEXEC.BAT". Look for the line that reads "LH
C:PBTOOLSVGAUTILHTVESA.COM /2". At the beginning of the line, type
"REM ". Save the file and reboot your computer.
Problem: Only the top part of screen appears when using the ATI mach64.
Solution: You need the update to The Seventh Guest.
Audio Problems
""""""""""""""
Problem: I'm getting static or a clicking noise during the dramas (video
sequences).
Solution: This occurs on some systems using Cirrus Logic video on a VL-
bus. There are three solutions:
First, you can try running the game from the MS-DOS prompt under
Windows. Start Windows, go into the "Main" group and double-click on
the "MS-DOS Prompt" icon. This will take you to a C:> prompt, where
you can run the game as normal. Note: The game was not designed to run
from Windows and may not work. You might also find it necessary to
disable your sound drivers under Windows to play the game.
Secondly, you can switch to MCGA, which is the lower resolution.
To do this, re-run the INSTALL program for The Seventh Guest, and change
the video to MCGA. Press "Y" to ignore the warning.
Finally, you can try loading a different VESA driver for your
video card. We have two drivers available on our BBS which might take
care of the problem, either UVESA41.EXE or CIRRUS.EXE. If neither of
these work, there is also a VESA driver located in the VESAPARADISE
directory on disc two of The Seventh Guest that may work. Simply load
the VESA driver prior to running the game, and that should take care of
the popping noise. (See "PS/1" in the Video Problems section for
information on loading the Paradise VESA driver.)
Problem: I'm not getting any voices.
Solution: This sometimes occurs when using a ProAudio Spectrum 16 on a
16-bit DMA. Either use DMA 3, or rerun the Seventh Guest INSTALL
program, changing the music and speech to SoundBlaster. (The default
SoundBlaster setting on the PAS16 is Port 220 and IRQ 5. If you get the
warning "Sound hardware not responding..." you will need to run your
sound card installation software and verify that your SoundBlaster
emulation is enabled.)
Problem: The voices are too quiet and I cannot hear them over the music.
Solution: This occurs when using the SoundBlaster 16 sound card and the
SoundBlasterPro2 drivers. The two are not always compatible. Go back
to the Seventh Guest INSTALL program and change the music to "AdLib."
For the digital audio speech, choose the regular "SoundBlaster"
("SoundBlaster and compatibles" in version 1.30). Select Port 220 and
IRQ 5.
Problem: I'm getting choppy or chunky speech during the dramas.
Solution: This is caused by one part of your system running too slowly:
Video - The video is often too slow when using Trident, Matrox, or
S3-based video cards. The video performance rating in the install
program should be over 80% or you may experience choppy speech. Try
switching to MCGA resolution.
CD-ROM - The CD-ROM drive must be able to transfer rate at a
sustained rate of 140K/sec. (It needs to be MPC Level One compatible.)
The Sony CDU-535 and CDU-541 do not meet this requirement. (For other
drives, see the section on "Locking up in video sequences" in the
Locking up section.) The buffers for MSCDEX should be set to 20. For
Mitsumi drives using the MTMCDAx driver, there needs to be a "/M:xx"
parameter, which should be set to at least 20; there should also be a
"/X" so that the buffers will be loaded into extended memory.
CPU - The minimum required is a 386DX-25 with 100% video card.
Problem: I'm not getting music during the opening credits.
Solution: This is all redbook audio, played directly off of the CD.
There needs to be a cable connecting the audio out on the CD-ROM drive
to the sound card. This is the only portion of the game that uses CD-
AUDIO.
Problem: The sound cuts out.
Solution: If you are trying to run the game under OS/2, see the OS/2
question in the Miscellaneous section. Otherwise, go back to the
INSTALL program and try changing the music and speech to AdLib and
SoundBlaster, respectively.
Abort Errors/Game doesn't start
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Error. A memory error
has occurred." Or, the computer reboots when the main screen appears.
Solution: This means you do not have enough free conventional memory.
Versions prior to 1.30 require 570K. Either free up more conventional
memory or get the 1.30 update. (For information on freeing up memory,
see the memory problem in the Installation Problems section.)
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Error 00. Sound Buffer
Failure."
Solution: Check the version of the game. (See the General Information
section above.) If you have version 1.22, you will need the update.
Also, make sure you did not select "Tandy Sensation" in the INSTALL
program. If that was the only sound card that was accepted, try
changing the music and speech to AdLib and SoundBlaster, respectively.
(See "Sound hardware not responding..." in the Installation Problems
section.)
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Error 2" or "Error 20.
Sound Buffer Failure."
Solution: You will need the update to the game.
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Error. File is not a VDX
file."
Solution: If this occurs when you are entering a puzzle, this means
there is insufficient extended XMS memory. The game requires one
megabyte of extended XMS memory. To free up more XMS, reduce the amount
of EMS used and the amount of memory used by SMARTDRV. (To do this, go
to the C:> prompt and type "EDIT CONFIG.SYS". Adjust your EMM386.EXE
line so that it contains "NOEMS" instead of "RAM". To disable SMARTDRV,
go to the C:> prompt and type "EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT", then add an "REM "
at the beginning of the line containing SMARTDRV. You will need to
reboot your computer for these changes to take effect.) If you are
still unable to get enough XMS memory, you will want to obtain the
version 1.30 update to the game and disable your expanded memory manager
(i.e. EMM386.EXE).
If you are not entering a puzzle, then the game was unable to read
the CD. Try disabling SMARTDRV and cleaning off the CD.
Problem: Game immediately aborts back to DOS after typing "T7G" without
releasing the conventional memory it allocated. (If you type "MEM", it
reports only a couple hundred K free, or rerunning the program gives the
message, "Program too big to fit in memory.")
Solution: The game is not compatible with version 7.0x mouse drivers.
(See "Checking your mouse driver" in the General Information section.)
You will need to obtain a newer version mouse driver.
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Memory allocation error."
Solution: Make sure you are not using a version 7.0x mouse driver. (See
"Checking your mouse driver version" in the General Information
section.) If you are, you will need to obtain a newer version mouse
driver. If you are using QEMM, make sure you do not have the Stealth
option enabled. (See "Checking for Stealth" in the General Information
section.)
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "GJD file system error."
Solution: If this occurs right after typing "T7G", either the game was
not installed correctly or the wrong disc is in the CD-ROM drive. Make
sure there is enough space on the hard drive for a complete installation
and that disc one is in your CD-ROM drive. (Type "DIR" at a C:> prompt
to check the amount of free space on your hard drive. You need
approximately 6 million bytes free to install the game.)
If this occurs anywhere else, this indicates the game was unable
to read the CD. Try cleaning off the CD and disabling SMARTDRV.
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with an exception error (EMM386 Error 12).
Solution: If this occurs when switching discs, see the first problem
under Locking up. If this occurs during a drama (video sequence), see
"Locking up in video sequences" in the Locking up section. Otherwise,
remove all TSRs not needed to run the game. It may be necessary to
create a boot disk for the game. (See the Making a Boot Disk section.)
Make sure you are not utilizing the monochrome region. (To check this,
go to the C:> prompt, type "EDIT CONFIG.SYS", and check your EMM386.EXE
line. If there is an "I=B000-B7FF" parameter, this means you are
including the monochrome region, and you need to take this parameter
out.) Also make sure you are not using Stealth, and check the version
of your mouse driver. (See "Checking for Stealth" and "Checking your
mouse driver" in the General Information section.) The game is not
compatible with version 7.0x mouse drivers.
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Couldn't load sound
driver."
Solution: Check the "progdir=" line in the GROOVIE.INI file and make
sure the drive letter and path are correct. To do this, change to your
Seventh Guest directory and type "EDIT GROOVIE.INI".
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Sorry, a critical error
has occurred."
Solution: Make sure you have disc number one in your CD-ROM drive and
that the busy light is not on. If the disc is in, try waiting a few
seconds and try again.
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Error: PCM sound hardware
not responding at Port/IRQ in GROOVIE.INI..."
Solution: See "Sound hardware not responding..." in the Installation
Problems section.
Locking up
""""""""""
Problem: The game locks up or I'm getting an exception error when trying
to switch discs.
Solution: You will need to wait for the busy light on the CD-ROM drive
to go out before clicking on the "Please insert disc..." picture. In
other words, wait about ten seconds after inserting the disc before
continuing.
Problem: The game locks up in the introduction.
Solution: First, try bypassing the introduction to see if the game will
work. (To do this, change to your Seventh Guest directory by typing
"CDIDT7G". Type "v ?" and press ENTER, then type "RENAME SAVE.Z
SAVE.1". Start the game and load saved game number one.) Also, try
cleaning off the CD. Otherwise, see next question.
Problem: The game locks up in video sequences.
Solution: The occurs when the CD-ROM drive is not able to transfer data
fast enough to keep up with the video. If you are using a marginal
video card (rated below 80%), try switching to MCGA. If you have a SCSI
controller, it might lock up if it is also running a SCSI hard drive.
For specific CD-ROM drives:
Phillips - If you are using the DD260.SYS driver, add a "/F:5" to
the CD-ROM device driver line. (This is the drive included in the Media
Vision Fusion LX kits.) To do this, go to the C:> prompt and type
"EDIT CONFIG.SYS". Look for the line for CD-ROM device driver
("DD260.SYS"), and at the end of the line, type " /F:5". Save the file
and reboot your computer for the change to take effect.
Sony CDU-31A - Add "/M:I /O:32" to the CD-ROM device driver.
Mitsumi - Make sure there is a "/M:32 /X" in the MTMCDAx driver.
Also try changing the driver being used. (Mitsumi offers both a MTMCDAE
and MTMCDAS. Sometimes one works better than the other on different
systems.)
NEC 3x - This occurs when the drive drops down to single-speed.
Skip the introduction so that the CD-AUDIO segment is not played, since
that forces this drive into the single-speed mode.
Problem: The game locks up in the microscope puzzle.
Solution: This somtimes happens with Trident video cards. Try a
different VESA driver, such as the Universal VESA driver, available on
our BBS as UVESA41.EXE. Otherwise, visit the library three times to
bypass the puzzle.
Problem: The game locks up when pulling back from the book in the
introduction, or any time in the library. Or, the program slows down to
a crawl and then locks up.
Solution: This is almost always caused by a dirty CD. Try cleaning off
the disc. If it is still locking up, you may need to exchange your
disc.
Problem: The game locks up on main screen. The mouse pointer appears,
but it will not move.
Solution: If you are using the Logitech mouse driver version 6.30, use
6.24 instead (available on the Logitech BBS at (510) 795-0408). Also,
the game is not compatible with version 7.0x mouse drivers. (See
"Checking your mouse driver" in the General Information section.)
Problem: The game locks up in the bar scene in the introduction or at
the end of the introduction, when I'm facing the staircase.
Solution: This sometimes occurs when using a ProAudio Spectrum 16 sound
card on a 16-bit DMA. Either use DMA 3 or rerun the INSTALL program and
change the music and speech to SoundBlaster. (See "No voices" in the
Audio Problems section.)
Miscellaneous
"""""""""""""
Problem: The game asks for disc one even though it is already in the CD-
ROM drive.
Solution: Make sure that the CD-ROM drive is actually accessible before
starting the game (i.e. not using a boot disk w/o the CD-ROM drivers).
If so, check the "datadir=" line in the "GROOVIE.INI" file and make sure
the drive letter is correct. If the GROOVIE.INI file is missing, check
to see if it exists in a "C:IDT7GT7G" directory. If so, move it back
to the "C:IDT7G" directory.
Problem: The mouse doesn't respond.
Solution: The game is not compatible with version 7.0x mouse drivers.
If you are using the Logitech mouse driver version 6.30, use 6.24
instead. (See "Checking your mouse driver" in the General Information
section.)
Problem: The game doesn't save properly.
Solution: Make sure you are typing in the name of the saved game and
pressing ENTER, not clicking on Farewell. Also make sure you are not
loading any unnecessary TSRs, such as After Dark.
Problem: The game says, "Mouse driver not installed," but I'm loading
the Logitech 6.30 mouse driver.
Solution: The game will not always recognize this mouse driver. Try
typing "MOUSE 1200". If that doesn't work, use version 6.24 instead.
Problem: I can't access the Open House.
Solution: Load save game #0. Return to the Sphinx board, and click on
any of the corners with the chattering teeth to access Open House.
Problem: I'm trying to run the game under OS/2.
Solution: The most common problem is sound cutting out. Although we do
not officially support OS/2, the following OS/2 information was provided
by Rick Moen, and more information can be obtained from his BBS at
(415) 572-0359. Use version 1.30, and try the following DOS settings:
DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION=OFF
DOS=HIGH
DOS_UMB=ON
HW_TIMER=ON
HW_ROM_TO_RAM=ON
IDLE_SECONDS=60
IDLE_SENSITIVITY=100
VIDEO_FASTPASTE=ON
VIDEO_RETRACE_EMULATION=OFF
VIDEO_ROM_EMULATION=OFF
XMS_MEMORY_LIMIT=2048
Then, in the GROOVIE.INI file, add the following under the [Main]
section:
DMABufferSize=8192
TicksPerSecond=120
Problem: Every puzzle is solved, but there's nothing left to do.
Solution: Make sure you have solved the painting gallery. (Click the
chattering teeth on the bottom of the staircase to enter the gallery.)
Also, make sure you completed the maze and solved the crypt puzzle at
the conclusion of the maze. Also, the microscope puzzle must be solved,
even though the T7G Strategy Guide states otherwise. (If it is too
difficult, simply visit the library three times to bypass the puzzle.)
If everything has been solved, the next puzzle is the attic door,
located next to the bathroom.
Performing a Manual Installation of T7G
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
The following instructions are for performing a manual installation of
The Seventh Guest. This process should not be necessary unless the
install program locks up.
Go to the C:> prompt.
Type "MD T7G"
Type "CD T7G"
Type "COPY D:T7GINSTALL" (If your CD-ROM drive is not D:,
replace it with the correct drive letter.)
Type "EDIT GROOVIE.INI"
Type in the text file below.
Click on "File" then "Save..."
Click on "File" then "Exit"
Type "T7G" to start the game.
Save the following text file as GROOVIE.INI:
;
;ini File for The Seventh Guest
;
;(C) Copyright 1992 Trilobyte, Inc. and Virgin Games
;
[main]
VideoCard=VESA
midi=SoundBlaster
pcm=SoundBlaster
svga=on
ProgDir=C: 7g
DataDir=D: 7g
Recommended=SVGA
CPU=486dx
FreeMem=570
CDbench=300
[SoundBlaster]
irq=5
port=220
xmi=sbfm.adv
pcm=sbdig.adv
dma=1
Creating a boot disk for The Seventh Guest
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
TO MAKE A BOOT DISK:
1. Insert a blank disk into drive A and type "FORMAT A: /S" This
formats a system disk. When it asks for the volume label, just press
ENTER.
2. Now you need to copy the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files from your
hard drive to the boot disk. To do this, go to the A:> prompt and type
"COPY C:AUTOEXEC.BAT". Do the same for the CONFIG.SYS file.
3. Edit these files and delete any of the lines that do not appear
below. (Go to the A:> prompt and type "EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT".) Do not
delete any lines required for your sound card.
4. If you have "/L:1,xxx" after the DEVICEHIGH or LH statements, delete
it so that these lines just read "DEVICEHIGH=C:..." or "LH C:..." If
you have "DEVICE=C:QEMMLOADHI.SYS C:...", change it to
"DEVICEHIGH=C:..."
5. Save the file by clicking on "File" then "Save..." After modifying
both files, reboot your system with the boot disk in your A: drive and
try the game.
Sample configurations for the SoundBlaster 16 and ProAudio Spectrum 16
sound cards are provided.
CONFIG.SYS
''''''''''
DEVICE=C:DOSHIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:DOSEMM386.EXE NOEMS (Do not inlcude if using T7G 1.30.)
DEVICEHIGH=YOUR CD-ROM DRIVER (This is the line containing /D:MSCD001
DOS=HIGH,UMB or similar)
BUFFERS=40,0
FILES=40
If you use DoubleSpace, you will need to add the following line:
DEVICEHIGH=C:DOSDBLSPACE.SYS /MOVE
If you use any other disk compression software, you will need to consult
your manual for what lines you need to include.
AUTOEXEC.BAT
''''''''''''
PROMPT $P$G
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T3
SET PATH=C:DOS;C:
LH C:MOUSEMOUSE.EXE (This is your mouse driver.)
LH C:DOSMSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001 /M:20 /V (Make sure the /D: matches the
one in your CONFIG.SYS file.)
Sample Configuration - SoundBlaster 16:
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
CONFIG.SYS
----------
DEVICE=C:DOSHIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:DOSEMM386.EXE NOEMS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
FILES=40
BUFFERS=40,0
DEVICEHIGH=C:SB16DRVSBCD.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:220
AUTOEXEC.BAT
------------
PROMPT $P$G
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
C:SB16SB16SET /M:220 /VOC:220 /CD:220 /MIDI:220 /LINE:220 /TREBLE:0
C:SB16SBCONFIG.EXE /S
SET PATH=C:DOS;C:
LH C:MOUSEMOUSE.EXE
LH C:SB16DRVMSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001 /V /M:20
Sample Configuration - ProAudio Spectrum 16
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
CONFIG.SYS
----------
DEVICE=C:DOSHIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:DOSEMM386.EXE NOEMS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
FILES=40
BUFFERS=40,0
DEVICEHIGH=C:FUSIONCDTSLCD.SYS /D:MVCD001
DEVICEHIGH=C:FUSIONCDMVSOUND.SYS Q:5 D:3 S:1,220,1,5 M:0 J:1
AUTOEXEC.BAT
------------
PROMPT $P$G
SET BLASTER=A220 D1 I5 T3
SET PATH=C:DOS;C:
LH C:FUSIONCDMSCDEX /D:MVCD001 /V /M:20
LH C:MOUSEMOUSE.EXE
\ Virgin Troubleshooting Guide
Virgin Interactive Entertainment Technical Support
18061 Fitch Ave
Irvine, CA 92714
Phone: (714) 833-1999
Fax: (714) 833-2001
BBS: (714) 833-3305 [N,8,1 up to 14,400bps]
////////////////\\\\\\\\
Troubleshooting The Seventh Guest
\\\\\\\\/////////////////
General Information
"""""""""""""""""""
System Requirements: MPC Level 1 Compatible Machine with: 386DX or
better, 2 megabytes RAM, 16-bit SVGA video card with 512K of memory, CD-
ROM drive with minimum of 150K/sec. transfer rate, sound card with FM
and PCM sound, mouse, hard drive with 10 megabytes of free space, MSCDEX
2.2 or higher, DOS 5.0 or higher
Supports: Roland MIDI cards, MT-32, LAPC-1, Sound Canvas, SCC-1,
SoundBlaster and compatibles, SoundBlaster Pro, ProAudio Spectrum (8-
and 16-bit), Thunderboard, AdLib Gold
Recommended: 486SX-20 or faster processor, 4 megabytes RAM, fast 16-bit
SVGA video card with 1 megabyte of memory or local video bus, CD-ROM
drive with 300K/sec. transfer rate and <300 ms seek time, Roland LAPC-1,
MT-32, or Sound Canvas and 16-bit PCM sound
Latest version: 1.30
Free RAM required: 570K + 1 megabyte XMS (version 1.22 and 1.24)
450K + 1 megabyte XMS (version 1.30)
Hints available: Free hint sheet, Automated hint line - (900) 288-4744,
third party strategy guide
Installation Instructions:
''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Insert disc two into your CD-ROM drive, then type the letter of your CD-
ROM drive followed by a colon and press ENTER. (For example, if you CD-
ROM drive is letter D, go to the C:> prompt and type "D:".) Now type
"INSTALL" to run the installation program, which will set-up the program
and copy it to the hard drive. To change the settings at any time,
change to your Seventh Guest directory and type "INSTALL".
Note: The game can only be installed and run from DOS. If you use
Windows, you will need to completely exit out of Windows before
installing the program.
Running the game:
'''''''''''''''''
If you have installed the game to the default directory, use the
following instructions to run the game:
Go to the C:> prompt.
Make sure disc one is in the CD-ROM drive.
Type "CDIDT7G" and press ENTER.
Type "T7G" and press ENTER.
Checking the version of the game:
To check which version of the game you are running, first change to your
Seventh Guest directory. If you used the defaults during installation,
this will be your IDT7G directory. (To get there, go to C:> prompt
and type "CDIDT7G".) Now type "V ?" and press ENTER. At the top
under GROOVIE Player will be the version of the game. If you require an
update, you can either order it through our automated support system at
(714) 833-1999 or download it from our BBS at (714) 833-3305. To order
it, simply start an automated session, go to the Seventh Guest menu, and
select option 4. (Select 1, 1, 1, 1, and 4.) On our BBS, version 1.24
is available as T7G_124.EXE (168,666 bytes); version 1.30 is T7G_130.EXE
(330,491 bytes). From the main menu, select "F" for file, "D" for
download, and enter the filename of the update you need.
Checking your video card:
'''''''''''''''''''''''''
To diagnose video problems with The Seventh Guest, you will need to know
what type of video card you have in your system. To find out, first try
typing the command "MSD" at the DOS command line. This will bring up
the "Microsoft System Diagnostics" utility which among other things will
give you some information about your video card. Also, try checking in
all of the documentation that came with your computer for information
regarding your display system.
You may also want to check for the very first on-screen message
displayed when you perform a hard reset (via the reset button or power
switch). Many video card's BIOS will display information about the
video card manufacturer and model during the initial boot sequence.
The retail outlet from which you purchased the computer or video
card should also be able to provide this information.
Checking your mouse driver:
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Some mouse drivers can cause a problem with The Seventh Guest.
Specifically, versions 7.00 through 7.04 can often cause the game not to
run. To check which version mouse driver you have installed on your
system, first try typing the command "MSD" at the DOS command line.
This will bring up the "Microsoft System Diagnostics" utility which
among other things will give you some information about your mouse.
(Note: If you are using a Logitech mouse driver version 6.30, MSD
reports this as 6.03.) The mouse driver version number is also reported
when you boot the system. If you have an incompatible mouse driver, you
will need to obtain another one, which can usually be done either
through your manufacturer or a computer retailer.
Checking for Stealth (QEMM users only):
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
If you use QEMM, a third-party memory manager made by Quarterdeck, you
will want to check to see if its Stealth option is enabled. Stealth can
often cause problems in running The Seventh Guest. Look at your
CONFIG.SYS file (at the C:> prompt, type "EDIT CONFIG.SYS"), and check
for an "ST:M" or "ST:F" in the QEMM386.SYS line. If present, then
Stealth is active, and you will need to re-run the QSETUP program to
disable Stealth.
Installation Problems
"""""""""""""""""""""
Problem: I'm getting the red warning saying, "The sound hardware you
have selected is not responding..."
Solution: This means that the program was unable to find your sound
card. Make sure you are selecting the correct sound settings. (See the
solutions for specific sound cards later in this section.) If you have
a SoundBlaster or compatible sound card, change the music first to
"Adlib." It will then ask for the digital audio; select "SoundBlaster"
("SoundBlaster and compatibles" in version 1.30) at Port 220 and IRQ 5.
(The Port and IRQ may be configured differently on your system. Consult
your sound card diagnostic software for the correct port address and
IRQ.)
If it still doesn't not recognize the sound card, you will need to
modify your configuration so that you do not boot into Windows. Some
sound cards (including several of the Gateway sound cards) are not
restored to their default state when you exit Windows. Go to the C:>
prompt and type "EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT". One of the last lines in the file
should read "WIN". You need to delete that line, save the file, then
reboot your computer. Now you can re-run the INSTALL program and use
the above settings.
Problem: The INSTALL.BAT is looping at the D:T7GINSTALL> prompt.
Solution: Looping installs usually occur on the NEC triple speed drives.
You should try to obtain newer CD-ROM drive device drivers. Otherwise,
there is a work around. Make a temporary directory on the hard drive,
then copy over everything from the "T7GINSTALL" directory on disc two.
To do this, use the following instructions:
Go to the C:> prompt.
Type "MD TEMP".
Type "CD TEMP".
Make sure disc two is in your CD-ROM drive.
Type "COPY D:T7GINSTALL". (If your CD-ROM drive is not D,
substitute the correct drive letter.)
Type "INSTALL".
If you wish, you can delete the temporary directory after the program is
installed. To do this, go to the C:> prompt and type "DELTREE TEMP".
Problem: The INSTALL program tells me that I don't have enough
conventional memory.
Solution: The INSTALL program requires 540K of free conventional memory
to run.
If you are using MS-DOS 5.0, you will need to consult chapter 12
of your DOS manual for more information on freeing up memory. It
includes many helpful hints that can take care of this problem. If you
are unable to get above the required amount, try creating a boot disk
If you use MS-DOS 6.0 or higher, you can use the utility called
MEMMAKER to free up more memory. To run it, type "MEMMAKER" at a C:>
prompt. When it asks if you have any programs that require expanded
memory, answer NO. If MEMMAKER is unsuccessful or does not free up
enough memory, it may be necessary to create a boot disk. (See the
Making a boot disk section.)
Problem: The INSTALL program locks up after testing video card.
Solution: This usually occurs with Trident video cards. See the T7G
Manual Installation section for information on how to install the
program.
Problem: After running INSTALL, nothing happens. (It returns to File
Manager.)
Solution: The program must be run from DOS.
Problem: I'm told to insert disc two, but I have no disc two.
Solution: Turn the CD case over. It is a double-CD jewel case.
Problem: I'm unable to get the Microsoft Windows Sound System to work
with T7G.
Solution: Get the version 1.30 update, which includes a driver for the
Sound System.
Problem: I'm using the Turtle Beach MultiSound or Roland RAP-10.
Solution: There is no support for the digital audio on either of these
cards. The game will require a second sound card to be present.
Problem: I'm using a Gravis Ultrasound.
Solution: In the INSTALL program, change music to General MIDI and
speech to Sound Blaster. You will need to force these settings by
pressing "Y". Then, edit the GROOVIE.INI file so that the XMI= under
the [General MIDI] section reads "GF1MIDI.ADV". For the PCM=, use
"GF1DIGI.ADV". (This file is not included with T7G, but does come with
Ultramid.) Load Ultramid with the "/M80" parameter and without "-C",
then run the game. If your GUS is on a 16-bit DMA, you may need to
increase the DMA buffers in EMM386. For additional help, Gravis has
more information on getting their drivers to work with this game.
Problem: I'm using an Ensoniq Soundscape.
Solution: Try setting up the Ensoniq as follows: IRQ 5, SB I/O 220h,
Wave I/O 330h, MIDI IRQ 2. These options are set by changing to the
SNDSCAPE directory and running the SSINIT program. In the T7G Install
program, set music to General MIDI and speech to SoundBlaster, port 220
and IRQ 5. If it doesn't work, set the emulation in the SSINIT program
to "FM." Re-run the T7G INSTALL, and select AdLib for music and
SoundBlaster for speech, port 220 and IRQ 5.
Video Problems
""""""""""""""
Problem: The music plays, or starts to play, but I'm getting getting
either a black screen or a dimmed DOS screen. Or, the game reports,
"Unknown video card. Please install VESA driver."
Solution: The game requires that you have a VESA compatible SVGA card
with at least 512K of RAM or you will not get a picture. You will need
to know what type of video card you have and whether or not VESA support
is installed. If you are unsure what type of video card you have, see
"Checking your video card" in the General Information section.
Here is the information for specific video cards:
Diamond Viper - You will need to load the VESA extensions for your
video card before running the game. To do this, change to the VIPER
directory ("CDVIPER") and type "VPRMODE VESA". At this time, it will
report the version number, which needs to be greater than 1.02. If you
have a version older than 1.02, you will need to contact Diamond to get
the updated driver. The game also needs to be version 1.24 or later.
(See "Checking the version of the game" in the General Information
section.)
PS/1, Packard Bell, Tandy - The Paradise VESA driver may be
required to give you a picture. To load it, put disc two into your CD-
ROM drive and go to your CD-ROM drive prompt (for example, D:>). Type
"CDVESAPARADISE" and press ENTER, then type "VESA" and press ENTER.
This will load the VESA driver, and you can now go back to your C: drive
and run the game.
RealTek (MSD reports Quadtel video, VESA support - yes) - You will
need to load an updated VESA driver for your video card. If you have
access to a modem, you can download the Universal VESA driver available
on the Virgin BBS, file UVESA41.EXE.
Diamond Speedstar Pro - Load the Paradise VESA driver on disc two
of T7G (see PS/1 above). Or, get the update.
Matrox MGA - Load the MGAVESA driver before running the game. It
must be the latest version (1.40+?), and you might have to run the game
in MCGA mode to get a picture. (If you have an older version of MGAVESA
or cannot find it on your system, you will need to contact Matrox.)
Cirrus Logic - Make sure that you are using at least version 1.24
of T7G. Version 1.22 did not fully support Cirrus Logic video cards.
(See "Checking the version of the game" in the General Information
section.) If you use QEMM, make sure Stealth is not enabled. Also
check the version of your mouse driver. (See "Still not getting a
picture" below.) Otherwise, try loading the Universal VESA driver or
the Paradise VESA driver. (See PS/1 above.)
Trident - If you are not getting a picture, you will either need
to load the Trident VESA driver, available from Trident, or the
Universal VESA driver, available on our BBS as UVESA41.EXE.
S3-based - Get the version 1.30 update.
XGA - XGA is not supported by The Seventh Guest.
If you need a VESA driver for your video card, we have the
Universal VESA driver available for download on our BBS. The filename
is UVESA41.EXE, and it works with the following cards:
ATI Technologies 18800, 28800
Ahead A & B
Chips & Technologies 82c451/452/453
Everex
Genoa Systems GVGA
OAK Technologies OTI-037C, OTI-067, OTI-077, OTI-087
Paradise PVGA1A, WD90C00/10/11/20/21/30/31
NCR 77C20/21/22E
Trident 88/8900
Video7 V7VGA versions 1-5
Tseng Labs ET3000, ET4000, ET4000/W32
AcuMos AVGA2
S3 86c911/924/801/805/928
Advance Logic AL2101 SuperVGA
MXIC 86010 SuperVGA
Primus 2000 SuperVGA
RealTek 3106 SuperVGA
Cirrus Logic CL-GD 5420, 5422, 5424, 5426, 5428
If you are still not getting a picture:
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
If you use QEMM, make sure Stealth is not enabled. (See "Checking for
Stealth" in the General Information section.) You will also want to
check the version of your mouse driver. (See "Checking your mouse
driver" in the General Information section.) The game often will not
work if you are using a version 7.0x mouse driver. If you are using a
version 7.0x mouse driver, you will need to get an updated mouse driver
to play the game. If you use Windows for Workgroups on your system, try
disabling SMARTDRV.
Problem: The skeletal hand corrupts the screen as it moves. Or, I'm
getting distorted graphics.
Solution: This is caused by an incompatible VESA driver, most common on
Trident cards. Try a newer version of the Trident VESA driver or
download the Universal VESA driver from the Virgin BBS, file
UVESA41.EXE.
If you are running on a Packard Bell computer, disable HTVESA.COM.
(See next problem.)
Problem: I'm getting horizontal bars across the screen.
Solution: This occurs on Packard Bell computers and is caused by a
program called HTVESA, located in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. This driver
must be disabled. To do this, go to the C:> prompt and type "EDIT
AUTOEXEC.BAT". Look for the line that reads "LH
C:PBTOOLSVGAUTILHTVESA.COM /2". At the beginning of the line, type
"REM ". Save the file and reboot your computer.
Problem: Only the top part of screen appears when using the ATI mach64.
Solution: You need the update to The Seventh Guest.
Audio Problems
""""""""""""""
Problem: I'm getting static or a clicking noise during the dramas (video
sequences).
Solution: This occurs on some systems using Cirrus Logic video on a VL-
bus. There are three solutions:
First, you can try running the game from the MS-DOS prompt under
Windows. Start Windows, go into the "Main" group and double-click on
the "MS-DOS Prompt" icon. This will take you to a C:> prompt, where
you can run the game as normal. Note: The game was not designed to run
from Windows and may not work. You might also find it necessary to
disable your sound drivers under Windows to play the game.
Secondly, you can switch to MCGA, which is the lower resolution.
To do this, re-run the INSTALL program for The Seventh Guest, and change
the video to MCGA. Press "Y" to ignore the warning.
Finally, you can try loading a different VESA driver for your
video card. We have two drivers available on our BBS which might take
care of the problem, either UVESA41.EXE or CIRRUS.EXE. If neither of
these work, there is also a VESA driver located in the VESAPARADISE
directory on disc two of The Seventh Guest that may work. Simply load
the VESA driver prior to running the game, and that should take care of
the popping noise. (See "PS/1" in the Video Problems section for
information on loading the Paradise VESA driver.)
Problem: I'm not getting any voices.
Solution: This sometimes occurs when using a ProAudio Spectrum 16 on a
16-bit DMA. Either use DMA 3, or rerun the Seventh Guest INSTALL
program, changing the music and speech to SoundBlaster. (The default
SoundBlaster setting on the PAS16 is Port 220 and IRQ 5. If you get the
warning "Sound hardware not responding..." you will need to run your
sound card installation software and verify that your SoundBlaster
emulation is enabled.)
Problem: The voices are too quiet and I cannot hear them over the music.
Solution: This occurs when using the SoundBlaster 16 sound card and the
SoundBlasterPro2 drivers. The two are not always compatible. Go back
to the Seventh Guest INSTALL program and change the music to "AdLib."
For the digital audio speech, choose the regular "SoundBlaster"
("SoundBlaster and compatibles" in version 1.30). Select Port 220 and
IRQ 5.
Problem: I'm getting choppy or chunky speech during the dramas.
Solution: This is caused by one part of your system running too slowly:
Video - The video is often too slow when using Trident, Matrox, or
S3-based video cards. The video performance rating in the install
program should be over 80% or you may experience choppy speech. Try
switching to MCGA resolution.
CD-ROM - The CD-ROM drive must be able to transfer rate at a
sustained rate of 140K/sec. (It needs to be MPC Level One compatible.)
The Sony CDU-535 and CDU-541 do not meet this requirement. (For other
drives, see the section on "Locking up in video sequences" in the
Locking up section.) The buffers for MSCDEX should be set to 20. For
Mitsumi drives using the MTMCDAx driver, there needs to be a "/M:xx"
parameter, which should be set to at least 20; there should also be a
"/X" so that the buffers will be loaded into extended memory.
CPU - The minimum required is a 386DX-25 with 100% video card.
Problem: I'm not getting music during the opening credits.
Solution: This is all redbook audio, played directly off of the CD.
There needs to be a cable connecting the audio out on the CD-ROM drive
to the sound card. This is the only portion of the game that uses CD-
AUDIO.
Problem: The sound cuts out.
Solution: If you are trying to run the game under OS/2, see the OS/2
question in the Miscellaneous section. Otherwise, go back to the
INSTALL program and try changing the music and speech to AdLib and
SoundBlaster, respectively.
Abort Errors/Game doesn't start
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Error. A memory error
has occurred." Or, the computer reboots when the main screen appears.
Solution: This means you do not have enough free conventional memory.
Versions prior to 1.30 require 570K. Either free up more conventional
memory or get the 1.30 update. (For information on freeing up memory,
see the memory problem in the Installation Problems section.)
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Error 00. Sound Buffer
Failure."
Solution: Check the version of the game. (See the General Information
section above.) If you have version 1.22, you will need the update.
Also, make sure you did not select "Tandy Sensation" in the INSTALL
program. If that was the only sound card that was accepted, try
changing the music and speech to AdLib and SoundBlaster, respectively.
(See "Sound hardware not responding..." in the Installation Problems
section.)
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Error 2" or "Error 20.
Sound Buffer Failure."
Solution: You will need the update to the game.
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Error. File is not a VDX
file."
Solution: If this occurs when you are entering a puzzle, this means
there is insufficient extended XMS memory. The game requires one
megabyte of extended XMS memory. To free up more XMS, reduce the amount
of EMS used and the amount of memory used by SMARTDRV. (To do this, go
to the C:> prompt and type "EDIT CONFIG.SYS". Adjust your EMM386.EXE
line so that it contains "NOEMS" instead of "RAM". To disable SMARTDRV,
go to the C:> prompt and type "EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT", then add an "REM "
at the beginning of the line containing SMARTDRV. You will need to
reboot your computer for these changes to take effect.) If you are
still unable to get enough XMS memory, you will want to obtain the
version 1.30 update to the game and disable your expanded memory manager
(i.e. EMM386.EXE).
If you are not entering a puzzle, then the game was unable to read
the CD. Try disabling SMARTDRV and cleaning off the CD.
Problem: Game immediately aborts back to DOS after typing "T7G" without
releasing the conventional memory it allocated. (If you type "MEM", it
reports only a couple hundred K free, or rerunning the program gives the
message, "Program too big to fit in memory.")
Solution: The game is not compatible with version 7.0x mouse drivers.
(See "Checking your mouse driver" in the General Information section.)
You will need to obtain a newer version mouse driver.
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Memory allocation error."
Solution: Make sure you are not using a version 7.0x mouse driver. (See
"Checking your mouse driver version" in the General Information
section.) If you are, you will need to obtain a newer version mouse
driver. If you are using QEMM, make sure you do not have the Stealth
option enabled. (See "Checking for Stealth" in the General Information
section.)
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "GJD file system error."
Solution: If this occurs right after typing "T7G", either the game was
not installed correctly or the wrong disc is in the CD-ROM drive. Make
sure there is enough space on the hard drive for a complete installation
and that disc one is in your CD-ROM drive. (Type "DIR" at a C:> prompt
to check the amount of free space on your hard drive. You need
approximately 6 million bytes free to install the game.)
If this occurs anywhere else, this indicates the game was unable
to read the CD. Try cleaning off the CD and disabling SMARTDRV.
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with an exception error (EMM386 Error 12).
Solution: If this occurs when switching discs, see the first problem
under Locking up. If this occurs during a drama (video sequence), see
"Locking up in video sequences" in the Locking up section. Otherwise,
remove all TSRs not needed to run the game. It may be necessary to
create a boot disk for the game. (See the Making a Boot Disk section.)
Make sure you are not utilizing the monochrome region. (To check this,
go to the C:> prompt, type "EDIT CONFIG.SYS", and check your EMM386.EXE
line. If there is an "I=B000-B7FF" parameter, this means you are
including the monochrome region, and you need to take this parameter
out.) Also make sure you are not using Stealth, and check the version
of your mouse driver. (See "Checking for Stealth" and "Checking your
mouse driver" in the General Information section.) The game is not
compatible with version 7.0x mouse drivers.
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Couldn't load sound
driver."
Solution: Check the "progdir=" line in the GROOVIE.INI file and make
sure the drive letter and path are correct. To do this, change to your
Seventh Guest directory and type "EDIT GROOVIE.INI".
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Sorry, a critical error
has occurred."
Solution: Make sure you have disc number one in your CD-ROM drive and
that the busy light is not on. If the disc is in, try waiting a few
seconds and try again.
Problem: Game aborts to DOS with the message, "Error: PCM sound hardware
not responding at Port/IRQ in GROOVIE.INI..."
Solution: See "Sound hardware not responding..." in the Installation
Problems section.
Locking up
""""""""""
Problem: The game locks up or I'm getting an exception error when trying
to switch discs.
Solution: You will need to wait for the busy light on the CD-ROM drive
to go out before clicking on the "Please insert disc..." picture. In
other words, wait about ten seconds after inserting the disc before
continuing.
Problem: The game locks up in the introduction.
Solution: First, try bypassing the introduction to see if the game will
work. (To do this, change to your Seventh Guest directory by typing
"CDIDT7G". Type "v ?" and press ENTER, then type "RENAME SAVE.Z
SAVE.1". Start the game and load saved game number one.) Also, try
cleaning off the CD. Otherwise, see next question.
Problem: The game locks up in video sequences.
Solution: The occurs when the CD-ROM drive is not able to transfer data
fast enough to keep up with the video. If you are using a marginal
video card (rated below 80%), try switching to MCGA. If you have a SCSI
controller, it might lock up if it is also running a SCSI hard drive.
For specific CD-ROM drives:
Phillips - If you are using the DD260.SYS driver, add a "/F:5" to
the CD-ROM device driver line. (This is the drive included in the Media
Vision Fusion LX kits.) To do this, go to the C:> prompt and type
"EDIT CONFIG.SYS". Look for the line for CD-ROM device driver
("DD260.SYS"), and at the end of the line, type " /F:5". Save the file
and reboot your computer for the change to take effect.
Sony CDU-31A - Add "/M:I /O:32" to the CD-ROM device driver.
Mitsumi - Make sure there is a "/M:32 /X" in the MTMCDAx driver.
Also try changing the driver being used. (Mitsumi offers both a MTMCDAE
and MTMCDAS. Sometimes one works better than the other on different
systems.)
NEC 3x - This occurs when the drive drops down to single-speed.
Skip the introduction so that the CD-AUDIO segment is not played, since
that forces this drive into the single-speed mode.
Problem: The game locks up in the microscope puzzle.
Solution: This somtimes happens with Trident video cards. Try a
different VESA driver, such as the Universal VESA driver, available on
our BBS as UVESA41.EXE. Otherwise, visit the library three times to
bypass the puzzle.
Problem: The game locks up when pulling back from the book in the
introduction, or any time in the library. Or, the program slows down to
a crawl and then locks up.
Solution: This is almost always caused by a dirty CD. Try cleaning off
the disc. If it is still locking up, you may need to exchange your
disc.
Problem: The game locks up on main screen. The mouse pointer appears,
but it will not move.
Solution: If you are using the Logitech mouse driver version 6.30, use
6.24 instead (available on the Logitech BBS at (510) 795-0408). Also,
the game is not compatible with version 7.0x mouse drivers. (See
"Checking your mouse driver" in the General Information section.)
Problem: The game locks up in the bar scene in the introduction or at
the end of the introduction, when I'm facing the staircase.
Solution: This sometimes occurs when using a ProAudio Spectrum 16 sound
card on a 16-bit DMA. Either use DMA 3 or rerun the INSTALL program and
change the music and speech to SoundBlaster. (See "No voices" in the
Audio Problems section.)
Miscellaneous
"""""""""""""
Problem: The game asks for disc one even though it is already in the CD-
ROM drive.
Solution: Make sure that the CD-ROM drive is actually accessible before
starting the game (i.e. not using a boot disk w/o the CD-ROM drivers).
If so, check the "datadir=" line in the "GROOVIE.INI" file and make sure
the drive letter is correct. If the GROOVIE.INI file is missing, check
to see if it exists in a "C:IDT7GT7G" directory. If so, move it back
to the "C:IDT7G" directory.
Problem: The mouse doesn't respond.
Solution: The game is not compatible with version 7.0x mouse drivers.
If you are using the Logitech mouse driver version 6.30, use 6.24
instead. (See "Checking your mouse driver" in the General Information
section.)
Problem: The game doesn't save properly.
Solution: Make sure you are typing in the name of the saved game and
pressing ENTER, not clicking on Farewell. Also make sure you are not
loading any unnecessary TSRs, such as After Dark.
Problem: The game says, "Mouse driver not installed," but I'm loading
the Logitech 6.30 mouse driver.
Solution: The game will not always recognize this mouse driver. Try
typing "MOUSE 1200". If that doesn't work, use version 6.24 instead.
Problem: I can't access the Open House.
Solution: Load save game #0. Return to the Sphinx board, and click on
any of the corners with the chattering teeth to access Open House.
Problem: I'm trying to run the game under OS/2.
Solution: The most common problem is sound cutting out. Although we do
not officially support OS/2, the following OS/2 information was provided
by Rick Moen, and more information can be obtained from his BBS at
(415) 572-0359. Use version 1.30, and try the following DOS settings:
DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION=OFF
DOS=HIGH
DOS_UMB=ON
HW_TIMER=ON
HW_ROM_TO_RAM=ON
IDLE_SECONDS=60
IDLE_SENSITIVITY=100
VIDEO_FASTPASTE=ON
VIDEO_RETRACE_EMULATION=OFF
VIDEO_ROM_EMULATION=OFF
XMS_MEMORY_LIMIT=2048
Then, in the GROOVIE.INI file, add the following under the [Main]
section:
DMABufferSize=8192
TicksPerSecond=120
Problem: Every puzzle is solved, but there's nothing left to do.
Solution: Make sure you have solved the painting gallery. (Click the
chattering teeth on the bottom of the staircase to enter the gallery.)
Also, make sure you completed the maze and solved the crypt puzzle at
the conclusion of the maze. Also, the microscope puzzle must be solved,
even though the T7G Strategy Guide states otherwise. (If it is too
difficult, simply visit the library three times to bypass the puzzle.)
If everything has been solved, the next puzzle is the attic door,
located next to the bathroom.
Performing a Manual Installation of T7G
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
The following instructions are for performing a manual installation of
The Seventh Guest. This process should not be necessary unless the
install program locks up.
Go to the C:> prompt.
Type "MD T7G"
Type "CD T7G"
Type "COPY D:T7GINSTALL" (If your CD-ROM drive is not D:,
replace it with the correct drive letter.)
Type "EDIT GROOVIE.INI"
Type in the text file below.
Click on "File" then "Save..."
Click on "File" then "Exit"
Type "T7G" to start the game.
Save the following text file as GROOVIE.INI:
;
;ini File for The Seventh Guest
;
;(C) Copyright 1992 Trilobyte, Inc. and Virgin Games
;
[main]
VideoCard=VESA
midi=SoundBlaster
pcm=SoundBlaster
svga=on
ProgDir=C: 7g
DataDir=D: 7g
Recommended=SVGA
CPU=486dx
FreeMem=570
CDbench=300
[SoundBlaster]
irq=5
port=220
xmi=sbfm.adv
pcm=sbdig.adv
dma=1
Creating a boot disk for The Seventh Guest
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
TO MAKE A BOOT DISK:
1. Insert a blank disk into drive A and type "FORMAT A: /S" This
formats a system disk. When it asks for the volume label, just press
ENTER.
2. Now you need to copy the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files from your
hard drive to the boot disk. To do this, go to the A:> prompt and type
"COPY C:AUTOEXEC.BAT". Do the same for the CONFIG.SYS file.
3. Edit these files and delete any of the lines that do not appear
below. (Go to the A:> prompt and type "EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT".) Do not
delete any lines required for your sound card.
4. If you have "/L:1,xxx" after the DEVICEHIGH or LH statements, delete
it so that these lines just read "DEVICEHIGH=C:..." or "LH C:..." If
you have "DEVICE=C:QEMMLOADHI.SYS C:...", change it to
"DEVICEHIGH=C:..."
5. Save the file by clicking on "File" then "Save..." After modifying
both files, reboot your system with the boot disk in your A: drive and
try the game.
Sample configurations for the SoundBlaster 16 and ProAudio Spectrum 16
sound cards are provided.
CONFIG.SYS
''''''''''
DEVICE=C:DOSHIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:DOSEMM386.EXE NOEMS (Do not inlcude if using T7G 1.30.)
DEVICEHIGH=YOUR CD-ROM DRIVER (This is the line containing /D:MSCD001
DOS=HIGH,UMB or similar)
BUFFERS=40,0
FILES=40
If you use DoubleSpace, you will need to add the following line:
DEVICEHIGH=C:DOSDBLSPACE.SYS /MOVE
If you use any other disk compression software, you will need to consult
your manual for what lines you need to include.
AUTOEXEC.BAT
''''''''''''
PROMPT $P$G
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T3
SET PATH=C:DOS;C:
LH C:MOUSEMOUSE.EXE (This is your mouse driver.)
LH C:DOSMSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001 /M:20 /V (Make sure the /D: matches the
one in your CONFIG.SYS file.)
Sample Configuration - SoundBlaster 16:
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
CONFIG.SYS
----------
DEVICE=C:DOSHIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:DOSEMM386.EXE NOEMS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
FILES=40
BUFFERS=40,0
DEVICEHIGH=C:SB16DRVSBCD.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:220
AUTOEXEC.BAT
------------
PROMPT $P$G
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
C:SB16SB16SET /M:220 /VOC:220 /CD:220 /MIDI:220 /LINE:220 /TREBLE:0
C:SB16SBCONFIG.EXE /S
SET PATH=C:DOS;C:
LH C:MOUSEMOUSE.EXE
LH C:SB16DRVMSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001 /V /M:20
Sample Configuration - ProAudio Spectrum 16
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
CONFIG.SYS
----------
DEVICE=C:DOSHIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:DOSEMM386.EXE NOEMS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
FILES=40
BUFFERS=40,0
DEVICEHIGH=C:FUSIONCDTSLCD.SYS /D:MVCD001
DEVICEHIGH=C:FUSIONCDMVSOUND.SYS Q:5 D:3 S:1,220,1,5 M:0 J:1
AUTOEXEC.BAT
------------
PROMPT $P$G
SET BLASTER=A220 D1 I5 T3
SET PATH=C:DOS;C:
LH C:FUSIONCDMSCDEX /D:MVCD001 /V /M:20
LH C:MOUSEMOUSE.EXE
