Thank you, Lady Rain.
I just wish I had read your message a bit earlier and I could have saved me a new installation of the game.
Here's what I did step by tep in case someone else has the same problem:
- I did again as suggested erased all files in the Dynamic folder and tried to start the game. The result was quite strange: I got a message:
"This application has failed to start because Osiris.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."
I looked and found the Osirix.dll file where it should be in the game folder. Then I looked at the start icon of the game and found something very odd which brought me on the lead of the source of the problem. The line "D:\Games\Divine Divinity\Run\div.exe" was replaced with "D:\RECYCLER\NPROTECT\00035129.exe". The div.exe file was gone. I just can guess that the Norton Protect collided with the annoying copy protection and triggered that result.
Let's face it - most people never read the agreement text (at least when they install games) and also rarely follow the instructions to close all other programs as we make very rarely bad experiences. This was the first time a program got shot because of Norton Systemworks running in the background. And I had hundreds of games installed before without a problem as I am a collector.
- Ok, here's now what I did step by step to fix the problem:
1.) I made a backup from my save game.
2.) I opened the Norton protected recycle bin and emptied it, then closed it.
3.) I right clicked on the Recycle bin and choose PROPERTIES. There I switched in the RECYCLE BIN tab from 'All protected files' to 'Standard Recycle bin' and also renamed the bin with the same name, then clicked ok.
4.) I deinstalled the screwed up game version.
5.) I turned my virus scanner off and installed the game.
6.) I installed also the same patch again, in this case 1.0034.
7.) Rebooted the system to be sure that the install was completed in case the veeeery slow install routine needed that even there was no indication.
8.) I copied the save game folder back into the position were it belonged.
9.) I started the game and prayed that it would work and there would be no loss of drive space anymore.
It worked!!!
My Recommendation: As nice Norton Systemworks is. I would recommend to turn of the recycle bin function. It was good in the past but as experienced users and with the more stable XP is that function in my opinion obsolete. As so often did I found the instructions how to turn the NS recycle bin of with google on a discussion board as most program handbooks seem to shy away from explaining how to turn certain functions off like the devil fears holy water.
All the recommendations to turn off the virus software are unnecessary as the recycle bin is the culprit. and as most computers like my own hang 24/7 on the net would I not use a program which wouldn't allow me to keep my machine save as I play a game.
Tiny side effect: The game saves now also about one or two seconds faster.
Thanks:)
I want to thank very much Raze and Lady Rain for their help even Raze's suggestion appeared to be more a standard recommendation like out of a database and less a tip from practical experience. So I guess he/she works for Larian support. Please take it not personal, I know how hard long distance report is, was there myself.
I wish Larian Studios anything well and look really forward to play the sequal and looking forward to any other rpg's like DD2 or whatever they will create. DD was one of the best rpg's I played for a very long time, much better as the overhyped Diablo2 which is just a hack'n'slash with a trading card addiction factor but with no new quests (Great game until you played it through once.).
Thanks Larian for such a great game:)
I will definitely recommend it to friends.
Bearhug
Last edited by Bearhug; 27/04/05 08:16 AM.
