Need help with ST: Starfleet Command III

[MagnusTheReD]

So I was trying to play SFCIII recently, and occurred some problems.
It installed fine and all, it loads all the way to the main menu, but when I'm trying to start a mission, the game shuts down
and displays this message:

Unhandled Exception! in Version 1.00 Build 435
SFC3.exe caused an EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION in module d3d8.dll at 001B:6DA4BA33

EAX=00000000 EBX=000003B6 ECX=0526B880 EDX=0003DFD0 ESI=00000400
EDI=0003A4C0 EBP=000003FA ESP=0013FBD0 EIP=6DA4BA33 FLG=00010202
CS=001B DS=0023 SS=0023 ES=0023 FS=003B GS=0000

001B:6DA4BA33 (0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000) d3d8.dll
~

It has been suggested to me that it's a sound card-related issue, so I tried updating the driver and even shutting down the hardware sound acceleration - neither of it helped.
So I'm out of ideas now - can anybody suggest anything?

Please, guys, I need to play this game.
Reeealy need...

[charlemagne]

Could also be graphics driver, so try updating them, and while you're at it, reinstall/update DirectX, too.

[Stark]

The best solution is to remove the cd, shatter it with a hammer, burn the remains and hope all your friends forget this period of your life.

Barring that, you might actually want to provide more than zero information about your setup. What OS? What hardware? Watch SC3 patch?

[MagnusTheReD]

The best solution is to remove the cd, shatter it with a hammer, burn the remains and hope all your friends forget this period of your life.

No love for old games?

Barring that, you might actually want to provide more than zero information about your setup. What OS? What hardware? Watch SC3 patch?

Right, sorry, forgot about that...

WinXP Pro SP2
Pentium IV 3.0GHz
Geforce NX6200
512 RAM
I'm somewhat confused about the soundcard (if it's at all relevant) - I think it's CMI9880.

As for what SFC patch, it's the basic - 1.0

Updating the video driver didn't do anything, BTW.

[Stark]

No love for old crap piece of shit games?

Nope.

Right, sorry, forgot about that...

WinXP Pro SP2
Pentium IV 3.0GHz
Geforce NX6200
512 RAM
I'm somewhat confused about the soundcard (if it's at all relevant) - I think it's CMI9880.

As for what SFC patch, it's the basic - 1.0

Updating the video driver didn't do anything, BTW.

Have you cracked it? I've had all the SFC games working on XP, but Vista hates the securom and it works better if you use a cracked exe.

[charlemagne]

Did you update DirectX? Also, get the latest patches for the game, I guess.

Well, googling "EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION d3d8.dll" shows that you're not alone with your problem, there's some solution attempts there like disabling visual themes for SFC3.exe or somesuch.

[MagnusTheReD]

Have you cracked it? I've had all the SFC games working on XP, but Vista hates the securom and it works better if you use a cracked exe.

Yes, I did apply a crack, actually...

Well, googling "EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION d3d8.dll" shows that you're not alone with your problem, there's some solution attempts there like disabling visual themes for SFC3.exe or somesuch.

Man, you rock so hard that even Ozzy is jealous (the old junkie )!
Dunno how did it occur to you to google that line, but it actually worked!
I owe you my firstborn child!

Thanks for the help, dudes!

[charlemagne]

Man, you rock so hard that even Ozzy is jealous (the old junkie )!
Dunno how did it occur to you to google that line, but it actually worked!
I owe you my firstborn child!

Thanks for the help, dudes!

Well, googling "d3d8.dll" only told me where to download that file in case it was missing, so yeah, I thought it might be a good idea to google "EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION" AND "d3d8.dll" to find out what that message was all about. Got lucky that the first hit was about SFC3