Microsoft KB Archive/233657

Links 386: Blank Screen When You Start the Game

PSS ID Number: Q233657 Article last modified on 07-02-1999

MS-DOS:

MS-DOS

================================================================ ==

The information in this article applies to:

 Links 386 CD == Links 386 Pro == 

= SYMPTOMS =

When you start one of the programs listed at the beginning of this article, the screen may turn blank, and the program may not start.

= CAUSE =

This behavior can occur if any of the following conditions are true:


 * The folder in which you installed Links 386 CD or Links 386 Pro contains the Golf.exe file.
 * The mouse driver is incompatible with Links 386.
 * The video driver may not be VESA compliant.
 * The game configuration file is damaged.
 * One or more game program files are missing or damaged.

= RESOLUTION =

To resolve this issue, use the following methods in the order in which they are presented:

Remove the Golf.exe File
The Golf.exe file is the executable file for Links: The Challenge of Golf. It is not required to play Links 386. If the Golf.exe file is present, it interferes with the execution of the Links 386 startup file (Golf.bat).

To remove the Golf.exe file:


 * 1) Click Start, point to Find, and then click “Files or Folders.”
 * 2) In the Named box, type “golf.exe” (without the quotation marks).
 * 3) In the Look In box, click My Computer, and then click Find Now.
 * 4) In the list of found files, right-click the Golf.exe file, and then click Delete. If you are prompted to confirm the file deletion, click Yes.
 * 5) Close the “Find: Files named golf.exe” window.

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Configure a Generic MS-DOS Mouse Driver
For information about how to configure an MS-DOS mouse driver for Links and Access games, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q230096 Links & Access Games: Installing a Mouse Driver

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Determine if Your Video Driver Is VESA-Compliant
For information about how to determine if your video driver is VESA-compliant, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q233380 Links & Access Games: How to Determine if Your Video Driver Is VESA-Compliant

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Remove the Game Configuration File
To delete the Links386.cfg or Linkscd.cfg file:

  Click Start, and then click Run.   In the Open box, type the following line, and then click OK : where is the hard disk on which Links 386 or Links Pro is installed, and is the folder in which Links 386 or Links Pro is installed.   Right-click the Links386.cfg or Linkscd.cfg file, and then click Delete. If you are prompted to confirm the file deletion, click Yes.   Close the Links 386 or Links Pro folder. 

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Use a Game Startup Disk to Start the Computer
For information about how to create and configure a game startup disk, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q233143 Links & Access Games: How to Create and Configure a Startup Disk

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Reinstall Links
To do this:


 * 1) Delete the existing Links folder.
 * 2) To verify the integrity of your hard disk, run ScanDisk to check for lost clusters and errors. To do this, use the appropriate method for your operating system.

Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98:

<ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">  Click Start, and then click Run. </li>  In the Open box, type “scandisk” (without the quotation marks), and then click OK. </li>  In the “Select the drive(s) you want to check for errors” box, click to select your hard disk. If more than one hard disk is installed in your computer, press and hold down the SHIFT key as you click each additional hard disk. </li>  Under “Type of test,” click Thorough, and then click Start. </li>  If you are prompted to fix any errors on the hard disk, do so. </li>  When the test is finished, click Close. </li></ol>

MS-DOS:

<ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">  At the command prompt, type &quot;cd&quot; (without the quotation marks), and then press ENTER. </li>  At the command prompt, type “scandisk” (without the quotation marks), and then press ENTER. </li>  When you are prompted to perform a surface scan, click Yes or press ENTER. </li></ol>

<ol start="3" style="list-style-type: decimal;"> Reinstall and configure Links 386 CD or Links 386 Pro, and then install any add-on courses you want to use.</li></ol>

Additional query words: access links386 linkspro tshoot

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========================================================= Keywords : kbdisplay kbtshoot kbimu Version : MS-DOS: Platform : MS-DOS Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.