Microsoft KB Archive/286467

Knowledge Base

MechWarrior 4 Error Message: STOP: Cannot Create Options.ini or STOP: This is isn't a database.

Article ID: 286467

Article Last Modified on 10/6/2003

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft MechWarrior 4: Vengeance
• Microsoft MechWarrior 4: Black Knight

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This article was previously published under Q286467

SYMPTOMS

When you start Microsoft MechWarrior 4, you may receive one of the following error messages:

STOP: Cannot create "options.ini"

-or-

STOP: This is isn't a database.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the Options.ini file is missing.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, run the Autoconfig configuration utility before you start the game:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type the following line, and then click OK

   drive:\program files\microsoft games\mechwarrior vengeance\autoconfig.exe

   where drive is the letter of the hard disk on which MechWarrior 4 is installed.
3. Click Continue.
4. Restart MechWarrior 4.

If the problem continues to occur, remove and then reinstall the game. To do this, use the following methods in the order in which they are presented.

Uninstall MechWarrior 4

To uninstall MechWarrior 4:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
3. Click Microsoft MechWarrior 4: Vengeance, and then click Add/Remove or Change/Remove.
4. Click Uninstall.
5. Click Remove saved games files.
6. Click OK.
7. Follow the instructions on the screen to uninstall MechWarrior 4.

Delete the MechWarrior Vengeance Folder

To delete the MechWarrior Vengeance folder:

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
2. In the Named box, type MechWarrior Vengeance.
3. In the Look in box, click My Computer.
4. Make sure that the Include subfolders check box is selected.
5. Click Find Now.
6. Right-click the MechWarrior Vengeance folder, click Delete, and then click Yes.
7. Close the Find: Files Named MechWarrior Vengeance window.

Clean Boot the Computer

To clean boot the computer, use the appropriate method for your version of Microsoft Windows.

Microsoft Windows Me

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. On the General tab, click Selective startup.
3. Click to clear all of the check boxes under Selective startup.
4. On the Startup tab, click to select the *StateMgr check box.
5. Click OK. When you see the prompt to restart your computer, click Yes. After the computer restarts, click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.IMPORTANT: Ensure that the check boxes you cleared in the General tab are still cleared. Proceed to step 6 if all of the check boxes are cleared. If you see a disabled or gray check box, your computer is not clean-booted and you may need assistance from the manufacturer of the program that places a check mark back into Msconfig.
   

1. : Ensure that the check boxes you cleared in the General tab are still cleared. Proceed to step 6 if all of the check boxes are cleared. If you see a disabled or gray check box, your computer is not clean-booted and you may need assistance from the manufacturer of the program that places a check mark back into Msconfig.After you verify that your computer is clean-booted in step 5, you can isolate the issue. If the original issue does not reoccur after the clean boot, select one item at a time under Selective startup, and then restart the computer to see if the additional entry reproduces the original issue.

Microsoft Windows 98

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type msconfig, and then click OK.
3. On the General tab, click Selective Startup, and then click to clear the following check boxes:
   

1. • Process Config.sys File
   • Process Autoexec.bat File
   • Process Winstart.bat File (if available)
   • Process Win.ini File
   • Load Startup Group Items
2. Click OK. When you are prompted to restart the computer, do so.

For additional information about how to clean boot Windows 98, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98

NOTE: To restore your original Startup options, click Normal Startup on the General tab in System Configuration Utility.

Microsoft Windows 95

1. Restart the computer. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press the F8 key, and then select Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.
2. At the command prompt, type win, and then press ENTER. Press and hold down the SHIFT key until the Windows startup sequence is complete.
3. Disable any anti-virus or disk tool programs installed on the computer.
   

For information about how to disable these programs, see the printed or online documentation for the program.

1. Quit all running programs except Explorer and Systray. To do this, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, click the program that you want to quit, and then click End Task. If you receive a message that the program is busy or not responding, click End Task again. Repeat this step to quit all programs except Explorer and Systray.

For additional information about how to clean boot Windows 95, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

177604 Multimedia: Troubleshooting Using Clean Boot of Windows 95

NOTE: To restore your original Startup options, restart the computer normally, and then enable any anti-virus or disk tool programs installed on the computer. For information about how to enable these programs, see the printed or online documentation for the program.

Install MechWarrior 4 into a New Folder

1. Insert the MechWarrior compact disc into your computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then follow the Setup Wizard instructions on your screen. If the Setup Wizard does not appear, complete steps 2 and 3 below. Otherwise, skip to step 4.
2. Click Start, click Run, and then type <drive>:setup, where <drive> is the drive letter of your computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
3. Click Install, click Next, and then click Change.
4. In the Path box, delete the existing path, and then type the following line:

   <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\MechWarrior 4

   where <drive> is the drive letter of the hard disk on which you want to install MechWarrior Vegeance.
5. Click OK. When you are prompted to create the folder, click Yes.
6. Click OK, and then follow the instructions on the screen to reinstall MechWarrior Vengeance.
7. Restart if prompted.

Additional query words: msgame mech4 database options.ini

Keywords: kberrmsg kbprb KB286467

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