System Shock source port doesn't work on my laptop but fine on the desktop

[666833f503c3fJDoran]

I've just installed System Shock v1.1.7 (the latest version of the source port) onto my laptop, and it won't work, instead I just get the error:



Kex Assertion Failure

Assertion failed.

Condition: index < m_dwSize
File: e:\projects\systemshockex\kex3_sekhmet\source\framework\array.h
Line:448


The directory mentioned in the error message doesn't exist, and not should it since I've installed the game to:

C\SSSP

Afterwards, I did install the game to E:\wingames\SSSP (in case C:\SSSP was somehow the problem), but it still gives the same error. Note that I've included a JPG of the error message in case I've typed anything wrong (don't you wish Windows would let you copy & paste error message text?).

The laptop (a Hewlett Packard G6 1331) is running Windows SP1, and I've tried the suggestions in the System Shock Enhanced Edition mini FAQ thread, so I've installed:

* Win7 platform update, if you have Windows7.
* Windows SDK and KB4019990, if you have Windows8.
* Net Framework 4.7.2
* VC++2015

as recommended, and disabled my virus killer, but I just keep getting that same error message, which appears when I start the game, it doesn't show the intro movies, or anything. The source port works fine on my desktop (Windows 7), so it's not that the game installation file is corrupt.

The earlier version  of the source port loads and runs fine on the laptop (and desktop). And the other games I've tried work fine on the laptop, it's just v1.1.7 of the System Shock source port that throws up this error and refuses to run.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated, thanks.
[Kex Assertion Failure (9-Oct-2018).jpg expired]

[666833f503e3bvoodoo47]

using steam or GOG?

[666833f503f23JDoran]

Sorry, I thought I'd said. It's the GOG version, the latest one.

[666833f5041e6Olfred]

Is the OS perhaps 32bit?

[666833f504324JDoran]

No, it's 64-bit Windows 7. Surely the source port runs on both 32 and 64 bit? Nothing unusual about the laptop, aside from being pretty old now, everything else works on it, and there's no exotic hardware or drivers on it (no steering wheel, or virtual reality equipment, etc), and no fancy desktop replacement software (I have heard of them, never tried one though) or anything else that I can think of.

[666833f504493Olfred]

Sometimes there is a 32bit OS running on laptops and I thought maybe some developer might have messed up something between versions.
Next thing I could think of is some kind of net framework mismatch. Even though there shouldn't be any problems coming from different net frameworks, sometimes modules work out of their specification. Even though it's the same version on both systems. The module used can still be different depending on CPU (and/or chipset).

It could also be a faulty hardware driver for something. Try something like safe mode and check if you manage to start the game then. If yes you should check out other drivers for your video and audio hardware.

All in all you should also report this error to the developers.

[666833f50457fvoodoo47]

already notified.

[666833f504c96JDoran]

Sometimes there is a 32bit OS running on laptops and I thought maybe some developer might have messed up something between versions.

I never thought of that, I suppose it could happen, but in this case it's a 64bit laptop running the same 64bit Windows 7 (with Microsoft's updates, of course) that it came with out of the box. Granted, the phrase "with Microsoft's updates" can often hint at the problem, but

Next thing I could think of is some kind of net framework mismatch.  Even though there shouldn't be any problems coming from different net frameworks, sometimes modules work out of their specification. Even though it's the same version on both systems. The module used can still be different depending on CPU (and/or chipset).

Yes, I thought it was likely a dependant file related error, but if it is then it's not down to the files that the FAQ advises you to use, as I've tried those, these being:

* Win7 platform update, if you have Windows7.
* Windows SDK and KB4019990, if you have Windows8.
* Net Framework 4.7.2
* VC++2015

and I've installed them all, but the problem persists. In fact, when I tried to install the VC++2015 from the FAQ's link, it turns out that there are both 32bit and 64bit versions of the VC++ installers from that link, so I thought I'd install both (I'd install the 64bit version because both Windows and the laptop are 64bit, and I'd install the 32bit version because the source port is probably (so it will run on all machines) 32bit).

And the 64bit version installed OK, but I got an error when I tried to install the 32bit version, saying that a newer version was already installed. Since the game wasn't working, I thought that maybe this was the problem (that the source port would only run with an older version of the 32bit VC++), so I uninstalled the installed 32bit version, and installed the 32bit version linked to by the FAQ. The game still wouldn't run, so I found two more versions of the 32bit VC++ installer, and neither of them make the game run.

It could also be a faulty hardware driver for something. Try something like safe mode and check if you manage to start the game then. If yes you should check out other drivers for your video and audio hardware.

I've never tried to run a game in safe mode before! Anyway, I've just tried it now, and it's the same thing, it just immediately throws up an Assertion error.

I've also just tried (in normal, not-safe mode, booting up the laptop), the following games:

Half-Life,
Deus Ex,
Skyrim,
Hard Reset,
Unreal Tournament (the first game, from 1999),
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl,
System Shock 2,
GTA San Andreas,
The Dark Mod (a Thief style game, made in the Doom 3 engine),
Thief,
and the older version of the System Shock source port (from GOG),

and every one of them loaded and started to play OK, with no problems.

Thief 2, however, seemed to stop loading when I started the program (either from it's desktop shortcut, or directly on the .exe file), it didn't even show the first movie, it just went to a black screen, but sometimes it would get to the main menu, and then when I clicked start mission it would just crash at a black screen. So I uninstalled it, and reinstalled it and it works fine now. The thing is, I've not played Thief 2 for years, and it would have been an older GOG (Good Old Games) version on there that I tried to run and it failed, as I downloaded and installed the newest version (which is working now), so I'm wondering if the same problem that's affecting the System Shock source port (i.e. the source port maybe expects to find some sort of missing file, be it a Microsoft library file or a DirectX file or whatever, maybe) also affected the older (I don't know how old) GOG version of Thief 2 but in the current GOG version Thief 2 either doesn't try to access that Windows file, or has it built into the new Thief 2 installer. And I have no way of knowing what version of Thief 2 was on the laptop beforehand, as I uninstalled it without noting the version.

And the source port still throws up the error, even though Thief 2 works fine (I know the isolated install of Thief 2 wouldn't fix it, but you alway hope, don't you?  ).

[666833f504dadOlfred]

Have you tried running it as admin?

[666833f505015JDoran]

Have you tried running it as admin?

Yes, with and without the usual compatability settings (Run this program in compatability mode for XP SP3, Disable Visual Themes, etc), I always try those with problematic software, but in this case they make no difference (I didn't expect them to, as the source ports is a modern program and so should be fully Windows 7 compatible, and it does run with no problem on my Windows 7 desktop, but of course where Windows is concerned, nothing is guaranteed).

[666833f50510avoodoo47]

I would do the classic tech guy thing - swap the drive, load windows fresh, install only what's absolutely necessary and see what happens.

[666833f505431JDoran]

I would do the classic tech guy thing - swap the drive, load windows fresh, install only what's absolutely necessary and see what happens.

I'm not sure I follow you, sorry. If you mean I should start again from scratch, as in reinstall Windows etc, on a clean drive (or format the existing one) , then you're right of course that a clean installation of Windows, drivers and whatever necessary add-ons is the one solution that's sure to work. But then I'll have to install *lots* of games, mods, etc, to bring it up to the state of the laptop's current hard drive, which will be a fair bit of work, as there's lots of stuff on the hard drive. I can do it, of course - sat in front of a laptop installing games and mods isn't real work, but I'd rather avoid it all and keep the current laptop drive's data if possible.

But you say "swap the drive", which I think means leave the current drive as it is, content-wise. Why try a new drive? I mean, yes, I can put in a new drive, install Windows and all needed drivers, and (presumably) get the source port running on the laptop, but what good will that do? Surely all it will achieve will be to show that the problem is down to Windows or a related file, but it won't tell me exactly what file(s) are different between the new, working with SSSP Windows installation, and the old, not working with SSSP installation on the original hard drive?

Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, BTW.

[666833f505534voodoo47]

this is what I usually do when troubleshooting, as putting in a spare drive and loading a clean windows install is fast and easy (at least for me). should take all the hw or driver related issues out of the equation.

[666833f505a31JDoran]

this is what I usually do when troubleshooting, as putting in a spare drive and loading a clean windows install is fast and easy (at least for me). should take all the hw or driver related issues out of the equation.

I see, now, thanks. I might have a spare SATA laptop HD, if not I'll have to connect a 3.5" HD to it (I take it thats' OK, a 2.5" and a 3.5" SATA HD are always interchangeable), but I'll leave it for a couple of days incase Night Dive or anyone else comes up with a solution that doesn't involve messing around with hardware.


Here's some more information about the problem:

First, it turns out that the error message I get when running the source port from safe mode is different from the error message I get in normal mod:

In safe mode, it says:

Error -

File: e:\projects\systemshockex\kex3_sekhmet\source\rhi\d3d11\rhi\contextd3d11.cpp
Line: 75

As opposed to when it's run in normal mode, when it gives the error message:


Kex Assertion Failure

Assertion failed.

Condition: index < m_dwSize
File: e:\projects\systemshockex\kex3_sekhmet\source\framework\array.h
Line:448


And in fact the older version of the source port, which works fine in non-safe mode, throws up this error if I try to run it in safe mode:

Error

Error -
File c:\job\prj\shockenhanced\kex3_selkis\source\rhi\d3d11\rhicontextd3d11.cpp
Line: 75

Since both of these error messages contain the text 'd3d', them I'm assuming that both versions of the game fail to work in safe mode because they're trying access DirectX, which isn't available in safe mode?



Secondly, I've checked dxdiag.exe on the laptop, and it reports that DirectX 11 is installed (as it is on my desktop) and shows no problems.



Thirdly, I've verified the game installation (Janet Computerface from the Discord channel suggested I use GOG Galaxy to verify the installation) and no error is given. I've even ZIPped up the laptop's C:\SSSP folder, unzipped it to the desktop's C: drive, ran it, and it runs fine on the desktop, even though (of course) this is the exact same installation (even down to it being called C:\SSSP) that when run on the laptop throws up an error.

[666833f505b90voodoo47]

yeah, pretty sure the game won't work in the safemode.

as far as I know, under win7, the game only needs three things - the win7 platform update, VC++ 2015, and net framework 4.7.2, so I would start installing those on a new win7 install in that order, seeing what error messages are presented after each is loaded, and when the game starts to work. whatever makes the array problem message go away is probably the thing that is malfunctioning on your laptop.

also, always install the packages that are meant for your system when available, so 64bit if you are on a 64bit system.

[666833f505c95Olfred]

Yeah, I'm out of ideas what to check for. I guess it goes down to the developers.
I didn't really followed the whole source thingie, is the source to what you want to run available freely?

[666833f505d9avoodoo47]

he's just trying to run the game (the updates source code is not available yet, btw), but he's getting an error that is not known to anyone yet.

[666833f505ea4Olfred]

Well, with an open source I could have checked what actually might happen. But as of now, no further ideas.

[666833f505f8fvoodoo47]

that's why I'm saying, when out of ideas, wipe the table clean and start from scratch.

[666833f506110Kolya]

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Kex_2

This looks to me like a bug with the game.

[666833f506828JDoran]

More information about the problem (thanks to Janet Computerface for the suggestion).

It turns out that the System Shock source port produces error files, so I deleted the existing error files, ran the source port, and it threw up the Assertion error and returned to the desktop, as expected.

The following three files were produced:

1. A file called "assert_0000.txt", with the contents:

Assertion failed.

Condition: index < m_dwSize
File: e:\projects\systemshockex\kex3_sekhmet\source\framework\array.h
Line: 448

0x0018fc60: 00000008 008aea58 0000000a 00000000 ....X...........
0x0018fc70: 03777980 77cc7343 e860914d 3325e131 .yw.Cs.wM.`.1.%3
0x0018fc80: 00000008 61c6c550 0018fda8 00000004 ....P..a........
0x0018fc90: 00000002 041aba80 0000007f 00000080 ................
0x0018fca0: 0018fcbc 0018fdd4 007674c8 00000000 .........tv.....
0x0018fcb0: 00000000 004a808e 0018fda8 008aeca4 ......J.........
0x0018fcc0: 004a808e 000001c0 00000008 61c6c550 ..J.........P..a
0x0018fcd0: 0018fda8 00000004 004c3a54 008aea58 ........T:L.X...
0x0018fce0: 00000000 0082b690 011f3418 01d45e8e .........4...^..
0x0018fcf0: a39ad12c 01d45e8e 00000000 00000000 ,....^..........
0x0018fd00: 071f2c90 00000040 00000001 00000040 .,..@.......@...
0x0018fd10: a41a610b 00000086 0000002b 00000000 .a......+.......
0x0018fd20: 0000002b 00000000 0000002b 00000000 +.......+.......
0x0018fd30: 106c0040 10e70040 11620040 11dd0040 @.l.@...@.b.@...
0x0018fd40: 12580040 12d30040 134e0040 13c90040 @.X.@...@.N.@...
0x0018fd50: 14440040 14bf0040 153a0040 15b50040 @.D.@...@.:.@...
0x0018fd60: 16300040 16ab0040 17260040 17a10040 @.0.@...@.&.@...
0x0018fd70: 181c0040 18970040 19120040 198d0040 @...@...@...@...
0x0018fd80: 1a080040 1a830040 1afe0040 1b790040 @...@...@...@.y.
0x0018fd90: 1bf40040 00000000 0082d800 0018fdd4 @...............
0x0018fda0: 00767402 ffffffff 0018fde0 004b3441 .tv.........A4K.
0x0018fdb0: 00435422 00000000 00000000 0082b330 "TC.........0...
0x0018fdc0: 0000027f 3b9aca00 a17baab6 00000086 .......;..{.....
0x0018fdd0: 0082b2e8 0018fe64 00767afc ffffffff ....d....zv.....
0x0018fde0: 61c6c550 0041e2ae 0082b2e8 00000001 P..a..A.........
0x0018fdf0: 0018fe08 0018fe78 a17b82a4 00000086 ....x.....{.....
0x0018fe00: fffffffe 75e8300b 0018fe70 0041ec70 .....0.up...p.A.
0x0018fe10: 008d8430 0721fca8 6fb09204 3f911127 0.....!....o'..?
0x0018fe20: 00000000 3ff00000 00000000 412e8480 .......?.......A
0x0018fe30: 00000000 00000000 a12f688d 00000086 .........h/.....
0x0018fe40: 00000000 408f4000 00000000 00000000 .....@.@........
0x0018fe50: 00000019 0082b2e8 00000000 404e0000 ..............N@
0x0018fe60: 0018fe78 0018feb4 00767afc ffffffff x........zv.....
0x0018fe70: 0018fec0 005bb990 002a0008 005bb990 ......[...*...[.
0x0018fe80: 00000001 00000001 002a0008 0126e2cc ..........*...&.
0x0018fe90: 0126f598 00000040 00000060 01267d50 ..&.@...`...P}&.
0x0018fea0: 00000019 00000020 6135a188 008d8430 .... .....5a0...
0x0018feb0: 0018fe80 0018fee4 0076b090 00000000 ..........v.....
0x0018fec0: 0018fef0 00409a62 00000000 002a0008 ....b.@.......*.
0x0018fed0: 00000001 002a0008 002a0018 0018ff1c ......*...*.....
0x0018fee0: 0018fed0 0018ff0c 00767240 00000000 ........@rv.....
0x0018fef0: 0018ff1c 00409b69 00000001 002a0008 ....i.@.......*.
0x0018ff00: 002a0018 0018fef8 6c831508 0018ff78 ..*........lx...
0x0018ff10: 0076721c 007f8000 00000000 0018ff88 .rv.............
0x0018ff20: 00401304 00000001 002a0008 002a0008 ..@.......*...*.
0x0018ff30: 00000000 010ddce0 7efde000 004013c5 ...........~..@.
0x0018ff40: 006e395e 00400000 00000000 011f375d ^9n...@.....]7..
0x0018ff50: 00000001 879aaf38 00000000 00000000 ....8...........
0x0018ff60: 7efde000 35ab5800 00000000 00e594d5 ...~.X.5........
0x0018ff70: 0018ff54 b231f7a8 0018ffc4 006e2ecb T.....1.......n.
0x0018ff80: 87fdb528 00000000 0018ff94 75e8336a (...........j3.u
0x0018ff90: 7efde000 0018ffd4 77cb9f72 7efde000 ...~....r..w...~
0x0018ffa0: 77c81a92 00000000 00000000 7efde000 ...w...........~
0x0018ffb0: 00000000 00000000 00000000 0018ffa0 ................
0x0018ffc0: 00000000 ffffffff 77cf71f5 001a2016 .........q.w. ..
0x0018ffd0: 00000000 0018ffec 77cb9f45 006e385c ........E..w\8n.
0x0018ffe0: 7efde000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ...~............
0x0018fff0: 00000000 006e385c 7efde000 00000000 ....\8n....~....








2. A file called "stderr.txt", which contains:

ShowMessageBox - Assertion failed.

Condition: index < m_dwSize
File: e:\projects\systemshockex\kex3_sekhmet\source\framework\array.h
Line: 448





3. A file called "stdout.txt", which contains:

17:27:58: SDL Initialized
17:27:58: Cvar System Initialized
17:27:58: Runtime Object Initialized
17:27:58: File System Initialized
17:27:58: Warning: kexengine.cfg not found
17:27:58: kexPakFileLocal::LoadZipFile: Loading C:\SSSP\\sshock.kpf
17:27:58: Archive key built 99ad73313ff43516330315344340f33492d6b91d
17:27:58: Input Initialized
17:27:58: Parallel Job Manager Initialized
17:27:59: MIDI System Initialized (Win32)
17:27:59: Available video displays: 1
17:27:59: Display monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
17:27:59: Video Initialized
17:27:59: Initializing Rendering Hardware Interface
17:27:59: Dedicated Video: 1495MB
17:27:59: Dedicated System: 0MB
17:27:59: Shared System: 2548MB
17:27:59: Vendor ID: 0x1002
17:27:59: Adaptor Feature Level: AMD Radeon(TM) HD 6620G (11_0)
17:27:59: DirectX 11 Initialized
17:27:59: Deserializing progs/dxShaders.bin...
17:27:59: Running game session
17:27:59: Script System Initialized
17:27:59: Assertion failed.

Condition: index < m_dwSize
File: e:\projects\systemshockex\kex3_sekhmet\source\framework\array.h
Line: 448
17:28:02: Shutting down job manager system
17:28:02: Shutting down MIDI
17:28:02: Shutting down renderer
17:28:02: Shutting down file system
17:28:02: Shutting down cvar system
17:28:02: Shutting down SDL




I've enclosed the three files in a zip file called "SSP Error files.zip", in case it's helpful to anyone.
[SSP Error files.zip expired]

[666833f506921voodoo47]

make sure Axemeleon from discord gets the files.

[666833f506b0bJDoran]

Axemeleon (from Discord) manage to diagnose and fix the problem in less than ten minutes. The solution was for me to copy the three folders "mods", "missions" and "localization" from the game's folder into the 'System Shock EE' folder inside the %appdata% folder.

For some reason, one or more of the files inside the %appdata%\Nightdive Studios\System Shock EE\ folder had either become corrupt or deleted, and this was fixed by copying all of the files from their original folders in the game's folder into the %appdata%\Nightdive Studios\System Shock EE\ folder.

Many thanks to Axemeleon for his invaluable help, and also to Janet Computerface, Voodoo, and everyone else for their time and patience in helping so much in narrowing down the cause of the problem, it's very much appreciated.

[666833f506e94voodoo47]

so;

this is basically microsofts fault - their idiotic permission policies for the program files folder (let the person who thought this would be a good idea suffer from a particularly prolonged and painful form of testicular cancer) forcing NDS to move part of the game files into APPDATA to circumvent the permission problems.

program files - screwing things up since January 30, 2007, and still going strong.