Having a problem getting this loaded up on my XP machine.

Installs all ok, but when I come to run the game it goes to a black screen and then back to the desktop.

The games comes with Quicktime 3 - tried updating new 7, but same problem happens.

Also tweaked with compatability settings no joy.

Tried installing using DosBox but it's a Windows game so comes up with a Win error.

Any ideas please?

I did see an achive post with a similar problem - followed the advice on there - removed ALL Quicktime apps / settings and reinstalled with Quicktime 3 - no joy.

Sometimes I get an Error Report message other times just goes on the black screen and off again.

Really am at a loss - only old game I cannot install after recently playing Gabriel Knight and the Tex Murphy games again.

Hope you can help

I think you may have to run this game inside Virtual PC.

I did find a post ***here***, but it was from back in 2004 and mainly concerned with sound problems. They do recommend to use QuickTime 4 instead of 3. In case the Web archive is down, I'll quote the post below.



If you want to try QuickTime 4, you can get it at oldversion.com
http://www.oldversion.com/QuickTime.html

That's the joy of QuickTime - no backwards compatibility; use the version that shipped with the game.



Did you try compatibility for Windows 9x while using QuickTime 3?



DOSBox is only useful for DOS applications, this game was released in 1998 (Windows 9x).



I'm not sure how that would affect the X-Files, those are DOS games, and would have to be played under emulation, like DOSBox.

I found this:

Xfiles link

I have tried other versions of Quicktime - no joy.

I uninstalled bother X-Files & Quicktime and installed the game from scratch and DID NOT install Quicktime. The game installs ok and when I attempt to load up correctly states that it needs Quicktime to play and that Quicktime 3 is found on Disc 1.

I then install Quicktime 3 and I get an Error when it attempts to load with an Error Report log (which won't let me copy and paste it)

I fi Try Quicktime 4, the Error message DOES NOT appear, it just goes to the black screen and back to my desktop again.

Regarding DosBox - really meant DFend which is the front end for DosBox - have quite a few Windows games installed on here. Just so all my adventure games can be seen and loaded up from one place.

There's always Virtual PC and VMware Player, although you would need an installable version of an Operating System.

Some games are finicky about the Desktop resolution. Have you tried starting the game in 640x480?

Edit -

Did you look for the residual files QT files, those mentioned in the link you posted?

Yes I did a search and deleted ALL QT files.

Also tried all compatability options pretty much, 95, 98, 2000, etc - 640x480, etc, etc

Also tried getting the ISO images and tried installing thast way - exact same problem. Just sounds like a Quicktime error to me.

Tried fiddling about with file association types and can actually get the video files to play in QT

After doing that you should run a registry cleaner (for example, run the ***registry option in Ccleaner*** and "Scan for Issues") because deleting the files doesn't delete the registry entries. If you leave behind the registry entries and try going back to an earlier version of QuickTime, it probably won't work, no matter what the game.

You didn't say whether you have a widescreen monitor or not. If you aren't using Virtual PC or VMware, you won't be able to run the game windowed and the game may refuse to run in a widescreen aspect ratio.

There are reviewers at ***Amazon*** who claim to have gotten it working in Vista or in Windows 7 by using XP compatibility mode. So it really should run in XP once you figure out what the problem is.

Thanks for that - will try later today when I get in from work.

Will use the registry cleaner and would you suggest a new install of QT7 rather than QT3 that comes with the game?

That Amazon review got it working with the latest version of QT.

Hoping this will work now!

Fingers crossed

Fiery, In my opinion, I would Install the last quick time version available (QT7) and I'd try something if You haven't already tried.

Have You tried to disable video and/or audio hardware acceleration in the quicktime control panel?

To do this You have to go to the Control Panel and run the quick time icon, then, there is a tab called advanced and there You can see some video options in a frame. You could try to set the video to safe mode, only GDI

There is also a tab named Audio where You can set the audio to safe mode, only Waveout, although If I had to guess I would say that most of the problems usually came from the video part, so, You can start changing only the video and see how it goes


But, and this is very important. You must search in the game directory/folder (and in the subdirectories and subfolders of course) for .qtp files and delete them because those files are quick-time preference files and if they exist in the game directory, the game will use them instead of the preferences You are changing in the quick-time control panel


After You finish testing all these things, remember to let things as they were in the quick time control panel, so You can play videos with hardware acceleration normally when using Windows or other games

I must be doing something wrong!

I install QT7 - try running the X-Files game but it is saying it requires QT and that QT3 is on disk 1

If I install QT3 and then load the game I get the data error message and it crashes!

I even went to QT7 preferences and made sure all fiie association types were ticked

RESULT!

Works in QT6!

You defo have to safe node only GDI selected or you can not see any visuals (thanks Zenger) and thanks to all of you other peeps who helped.

Hopefully anyone else stuck with installing this great game can now refer to this

Thanks again

Well that was weird.
Glad you found a solution though.

That's great .

I'm glad that You've been able to fix the problem Fiery

Regards

Was just going to have an evening playing The X-Files but it only goes and crashes as the start!

Loads up fine, plays the intro movie, title screen appears.

I select new investigation and it shows outside your department, then it crashes and the bottom half of my desktop appears on the screen maximised. Can only exit via Task Manager!

Tried changing compatability mode and disabling visual themes, etc - same happens.

So close.........

Looks like it's time to play with Virtual PC - assuming you have a copy of Windows 9x you can install.

Steve Metzler has a really good write up on it, you can find it below.
Virtual PC 2007 FAQ