New XP Install New Mame install

[Rickn]

Here is what I have :
Pentium 4 2.66 Ghz
512 Ram
XP Home loaded
On Baord Video
I have a 250 Mhz hard drive with Mame as well as most of the Roms (perhaps all)
When I start Mame, I get the Mame with all the menus, the tree showing the games, etc..
I can click on games, see the Marquis, the cabinet, the info etc.. But when I try to play them, the screen flashes a second and then just comes back to the Tree view.

I do not know whether it is a problem setup, or missing files. As this is a completely fresh install of windows on a blank hard drive,
So yes I know I need directX, loaded directX9c.

Here is a little more:

Mame Version 0.113
I have since loaded the PC version of Tiger Woods PGA from EA. During the install it checks for Directx. It told me the PGA needed DircetX8 or higher and that I have a newer version installed.

Ran PGA, and it complained "DirectX reports there is not enough Video memory to run this game...
I have since installed a Radeon9600 video card with 256 meg same situation.
 
Any thoughts, please let ,me know.
 
Thanks
 
Rick

[Joystick Jerk]

You did disable the onboard video after you put the new card in, right?

[Rickn]

Yes did that.

Thanks

Rick

[ahofle]

Not sure about the EA game, but for Mame, did you drop your zipped romsets into the mame32/roms folder?  In MAME32, you can right click on a game and select 'audit' and it will tell you if you have the correct files.

Also, I assume you are going to be testing your arcade monitors...if that is the case, you will want to change a few MAME video defaults:

Go to the 'options' menu and select 'default game options'...
Under the 'display' tab, select video mode = 'direct draw'.  Under  the 'screen' tab, select '\\ \display1' under 'screen' and check 'switch resolutions to fit'.  Then, for each game you will be able to right click and select properties and specify a particular resolution.

[Joystick Jerk]

Maybe check to see that DirectX recognizes the card and is enabling 3D acceleration. Open your Start>Run menu, and run "dxdiag" (without quotes). Click on the Display tab. First check the reported specs of the card, and make sure everything is recognized fine. Then look below that and make sure that the three entries under DirectX Features are enabled.

Oh, and this may be a silly question, but you did install the Catalyst drivers, right?

[Rickn]

Told you I am new at this what is Catalst drivers. Yes the Roms are there unzipped.

[Kaytrim]

Told you I am new at this what is Catalst drivers. Yes the Roms are there unzipped.

There is your problem.  These should stay zipped.  At least the MAME roms should stay zipped.  I don't know about anything else.

[Joystick Jerk]

Told you I am new at this what is Catalst drivers. Yes the Roms are there unzipped.

The Catalyst drivers are the video card drivers, from ATI. You can get them here:

http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/xp/radeonx-xp.html

You can either download the full Catalyst Software Suite, or just the Display Driver. If you're unsure what you're doing with the drivers, just use the full suite. If you want more control, just download the display driver, and then get ATI Tray Tools. Loading just the display driver will leave out the Catalyst Control Centre, which is ATI's bloated control panel app. Since this will limit the things you can tweak, you then get ATI Tray Tools, which adds in a tray-based control panel with buttloads of options, many which are perfect for Mame users.

[Rickn]

Thanks again, here is an update.
Removed the Radeon Card and drivers, installed the AVGA card, and moved to one of my Tri-sync monitors- the AVGA card is now up, but Mame is the same a "No Show"

Rick

[Moose13]

I have a 9600 with 128M and run TW PGA 2007 with no problem, so I don't think it's the amount ot video RAM that you're lacking.

[Rickn]

Next Step, dowloaded the command line version of Mame 0115. Now typing in at the Run Command line, for example Mame Pacman.

We are up and running.

But what is the latest working Windows mame32 and where do I get it??

Rick

[ahofle]

The latest MAME32 is 0.115a, but there seem to be several issues with it (occasional crashes to desktop, doesn't save settings, etc).  Here is the link:
http://www.whiper.com/mame/115orguk/Mame32b.115.exe

[shorthair]

Wait, through the command line you can load games?

Also, did you get what Kaytrim said?...you have your rom files zipped or unzipped?

[Rickn]

Yes through the command line I get the games going- but I loaded the command line version.

Yes they are zipped.

I am still trying to find the latest mame32- I believe it is 0.115B but I want the windows version so I will check out the site suggested in the post just prior to this.

Thanks again

Rick