Sierra Technical Support Bellevue, WA 98015-8506 PO Box 85006 Phone: (206) 644-4343 Fax: (206) 644-7697 America Online: Keyword SIERRA Compuserve: Go SIERRA Email: support@sierra.com WWW: http://www.sierra.com Lighthouse Troubleshooting Guide for PC's using DOS 5.0 or higher, Windows 95, or Win 3.x Revised 10/17/96 Sierra Technical Support provides this documentation as a reference to Sierra customers using Sierra software products. Sierra Technical Support makes reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in this documentation is accurate. However, Sierra makes no warranty, either express or implied, as to the accuracy, effectiveness, or completeness of the information contained in this documentation. SIERRA ON-LINE, INC. DOES NOT WARRANTY OR PROMISE THAT THE INFORMATION HEREIN WILL WORK WITH ANY OR ALL COMPUTER SYSTEMS. SIERRA DOES NOT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY, EITHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL, FOR THE USE OF THE INFORMATION HEREIN, INCLUDING ANY AND ALL DAMAGE TO OR LOST USE OF COMPUTER HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE PRODUCTS, LOSS OF WARRANTIES, OR LOST DATA BY THE CUSTOMER OR ANY THIRD PARTY. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY SIERRA, ITS EMPLOYEES, DISTRIBUTORS, DEALER OR AGENTS SHALL CHANGE THE RESTRICTION OF LIABILITY OR CREATE ANY NEW WARRANTIES. IN NO CASE SHALL SIERRA'S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE SIERRA SOFTWARE PRODUCT. TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1 - HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS SECTION 2 - INSTALLATION PROCEDURES SECTION 3 - COMMON INSTALLATION PROBLEMS SECTION 4 - COMMON GAME PROBLEMS SECTION 5 - RUNNING THE GAME IN WINDOWS 95 SECTION 6 - SOUND CARD CONFIGURATION AND SOUND ISSUES SECTION 7 - OBTAINING A PATCH FROM SIERRA SECTION 8 - BOOT DISK INSTRUCTIONS FOR DOS AND WINDOWS 3.1 SECTION 9 - WINDOWS 95 BOOT DISK INSTRUCTIONS SECTION 10 - IF YOU STILL HAVE PROBLEMS SECTION 11 - SOUND CARD DRIVER INFORMATION SECTION 1 - HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS REQUIRED: 486DX2/66 MB RAM for Windows 8M Ram for DOS 2X CD-ROM drive MB Hard Drive Space for install MS-DOS 5.0 or higher for DOS version Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 for Windows version SVGA (640 x 480 x 256 colors) Sound Card with DAC RECOMMENDED FOR BEST PERFORMANCE: Pentium MB RAM 4X SPEED CD-ROM Drive MB Hard Drive Space Sound Card with DAC SECTION 2 - INSTALLATION PROCEDURES DOS: Insert the CD and switch to the CD drive by typing the drive letter followed by a colon. Example: D:[ENTER]. Then type INSTALL [ENTER] to begin the installation program. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation. WINDOWS 3.1: Insert the CD into the appropriate drive. From Program Manager, click on File, then Run. In the Command Line field, type the letter of the drive followed by \SETUP. Example: D:\SETUP. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation. WINDOWS 95: Insert the CD into the appropriate drive. Click on the Start Button, then Run. In the Open field, type the letter of the drive followed by \SETUP. Example: D:\SETUP. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation. SECTION 3 - COMMON INSTALLATION PROBLEMS DOS AND WINDOWS: Problem: During installation you receive the error "DISK ERROR / READ ERROR" or "NOT READY READING DRIVE X" (Where X is the drive you are installing from). Solution: The first step is to make sure that the CD is clean. If it appears clean you may need to update your drivers. CD-Rom drivers are provided by the hardware manufacturer. If you have tried both of these steps and you are still receiving the error, this usually indicates a bad disk. If you have had the product less than 90 days, Sierra will replace your game disks for free. Send Disk #1 with a copy of a dated receipt and a letter requesting disk replacement. Be sure to include your full name, mailing address and a phone number. If you have had the product over 90 days you will need to include a check or money order for $10.00. The address is: Sierra On-Line Fulfillment, PO Box 485, Coarsegold, CA 93614-0485. DOS ONLY: Problem: After typing INSTALL, a row of dots goes across the screen and stops. The computer is locked up with this row of dots appearing on the screen. Solution: The dots indicate the hardware detection portion of the installation program. You can bypass the hardware detection (and therefore the lockup) by typing INSTALL /M. If this entry doesn't work, try INSTALL /F. One of these entries should get you past the lockup. If these alternate INSTALL commands do not correct the problem, create a boot disk using the boot disk instructions in Section 6 and install the game under the boot disk environment. WINDOWS ONLY: Problem: You receive an error message stating, "Your current display driver is not supported by this game." Solution: Sierra's Windows games require that Windows is running in at least 256 color mode. Running Windows in less or colors will cause this error message. The following instructions should help you change your Windows video resolution to 256 colors: Windows 3.1 Double-click on Windows Setup in the Main program group. If the Display line reads "64,000", "32 million", "VGA" or "16 color", you will need to change to a driver that supports 256 colors. ("VGA" is a default Windows video driver that only supports 16 colors and will not work with Sierra's Windows games.) To change video drivers, select Options, then Change System Settings. Open the Display box to see the list of video drivers that are currently available. You should check your video card documentation for information on what 256 color driver to select. Be careful when changing video drivers! If you choose one that is not designed for your particular video card, Windows will not display properly. If this occurs, change to your Windows directory, type: SETUP, and choose the "VGA" driver again. You should contact your video card manufacturer for the correct driver or for additional help changing the Video Driver. Windows 95 Click on the Start button, select Settings, then Control Panel. Double-click the Display icon. You will see four tabs: Background, Screen Saver, Appearance, and Settings. Click on Settings. In the box under Color Palette, it should say 256 Color. If it does not, click on the down arrow next to the window to view a list of choices, and select the one that says 256 Color. Restart Windows when prompted to do so. If you have any trouble running Windows 95 in 256 color mode, please contact your video card manufacturer for assistance. SECTION 4 - COMMON GAME PROBLEMS Unless otherwise stated, the following issues can occur in both the DOS and Windows version. Problem: Lock-up or error message after loading CD #2. Solution: There was a problem with replication on some CD #2's. Send your defective CD back and request a replacement to the address on page 15 of the booklet in the CD-ROM jewel case. Problem: Your game is locking up in the volcano. Solution: The volcano should be visited last after everything else has been done. If the volcano is visited too early in the game, a lock-up may occur. Problem: On the first train platform, I turn the rotating lever and the computer locks up. Solution: On the first train platform you only need to pull the up-down lever to raise to the next level. There is also a patch (LIGHTPAT) which corrects this potential problem. For information on obtaining the patch see SECTION 7. Problem: When you attempt to run the game, you receive an error message indicating insufficient memory. Solution: Create a boot disk using the instructions in Section 7 or 8 and run the game under the boot disk environment. This should free up enough memory to run the game. SECTION 5 - RUNNING Lighthouse IN WINDOWS 95 The following basic troubleshooting steps should help you resolve problems such as memory errors, crashes, lockups and illegal instructions errors (GPFs). Step 1 - Run the program from a Windows 95 system disk. Memory conflicts are a common cause of problems with DOS games in the Windows '95 environment. Creating a system disk will free up more system resources and memory for your games. The system disk also creates an environment that is "cleaner" or free of extra TSR and utilities that can sometimes cause conflicts. Detailed boot disk instructions are included in Section 8 of this document. Please see SECTION 9 for instructions on creating a system disk. Step 2 - Check for corrupted files and hard drive errors. Windows 95 contains a program called Scandisk that will check your hard drive for errors. To run Scandisk, click on Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools and choose Scandisk from the list. If Scandisk finds any errors on the hard drive, fix them, then delete your game and reinstall it. Step 3 - Check your sound card drivers. Windows '95 ships with many sound card drivers, however, there are many sound cards are not directly supported. When a sound card is not directly supported by Windows '95, the game may lock up or crash. Check with your sound card manufacturer to see if they have Windows '95 drivers. If no Windows '95 drivers are available, running the game in MS- DOS mode may correct the problem. Step 4 - Reinstall the game in a clean boot environment. Lockups and other technical problems can be caused by corrupted game files. No program will run correctly if the data or executable files are corrupted. These corruptions will occur during the installation of the game and are usually due to conflicts with TSRs or other utilities running during the game installation. You should install the game in a "clean" boot environment. See Section 8 for complete instructions on creating a boot disk. Step 5 - Create a clean Windows environment. Make sure that all screen savers, virus scans, and sound-related Windows programs (IconHear It, Wired for Sound, etc.) are disabled before starting the game. You should also check to make sure that you have virtual memory enabled. You can check this by clicking on Start, Setting, Control Panel, System, Performance, Virtual Memory. Make sure that Let Windows manage my virtual memory settings is checked. Step 6 - Check your CD-ROM drivers. Windows '95 ships with the most common CD ROM drivers, however, there are some CD ROM drives out there that Windows '95 does not support directly. If you are having trouble reading CD's, check with your CD ROM drive manufacturer to find out what lines need to appear in your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT. Step 7 - Run the game in MS-DOS mode If you have Windows 95 but are running the DOS version of the game, then restart the computer in MS-DOS mode, choose Start, Shut Down, Restart in MS-DOS mode. Many DOS games will run better in this environment. SECTION 6 - SOUND CARD CONFIGURATION AND SOUND ISSUES DOS SOUND CARD CONFIGURATION In DOS, the best sound card settings for a SoundBlaster compatible card are I/O 220, DMA 1 and IRQ 5 or 7. If you're using a Pro Audio card, the best settings are I/O 220, DMA 3 and IRQ 5 for the Pro Audio portion of the card, set the SoundBlaster portion of the card to DMA 1 and IRQ 7. Make sure that the Soundblaster and ProAudio portions do not share the same DMA! Settings outside these parameters can cause lockups and/or choppy, repeating or garbled speech. Most sound cards have test utilities that will tell you what settings you are using. Check your sound card documentation for more information. DOS SOUND ISSUES Problem: Choppy, repeating or garbled speech. Solution: This is caused by non-standard sound card settings or a conflict between the sound card and another piece of hardware on your computer. See "DOS Sound Card Configuration" above for supported settings and refer to your sound card documentation for information on resolving hardware conflicts. WINDOWS 95 SOUND ISSUES Problem: No sound or music. Solution: This may be caused by incorrect driver selection or outdated or incompatible sound card drivers. For more information on troubleshooting sound issues in Windows '95 you can download SOUNDW95.TXT from our web page or contact your sound card manufacturer. SECTION 7 - OBTAINING A PATCH FROM SIERRA There is one patch available for Lighthouse. This patch (LIGHTPAT) corrects the following: Corrects graphics distortion in the volcano when viewing the Dark Being trapped in a bottle. Corrects problem where Fresnel lamp is not checked by game for a good modulation tube causing an incorrect ending. Fixes problem where front door of the player's house looks open but player can not exit even after the keys are clicked on the car. Fixes instances where the "IN-OUT" button for the train does not clear properly causing an error. Fixes instances where the game locks up if the rotating lever is used on the first platform in the volcano. Fixes instances where using the crane the second time results in error "65535.v56". IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to changes in the game's program files, you may have to restore a saved game previous to the problem area(s). The fastest way to obtain this patch disk is to download it from one of the following on-line services: Sierra On-Line's Web site (http://www.sierra.com), CompuServe (GO SIERRA) or America OnLine (KEYWORD SIERRA). You can also request a patch disk be mailed to you by calling Sierra Technical Support at 206-644-4343, faxing to 206- 644-7697 or writing to Sierra Technical Support, PO Box 85006, Belleuve, WA 98015-8506. SECTION 8 - BOOT DISK INSTRUCTIONS FOR DOS OR WINDOWS 3.1 IMPORTANT NOTE: Please read the entire instructions prior to starting at Step 1. If you are playing a Windows game, skip Step 2. If you are not playing a CD game, skip Steps 3 and 4. STEP 1 FORMATTING THE DISK To make a boot disk, you must system format a high density diskette in the A: drive. This procedure will transfer the "system files" to the disk and allow the computer to boot up correctly. The disk must be in the A: drive; the computer will not boot from the B: drive. At a DOS prompt, type the FORMAT command as follows: FORMAT A: /S If you get a "Bad command or file name" error message, type: PATH=C:\DOS Then retype the FORMAT command above. If you receive the error again, the MS-DOS FORMAT command may not be on your system, or it may have been renamed. Programs such as PC Tools and Norton Disk Utilities sometimes rename the FORMAT command to prevent accidental loss of data. If you are using a program of this type, check your documentation to find out how to format a SYSTEM DISK, then proceed to Step 2. STEP 2 LOCATING THE MOUSE DRIVER (skip if playing a Windows game) If you are playing a game that uses a mouse, the Microsoft compatible mouse driver must be loaded into memory with the boot disk. There are two kinds of mouse drivers available: those that load in the CONFIG.SYS file and those that load in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. CONFIG.SYS mouse drivers have an extension of .SYS (MOUSE.SYS) and AUTOEXEC.BAT drivers have either a .COM or .EXE extension (MOUSE.COM, MOUSE.EXE). You must load at least one of these drivers, but it is not necessary to load them all. If you do not know where the mouse drivers are located on your system, the command below should help you locate them. Type the following at the C:\ prompt: DIR MOUSE* /S This command will cause the system to search all subdirectories for a file called MOUSE. If the system locates a MOUSE file, it will display the path where the file is located. For example, if the MOUSE.COM file is located in a C:\MOUSE directory, the system will display: Directory of C:\MOUSE MOUSE.SYS 55160 03-10-92 3:10a MOUSE.COM 56408 03-10-03 6:00a If this procedure does not locate a MOUSE file, your mouse driver may have a different name; some common names for mouse drivers are IMOUSE, GMOUSE and HPMOUSE. Your should check your mouse documentation for the exact file names and how to install them. Once you have located the mouse driver, you must copy it to the boot disk. The following example assumes that the mouse drivers are located in the C:\MOUSE directory as shown above. To copy the MOUSE files to the boot disk, type: COPY C:\MOUSE\MOUSE.* A: Substitute the appropriate path and file names for your mouse drivers in the command above. After you press ENTER, you should see a message indicating that some files were copied. STEP 3 LOCATING THE CD ROM DEVICE DRIVER (skip if not playing a CD game) The CD ROM drive requires a device driver loaded in the CONFIG.SYS file. This driver must be loaded correctly or you will be unable to access your CD ROM drive. To make sure that the device driver loads correctly on the boot disk, look at the CONFIG.SYS on the hard drive and copy the driver line from there. To display the CONFIG.SYS, type the following at a DOS prompt: TYPE CONFIG.SYS |MORE The CONFIG.SYS file will display on the screen. Look for the line that loads the CD ROM device driver. The line should look something like this: DEVICE=C:\DRV\CDROMDRV.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:220 DEVICEHIGH=C:\DRV\CDROMDRV.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:220 DEVICEHIGH /L:14652 =C:\DRV\CDROMDRV.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:220 The device driver in your CONFIG.SYS may differ slightly from those listed above. Carefully write down the line for use in your boot disk. If you have a SCSI CD ROM drive, there may be an additional driver in your CONFIG.SYS that must be loaded for the CD ROM device drivers to load correctly. Check your CD drive documentation for more information. NOTE: If you cannot locate the driver in your CONFIG.SYS file, check your CD-ROM drive documentation, or contact the drive's manufacturer. STEP 4 LOCATING THE MSCDEX CD ROM EXTENSION (skip if not playing a CD game) In addition to the CD ROM device driver in the CONFIG.SYS, your CD ROM drive requires MSCDEX, the Microsoft extension for CD ROM drives. If this extension is not loaded correctly in the AUTOEXEC.BAT, you will be unable to access your CD ROM drive. To display the AUTOEXEC.BAT, type the following at a DOS prompt: TYPE AUTOEXEC.BAT |MORE The AUTOEXEC.BAT file will display on the screen. Look for the line that loads MSCDEX. It should look something like this: \DOS\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 LH C:\DOS\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 LOADHIGH /L:14429 C:\DOS\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 The MSCDEX line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT may differ slightly from the ones above. Carefully write down the line for use in your boot disk. STEP 5 LOCATING THE SOUND CARD DRIVERS Many sound cards have drivers or initialization lines that must be loaded in the AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS. Some sound cards that require these drivers or initialization routines are the SoundBlaster 16, MAD16 and the Aria 16. At the end of this document, you will find a section labeled "Sound Cards". These tables contain the sound card lines for many common sound cards. Check to see if your sound card is on the list. If it is, you will need to add the appropriate lines to the AUTOEXEC.BAT and/or CONFIG.SYS on your boot disk. If your sound card is not listed, you should check your documentation for information on what needs to load in the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS. STEP 6 CREATING THE CONFIG.SYS FILE To create the CONFIG.SYS file on the boot disk, type the following at a DOS prompt: EDIT CONFIG.SYS This will display the blank (usually blue) screen of the DOS Editor. Enter the following lines: DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS (leave this line out if you're playing a Windows game) DOS=HIGH,UMB FILES=30 BUFFERS=20 If you're using MOUSE.SYS to load your mouse, add the following line: DEVICEHIGH=A:\MOUSE.SYS If you're playing a CD game, add the CD ROM device driver as you wrote it down in the "Locating the CD ROM Device Driver" section. If you're playing a standard DOS game, the device driver should look something like this: DEVICEHIGH=C:\DRV\CDROMDRV.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:220 If you need to load any sound card drivers, copy them from the "Sound Cards" section now. The following example lines are for the SoundBlaster 16: DEVICEHIGH=C:\SB16\DRV\CTSB16.SYS /UNIT=0 /BLASTER=A:220 I:5 D:1 H:5 DEVICEHIGH=C:\SB16\DRV\CTMMSYS.SYS Save the file by pressing , , then . Exit the file by pressing , , then . STEP 7 CREATING THE AUTOEXEC.BAT FILE To create the AUTOEXEC.BAT file on the boot disk, type the following at a DOS prompt: EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT This will display the blank (usually blue) screen of the DOS Editor. Enter the following lines: @ECHO OFF \ SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM PROMPT SIERRA BOOT DISK $_$P$G PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\SIERRA If you are using the MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.EXE file to load your mouse, add the appropriate line: LH A:\MOUSE.COM If you're playing a CD game, add the MSCDEX line as you write it down in the "Locating the MSCDEX CD ROM Extension" section. For example: LH C:\DOS\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 If you are playing a Windows game, add the following line: LH C:\DOS\SMARTDRV If you need to run any sound card initialization programs or load any drivers, copy them from the "Sound Cards" section now. The following example lines are for the SoundBlaster 16: SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 T6 SET SOUND=C:\SB16 SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E \SB16\SB16SET /M:220 /VOC:220 /CD:220 /MIDI:220 /LINE:220 \SB16\DIAGNOSE /S Save the file by pressing , , then . Exit the file by pressing , , then . STEP 8 REBOOT THE COMPUTER AND START THE GAME Reboot your system by pressing the button on your computer or by using the key sequence on your keyboard. Follow the instructions in the game manual to start the game. SECTION 9 - SYSTEM DISK INSTRUCTIONS FOR WINDOWS 95 IMPORTANT NOTE: Please read all instructions before beginning this procedure. STEP 1 FORMATTING THE DISK To make a boot disk, you must system format a high density diskette in the A: drive. This procedure will transfer the "system files" to the disk and allow the computer to boot up correctly. The disk must be in the A: drive; the computer will not boot from the B: drive. To format a disk in Windows 95, put the disk in the drive, open My Computer, then right click on the A: icon. From the pop-up menu, select Format. Under "Format type" select Full; under "Other options", choose Copy system files. Click on Start. After the disk is formatted, you must copy the MSDOS.SYS file from the hard drive to the floppy disk. To do this, leave the floppy disk in the drive, open Windows Explorer and find the MSDOS.SYS file in the root of the C: drive. Right click on the file, then select Send to from the pop-up menu. Send the file to the A: drive. NOTE: If you don't see the MSDOS.SYS file in Explorer, the file is hidden. To make the file visible, select View, Options, then Show all files. If you do not wish the hidden files to remain visible, you can hide them again after you've made the boot disk by choosing View, Options, Hide files of this type. SECTION 10 - IF YOU STILL HAVE PROBLEMS... Sierra On-Line has a full library of help documents available electronically. You can download them from the following sources: America On-Line: Use keyword SIERRA and choose "Software Libraries", then "Troubleshooting Guides & FAQ's" CompuServe: Use go SIERRA, choose "The Sierra On-Line Forum", then search the "Help Documents" library. Go to our home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.sierra.com and follow the on-screen information. Additionally, you can get your document via our automated faxback service. Call (206) 644-4343, choose to use the automated technical support system and follow the voice instructions provided. You will be faxed a catalog of all of the documents that we have to offer and you will then be able to get the documents you need. If you prefer, you can also fax us at (206) 644-7697 with your document request. If you prefer to get assistance from a technician, Sierra Technical Support will be happy to assist you. All of the online services listed above are staffed by Sierra technicians. Additionally, you can send e-mail to support@sierra.com. Additionally, a Sierra Technical Support Support request form has been enclosed in case you wish to contact us via fax or U.S. mail. Simply fill it out and return it to us. Our fax number is (206) 644-7697 and our mailing address is: Sierra On-Line Technical Support PO Box 85006 Bellevue, WA 98015-8506 For phone assistance, you can reach Sierra Technical Support at (206) 644- 4343 between 8:00 am and 4:45 pm, Monday through Friday. Please try to be at your system or have a copy of a Microsoft Diagnostics (MSD) report from it when you call. If you are in Europe, please contact our office in England. The Customer Support number is (0118) 920-9111, between am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The fax number is (0118) 987- 5603. Customer Service can also be reached at the following address: Sierra On-Line Limited BEACONTREE PLAZA GILLETTE WAY READING RG2 OBS UNITED KINGDOM Thanks for choosing Sierra Sierra Technical Support Request To help us help you, please fill out this information and return it to Sierra Technical Support. Name: Fax number: Phone number: Address: Game name, version number and S/N number (from disk #1): What problem are you having? Be VERY specific. Is there an error message? What is it? Where does it occur? Does it happen the same way each time? Floppy or CD? Are you playing in Windows or DOS? Type of computer (386, 486, etc.) Brand of video card (Trident, Diamond, etc.) Amount of RAM (4 meg, 8 meg, etc.) DOS version (MS-DOS 6.0, PC-DOS 6.2, etc.) Windows version (3.1, WFWG, Win95, etc.) Brand of sound card and sound card settings (SoundBlaster Pro, Forte16, Mozart, etc. Please be VERY specific with the brand name. Sound card settings include DMA, IRQ and I/O values.) Any disk compression? What kind? (Doublespace, Stacker, etc.) Any third-part memory manager? What kind? (QEMM, 386MAX, etc.) Largest executable program size or bytes free after booting with the boot disk. (Type MEM to find out.) What have you tried so far? (Boot disk, no sound, etc.) Please attach copies of your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT from your hard drive and the boot disk.