Gathering Exception Data?

[jjk2000]

everytime i try to play halo on my computer, i get ingame and then my halo minimizes and i get a Gathering Exception Data! error. does anyone know how to fix this problem? i've looked all over and i still haven't found a way to fix it!

[Zer0Soul]

What drivers are you running? Are you running the latest for all system components?

Halo also has had problems with overclocked Athlon Xp's. I doubt this is your problem, but you may want to check into that.

[jjk2000]

Originally Posted by Zer0Soul

What drivers are you running? Are you running the latest for all system components?

Halo also has had problems with overclocked Athlon Xp's. I doubt this is your problem, but you may want to check into that.

i have 2 computers. one with an athalon xp, and another with a AMD K6-III. The one with the K6-III is the one i'm having trouble with.
now, dont tell me the K6-III is the problem, because i do get 2-3min of gameplay, and halo plays in full motion. no frames. I have the latest drivers for my hardware. Here is the K6-III's computer specs:

AMD K6-III(at the normal 450mhz)
Geforce 2 Mx 100/200
Sound Blaster Live!
Internal 56x CD-ROM Drive
Sony CD Burner
WinXP

For the Geforce, I have the latest driver that NVidia has released.

[Zer0Soul]

Well then. I'd say wow minimum specs there, but you said don't tell you that. So, I'm sorry to say I'm clueless.

[jjk2000]

Originally Posted by Zer0Soul

Well then. I'd say wow minimum specs there, but you said don't tell you that. So, I'm sorry to say I'm clueless.

some people have had the same problem on even todays computers.

Check this out: http://halo.ogresnet.com/forums/inde...t=0&#entry2443

Oh, and i also tried that MSCONFIG thing. it didnt work.

[FLaRe85]

Originally Posted by jjk2000

some people have had the same problem on even todays computers.

Check this out: http://halo.ogresnet.com/forums/inde...t=0&#entry2443

Oh, and i also tried that MSCONFIG thing. it didnt work.

Ermm... minum system requirements for Halo:

Microsoft® Windows® 98SE/Me/XP/2000
PC with 733 MHz equivalent or higher processor
128 MB of system RAM
1.2 GB available hard disk space
8x speed or faster CD-ROM drive
32 MB T&L capable video card required
Sound card, speakers or headphones required for audio
Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
56.6 Kbps or better modem or LAN for online play; broadband to run a server

Even if you manage to get the game running, it will perform horribly.

[jjk2000]

Originally Posted by ShADoWFLaRe85

Ermm... minum system requirements for Halo:

Microsoft® Windows® 98SE/Me/XP/2000
PC with 733 MHz equivalent or higher processor
128 MB of system RAM
1.2 GB available hard disk space
8x speed or faster CD-ROM drive
32 MB T&L capable video card required
Sound card, speakers or headphones required for audio
Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
56.6 Kbps or better modem or LAN for online play; broadband to run a server

Even if you manage to get the game running, it will perform horribly.

i did get the game running, and it was in full motion. i just put in a K6-II+ and put it at 600mhz. i'm gonna see what happens now.

[Katsuya]

I had this happen too. just set it to win98 mode. it will work just fine

[Player-X]

And I thought that my 2 computers are the only ones that have enough speed to play Halo

[jjk2000]

Originally Posted by Katsuya

I had this happen too. just set it to win98 mode. it will work just fine

win98 is when i first got the error.

The processor is now running at 600mhz. The error has nothing to do with the processor.does anyone have an answer? besides "wow minimum specs"?

[Katsuya]

How many computers have you tried it on? and what os are you runing?

and did you use the HALO update?

[jjk2000]

Originally Posted by Katsuya

How many computers have you tried it on? and what os are you runing?

and did you use the HALO update?

I've tried it on my AMD Athalon xp2500+ (overclocked it to 2.2ghz)it worked fine. that cpu has winxp.

the k6-II+ has winxp, and yes, i have tried the halo update. i know people have been getting this error for different reasons. there has been different ways of fixing it to. but none, have been working on mine.

[Katsuya]

What compatibility mode are you using?

(also what Codepath are you useing?)

[jjk2000]

Originally Posted by Katsuya

What compatibility mode are you using?

(also what Codepath are you useing?)

i havent tried a compatibility mode yet. uhhh....codepath? do you mean directory or something?(sry if this sounds kinda stupid).

[Katsuya]

Originally Posted by jjk2000

i havent tried a compatibility mode yet. uhhh....codepath? do you mean directory or something?(sry if this sounds kinda stupid).

Find Halo.exe right-click it change it to windows 98/ME mode

Also try the HALO Safe mode

And find what Codepath the game is using

-Note on Codepath-
1. Rendering features

1.1 Rendering modes
1.1.1 What are the different rendering code paths supported by Halo PC?
Halo supports 4 different rendering code paths:

Pixel shaders 2.0 (DirectX 9.0)
In this code path, you are making absolutely no compromises on the visual quality of the game. You are seeing everything as best as possible, as engineered by our team. All the effects are in their most demanding form (as complex of a calculation as necessary to generate the best visual result possible).

Having said this, for many simple effects, even if you are running PS2.0, the game will automatically use a 1.4 or 1.1 shader because the visual result is exactly the same.

Pixel shaders 1.4 (DirectX 8.0)
When running in PS1.4, you are compromising only a subset of effects. Specifically:
- No bumped mirrored surfaces
- Some video effects are two-pass

Pixel shaders 1.1 (DirectX 8.0)
PS1.1 is probably the most widespread pixel shader version currently. When running in the PS1.1 rendering code path, the visual compromises are (in addition to the PS1.4 compromises):
- No model self-illumination (excluding some specific environmental models)
- No animated lightmaps
- Fog calculations are triangle based, not pixel based
- No specular lights

Cards that support Hardware T&L (fixed function - DirectX 7.0)
This is the most basic rendering code path for Halo. When running in that mode, you have to accept many visual compromises but are still getting a compelling Halo visual experience. The compromises are:
- No shadows
- Simple active camouflage effect
- No glows or flares
- Very basic fog, water and lighting

Note that you can always scale down your video card but you can?t scale up. Check your video card?s documentation to determine witch version of DirectX / pixel shaders it supports. If, for example, your card supports PS2.0, you can choose to compromise many of Halo?s effects by forcing it to run PS1.1. However, if your card supports PS1.1, you can?t force it to PS2.0 ? this is actually happening in hardware, not in software.

1.1.2 How do I force the game to use a different rendering code path?
You force Halo to use a difference rendering code path by adding an argument to its command line. The arguments are "use20, "use14, "use11 and "useff. For example, to force Halo to run in PS1.4 mode, you would launch Halo by typing: "halo.exe use14". If you are using the shortcut installed on your desktop, follow these steps to add an argument to your shortcut:

1. Right-click on the shortcut and choose Properties.
2. In the target field, you will see ?C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo\halo.exe? (assuming you?ve installed in the default directory). Add ?use14 at the end of it.

1.1.3 The explanation is cool and everything but what?s the bottom line on rendering code paths?
Bottom line is, experiment. Figure out what works for you and your system for single player campaign play and for online multiplayer.

For example, in single player, I would rather compromise resolution, sound variety, effect details and a few frames-per-second than forcing PS1.4. However, others on the team will gladly force PS1.4 to run on a higher resolution. For multiplayer, I?m absolutely forcing PS1.1, compromising shadows, decals and sound variety to get a consistent high framerate at a higher resolution. This is a matter of personal preference.

[Katsuya]

note I fixed some of the info.

[jjk2000]

Originally Posted by Katsuya

Find Halo.exe right-click it change it to windows 98/ME mode

Also try the HALO Safe mode

And find what Codepath the game is using

-Note on Codepath-
1. Rendering features

1.1 Rendering modes
1.1.1 What are the different rendering code paths supported by Halo PC?
Halo supports 4 different rendering code paths:

Pixel shaders 2.0 (DirectX 9.0)
In this code path, you are making absolutely no compromises on the visual quality of the game. You are seeing everything as best as possible, as engineered by our team. All the effects are in their most demanding form (as complex of a calculation as necessary to generate the best visual result possible).

Having said this, for many simple effects, even if you are running PS2.0, the game will automatically use a 1.4 or 1.1 shader because the visual result is exactly the same.

Pixel shaders 1.4 (DirectX 8.0)
When running in PS1.4, you are compromising only a subset of effects. Specifically:
- No bumped mirrored surfaces
- Some video effects are two-pass

Pixel shaders 1.1 (DirectX 8.0)
PS1.1 is probably the most widespread pixel shader version currently. When running in the PS1.1 rendering code path, the visual compromises are (in addition to the PS1.4 compromises):
- No model self-illumination (excluding some specific environmental models)
- No animated lightmaps
- Fog calculations are triangle based, not pixel based
- No specular lights

Cards that support Hardware T&L (fixed function - DirectX 7.0)
This is the most basic rendering code path for Halo. When running in that mode, you have to accept many visual compromises but are still getting a compelling Halo visual experience. The compromises are:
- No shadows
- Simple active camouflage effect
- No glows or flares
- Very basic fog, water and lighting

Note that you can always scale down your video card but you can?t scale up. Check your video card?s documentation to determine witch version of DirectX / pixel shaders it supports. If, for example, your card supports PS2.0, you can choose to compromise many of Halo?s effects by forcing it to run PS1.1. However, if your card supports PS1.1, you can?t force it to PS2.0 ? this is actually happening in hardware, not in software.

1.1.2 How do I force the game to use a different rendering code path?
You force Halo to use a difference rendering code path by adding an argument to its command line. The arguments are "use20, "use14, "use11 and "useff. For example, to force Halo to run in PS1.4 mode, you would launch Halo by typing: "halo.exe use14". If you are using the shortcut installed on your desktop, follow these steps to add an argument to your shortcut:

1. Right-click on the shortcut and choose Properties.
2. In the target field, you will see ?C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo\halo.exe? (assuming you?ve installed in the default directory). Add ?use14 at the end of it.

1.1.3 The explanation is cool and everything but what?s the bottom line on rendering code paths?
Bottom line is, experiment. Figure out what works for you and your system for single player campaign play and for online multiplayer.

For example, in single player, I would rather compromise resolution, sound variety, effect details and a few frames-per-second than forcing PS1.4. However, others on the team will gladly force PS1.4 to run on a higher resolution. For multiplayer, I?m absolutely forcing PS1.1, compromising shadows, decals and sound variety to get a consistent high framerate at a higher resolution. This is a matter of personal preference.

Well, i've tried several combinations already, but still nothing. It seems that when i disable compatibility mode, it runs longer. I'm gonna keep trying. Let me know if you have any other suggestions.

[Katsuya]

Hmmm.... Try disabling sound in game, if this gives no results try going to control panel and disabling the sound card.

and have you tried Halo-FLy-Time Demo?

also.

Are there any specific hardware devices for which there are known performance issues with Halo?

Assuming all your devices are running using their latest available drivers, no, there is no specific hardware devices for which we know of performance issues with Halo.

However, the key is to get your latest drivers! I?ve heard of some pretty drastic performance improvements under certain Via 4-in-1 motherboards when their drivers were updated.

Make sure you have the very latest video drivers installed.
You may want to try going directly to the manufacturer of your video card for the most recent version of the video driver. We have worked closely with the graphics companies to make sure their most recent drivers are optimized for playing Halo.

Make sure you have the very latest audio drivers installed.
You may want to try going directly to the manufacturer of your audio card for the most recent version of the sound driver.

Make sure you have the latest motherboard drivers installed.
Most motherboards have firmware updates available that can be obtained from your computer manufacturer or the maker of your motherboard chipset directly. These updates are critical to make sure your AGP bus is running as efficiently as possible and the amount of sound, disk and network data sent across the PCI bus do not interfere or cause problems.

Motherboards with VIA AGP chipsets, particularly with AMD CPUs require the latest ?4-in-1? drivers available from http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=2 for best performance and system stability.

Make sure you have the latest BIOS updates for your motherboard.
The BIOS is critical at reading and initializing the defaults for all your hardware and the very latest versions of the BIOS are often required to get the best performance out of some of the latest 4x and 8x AGP video cards. Once again, you should go directly to your motherboard?s manufacturer to get the latest BIOS and read carefully the instruction included with the updated driver.

[jjk2000]

Originally Posted by Katsuya

Hmmm.... Try disabling sound in game, if this gives no results try going to control panel and disabling the sound card.

and have you tried Halo-FLy-Time Demo?

also.

Are there any specific hardware devices for which there are known performance issues with Halo?

Assuming all your devices are running using their latest available drivers, no, there is no specific hardware devices for which we know of performance issues with Halo.

However, the key is to get your latest drivers! I?ve heard of some pretty drastic performance improvements under certain Via 4-in-1 motherboards when their drivers were updated.

Make sure you have the very latest video drivers installed.
You may want to try going directly to the manufacturer of your video card for the most recent version of the video driver. We have worked closely with the graphics companies to make sure their most recent drivers are optimized for playing Halo.

Make sure you have the very latest audio drivers installed.
You may want to try going directly to the manufacturer of your audio card for the most recent version of the sound driver.

Make sure you have the latest motherboard drivers installed.
Most motherboards have firmware updates available that can be obtained from your computer manufacturer or the maker of your motherboard chipset directly. These updates are critical to make sure your AGP bus is running as efficiently as possible and the amount of sound, disk and network data sent across the PCI bus do not interfere or cause problems.

Motherboards with VIA AGP chipsets, particularly with AMD CPUs require the latest ?4-in-1? drivers available from http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=2 for best performance and system stability.

Make sure you have the latest BIOS updates for your motherboard.
The BIOS is critical at reading and initializing the defaults for all your hardware and the very latest versions of the BIOS are often required to get the best performance out of some of the latest 4x and 8x AGP video cards. Once again, you should go directly to your motherboard?s manufacturer to get the latest BIOS and read carefully the instruction included with the updated driver.

Actually, to get the k6-II+ to run in a desktop computer, i had to flash a patched bios that would let me use it at 600mhz. This could also be a problem.

[Katsuya]

Halo needs a 733mhz CPU (on the back of the box) and I don't think The socket 7 architecture is capable of running the game without errors...