1.2 wont start if FreeTrack is installed ?!

[Z3R0B4NG]

Hi,

first FreeTrack is basically the same thing as TrackIR and uses the same functions, so for all i know it is 100% compatible.

In the changelog of patch 1.2 "TrackIR support" is mentioned :)
So i wanted to try it with FreeTrack but if FreeTrack is installed GRID wont start!
The only thing i see is the black GRID Logo at the beginning, often in fullscreen with black background and sometimes without the black background.

CPU usage is constantly at 50% (= one core @ 100%)



I tried it 3 times with windows XP SP3 32bit and Vista SP1 64bit

FreeTrack is installed -> Grid wont start
FreeTrack uninstalled -> Grid starts fine... no restart required

the process is not running, the application is just installad.



You can download the FreeTrack installer here:
http://www.free-track.net/download.php?id=FreeTrack_V2.1.1

It is Freeware so test it if you want, you just need to install it and GRID will not start anymore... uninstall it again and it will run fine -.-



//edit:

same problem reported in FreeTrack Forums and also appears on DIRT!
They have posted a little (little big) workarround though... (see posting 3!)
Seems to be a problem with the "NPClient.dll" of Free-Track

http://forum.free-track.net/index.php?showtopic=972

//edit2:

tested and works OK
but would prefer it without this bug :-/

[Borilius_Myth]

You might have made a great discovery my friend, a GREAT one! I was having problems with DiRT in first place and then GRID, and i have Freetrack installed, could this be the culprit of all my problems? If uninstalling the Freetrack fixes it for me, im buying you a beer! Fingers crossed.

[Z3R0B4NG]

Yeah i have seen your Thread and i am pretty sure that you have the exact same problem if you use FreeTrack.

[blueeagle69]

Hi.

I had the same problems with GRiD & npclient.dll of Freetrack.

I ran GRiD in Administrator mode.
This time GRiD loaded, and ran fine. Freetrack also detected the game.
Which it will not do if npclient.dll is deleted or renamed.

Try it, it worked for me (Vista Sp1).

[Z3R0B4NG]

I ran GRiD in Administrator mode.

Hi, how exactly do you do that?
I have Vista x64, i am using my admin account of course, but do i have to right click and run as admin allways?

[blueeagle69]

Hi.

Even though you are logged in as the administrator, by default, applications that are executed are not given full privelages (UAC security feature).
Normally this isn't an issue with most games, but with Freetrack, npclient.dll & GRiD it seems it is needed, to allow GRiD to communicate with npclient.dll.
So locate, the shortcut for the game in the Start Menu, right click, click Advanced and tick the box for "Run as Administrator", and tick the box. Finally close the window.
Then everytime you run GRiD, it will automatically run with full privelages, and should sort out the crash problem with npclient.dll.
If you have the game added to Games Explorer, simply right click the icon there, select Customize. The default entry "Play" is selected, so click Edit. Lastly click Advanced, and tick the "Run as Administrator" option.
So don't launch the game from the DVD autoplay menu. But launch it from the shortcut.

Hope it works for you.
Reply to this thread to let others know it worked for you.
I have since re-tested this, and I can confirm it works on Vista, using this method.