Why is it that MANY games that worked (for me) under XP & Vista, either don't work at all, or have sound problems when running them ?

NWN2 OC and MOTB work fine for me. Kris -------- Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P F7, E7200 2.53@3.76ghz, 2x1gb OCZ Reaper1150@1188, EVGA 9800GTX+ N873 , Win 7 7000

try installing Nov 2008 Direct X 9.0C Redistributable. All games From the last few years make use of DX9, and Windows 7 uses DX10 and DX11. The only games i currently havent been able to get to run are either games using the TAGES copy protection system or games that will not run on the same hardware under XP. apart from about 5 games, every game ive checked so far runs fine under Windows 7. Sound problems are most likely related to either the DX version or sound card drivers. Ive changed from my Audigy 2 ZS back to my onboard Realtek ALC-888 due to driver problems and the sound playing up randomly for unknown periods of time.Games i can't get to workX3:Terran Conflict DVD based version due to TAGES Disc Check, (Steam version apparently runs fine)Stalker:Clear Sky (TAGES Disc Check)GanglandSoldiers of Anarchy( will not run under XP with my current hardware as its too powerful)Mercenaries 2 World in Flames (currently just black screens and locks computer up)Some of the Games i have managed to get running(without using compatability mode)X-3 ReunionBurnout Paradise UltimateDawn of War 2Rise Of LegendsFreelancerSaints Row 2Never Winter Nights 2Deus Ex Invisible WarFar Cry 2Sacred 2Half Life 2Star Wars Empire at WarUniverse at War Earth AssaultCompany of HeroesMax Payne 2Mass EffectTurning Point Fall of LibertySupreme CommanderSupreme Commander Forged AllianceJust CauseRed Alert 3The Witcher Enhanced Edition

Er... The DirectX that comes with Vista and 7 should automatically support games requiring DirectX 9.0c. You can also add one more game to the list of ones that don't work - Dark Star One - which also uses TAGES copy protection disc check.Oddly enough, Windows 7 can't make heads or tails out of the disk - it claims there's NO disk in the drive. Windows Vista, on the other hand, can see the disk, it's contents and install the game - but the game itself won't run - some error or other about an entry point not being found. The box does say it's Vista compatible. Go figure. This is on the EXACT same hardware. (dual boot, Vista SP1 on one hard drive, Win 7 on another).

The thing with the Redistributable is that included are all files required for DX9 and they should all be the latest versions. Theres no guarantee that all files required for games are installed when you install Windows 7. I cant comment for definite on Vista seeing as ive never used it, but was under the impression that due to it being DX10 that was what was installed by default. thinking about it though, if you dont have DX10 compatible hardware i presume you would need DX 9. Anyway The issue with TAGES is that the drivers which are installed by games are not compatible with Windows 7 and until new versions are released by TAGES no game protected by them will work in windows 7. Its due to this driver compatibility that whenever you try to run a games that you just installed from disc that you get a no CD/DVD Disk in Drive Please insert original disc error. I had forgotten about Dark Star One, that was another i had tested, again it installed but would not run, it uses an earlier version of TAGES, rather than the current 5.5 signed drivers Versio. So in theory when TAGES update their Drivers, to be compatible With Windows 7 but still secure then in theory Dark Star One will start working again due to the Drivers. However when i contacted Tages on the day Windows 7 was released i received an email stating that TAGES would not support Beta OSes, and Windows 7 wasnt even at RC stage yet. After a few more communications back and forth i was told that the new drivers would be posted on the website when done. However theres still no mention of whether they are even looking at Windows 7 compatibility yet. So it might be worthwhile more people contacting them to enquirewhen they are going to be releasing newer drivers that are Windows 7 Compatible.If anyone is interested, the website is www.Tagesprotection.com

I think you missed my point... I inserted the DVD into the drive under Windows 7 - and it didn't see anything on the disk. In fact, it kept saying "Please Insert Disk" when I clicked on the drive to view the contents.That's before anything was installed..!

No i realized that you couldn't even see the disc, hence me mentioning that i was able to install it but not run it.Not sure what to suggest though.

ok TAGES have just updated their drivers, so they are now compatible with Windows 7

I can report that one old game (2000) that works with Windows 7 right out of the box:Star Trek Deep Space 9: The FallenInstalled straight away, didn't need compatibility mode.