Trouble reinstalling the game

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cforse90

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Cforse90
Everythings been running fine for the past few months but today I started encountering problems so I backed up my tracks/mods and deleted the game file. I downloaded the game again through WKC but when I try to run the setup it comes up with an error message saying "Installation support file cannot be found, Catastrophic failure" and closes.. Now I'm getting worried that I wont be able to get the game back running on my computer. Has anyone gotten the same error and does anyone know how to possibly fix this? Thanks!
 
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JNorton (WKC)

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Thank you so much! Got it figured out through this, My computer didnt like that I just deleted the folder instead on uninstalling the game so I had to use a 3rd party app to "uninstall" the game so I could reinstall.


Yeah.. ALWAYS uninstall things using the proper methods. I used to manage a computer store and I can not begin to tell you how much money we made repairing systems where people just deleted folders instead of using uninstall. ;)
 
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cforse90

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Running into another problem now, Everything's been running fine for the last week and today the game would just crash after the sierra screen. I completely uninstalled and reinstalled the game with patches and now it makes it past the loading screen but crashed when I click drive. Ive researched the topic and tried running in admin mode as well as setting to Win XP Service Pack 3 compatibility mode and changing the DEP settings but still no luck. Another thing I've noticed is that my new install is missing the core.ini. I'm just not sure what else to try.

Update - Also not sure if it was always like this, but when I open the config file it doesn't recognize my Nvidia RTX 2070 IT only lists Intel UHD Graphics
 
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JNorton (WKC)

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Update - Also not sure if it was always like this, but when I open the config file it doesn't recognize my Nvidia RTX 2070 IT only lists Intel UHD Graphics

If it is only seeing the UDH Graphics that tells me that you must have onboard video turned on in the BIOs. I would go into the device manager and see if your Nvidia card is even listed. If not, you will need to go into the BIOs and disable the onboard video that is built into your processor and set it to use a graphics card instead.

 

cforse90

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If it is only seeing the UDH Graphics that tells me that you must have onboard video turned on in the BIOs. I would go into the device manager and see if your Nvidia card is even listed. If not, you will need to go into the BIOs and disable the onboard video that is built into your processor and set it to use a graphics card instead.

Fixed it now, i found a dx8/dx9 converter and dropped into my NR2003 and now it lists my graphics card but the game still crashes the second i click drive.
 

Blitzman

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Hello,
Sometimes when you have a Hybrid Graphics system the program does not trigger the Dedicated 3D processor to kick in.
Say on a ThinkPad with Quadro you can find the "NVidia Control Panel" inside of Windows Control Panel. Choose the executable you want to force to use desired GPU and set it, NR2003 in this case to "High-Performance NVidia Processor" where it says "Select the preferred graphics processor for this program".
That will force it to use the HP GPU.
What you may want to do first is the same(as above) for the 3DConfig program, then run it.
You may want to put things back to normal first, not familiar with that convertor file.
See my response to anther having problems installing NR2003: Stunod Thread NR2003 install problems.
Don't know if it will help but it always cooperates if I do things strickly the same in that way posted.
Good Luck!
 

cforse90

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Cforse90
Hello,
Sometimes when you have a Hybrid Graphics system the program does not trigger the Dedicated 3D processor to kick in.
Say on a ThinkPad with Quadro you can find the "NVidia Control Panel" inside of Windows Control Panel. Choose the executable you want to force to use desired GPU and set it, NR2003 in this case to "High-Performance NVidia Processor" where it says "Select the preferred graphics processor for this program".
That will force it to use the HP GPU.
What you may want to do first is the same(as above) for the 3DConfig program, then run it.
You may want to put things back to normal first, not familiar with that convertor file.
See my response to anther having problems installing NR2003: Stunod Thread NR2003 install problems.
Don't know if it will help but it always cooperates if I do things strickly the same in that way posted.
Good Luck!
I followed this and the other post but still no luck. This time I installed in on its own separate drive, ran everything in compatibility mode and as an admin but the game still continues to crash when I click drive.
 

Blitzman

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Hi again, :0)
You are testing with a stock track right? For testing use the CUP mod that came with it and a factory stock track. :0)
A bad track can do the same thing and probably a bad Mod.
Sounds like a Graphics issue possibly still.
For the heck of it, run 3DSetup and select the OpenGL driver if it shows up, it always has that I remember, select GL and let it test. Then try running NR2003 again, if it starts then it is some problem with DirectX... OpenGL performance will be bad.
Speaking of.. Did you update your DirectX? HERE DXWebSetup from Microsoft.
Make sure you have updated your Dedicated graphics drivers. Many Hybrid systems will not do the magic switching if the FULL driver package for that hybrid setup is not installed. It will not know how to switch between(the graphics systems) and there will be no dedicated control panel for the dedicated graphics.

Any changes you did to DirectX files can be a problem.
What kind of pc? Laptop? If desktop what VideoCard?

OK, another way to check your DirectX is by pressing the windows key and typing "dxdiag". It will show the latest version, not really sure what checking it does of all versions but can show if there are problems.

Try the DXwebSetup and make sure you are connected so it can download files. You may be missing the old core DXfiles.

Make sure you have done the SECOND 1.2.01(?) patch, the update patch fix.

Crossing fingers!
Blitz
 

cforse90

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Cforse90
Hi again, :0)
You are testing with a stock track right? For testing use the CUP mod that came with it and a factory stock track. :0)
A bad track can do the same thing and probably a bad Mod.
Sounds like a Graphics issue possibly still.
For the heck of it, run 3DSetup and select the OpenGL driver if it shows up, it always has that I remember, select GL and let it test. Then try running NR2003 again, if it starts then it is some problem with DirectX... OpenGL performance will be bad.
Speaking of.. Did you update your DirectX? HERE DXWebSetup from Microsoft.
Make sure you have updated your Dedicated graphics drivers. Many Hybrid systems will not do the magic switching if the FULL driver package for that hybrid setup is not installed. It will not know how to switch between(the graphics systems) and there will be no dedicated control panel for the dedicated graphics.

Any changes you did to DirectX files can be a problem.
What kind of pc? Laptop? If desktop what VideoCard?

OK, another way to check your DirectX is by pressing the windows key and typing "dxdiag". It will show the latest version, not really sure what checking it does of all versions but can show if there are problems.

Try the DXwebSetup and make sure you are connected so it can download files. You may be missing the old core DXfiles.

Make sure you have done the SECOND 1.2.01(?) patch, the update patch fix.

Crossing fingers!
Blitz
Thank you for help, but unfortunately still no luck :/

Tried updating DirectX but it says everythings already up to date. Also tried running in OpenGL but still crashes when I click drive. Also everything I've been doing has just been with the original cup series. I haven't added any mods or tracks back in since reinstalling.

The only thing I've noticed is that when I reinstalled the game theres files in my Nr2003 folder that are just missing such as my core.ini. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling again and that file is still missing.

As for the PC its an ALienware m15 r2 laptop and im running a Nvidia RTX 2070 graphics card.
 
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Blitzman

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Thank you for help, but unfortunately still no luck :/

Tried updating DirectX but it says everythings already up to date. Also tried running in OpenGL but still crashes when I click drive. Also everything I've been doing has just been with the original cup series. I haven't added any mods or tracks back in since reinstalling.

The only thing I've noticed is that when I reinstalled the game theres files in my Nr2003 folder that are just missing such as my core.ini. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling again and that file is still missing.

As for the PC its an ALienware m15 r2 laptop and im running a Nvidia RTX 2070 graphics card.
Hi again,
Yeah you definitely cannot have a missing Core.ini and have it work...
Wow a 2070 in a laptop! I can only afford a 1660Ti in my desktop I built using every deal and refurbished part I could find LOL. Cool.
Hmm, I wonder if a new Graphics system like that might not support DX8/DX9 correctly? Would have to check.

OK, it sounds like maybe on your first install you let it put the NASCAR Folder under a Program Files folder?
In that case Windows does some foolishness with putting files that will be modified under a USER directory with your permissions.
Under USERS\Your Login Name\AppData\ uh somewhere... To verify you will need to go to folder options and show hidden files and I forget if you need to select Show operating system files or not also. Then go to your user\name\AppData folder and do a search for core.ini.
If so, you will need to do a proper uninstall(did you uninstall in between?). You may need to Re-install to same very place you did the first time and do a proper uninstall. OR, if up to it, manually search for any references to NR2003, NASCAR 2003 Season, and maybe Sierra and manually remove those after first doing a restore point. I forget where it is. Then manually(may have to reboot to let Windows release the files after removing entries from the registry?) Manually remove the files from under your user/name/AppData/ etc folder.

One way or another you need to get any old references for NR2003 out of the registry if it is stuck in a permissions problem.

Then make sure you install in a directory somewhat like I specified earlier.

Try the file from here for NR2003: NR2003 w no cd-patch
Some No-CD patches do not work with Win 10. not sure if this is a new one.
Here is newest I know of: HERE.

I never disabled DEP to install NR2003 on Win 10, even just recently on another fresh and updated Win10 system.

A lot to chew on, be careful if you mess in the registry. if you ONLY delete the game entries you should be fine. :0)

Hoping for the best,
Blitz
 

cforse90

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Cforse90
Hi again,
Yeah you definitely cannot have a missing Core.ini and have it work...
Wow a 2070 in a laptop! I can only afford a 1660Ti in my desktop I built using every deal and refurbished part I could find LOL. Cool.
Hmm, I wonder if a new Graphics system like that might not support DX8/DX9 correctly? Would have to check.

OK, it sounds like maybe on your first install you let it put the NASCAR Folder under a Program Files folder?
In that case Windows does some foolishness with putting files that will be modified under a USER directory with your permissions.
Under USERS\Your Login Name\AppData\ uh somewhere... To verify you will need to go to folder options and show hidden files and I forget if you need to select Show operating system files or not also. Then go to your user\name\AppData folder and do a search for core.ini.
If so, you will need to do a proper uninstall(did you uninstall in between?). You may need to Re-install to same very place you did the first time and do a proper uninstall. OR, if up to it, manually search for any references to NR2003, NASCAR 2003 Season, and maybe Sierra and manually remove those after first doing a restore point. I forget where it is. Then manually(may have to reboot to let Windows release the files after removing entries from the registry?) Manually remove the files from under your user/name/AppData/ etc folder.

One way or another you need to get any old references for NR2003 out of the registry if it is stuck in a permissions problem.

Then make sure you install in a directory somewhat like I specified earlier.

Try the file from here for NR2003: NR2003 w no cd-patch
Some No-CD patches do not work with Win 10. not sure if this is a new one.
Here is newest I know of: HERE.

I never disabled DEP to install NR2003 on Win 10, even just recently on another fresh and updated Win10 system.

A lot to chew on, be careful if you mess in the registry. if you ONLY delete the game entries you should be fine. :0)

Hoping for the best,
Blitz
I feel like im getting closer to the problem but still not there. I did find the core.ini and a few other files hidden way in a folder under the AppData. I removed everything I could find and uninstalled the game. I reinstalled it back to C Drive where I originally had it but again its missing the core.ini. So I checked to see if it was maybe back in the same folder again but its not. Im not sure why when I install it certain files just arent in my Nr2003 folder
 

JNorton (WKC)

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Did you set your folders to "show hidden and system files"? That would be one reason files seem like they are missing.
 

cforse90

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Did you set your folders to "show hidden and system files"? That would be one reason files seem like they are missing.
I did.

So I just did a reinstallion of windows and back up everything on an external harddrive. Reinstalled Nr2003 and again the core.ini file is missing :noexpression:

Edit: The game now works though! I can click drive and actually get into the car without the game crashing, Just not sure how to improve my graphics without core..ini file
 
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Blitzman

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Hi again, :0)
Are you on Win 10 Home or Pro? Not sure if Home would be more of a stickler with controlling things.

OK another thing that would make Windows put files that will be modified into another place(I forgot to mention) is if when you installed it you selected "Install for all users" or however it is stated.
Do not install for all users, did you?


I am going to double check the laptop I recently installed NR2003 to and make sure all ended up basically the same.

I wonder... If for some reason installing from a file and not from the CD has something to do with it. And if the setup file in these NOT ON THE CD versions is actually the same as original. Installers can be told to install certain things to the Users folders.

I will do more digging later. Too bad one cannot seem to make a True ISO that others can just burn due to the weak sector type of copy protection..

So two Questions...
Home or Pro?
Did you install for All Users? Don't... :0)

Sorry it is being a pain for you.
TTYL.
Blitz
 

Blitzman

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I did.

So I just did a reinstallion of windows and back up everything on an external harddrive. Reinstalled Nr2003 and again the core.ini file is missing :noexpression:

Edit: The game now works though! I can click drive and actually get into the car without the game crashing, Just not sure how to improve my graphics without core..ini file
I must have Cross-Posted.. I was in between things and was back and forth over time till I finished. :0)

OK Awesome!

I would like to know what makes your situation different.
I have Win 10 Pro all updated on a Little Thinkpad Helix Tablet/PC hybrid. Installed in the way I normally do and all is where it should be.
I am getting 60 to 90+ FPS with Intel HD4000 graphics on the little guy! LOL.
Core.ini right with NR2003 and all.

I wonder if it is WHERE the install is being instantiated from...?
I have as original retail box and disk. I wonder if that is a factor.
OR...

Diff timestamp between CD ver and download version..png
Is there something different about the files. They are an hour off in the timestamps.
I am really curious if you had a CD if it would have given this problem.

Where did you install FROM? I wonder if on a USB and installed from there...
Anyway glad it is working. hope it will let you make changes to things without complaining etc..
Blitz
 

Blitzman

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Just not sure how to improve my graphics without core..ini file
I wonder if it will let you modify the one under AppData\ local or roaming or wherever it goes.
Make a copy first.
If it complains or won't change, you could try making Another copy, modify that, rename the original to something, rename copy to core.ini. if it lets you.
:0)
 

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