Help please with PC Game

[anjunagirl]

I've just bought Tomb Raider Anniversary for the pc but can't get the disc to open. Sometimes it sounds like it's "sticking", sometimes I get a message there's to "please insert disc". My pc is about 15 months old, Windows XP Home Edition Pentium 4. On the back of the game box under minimum system requirements for Windows XP it says 256mb ram, I think I've got 248mb. Would this shortfall stop the game from opening or does it sound like the disc is faulty? The box also mentions a 3D accelerator card - how do I found out if I've got one of these already? Sorry if this sounds like I'm a complete novice!

[mattie]

I assume that you have got the game installed, and don't have some problem physically inserting the disk.

To identify your video card, right click my computer and select properties, click hardware and device manager, expand display adapter.

Recommended specs - P4 3GHz, 1Gb Ram, 4Gb free hard disk space, 64mb geforce or radeon based card, though I would get a 128/256Mb card, a reasonable spec 256Mb card can be got for under �100.

You seriously need to upgrade you RAM, visit www.crucial.com and use there system scanner to identify what memory you need.

Please post a follow up if there is anything I have missed.

[Wolfeymole]

It sounds like you have a crappy 8mb graphics card.

Go to Start, Run and type dxdiag

Check what it has to say and if it comes back with any problems.

[anjunagirl]

Hi Mattie, first can I say many thanks for answering, tho the more I get into this the more confused I get ...!!
When I expanded device manager it only showed the "Intel(R) 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family". I went to www.crucial.com, let it check my system and it came up with some recommendations, the cheapest of which was to get another 256mb to give a total of 512mb ram, this needs to be inserted inside on the motherboard OK, so far I'm with it! Then I checked their Graphics Card section, their cheapest was The Crucial Radeon X1300 PRO 256MB PCI Express (for casual gamers!). So my next question is: do I need both? Or will just the Graphics Card update do?

As for the game itself, no I didn't get it installed, it wouldn't open at all, either automatically (as it suggests on the installation guide) or by letting me "run" it via Start, it just made a "stuck" sound or gave me the "please insert disc" message. I'm inclined to think it's faulty!

Anyway many thanks again for your help, I wish I wasn't such novice but I've learnt a lot in the last few hours already!

[anjunagirl]

Hi Wolfeymole

Just seen your answer, many thanks. I've tried the dxdiag but where does it tell you about the memory card? I've clicked on every option but can't see it mentioned anywhere! I think I'm sending this game back and getting it for PS2 ...!!!

[bigmamma]

Hi :-)
Seems you may have a problem there . Your PC stats may not be able to cope with this game , be it the graphics card or some other shortfall. Good luck x

[mattie]

Your graphics are built into the motherboard, so a graphics card is an essential purchase, as is more RAM, I would take it up to 1GB.

You need to know whether you need PCI express or AGP (slot types) graphics cards, but at 15 months old I expect it would be PCI Express, might be worth getting it checked out.

www.scan.co.uk is a good place for components and they have a large range of graphics cards.

[anjunagirl]

Thanks Mattie,

Since I last posted I took the game and the pc manual to my local independent pc store, very helpful guy, he is able to load the game so I know it's my pc that's not right, he's going to install a graphics card and/or some ram and take it from there. Many thanks again for your advice, I've certainly learnt some stuff over the last 48 hours!

[mattie]

No problem