Age of Empires II does not work with Vista or Windows 7

Anonymous
2009-11-24T16:43:16+00:00

I have been unable to get Age of Empires II to work on my laptop - first with Vista and now with Windows 7.

It installs OK and when you go to launch it the small graphic launch box comes up, then the screen goes phsychedelic before reverting back to normal and nothing more happens.

It is a Compaq Presario with a Mobile Intel R45 chipset.

Any advice?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Gaming

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2009-12-02T14:15:24+00:00

RusFry,

    If you were not able to get the game to run in this same PC with Vista or Windows 7, then it appears that there is a hardware conflict with this game.  I see that this game was for older systems and only supports 800x600 graphics.  You may want to turn your desktop resolution down to 800x600 with 256 colors, then launch the game.  If this doesn't help then you may want to install DirectX 9 and see if that helps.

Was this answer helpful?

200+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

60 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2010-07-16T20:57:40+00:00

    Hi

    Just upgraded to Windows7, game colours are not to bad when you run the game in XP pack3 mode. Found by - right click shortcut/properties/compatibility/check compatibility mode. Most colours comeright and screen resolution is good.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2010-06-05T09:47:53+00:00

    my problem is starting a game that others can see, or joinging a game

    Im currently running windows 7 ultimate, and cannot get a game that others can see.

    thats the same with my brother who is on vista.

    my 3rd brother still running XP managed to start a game that we can see with the help of google (<3)

    but we cannot join it.

    its saying timed out Monte Giles said.

    but i still cant figure it out.

    any help will be fantastic :D

    thanks!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2010-06-02T12:21:58+00:00

    Hello DarEDiomedes,

    I test your solution, but nothing work. I have Kaspersky as anti-virus, disabled the protection for AoE II, do the same thing for the firewall. And i cannot launch multiplayers game in LAN. i tink i will install XP in an other partition ... for only one game ... The worst is for the microsoft developers it will be easy to create a little patch ...

    Bye

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2010-05-30T17:29:28+00:00

    hi Giles

            Iam well used to LAN gaming regarding age of empires on windows 7.

            I used to face this problem while playing with my friends having Win vista but when I re-checked the anti-virus and the windows firewall settings which obstructed playing on LAN. Now Iam playing on LAN without any problem(except for those graphics!!!).

            Hope you start playing

            Bye!!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments