DirectDraw applications Freeze on Windows 7 anywhere between 1 minute and 3 hours into running them.

Scouring the web, I have come to the conclusion that this is a Windows 7 issue, and there is no link between hardware, or drivers as it occurs on ATI, Intel and Nvidia chips.

Games such as Starcraft may freeze as soon as you hit the first menu screen, or as late as half way through a mission.

Age of Empires * games freeze on a black screen between the last intro video and the main menu (but as tested so far once in a mission will not freeze)

Warcraft 2 BNE is the same as Starcraft.

Worms Armageddon is effected randomly as well.

I've no doubt the HoMM games will be affected as well.

Sierra's Pharaoh/Cleopatra

So far i've verified that

Affinity does not fix it.

Process Priority does not fix it.

End tasking or pausing Explorer does not fix it.

Selective startup does not fix it.

Running without drivers will not fix it (don't even bother suggesting it).

This is an issue that doesn't have any correlation to system configuration,  The game that gets the most coverage with this issue is Starcraft and though that might get a Patch, its no doubt that the Age of empires games won't.

The freeze is not a hardlock,  rather its a freeze of the display and input controls.  Processes in the background continue running and if you are in a chat on skype or xfire these continue as well according to some users.

Someone mentioned a Race issue between Ddraw and WDDM, but i've no idea how to verify that.

Specific Starcraft issue is here http://www.sevenforums.com/gaming/11659-starcraft-freezes-after-1-5-minutes-playing.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/gaming/10190-starcraft-system-crash.html

but Issues for Age of empires and worms can be found across the internet.

theres even on here

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itproappcompat/thread/bde26b63-e8fc-46ac-8541-7f8154c8328d

Note:  All the fixes known to work on Vista, do not work on Windows 7.

Hi

You may just have to get rid of it for good because I don't think it is accoited with win7!

T.Laptop

Sorryyyyyy

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Hi

You may want 2 do a system restore when you buyed / installed / downloaded it to the first day of the windows 7!

T.Laptop

I'm having this same problem with starcraft and would love to see a fix from Microsoft.

I'm using the latest version of Starcraft from battle.net (1.16.1) like Mike suggested but the problem still persists. I've tried all the possible solutions mentioned.

It is a little disappointing that microsofts response is "You should have checked the compatibility list".

Again, your problem is unrelated, the games you describe do not use directdraw(see my previous post), try searching another topic

Your Not the only ones having this problem, its all game that do it on my PC. Call of Duty 4 will play I get tears in the screen and it will play for a while but when I quit the game, eather the monoitor will go black and turn off, the desktop will be an assortment of collors (like if I was over heating the Vid Card) or the PC will just restart. This also happens in Aion, Wolfenstine, Crysis well any game I've tride playing. Now here is the funny thing, I'm also running XP on here and everything runs just fine and also ran Windows 7 Beta and ran fine. Now I don't know if it's cause I went to 64 bit or not but man this is starting to anger me. Don't get me wrong I like W7 alot, I get more FPS than XP (well when its running) but the lock ups are just annoying. Can we please get a fix for this in an update or sevice pack soon cause there are alot of people having issues and nothng I do or anyone else are really having no luck triyng to fix it. (the internets run fine along with music) 

P.S. I did notice right after I reformat (3 times now) games will fun flawless for 3 hours or so, but once I turn it off and reboot all the fun begins. :(

I have the Same exact problem as you .. this is ridiculous and yes i think this is a windows problem ! ! tryd useing windows 64 and 32 Bit versions .... BOTH DON'T WORK

yes i try d running in xp mode, yes i have all the new drivers, and yes i reset my comp several times for updates , nothing works ... some one please fix this mess

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