GTA: Vice City problem on Windows 8.1

Anonymous
2017-05-21T21:30:14+00:00

I have checked the forums already and can't find a solution to my problem.  I'm not very technical and this will show.  My PC is only 3 years old.  Here goes:

I played Vice City on this PC two years ago.  It then stopped working (the game would start up fine but when I went to start/load a game the pink bar just sat there and the game crashed).  So I decided to buy it from Steam.  Same exact problem.

I tried everything I could come up with... opened some DEP thing and made it open Vice City. 

I tried every single compatibility setting available. 

Added "run as administrator"

I tried to change my own screen resolution but it can't go that low (640X480).

So now the game won't even start, I get the common issue that says "Cannot find 640X480 video mode".

I've watched Youtube videos and checked this forum (including Steam's) and cannot find a solution. 

I don't understand why this game would have worked 2 years ago but not now.

I'm desperate to play.  Please help me.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Gaming

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-06-04T11:48:41+00:00

    We have tried several troubleshooting steps to get this issue resolved. However, since it is still the same, we suggest that you reinstall Windows 8.1 on your PC.

    Follow the steps on this article. You will be able to see detailed information on how to refresh, reset and restore your PC. Read carefully the reminders before you do the steps on the link in the article.

    Update us on how it goes or feel free to post back for any other inquiries.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-06-12T02:20:58+00:00

    Sorry about the delay.

    I appreciate the attempts to help but... geesh... deleting everything on my PC to play this game?

    "Resetting your PC reinstalls Windows but deletes your files, settings, and apps—except for the apps that came with your PC"

    I admit I completely shut down when I read that.  That's like going to a doctor for a bruised arm and having him cut your arm off!  I had no idea that one game would or could mess up so much.

    Like I said in earlier posts, technology is not my strong suit.  I read the "file history in Windows" and the act of saving and restoring all of my files sounds like an insurmountable task for me.  Is there nothing else I could do?  This seems like a huge undertaking for the right to play one game... and it's not even guaranteed to work.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-06-19T02:00:47+00:00

    Am I going to get any response?

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-06-19T12:29:43+00:00

    Hi,

    We appreciate that you post your concern to the Community. However, there are several reasons why an issue occurs, sometimes this may be caused by some files or components that are broken or missing on the system. To sort out your concern, we suggest that you follow the steps below:

    1. Click Start, type File Explorer and press Enter.
    2. Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto City .
    3. Right-click on gta-vc.exe and select Properties.
    4. Click on the Compatibility tab, you should be able to see the option Run in 640X480 screen resolution.
    5. Choose that option and change color mode to 16-bit.
    6. Press Apply and click OK.
    7. Once you're done, check if the issue persists.

    Let us know if the suggestion works for you.

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  5. Anonymous
    2017-06-23T13:51:50+00:00

    Thanks for trying, but it still says "Cannot find 640X480 video mode"..

    Random side note, I still own the physical copy of the game and I try all of these suggestions for that one too, but neither is working.

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