WHATtheHUH

I recently upgraded my laptop to vista 64 and since the upgrade I have not been able to get CoH/CoV to launch. Everytime I load the game it crashes at the initial load screen, before I ever even see the login screen. I get two fatal errors. The first claims that I need Direct X 8.0 or newer to run the game, which is already well beyond 8.0 at base install but has been updated as far as is possible (i.e. if I try to update it will not let me do anymore updating). The second is a fatal error stating that I have no mouse or keyboard installed. I have no idea what that is about since I am using a laptop, but then none of this makes much sense to me at this point. I have included system information from CoHHelper. This is a clean install of Vista 64 that was just installed and updated. CoX,Microsoft Office, and CA Security Center are the only programs other than windows that have been installed by me. If anyone has any idea what is causing this issue, any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I'm stuck and all my internet searches have turned up nothing. I have tried to doing installs both off of the CD and from the downloadable client. Neither works, both with the same errors. I have windows 7 coming very soon, but at this point I am a bit consumed with figuring out what is causing my problem. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.1.1.8---

DxDiag gathered at October 19, 2009 19:16 (-05:00)
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.090803-2339)
System Manufacturer: Gateway
System Model: M-1615
BIOS: BIOS Version 90.02
Central Processor: AMD Turion(tm) 64 X2 Mobile Technology TL-56 (2 CPUs), ~1.8GHz
Memory: 3710MB
.Net Memory Report: 2250MB out of 3709MB available
Page File: 5955MB (1677MB currently in use)
C Drive: (WDC WD2500BEVS-22UST0 ATA Device) 125431MB out of 227129MB (55%) free
D Drive: (WDC WD2500BEVS-22UST0 ATA Device) 2019MB out of 11342MB (17%) free
E Drive: (HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-T20N ATA Device) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\Windows
DirectX: DirectX 10
DirectX Diag version: 6.00.6001.18000 (64-bit version)

Display Notes: No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.

No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank)
Video Device Name: ATI Radeon X1200 Series
Manufacturer / Chip: ATI Technologies Inc. / ATI Radeon X1200 Series (0x791F)
Video Memory: 1982 MB
Driver Version: 8.14.0010.0647
Driver Date: 7/21/2009 10:24:02 AM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)
Driver File: HdAudio.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.6002.18005
Driver Date: 4/11/2009 12:39:51 AM

Sound Device Description: Digital Output Device (HDMI) (2- High Definition Audio Device)
Driver File: HdAudio.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.6002.18005
Driver Date: 4/11/2009 12:39:51 AM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: GATEWAY
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product:
Motherboard Version: Rev1.90.02
BIOS Manufacturer: Gateway
BIOS Name: BIOS Version 90.02
BIOS Version: GATEWA - 6040000
BIOS Release: 20070802000000.000000+000

Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1024x768
3D Resolution: 1024x768 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: Yes

Physics Quality: Medium
Maximum Particles: 50000
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No

Anti-aliasing: None
Anisotropic Filtering: 4x
Texture LOD Bias: Smooth
Water Effects: High Quality
Bloom: 1.000 (turned on)
Depth of Field Enabled: Yes
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: Low (with world bumpmaps)

World Texture Level: Very High
Character Texture Level: Very High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 1.000
Entity Detail Level: 1.000
Shadows Enabled: Yes
Gamma Correction: 1.000
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of Extra Player FX Enabled: No
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: No
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: Yes

Audio Mode: Performance
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 1.000
Music Sound Volume: 0.600

Show Advanced Graphics Options: No
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.600
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: 1027970 bytes/second
Current Game Version: 1600.20090930.3T2t
Installation Directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found

I recently upgraded my laptop to vista 64 and since the upgrade I have not been able to get CoH/CoV to launch. Everytime I load the game it crashes at the initial load screen, before I ever even see the login screen. I get two fatal errors. The first claims that I need Direct X 8.0 or newer to run the game, which is already well beyond 8.0 at base install but has been updated as far as is possible (i.e. if I try to update it will not let me do anymore updating). The second is a fatal error stating that I have no mouse or keyboard installed. I have no idea what that is about since I am using a laptop, but hten none of this makes much sense to me at this point. In the event that it matters I am running a Turion 64x2 processor with 4gb of ram, and an ATI radeon X1200 series integrated card. ATI drivers and catalyst are all current (catalyst version 9.3). If anyone has any idea what is causing this issue, any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Iam stuck and all my interent searches have turned up nothing. I have tried to doing installs both off of the CD and from the downloadable client. Neither works, both with the same errors. I have windows 7 coming very soon, but at this point I am a bit consumed with figuring out what is causing my problem. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

I recently rolled a AR/Fire Blaster and I am having a lot of fun with it. I just made it to 32 and of the primaries I skipped M30 grenade and Beanbag. I am not sure if they are considered skippable but, I elected not to take them. I recall M30 getting a reputation of being a great way to draw too much aggro, so I avoided it. I left Beanbag out because the stun seemed very situational to my style of play (long range solo, just outside the mobs edge on teams).

I recommend Buckshot, Flamethrower, and Ignite for AOE, though some teams will be bothered by the KB from Buckshot so be mindful of its use. Slug and Burst are staples, and I find that Sniper Rifle is useful both team and solo. I use it often as an opening attack or to pull a mob for the team from the backline (just make sure you have a tank on the frontline to draw the mobs attention as it rushes towards you). It is also a great attack once the mob is tied up with the tankers and scrappers IMHO.

I am still working out all of the nuances of combining my primary and secondary. I have been a little disappointed in the synergy of the two sets I have chosen to this point, but it is still early in the toon's career so I am hopeful a good path will be made clear. Thus far I have taken Ring of Fire, Combustion, Fire Sword Circle, Build Up, and Consume. Fire is PBAoE heavy and I thought I'd be using them a lot more than I do. In the end my Blaster is simply not durable enough yet to make a lot of good use of these power choices.

Thanks for all of the advice. It was in fact a level 21 IO which as stated had a substantially higher value than those of higher levels so I decided to sell it and hope to not look back with regret. I think the fact that it sold for 50 million will take some of the sting out of any future regret. Thanks again for the information.

Looking for opinions from experienced players regarding the following situation. I recently received a Performance Shifter Chance for + Endurance recipe and crafted it up. My tank is only level 21 and I do not have any high level toons to bankroll my other toons. Is the enhancement more useful to a WP/stone tanker that the substantial (by my standards anyway) payday I would collect for selling it? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.