Halo 2 XP/WowLoader 0.3 problem

[t3h m00kz]

I've got a copy of Halo 2 Vista, but me and my room mate both have XP (We got the game for free; we wouldn't be stupid enough to buy it without vista). From what I've seen, people have been able to get Halo 2 to successfully run and play some of the single player levels on XP using WowLoader 0.3, which can be found here:

http://www.h2vista.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3542

Video proof that XP can, in fact, support this game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U26twEq7Fl4

However I've followed the instructions down to the smallest detail, followed the video's instructions as well, and, while yes, the game starts, it crashes on the very first loading screen. Light shines over the H and A, stops for a few seconds, and an the following error pops up:

"The following unimplemented function was called:
CMFTopologyNode::SetUnknown{}"

Click OK on the error popup, and I receive this one:

"The following unimplemented function was called:
CMFMediaSource::GetObject{}"

I click OK on this, and the screen goes black, and nothing happens. I have to ALT-TAB to get out of it.

Now, I don't expect the game to run perfectly, and I simply won't believe it's simply due to the fact that I'm running XP, especially since other XP users have been able to get it to work. I'm not expecting too much out of it, just to be able to play a few single player maps.

Perhaps it's got something to do with my graphics card or computer specs?

eMachines (Yeah, I know, total "ew")
Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition
Version 2002
Service Pack 2
AMD Athlon(tm) XP 3200+
2.20 GHz, 1.00 GB of RAM
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro (with latest drivers)

Help would be appreciated.

[InnerGoat]

It'll crash if you put the mf.dll in the wrong place, at least from what i've encountered. 32KB one in system32/ and the 4KB one in Halo2.

[t3h m00kz]

It'll crash if you put the mf.dll in the wrong place, at least from what i've encountered. 32KB one in system32/ and the 4KB one in Halo2.

Well, that did, indeed, get rid of the crash error that pops up. However, it does continue to boot to the black screen, and then eventually exits the program out to the desktop (While staying at the lower resolution I might add).

My room mate's telling me it may or may not be my computer hardware itself, my graphics card IS a bit outdated from what I'm understanding. I'm not exactly sure which version of DirectX I've got, so that may be the problem as well.

I have, however, heard of people playing the game with a graphics card below the requirement, so I don't know.

Any more suggestions?

[InnerGoat]

Installing the latest directX update to DX9.0c fixed that for my older system. Was doing the same thing.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2da43d38-db71-4c1b-bc6a-9b6652cd92a3&DisplayLang=en should be it..

[t3h m00kz]

Installing the latest directX update to DX9.0c fixed that for my older system. Was doing the same thing.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2da43d38-db71-4c1b-bc6a-9b6652cd92a3&DisplayLang=en should be it..

Appreciated.

I'll try this when I get home; I'll post a progress update when I can. Thanks for the help, in advance.

[t3h m00kz]

Dude, thanks so much, man. That fixed everything. The game boots to the starting screen now.

Thank you so much man.

[InnerGoat]

Good to hear, and you're welcome. :)

[Blazmarf]

I'm having similar problems. I followed the instructions exactly but on the loading screen just about as the light passes behind the 'A' the screen goes black and eventually returns to Windows with my resolution shrunk to 800x600.

I downloaded the dxwebsetup.exe from Microsoft that InnerGoat suggested but when it gets to the part where it downloads the DirectX 9.0 SDK Update it says it cannot download it.

I also tried putting the 32kb mf.dll in the System32 folder and the 4kb MF.dll in the Halo 2 directory but still no cigar.

I really want to play this game, after I all I forked out $70 AUD for it.

[Blazmarf]

Nevermind, I figured it out. I just needed xinput9_1_0.dll