I'm trying to play the original Myst game. I've played it on my computer several times in the past, and the only changes I've made since I last played was to update my video drivers and a possible update of directx. The game installs and starts up fine, though I have to adjust the color settings or everything looks pixilated. However, after Atrus's opening monologue, when I try to click on the linking book panel, the game freezes up. This has never happened before, and I have no clue why it is happening now. Can anyone help?

We'll assume that when you installed your current video driver, ForceWare version 45.23, you did it correctly. In particular, you uninstalled the existing driver, rebooted, then installed 45.23. (The correct installation procedure is detailed under Installing NVIDIA Drivers, "5. Here's the driver installation procedure.", in Myst IV: Installing Video Drivers With Win XP.)

Suggestions, to do in the order shown:

1. Clear your Internet Explorer caches.
-- a. Close all open applications.
-- b. Open a single Internet Explorer session.
-- c. Click on Tools > Internet Options.
-- d. Click on Delete Cookies > OK.
-- e. Click on Delete Files (check the 'Delete all offline content' box) > OK.
-- f. Click on Clear History > Yes.
-- g. Click on OK to exit.

Use Windows (not Internet) Explorer to search all hard disks and partitions for \temp, \tmp, and \temporary folders, and delete any files in these folders that aren't currently in use. If you can delete a file in a temp folder, it's not in use - if it's in use, Windows won't let you delete it.
-- a. Close all open applications, and open a Windows Explorer session. (Click on Start > All Programs > Accessories > Windows Explorer.)
-- b. Click on Tools > Find > Files or Folders.
-- c. Type temp in the Named: box.
-- d. Click on the arrow at the right end of the Look in: box and then click on the disk drive to be searched.
-- e. Click on Find Now to start the search.
-- f. Click on the temp folders found to open them.
-- g. Delete any files in these folders that aren't currently in use.
-- h. Repeat for tmp and temporary folders.
-- i. Close Windows Explorer back to the Desktop.

Empty the Recycle Bin. If you're positive that no files have been deleted by mistake, do only steps g through i.
-- a. From the Desktop, right-click on the Recycle Bin.
-- b. Click on Open to view the Bin's contents.
-- c. Click on any file that was deleted by mistake.
-- d. Click on File > Restore.
-- e. Repeat as necessary.
-- f. Click on File > Close.
-- g. Right-click on the Recycle Bin.
-- h. Click on Empty Recycle Bin.
-- i. Click on Yes to confirm file deletion.

2.Do the first part of step 2 (changing general video settings) in Myst IV: Miscellaneous Fixes for Video Problems.

I pulled up the latest driver through NVidia's website, downloaded it, and got something that looks very different from what you listed. Mine says 91.31_winxp2kmce_english_whql. I haven't installed it yet.


Edit to add: okay, a driver update did not work. I made sure to completely remove my current one and installed the latest one, and I'm still having the same problem.

What happens is when I try to start the game, the monitor color suddenly switches itself to 8 bit. Everything is fine then until I get to the first link into Myst Island, whereupon I get a black screen, lose all sound, and my game just freezes and I have to do a CTRL-ALT-DELETE to get out of it.

Yeah, I know you haven't installed it yet! Your DxDiag report in Graphics issue in Tomahna shows that you have 45.23 installed.

Forceware 91.31 is NOT the proper version for your GeForce2 MX/MX 400 video chipset and either Myst or Revelation, and the reason why is specifically referred to in Myst IV: Installing Video Drivers With Win XP.

You...really...should...read...that...topic!

Well, I just downloaded what NVidia's site gave me. And now Revelation plays just fine, that graphics problem was solved. So apparently that driver does work for that game.

The dxdiag was also done before I downloaded the latest driver. The one listed there was put on only a month or so ago.

So my Revelation problem is solved, but not the Myst one.