Topic: SPORE: Help thread for problems *please read before posting*

[LadyM]

We will try to help solve problems by organizing the answers to problems as they come up. The Dev team have been posting and trying to help us with answers so let's help them by containing the issues in an organized manner.

1.Please search for your problem before posting. If you don't see it, then make a new thread. If you find a thread with the same problem, then please post there.

2. Label your thread very clearly regarding the problem, do not use "OMG, please help". If your problem is installation related, then call it: Installation Problem, wont' register.

3. Remember that we are players like you and we don't have all the answers but we have kind members who like to help others. The official EA help section is located at Spore.com forums. Tech Support

If you are unsure whether someone who is trying to help is really from Maxis, please ask a moderator, we can check the IP's.

Spore Creature Creator
Creature Creator Help thread

SPORE: The Game
Invalid CD Key
Maxis is aware of the problem and is gathering more information to help fix it. Please visit the thread above for more information.

Error while installing
Q. Just picked the game up, put it in the drive, and I got an error:
Error Code:   -5005 : 0x80070002
Error Information:
>Kernel\KernelMedia.cpp (95)
>SetupNew\setup.cpp (836)
PAPP:SPORE(tm)
PVENDOR:Electronic Arts (http://www.ea.com)
PGUID:8CC42289-E228-4A35-B8A9-015242283BB2
$14.0.0.162
@Windows XP Service Pack 2 (2600)  IE 7.0.6000.16711
Anyone know how to fix this?

A: It means the Creature Creator was not uninstalled. Here is a fix:
http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=14232.msg607766#msg607766

Problem: Black Screen in Custom Paint Editor iMac
Answer: Change Graphics effect settings
http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=14279.msg609114#msg609114


*Thank you to those posting your Q/A here in this thread, I'm going to leave them and let others do the same.*

[Necrox]

Q: My PC doesn't do anything when I launch spore. The exe file is running in the background but Spore never comes up?

A: VISTA SOLUTION
1) Go to the folder where you have Spore installed, then the subfolder Sporebin.
2) Right-click on SporeApp.exe and click Properties.
3) Go to the tab "Compatibility" and tick the checkbox "Run this program as Administrator". Click OK and reboot the PC.
4) It should now work, only you'll get a pop-up when you start the game asking if you really want to. Just click OK.

A: XP SOLUTION
1) Right-click the Spore shortcut and click Properties.
2) Go to the tab "Shortcut" and click "Advanced".
3) In the pop-up, check the option "Run with different credentials". Click OK on the pop-up and again on the Properties box.
4) When you start the game from now on it will ask you to "Run As" a user. Select option 2 "The following user".
5) If your Windows account is an Administrator, then type in your Windows username and password in the dialogue box. If it is not then you have to type in the username and password of another Windows account which is Administrator.

This is a work-around, there may be another more involved solution but this one works for now. Here's hoping they'll fix the problem in the upcoming patch
Source: http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=14066.15


Note: If this does not work you may have conflicting software installed.
We have seen indications that other software/services may interferre with Spore launching correctly. We have no concrete evidence as to what programs might cause problems yet, so you may have to use method of elimination which is a slow but sure diagnostic method.

HOW TO DIAGNOSE SOFTWARE CONFLICTS USING METHOD OF ELIMINATION
1) Press [Windows Key] + [R], this opens the Run command box.
2) Type in MSCONFIG and hit [Enter].
3) Go to the Services Tab > Tick the box "Hide all Microsoft services" > Click the button "Disable all".
4) Go to the Startup Tab > Click the button "Disable all" > Click "OK" > Reboot your system.
Following the above steps will disable all startup programs and non-Microsoft services from running. To revert to your normal system state, go to MSCONFIG again > General Tab > Put the dot in "Normal startup" > Click "OK" > Reboot.
The following diagnostics will assume that you haven't reverted to your normal system state.
5) Run Spore. If it is not working then it does not appear to be a software/services conflict and you can revert your system to normal as described above. Continuing these diagnostics will not help you in this case.
6) Assuming Spore worked we now know a service or a program on your PC is interferring with the function of Spore.
7) Launch MSCONFIG again and enable ONE service or ONE startup program, click "OK" and reboot.
8 ) Test Spore again. If Spore doesn't work now go to step 10. If it does work go to step 9.
9) If Spore still works, then the program/service you just enabled is not the culprit. Keep enabling more by repeating steps 7-8 until Spore stops working, in which case you go to step 10.
10) You've found the program or service causing the conflict, and can deal with it by uninstalling it or leaving it disabled while re-enabling everything else in MSCONFIG.
11) In the unlikely event that you follow step 10 and then Spore stops working again, you have several programs conflicting. Repeat 7-10 while keeping any problem causing programs/services disabled along the way.

I know this is long winded and tedious, but I thought I might as well add it in case someone is persistent enough but doesn't know how to go about it.

[Behumat]

Q: I have an Nvidia Geforce 9800 and whenever I try to run spore it tells me to update to the latest driver, or disable one of my multiple GPU's. I have the most recent driver, what do I do?

A) First make sure your DirectX is up to date. Once that is done, go to http://www.nvidia.com/Download/Find.aspx?lang=en-us and download GeForce Release 177. It should do the trick. It is a beta driver, so use at your own risk, but Nvidia should be putting out an official driver soon that will allow people to use thier fancy new Nvidia cards with Spore.

[LadyM]

Patch problems: Audio, bugs etc. This seems to have helped all post-patch problems.

Good news - we think that we may have figured this out.   A temporary workaround is:

If you are experiencing the lag issue, please try adding -jobPriority:0 to the command line (Make a shortcut on your desktop, right-click and select Properties, and add the -jobPriority:0 to the Target line).



We have had reports of this improving the problem.

We are planning to address this with a more permanent solution.

Thanks -

-caryl

[13Jabberwock31]

Hi,
I'm having trouble with in-game screen capture. I was able to do this before installing the latest patch, but now my game crashes every time I hit the 'C' key while I'm in-game.
I'd very much appreciate any advice. Thanks.

[aku_mulator]

A:
Have you tried in different resolutions? If this doesn't work: There are many Screen Capture Tools you an download and the most of them are made for Games.
I sadly don't know if its possible but: trie to re-install the patch.
Maybe something works.
GoodLuck
aku_mulator

and thank you for the information^^ now i know how to  change my pic too:D


-sry for my bad english-

[13Jabberwock31]

Hi aku_mulator,

Thanks for your helpful advice. However, since I posted my query I have downloaded the latest Spore patch and the screen capture function is working again now. Thanks anyway. 

Best regards,

13Jabberwock31

[Shadow_13]

Alright so i have the problem with nothing happening when i start my spore game. I've tried what you listed, but even when no other program is active, still nothing happens! Help please!
Much appreciated

[13Jabberwock31]

Alright so i have the problem with nothing happening when i start my spore game. I've tried what you listed, but even when no other program is active, still nothing happens! Help please!
Much appreciated

Hi,

I assume you've had the game running OK on your computer on previous occasions? My game doesn't start up straight away. I have to wait a while, then it appears to crash, then it minimizes as an icon on the bottom task bar. After a short while again, this icon activates and then when I click on it the game comes on.

Are you experiencing anything like this, or don't you get any response at all? If you haven't been able to run the game at all, are you sure that your computer is powerful enough to run the program properly? Mine just sneaks in, as my laptop is two years old and I only have a CPU of 1.7 GHz, not 2 which is specified.

I hope that I have been of some assistance to you.

Cheers,

13Jabberwock31

[razrr]

well i am having a problem i wait about 2 minutes after i have double clicked and then an error message comes up "spore has encountered a problem" so basically very generic and not telling me whats actually wrong. but then with the spore app program thing in run it gets to about 49000, then we did something (or well my dad did something) and it got to about 51000 KB (or MB whichever is smaller) and then it just drops the program so then we uninstalled the EADM and wallah it gets to about 53000 so we thought maybe its the download manager (because nothing ever came up on it in the first place) and tried installing the new one, it wouldn't even download anything at all!!!!!! i should tell you also when you open EADM something comes up saying like "could not write license data" and then all of a sudden like late yesterday it starts doing this weird thing that is an error message saying "could not write license data" but it wasn't in the EADM

[MNIDJM]

Does anyone know if I can find my activation code on my computer?

[Xeno264]

Does anyone know if I can find my activation code on my computer?

In order to gain access to your registry, you’ll need to follow these basic steps:

1. Pop open your start bar and hit "Run."
2. Enter the command "regedit" in the little bar. A new window will open with a bunch of folders called "Registry Editor."

Now that you’ve got the Registry Editor open, you’ll need to find a different set of folders depending on the operating system you’re using and whether or not you have a solid copy of the game or a downloaded version.

For Windows XP/Vista32 solid copy:

1. Find the folder that says HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. Pop that open by clicking the little plus sign. More folders will appear.
2. Find the one marked "Software" and open that too. Again, more folders will appear.
3. Find the folder marked "Electronic Arts" in the new folders and open it.
4. Now find the folder marked “EA Games” and open it.
5. Now find the folder marked “SPORE(TM)” and open it.
6. There should be a folder marked “ergc” in there; that will have your registration key.

Try that MNIDJM.

[Grazony]

OK here the problem. I want to play spore, but everytime I try to "evolve" or edit things the screen goes black and then say Spore cannot continue because of a bug before taking me to my desktop. It started after I downloaded the fifth patch. Please help, I miss play the game a lot. And for some reason Maxis is ignoring me. Either that or I am just not getting though to them.

[Ultramarine]

I'd hate to bump this but I'm at my wits end here.

After two years of waiting I finally got my hands on the game. I installed it with no problem, made myself an EA ID but regardless of that I can't log onto sporepedia or spore itself but I can log onto EA account on their website. What I find funny is that, when I try to log in with the dialog box at the bottom of the registration box (IE "You already have an account? Log in here") it fails, yet, in the background it says I've already registered. But if that were the case I'd be able to access Sporepedia in game and on the website; unless I'm missing something. Any suggestions?  

[GroxGlitch]

I have the same problem. My advice to you? Forget about registering the game. It's not worth the hassle. And of course, don't forget that EA Customer Support is as retarded as ever, so you won't get any help from them.