# Game keeps crashing.. help!



## Muesli (Feb 19, 2006)

Hi,
I've recently bought the new Pippa Funnell game, Take the Reins. I've installed it on my computer fine, however when I play it after 10 - 20 mins it crashes. I get an error message come up entitled "debug" and the following text "SPM ERROR (PopParam) Param Stack overflow pOut Pout O"
Can anyone help?
Thanks


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## happyrck (Feb 17, 2006)

first try uninstalling the game...see how the computer runs


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## vikki1301 (May 2, 2006)

Hi ia m having exactly the same problem I have uninstalled the game twice deleted my players and started again, nothing seems to work I have got in touch with ubisoft but they are useless. Its not just me having this problem I know of at least 6 other people. 
can anyone help my error message is exactly the same as muselis
thanks vikki


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## happyrck (Feb 17, 2006)

try using the system restore....don't put the game back on..play with your system for awhile to see if its stable.....


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## vikki1301 (May 2, 2006)

hi thanks for reply my system is running ok its just this game its very annoying. i just dont know what else to try!
vikki


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## happyrck (Feb 17, 2006)

if the game keeps crashing your system...I would leave it alone...if you are bound and determined to install it...create a restore point...get regseeker and have it clean the registry

http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm

after cleaning the registry reinstall the game....if you start having problems then the game is not worth the effort...delete it and play something else...there has to be 20 or 30 different games out there


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## Muesli (Feb 19, 2006)

vikki: From what I've found from other people with the same problem, it could be the graphics card causing the problem. The game requires a 3D card, whereas a lot of computers (mine included) only have a 2D card. I'm currently researching into whether I can add a 3D card to my computer or not. This is the only solution to the problem I can find! It's drivine me mad though


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## vikki1301 (May 2, 2006)

hi I have looked into graphics cards for my laptop and as its under 3 years old I really shouldnt need one to play any of the up to date games. its very annoying I have deleted all my old players and now started again and i am back on the present bit and its just stops. as i said i am in touch with ubisoft so if they tell me anything then I will try and let you know. I am going to keep trying the game is very good and its shouldnt be fair that some people can play it and others cant I wish the minimum installments would be better explained!! 
vikki


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## happyrck (Feb 17, 2006)

you also want to know that the minimum requirements are not what you want..go with the recommended requirements to play the gams without problems


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## photolady (May 5, 2004)

Onboard graphics in a laptop or desktop is not going to play any up to date games. Sorry but that's a fact of life. Laptops, unlike desktops, weren't meant to play games. They were constructed for business usage. 

Muesli, what computer do you have?


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## vikki1301 (May 2, 2006)

hi I have a easynote c3300 packard bell an i can play harry potter and various other games so can you tell why this one should be any different. I also want to say thanks for all of your help I will be recommending this site to my friends, thanks again
vikki


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## Muesli (Feb 19, 2006)

I unfortunately have a Toshiba Equium A60 laptop, so as far as I can tell, there's not much I can do about my graphics card so I'm just going to have to put up with not playing the game! What I don't understand is that other games such as GTA Vice City work just fine on my computer, when they have similar specifications to this game. Plus I've found that a lot of people have had identical problems with this game, often in the same part of the game. I think I might try it on my housemates computers to see if they have more luck than i have!


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## vikki1301 (May 2, 2006)

thats exactly the same for me i have already tried it on my mums pc and it still does the same thing and as you and i know we are not the only ones. it has got to be a prob with the game!!!! 
its sooooooo annoying


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## happyrck (Feb 17, 2006)

BEFORE you buy a game or any software for that matter ..CHECK the system requirements first..and go with the recommended...if you dont have that ..get another computer


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## Bozzer (May 7, 2006)

Hi,

I bought this game for my daughter and am also experiencing the very same problem.

I too have a laptop and have run games on it for several years without any problems. I specifically bought this laptop to play games, as well as for conventional use. I think that from your post, you can reasonably assume that you can buy games in confidence and your laptop in essence is not the real issue.

That said, I think that it will ultimately be a problem with the dedicated mobile graphics cards that are found in laptops. This is not the fault of the laptop, but in my opinion, is a problem with the programming of the game.

Unfortunately, this isn't going to help you much, and I think that getting a patch from Ubisoft will ultimately be our best and only option.

I too will contact Ubisoft and see if I have any joy. I'll also keep checking this post to see if someone either confirms this, or can provide a workable solution.

In the meantime, and as a last resort, you could go into the Windows system settings and unload as many drivers and programs as possible to see if it works. It is a bit fiddly, and often is a lot of messing for what I think will be no real gain... but you never know though, it just might work...

Kind Regards
Bozzer


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## vikki1301 (May 2, 2006)

Hi bozzer thanks for that I am still trying to get an answer out of ubi its now been 3 weeks so I am not holding my breath but i am trying to get eveyone to contact them so they do something about it. I have since tried what happyrck said and downloaded from the site he recommends and it has helped me allot I am now well into the game and its only crashed 3 or 4 times still not ideal but its better than nothing.
Will keep checking back and if I learn anything then will let everyone know.
Vikki


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## Muesli (Feb 19, 2006)

I will try to contact ubisoft too, but not convinced that we're going to get any replies! If this many people are having a problem with the game then surely they have to do something about it? I ended up buying the previous game (Stud farm inheritance, think it also goes by the name Saddle Up) as I was so frustrated at not being able to play this one, and the previous one works just fine! 

Thanks everyone who's replied for your help, I've recently purchased an external hard drive, so am going to move everything I possibly can to there so that should free up some memory and get my computer working a bit faster. Hopefully this might help the game to work.

Muesli


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## Lottie9021 (May 12, 2006)

I am having just the same problems with the game freezing and an error message coming up. Grrrr! I will get in touch with Ubisoft as you suggest, they surely can't ignore us all. Has anyone else here had the problem that some of the commands in dressage don't work e.g. flying change, pirouette etc.????


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## lilwelsh (Oct 26, 2006)

when i go on my pippa funnell game on the cross coutry it either crashes and all i can hear is music and the screen goes black, or the screen goes black and my pc restarts itself.
its very frustrating as im only on the second day. iv tried uninstalling it and then reinstalling it, iv made up a new character thing nothing seems to work plzzzzzz help


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## lilwelsh (Oct 26, 2006)

plzzzz help!!!!
when i get to the second day and you have to do the cross country bit. it loads and then when it says press space bar it freezes, and then after a couple of minutes it goes black and the music starts playing but theres no pic, or it goes black straight away and then my pc restarts. it very frustrating as im only on the second day and am very anxious to play it. plzzz help me


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## Koloowisi (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi All Pippa Funnell game owners.
I too have had the same problem with the debug stopping play. The only thing I can suggest is to make sure you save your game at even chance (each time you return to the agenda page). When the debug sounds press your space bar once or twice and wait for the game to clear before restarting.
My first Pippa Funnell game, the stud farm is fine, its seems to be just the take the reins game, anyone having problems with the 3rd game? Its a shame UBISOFT arent more helpful with their customers!
Kind regards
Koloowisi


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## Koloowisi (Jul 27, 2007)

To restore the sound, pause the game and then resume.


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## Koloowisi (Jul 27, 2007)

lilwelsh said:


> plzzzz help!!!!
> when i get to the second day and you have to do the cross country bit. it loads and then when it says press space bar it freezes, and then after a couple of minutes it goes black and the music starts playing but theres no pic, or it goes black straight away and then my pc restarts. it very frustrating as im only on the second day and am very anxious to play it. plzzz help me


Sounds like your graphics card isnt fast enough to play the game, its need a minimum of 128MB.


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## Koloowisi (Jul 27, 2007)

Lottie9021 said:


> I am having just the same problems with the game freezing and an error message coming up. Grrrr! I will get in touch with Ubisoft as you suggest, they surely can't ignore us all. Has anyone else here had the problem that some of the commands in dressage don't work e.g. flying change, pirouette etc.????


For the dressage you must go to the library and read the movement your need ie Passage etc.


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## babii-emilie (Oct 24, 2007)

Koloowisi--- i have the same problem on the cross-country part... it just freezes and i hear music in the background  its annoying mee!!!!!!! :down: guys..if yuu know how to fix it ... repy back  pleaseee im soo confused


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## Kaytii (Mar 29, 2008)

I have the same problem but i have a computor with all the required elements.
When i open it up a different way it says that VxMath.dll is missing but after downloading the dll it still doesn't work.
All that will happen when i try to start the game is the screen will go pink then the (popParam) error will appear. Please help me somebody! 
Kaytii
X


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