FiniusTBoggs: I've sent a support email, but no response after a day. Maybe I'm being impatient.

Running Win 7, 2 ati radeon 5750s in crossfire, 4 gb ram, built in hd sound in motherboard.
Also running free version of Avast Virus Protection (which I've tried turning off).

Basically, I played for 6 hours, entering and exiting game with no problem.

Now when I click on "Launch game" it hangs at the wolf's head icon coming up (i.e. the game never actually loads).

I've tried:

turning off anti-virus software
re-installing
re-installing after deleting "witcher 2" folder in /documents
video settings at low resolution/low spec
video settings windowed

I bought the game through Steam, so every time I want to re-install, i have to re-download the whole game. About 7 hours worth.

Any thoughts?

flunkorg: I got the very same issue. Its a damn shame, this game is brilliant so it really sucks not being able to play it :(

FiniusTBoggs: Can you translate that and or provide a link? I don't know what you mean by "ccc settings" and I didn't see something when I looked at support.

FiniusTBoggs: Can you translate that and or provide a link? I don't know what you mean by "ccc settings" and I didn't see something when I looked at support.

Lavec: From TW2 web site:

As for ATI users:
1) Install latest drivers ATI Hotfix.
2) DIsable anisothropic filter, antialiasing and adaptive antialiasing and Catalyst A.I.; this can be done in the CCC panel.
3) Try running the game in windowed mode.
4) For dual cards linked into crossfire, turn off one of the cards or use the Dirt 2 profile.

I would try number 2 first. To access CCC, right-click on desktop and select Catalyst Control Centre from the menu. Go to 3D settings and click the default button and that should do it. AA and Anisotropic filtering should be set to 'Use Application settings'.

I have read not having those set to 'Use Application settings' can cause a freeze at startup like you describe so hopefully that is the issue for you.

Lavec: From TW2 web site:

As for ATI users:
1) Install latest drivers ATI Hotfix.
2) DIsable anisothropic filter, antialiasing and adaptive antialiasing and Catalyst A.I.; this can be done in the CCC panel.
3) Try running the game in windowed mode.
4) For dual cards linked into crossfire, turn off one of the cards or use the Dirt 2 profile.

I would try number 2 first. To access CCC, right-click on desktop and select Catalyst Control Centre from the menu. Go to 3D settings and click the default button and that should do it. AA and Anisotropic filtering should be set to 'Use Application settings'.

I have read not having those set to 'Use Application settings' can cause a freeze at startup like you describe so hopefully that is the issue for you.

FiniusTBoggs: Still not working.

I tried turning everything off through CCC. Didn't work.
I then adjusted video settings for TW2 to disable everything, low spec as possible, windowed at 800x600. Same stuff.
Changed CCC back to all "use application settings" keeping video settings in TW2 low, and nothing.

It doesn't seem like the program is getting as far as using *any* video whatsoever, as I hit launch, the wolf's head comes up, and it simply doesn't continue. Nothing.

Thanks for the info, it was certainly worth a shot.

Lavec: That's a shame. What happens if you launch the game from the bin folder? Run [Install DIR]/bin/Witcher2.exe I think it's called.

FiniusTBoggs: I actually looked for an .exe file, but only have the launcher. Probably because I have the Steam version...and usually I love Steam. I got nothin' in /bin/ that is executable (except for the "configurator" which is the video config program).