Oh damn, if I'd just waited two more minutes...

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I already messed around and created one, though I haven't tried it yet. Was coming back to edit my last post about seeing if I could figure out how to make a batch file and saw this response.

Anyway, mine looks a little different from yours, so if mine doesn't work, I'll download yours.

THANKS AGAIN for all of your help.

ADDED: Well, my batch file passed the first test, DD starts up.

I'll have to play it awhile to be sure that got rid of the screeching sound though.

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!!

I swear this place is AWESOME when you need help.

I'm a little late, but for future reference, running the game in Win 9x compatibility mode can help with the static problem, as well.

static noise? (includes a description of how to make a shortcut equivalent of the batch file)

It might help, but I'm not exactly sure how. I managed to complete the game without crashes, and I wasn't using any compatibility mode aside from the single core batch file.

Running the game in compatibility mode for Win 9x should have Windows automatically restrict it to a single core. It has helped a couple people who had static issues.

That's great to know, I didn't realise that it automatically sets the affinity to CPU 0.

Tried both, using the affinity command and changing compatibility.

It seemed to get better but still occurred, but then last night I played in a new area and it was back to being bad. I rechecked to make sure compatibility mode and affinity were being used, and it's gotten to being bad again.

I don't get it because I played this thing just a little over a year ago and NEVER, not ONCE, had this issue. Not even once. And I didn't do any affinity or compatibility settings. It's just strange, but I'm probably done with it now.

I got back to crossing the bridge on my quest to see the General, was about level 10 or 11 or 12 (somewhere in there I can't remember exactly) but between this awful screeching that's now more prevalent than it was and the fact I may get to the end only to experience the same frustration, means I'm probably done with it.

No need to respond to this, if I change my mind and continue I'll post back asking for any advice. Just wanted to post this to let folks know that those fixes aren't going to work for everyone. If you're playing and enjoying this great, but frustrating, game, I hope you either don't get this issue or one of the fixes works for you.

Good luck.

Doh, I did almost forget, well actually I did forget until just now, but I saw something playing tonight that I don't ever remember seeing before. Maybe it's been there all along, but damn I think I would've noticed it.

In the upper left hand corner of the screen this appears:

Shield 31/60

Has anyone else ever seen this before? Is this a result of running it on Win9X compatibility and that's why I never noticed it before? Or the result of putting that affinity command line in there???

I swear I don't ever remember seeing it before. If it's been there the whole time I played through twice, that's just hard to believe.

Looks like you cast level 1 Aura of Guarding, and the shield (should be a spherical bubble effect around your character) absorbed the last 29 points of physical damage directed your way.

Oh, DOH! I always noticed the bubble but never noticed the shield. LOL

Thanks.