So I bought the Witcher EE when it was on sale, but I'm at my wits end. The dam thing won't start. Installation is fine, it checks the file integrity, fine. But when I hit play game, the screen goes black, the hand style mouse even appears! But after a few seconds it goes and the I'm dumped back at the desktop without any form of error message. So I went to event viewer in computer management and found this;

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Application Error
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Date: 22/04/2012
Time: 15:09:43
User: N/A
Description:
Faulting application witcher.exe, version 1.5.0.1304, faulting module witcher.exe, version 1.5.0.1304, fault address 0x00669f44.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74
0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c
0010: 75 72 65 20 20 77 69 74
0018: 63 68 65 72 2e 65 78 65
0020: 20 31 2e 35 2e 30 2e 31
0028: 33 30 34 20 69 6e 20 77
0030: 69 74 63 68 65 72 2e 65
0038: 78 65 20 31 2e 35 2e 30
0040: 2e 31 33 30 34 20 61 74
0048: 20 6f 66 66 73 65 74 20
0050: 30 30 36 36 39 66 34 34
0058: 0d 0a ..

Application Failure witcher.exe 1.5.0.1304 in w itcher.exe 1.5.0.1304 at offset 00669f44

O..K..?
Any hints? I've been trying to fix this literally all day and am in the process of tearing my hair out, any help would be appreciated :)

Some specs:
Windows XP SP3
CPU: Intel pentium dual core e6600 2.93ghz
GPU: ATI Radeon HD5670 1GB of Vmemory
2GB of ram

There are several possible fixes for this listed in the sticky thread:

http://www.gog.com/en/forum/the_witcher/fixes_to_common_problems/page1

Tried them all, not a single solution :/

Hmmm... I'm not sure then. Anyone else have any ideas?

Tried some more today, in the process of giving up....Really not a great first impression of GOG :/

Sorry ti's been such a hassle! Most people are able to get the game working, so there's probably something we're missing. I assume you've tried standard things like making sure you have the latest graphics drivers? If you get some of the game loading (like the cursor) but then a crash it makes me wonder if it's related to the visuals.

Also, you said you tried the solutions in the sticky thread... does that mean you managed to get the game running in a window? Did it actually go to windowed mode before it crashed? I wonder if windowed mode might fix your problem but you're having trouble getting the forced window to work.

Also, even though it appeared that the game downloaded and installed properly, it might not be a bad idea to try reinstalling or even re-downloading, if you haven't already. Sometimes a simple reinstall will fix weird issues like this. Also, the Witcher is one of the largest games on GOG due to all the extra content in the Enhanced Edition, so there can be problems with corrupt downloads. I know that the integrity check was fine, but if nothing else works it might be worth trying to redownload. If you downloaded using the GOG downloader you can try it with your browser instead, or vice versa.


EDIT: I don't remember anymore... does The Witcher have a launcher that lets you select graphics options? Can you choose graphics options before launching the game itself? If so, you can play around with some settings... maybe there's a specific graphics setting that's causing the game to crash. Typical things to check include lighting and shadows settings... if you can completely disable those before launching and it avoids the crash, then you can narrow down which setting was causing the problem.

Yep, updated all my drivers first thing. I was also thinking it may be to do with the visuals as I've had problems with my video card before.

I did manage to get get the game running in windowed with regedit, it appears as before with the gauntlet mouse, but windowed, before crashing. :( Also tried reinstalling multiple times and finally gave in and redownloaded it using the browser instead of GOG downloader and it made no difference..

And sadly no, you can't edit the ingame graphics settings from the launcher which is a pain :/

Thanks for the help though :)

Man, I'm running out of ideas. It sure sounds like a graphics-related problem. What were the problems you had with your card before?

There might be a hacky way to adjust the graphics settings before launching the game, by editing the .ini files. But I don't have the Witcher installed anymore so I'm not sure where the .ini files are or which file would be the appropriate one to look at. They are usually stored somewhere like "My Documents\CD Projekt\The Witcher" or something. I was using Windows 7 so my location will be different than yours under XP, but look around your My Documents folder. Also check your My Games folder if you have one.

If you find a folder for the WItcher, look at the .ini files there using Notepad. There will likely be lines where you can adjust graphics options. Be sure to back up the files before changing anything.

Does anyone else know the details of how to change settings in the .ini files? Specifically to toggle certain graphics options off to see if they will allow the game to launch.

Well before my video card would BSOD my PC when I installed software for it and I had to run it without any for a while, although I eventually fixed it (can't remember how)

Um I have no CD Projekt folder in my documents, but I went to where it was installed and searched for .ini and came up with:
witcher.ini
restype.ini
unins00.ini

Now I presume the unin is related to the unis00.exe which unistalls it, so I've ignored that, but here's the others.

Witcher.ini:

[Alias]
HD0=.\
OVERRIDE=..\Data
SCRIPTS2=.\Scripts
SCRIPTS=.\Scripts
SCRIPTSNSS=..\Data\Scripts
MODULES=..\Data\Modules
AMBIENT=..\Data\Music
MUSIC=..\Data\Music
MOVIES=..\Data\Movies

[Game Options]
Debug Mode=1

[Djinni]
Language=FinalEnglish_Short

and restype.ini:

[data]
types=117

[RESTYPE0]
ID=0
Name=RES
Extension=.res

[RESTYPE1]
ID=1
Name=BMP
Extension=.bmp

[RESTYPE2]
ID=2
Name=MVE
Extension=.mve
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Meshes"

[RESTYPE3]
ID=3
Name=TGA
Extension=.tga
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Textures"

[RESTYPE4]
ID=4
Name=WAV
Extension=.wav
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Sounds"

[RESTYPE5]
ID=6
Name=PLT
Extension=.plt

[RESTYPE6]
ID=7
Name=INI
Extension=.ini

[RESTYPE7]
ID=8
Name=MP3
Extension=.mp3

[RESTYPE8]
ID=9
Name=MPG
Extension=.mpg

[RESTYPE9]
ID=10
Name=TXT
Extension=.txt

[RESTYPE10]
ID=11
Name=XML
Extension=.xml

[RESTYPE11]
ID=9999
Name=KEY
Extension=.key
Path0=".\"

[RESTYPE12]
ID=9998
Name=BIF
Extension=.bif
Path0=".\"

[RESTYPE13]
ID=9997
Name=ERF
Extension=.erf

[RESTYPE14]
ID=9996
Name=IDS
Extension=.ids

[RESTYPE15]
ID=9995
Name=BIG
Extension=.big

[RESTYPE16]
ID=2000
Name=PLH
Extension=.plh

[RESTYPE17]
ID=2001
Name=TEX
Extension=.tex
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Textures"

[RESTYPE18]
ID=2002
Name=MDL
Extension=.mdl
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Meshes"

[RESTYPE19]
ID=2003
Name=THG
Extension=.thg

[RESTYPE20]
ID=2005
Name=FNT
Extension=.fnt

[RESTYPE21]
ID=2007
Name=LUA
Extension=.lua
Path0="SCRIPTS:\"
Path1="SCRIPTS2:\"

[RESTYPE22]
ID=2008
Name=SLT
Extension=.slt

[RESTYPE23]
ID=2009
Name=NSS
Extension=.nss
Path0="SCRIPTSNSS:\"

[RESTYPE24]
ID=2010
Name=NCS
Extension=.ncs
Path0="SCRIPTS2:\"

[RESTYPE25]
ID=2011
Name=MOD
Extension=.mod
Path0="MODULES:\"

[RESTYPE26]
ID=2012
Name=ARE
Extension=.are

[RESTYPE27]
ID=2013
Name=SET
Extension=.set

[RESTYPE28]
ID=2014
Name=IFO
Extension=.ifo

[RESTYPE29]
ID=2015
Name=BIC
Extension=.bic

[RESTYPE30]
ID=2016
Name=WOK
Extension=.wok

[RESTYPE31]
ID=2017
Name=2DA
Extension=.2da
Path0="OVERRIDE:\2DA"

[RESTYPE32]
ID=2018
Name=TLK
Extension=.tlk
Path0=".\"

[RESTYPE33]
ID=2022
Name=TXI
Extension=.txi
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Textures"

[RESTYPE34]
ID=2023
Name=GIT
Extension=.git

[RESTYPE35]
ID=2024
Name=BTI
Extension=.bti

[RESTYPE36]
ID=2025
Name=UTI
Extension=.uti
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Items"
Path1="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Gifts"

[RESTYPE37]
ID=2026
Name=BTC
Extension=.btc

[RESTYPE38]
ID=2027
Name=UTC
Extension=.utc
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Characters"

[RESTYPE39]
ID=2029
Name=DLG
Extension=.dlg
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Dialogues"

[RESTYPE40]
ID=2030
Name=ITP
Extension=.itp

[RESTYPE41]
ID=2031
Name=BTT
Extension=.btt

[RESTYPE42]
ID=2032
Name=UTT
Extension=.utt
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Triggers"

[RESTYPE43]
ID=2033
Name=DDS
Extension=.dds
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Textures"

[RESTYPE44]
ID=2034
Name=BTS
Extension=.bts

[RESTYPE45]
ID=2035
Name=UTS
Extension=.uts
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Sounds"

[RESTYPE46]
ID=2036
Name=LTR
Extension=.ltr

[RESTYPE47]
ID=2037
Name=GFF
Extension=.gff

[RESTYPE48]
ID=2038
Name=FAC
Extension=.fac

[RESTYPE49]
ID=2039
Name=BTE
Extension=.bte

[RESTYPE50]
ID=2040
Name=UTE
Extension=.ute
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Encounters"

[RESTYPE51]
ID=2041
Name=BTD
Extension=.btd

[RESTYPE52]
ID=2042
Name=UTD
Extension=.utd
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Doors"

[RESTYPE53]
ID=2043
Name=BTP
Extension=.btp

[RESTYPE54]
ID=2044
Name=UTP
Extension=.utp
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Placeables"

[RESTYPE55]
ID=2045
Name=DFT
Extension=.dft

[RESTYPE56]
ID=2046
Name=GIC
Extension=.gic

[RESTYPE57]
ID=2047
Name=GUI
Extension=.gui

[RESTYPE58]
ID=2048
Name=CSS
Extension=.css

[RESTYPE59]
ID=2049
Name=CCS
Extension=.ccs

[RESTYPE60]
ID=2050
Name=BTM
Extension=.btm

[RESTYPE61]
ID=2051
Name=UTM
Extension=.utm
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Shops"

[RESTYPE62]
ID=2052
Name=DWK
Extension=.dwk
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Meshes"

[RESTYPE63]
ID=2053
Name=PWK
Extension=.pwk
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Meshes"

[RESTYPE64]
ID=2054
Name=BTG
Extension=.btg

[RESTYPE65]
ID=2055
Name=UTG
Extension=.utg

[RESTYPE66]
ID=2056
Name=JRL
Extension=.jrl

[RESTYPE67]
ID=2057
Name=SAV
Extension=.sav
Path0="SAVES:\"

[RESTYPE68]
ID=2058
Name=UTW
Extension=.utw
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Waypoints"

[RESTYPE69]
ID=2059
Name=4PC
Extension=.4pc

[RESTYPE70]
ID=2060
Name=SSF
Extension=.ssf

[RESTYPE71]
ID=2063
Name=BIK
Extension=.bik

[RESTYPE72]
ID=2064
Name=NDB
Extension=.ndb

[RESTYPE73]
ID=2065
Name=PTM
Extension=.ptm

[RESTYPE74]
ID=2066
Name=PTT
Extension=.ptt

[RESTYPE75]
ID=2067
Name=NCM
Extension=.ncm

[RESTYPE76]
ID=2068
Name=MFX
Extension=.mfx
Path0="SCRIPTS:\"

[RESTYPE77]
ID=2069
Name=MAT
Extension=.mat
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Materials"

[RESTYPE78]
ID=2070
Name=MDB
Extension=.mdb
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Meshes"

[RESTYPE79]
ID=2071
Name=SAY
Extension=.say
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Sounds"

[RESTYPE80]
ID=2072
Name=TTF
Extension=.ttf
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Textures\Fonts"

[RESTYPE81]
ID=2073
Name=TTC
Extension=.ttc

[RESTYPE82]
ID=2074
Name=CUT
Extension=.cut
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Cutscenes"

[RESTYPE83]
ID=2075
Name=KA
Extension=.ka

[RESTYPE84]
ID=2076
Name=JPG
Extension=.jpg

[RESTYPE85]
ID=2077
Name=ICO
Extension=.ico

[RESTYPE86]
ID=2078
Name=OGG
Extension=.ogg
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Sounds"

[RESTYPE87]
ID=2079
Name=SPT
Extension=.spt
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Trees"

[RESTYPE88]
ID=2080
Name=SPW
Extension=.spw
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Trees"

[RESTYPE89]
ID=2081
Name=WFX
Extension=.wfx
Path0="OVERRIDE:\FX"

[RESTYPE90]
ID=2082
Name=VGM
Extension=.vgm

[RESTYPE91]
ID=2083
Name=QDB
Extension=.qdb
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Quests"

[RESTYPE92]
ID=2084
Name=QST
Extension=.qst
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Quests"

[RESTYPE93]
ID=2085
Name=NPC
Extension=.npc
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\NPCSpawn"

[RESTYPE94]
ID=2086
Name=SPN
Extension=.spn
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Spawnsets"

[RESTYPE95]
ID=2087
Name=UTX
Extension=.utx
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Spawnpoints"

[RESTYPE96]
ID=2088
Name=MMD
Extension=.mmd
Path0="MODULES:\"

[RESTYPE97]
ID=2089
Name=SMM
Extension=.smm
Path0="SAVES:\"

[RESTYPE98]
ID=2090
Name=UTA
Extension=.uta
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Templates\Actionpoints"

[RESTYPE99]
ID=2091
Name=MDE
Extension=.mde
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Meshes"

[RESTYPE100]
ID=2092
Name=MDV
Extension=.mdv
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Meshes"

[RESTYPE101]
ID=2093
Name=MDA
Extension=.mda
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Meshes"

[RESTYPE102]
ID=2094
Name=MBA
Extension=.mba
Path0="OVERRIDE:\Meshes"

[RESTYPE103]
ID=2095
Name=OCT
Extension=.oct

[RESTYPE104]
ID=2096
Name=BFX
Extension=.bfx

[RESTYPE105]
ID=2097
Name=PDB
Extension=.pdb

[RESTYPE106]
ID=2098
Name=WTS
Extension=.wts

[RESTYPE107]
ID=2099
Name=PVS
Extension=.pvs

[RESTYPE108]
ID=2100
Name=CFX
Extension=.cfx

[RESTYPE109]
ID=2101
Name=LUC
Extension=.luc

[RESTYPE110]
ID=2102
Name=MBX
Extension=.mbx

[RESTYPE111]
ID=2103
Name=PRB
Extension=.prb

[RESTYPE112]
ID=2104
Name=CAM
Extension=.cam

[RESTYPE113]
ID=2105
Name=VDS
Extension=.vds

[RESTYPE114]
ID=2106
Name=BIN
Extension=.bin

[RESTYPE115]
ID=2107
Name=WOB
Extension=.wob

[RESTYPE116]
ID=2111
Name=ADV
Extension=.adv
Path0="MODS:\"

Unfortunately I have no idea what any of it relates to :S
Hmmm....I ran REGEDIT and navigated to software>CD Projekt>Witcher>settings and it seems all the graphics options are in there...I'll have a fiddle

Unfortunately, none of those look like graphics options. The graphics options might not appear until the game has successfully launched... typically picking graphics options from the in-game menu will write those options to the .ini file.

As I said, I'm running WIndows 7, but I definitely remember getting some Witcher-related files appearing in the My Documents folder. I don't remember the exact path. Do you have anything in My Documents related to the Witcher?

Playing with the registry settings didn't seem to have any effect. And the only folder related to it in my documents was the GOG.com downloads folder where the gog downloader downloaded it to, which is now empty as I deleted it to redownload it using the browser downloader

I just finished uninstalling and reinstalling to see if I may have accidently deleted something from my documents, but nothing was created :(

That sucks... the files probably aren't created until the game actually launches the first time, but since you can't launch it, you don't get the files.

One more thing you can try if you haven't already: do you have DIrectX9.0c installed? If you're running XP you probably do, but it's worth checking anyway. You can download it straight from Microsoft here:

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=35

Anyone else have any ideas as to what could be causing this problem?

Already had them but redownlaoded and installed again, but still no joy :(

Instead of starting the game from the launcher, have you tried to start the game from the game's executable itself ("C:\...\The Witcher\System\witcher.exe")?

Try to double click that file, and if the game don't start, try this:

- Open a console command window and go to the folder of this file and type:
witcher.exe -dontForceMinReqs

OR

- Create a shortcut directly to the file "witcher.exe" and place the shortcut wherever you want. Edit the propeties for this shortcut, and edit the line that includes the "witcher.exe" and add this text: -dontForceMinReqs
It should looks something like this:
"C:\Games\The Witcher Enhanced Edition Directors Cut\System\witcher.exe" -dontForceMinReqs

Please tell us if this works. Also, don't forget to install the whole DirectX runtime (web install) from the post above mine, or from this link (full install for offline users):

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8109

It could fix any missing file. The offline version once launched, will ask you for a folder to decompress the installation program, and then you need to go to this folder and run the installation program from there (you can delete these files after the installation).

And if you're worried about the registry errors and temporary files resulting from all this mess, try the utility CCleaner (it's freeware) to clear your system and fix registry errors.