Windows Fixes

PROBLEM 1: Chaser crashes on start or starts to a black screen on Windows 8 and newer

SOLUTION 1: Try DirectX 8.1 Fix for Windows 8 and newer:
  • Right-click the Windows start menu icon and click "Search".
  • Type "turn windows features on or off" and click "Turn Windows features on or off" below "Best match". Scroll down to "Legacy Components".
  • Click the "+" to the left of "Legacy Components". Put a tick in the box next to "DirectPlay".
  • Click "OK" and the following window will appear.
  • Click "Close" and try launching the game

EXPLANATION: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=926885559

PROBLEM 2: Chaser does not start at all on Windows Vista and newer [Full Version, not Steam version]

SOLUTION 2: You are probably using a no-cd patched version of Chaser, which Windows Data Execution Prevention (DEP) blocks. You need to clear the NX_COMPAT flag on the Chaser.exe or Disable DEP for Chaser.exe. Try these in order:

Option 1: Clear the NX_COMPAT flag on the Chaser.exe
Download an already-patched Chaser.exe (ENG v1.50 no-cd + OpenSpy + NX_COMPAT cleared): Download

Or run the following PowerShell as admin to patch your Chaser.exe yourself: 
$path = Read-Host "Enter full path to Chaser.exe"

if (!(Test-Path $path)) {
    throw "File not found: $path"
}

$bytes = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllBytes($path)

$pe = [BitConverter]::ToInt32($bytes, 0x3C)
$signature = [Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString($bytes[$pe..($pe+3)])

if ($signature -ne "PE`0`0") {
    throw "Not a valid PE executable."
}

$optionalHeader = $pe + 24
$magic = [BitConverter]::ToUInt16($bytes, $optionalHeader)

if ($magic -ne 0x10B) {
    throw "This is not a 32-bit PE executable. Magic: 0x{0:X}" -f $magic
}

$dllCharacteristicsOffset = $optionalHeader + 0x46
$old = [BitConverter]::ToUInt16($bytes, $dllCharacteristicsOffset)
$nxCompatSet = (($old -band 0x0100) -ne 0)

"Current DllCharacteristics: 0x{0:X4}" -f $old
"NX_COMPAT set: $nxCompatSet"

if (!$nxCompatSet) {
    Write-Host "NX_COMPAT is already cleared. No patch needed."
    exit
}

$backup = "$path.bak-before-nxcompat-patch"
Copy-Item $path $backup -Force

$new = [UInt16]($old -band 0xFEFF)
[BitConverter]::GetBytes($new).CopyTo($bytes, $dllCharacteristicsOffset)
[System.IO.File]::WriteAllBytes($path, $bytes)

"Patched DllCharacteristics: 0x{0:X4} -> 0x{1:X4}" -f $old, $new
"Backup saved to: $backup"

Option 2: Disable DEP for Chaser.exe specifically
  1. Press Win + R.
  2. Run: sysdm.cpl
  3. Open the Advanced tab.
  4. Under Performance, click Settings.
  5. Open the Data Execution Prevention tab.
  6. Select "Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select".
  7. Click Add...
  8. Select C:\Chaser\Chaser.exe (or whatever the path is).
  9. Click Apply, then OK.
  10. Reboot Windows.
  11. Launch Chaser again.
Option 3 (last resort): Turn DEP off for all of Windows
  1. Click Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt and click Run as administrator.
  2. Run: bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff
  3. You should see The operation completed successfully. Reboot Windows.
This turns DEP off for every program, so only use it if Options 1 and 2 don't work. To turn DEP back on, run bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx OptIn and reboot. If your PC uses BitLocker, Windows may ask for your recovery key on the next boot.

More about DEP: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Execution_Prevention

-If you need any help please feel free to ask for it in our CBOX.