Hi all - RA3 Won't launch since downloading the tacitus and unistalling C&C online launcher. | C&C:Online | Page 1

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 6:02 PM

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Hi Guys, apologies In advance, I am a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to my 12 year old PC and IT... I only use my PC to play red alert 3 🤣 It is windows 7 (I can't upgrade the windows for some reason). Anyway, RA3 was working fine, until I did the Tacitus upgrade and unistalled C&C launcher. Now, when I load the game via the icon on my desktop the Red alert 3 screen will pop up for a split second and then close. I have bought RA3 via steam, when I try to load the game directly via steam app this also doesn't work / doesn't load. Any advice / guidance appreciated!

swift sparrow Mar 4, 2025, 6:38 PM

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same for me really frustrating

elfin gladeBOT Mar 4, 2025, 6:38 PM

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GG @swift sparrow, you just advanced to level 1!

swift sparrow Mar 4, 2025, 6:39 PM

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dude you really messed up the game and nobody seems to know how to fix can anyone help

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 6:52 PM

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swift sparrow dude you really messed up the game and nobody seems to know how to fix can anyon...

No need to be rude, multiple people have reported this so a general solution will likely come soon when the volunteer devs have had the time to look at this

swift sparrow Mar 4, 2025, 6:54 PM

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ty very much sorry if i was rude wasnt my intention

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 6:56 PM

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swift sparrow ty very much sorry if i was rude wasnt my intention

It's ok, I get that you really want to play, you're only human

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Just like the devs 😉

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Try to follow these instructions: #redalert3 message

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:01 PM

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wintry bay Try to follow these instructions: https://discord.com/channels/26452289245518234...

Trying to do the windows +R but this option isn't avaiable to me?

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:04 PM

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red needle Trying to do the windows +R but this option isn't avaiable to me?

Yeah, those instructions contain an error

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%appdata%\Red Alert 3\Profiles

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That is the file path

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Then there is a folder with your profile name there

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In there is a file named Skirmish.ini, delete that

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:08 PM

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I don't seem to have skirmish.ini folder?

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:08 PM

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Please in text

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Also, you are running Windows 7, which can cause so many issues. Where do you have the game from

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:09 PM

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Steam

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:10 PM

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That isn't compatible with Windows 7 anymore

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:11 PM

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red needle I don't seem to have skirmish.ini folder?

sorry, I meant the file

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:12 PM

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wintry bay That isn't compatible with Windows 7 anymore

It's been working fine (despite it saying from January 2025 it won't be compatiable... its only now with this tacitus update that It's stopped working

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:14 PM

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have you deleted skirmish.ini?

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:17 PM

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There is no skirmish.ini file - are you able to see the screenshot I sent you ? 🙂

elfin gladeBOT Mar 4, 2025, 7:17 PM

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GG @red needle, you just advanced to level 1!

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:22 PM

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red needle There is no skirmish.ini file - are you able to see the screenshot I sent you ? ...

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:23 PM

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Ok - thanks mate, deleted it now, anything else I need to do?

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:23 PM

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Start the game and play skirmish

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hopefully it works

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:25 PM

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Nope, same issues I'm afraid

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:26 PM

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Can you show a screenshot of the issue?

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:29 PM

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Screen comes up; and then closes

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:31 PM

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red needle Screen comes up; and then closes

If you delete every dsound.dll in the installation directory of the game (use the search option), does it boot up again when you try to start the game?

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:32 PM

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Sorry, where do I find dsound.dll ? As I mentioned I am not tech savvy at all 🤣

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:33 PM

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red needle Sorry, where do I find dsound.dll ? As I mentioned I am not tech savvy at all 🤣

I noticed

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Through Steam: go to the Steam library, look for the game in your Library, right mouse click, click on Manage, click on Browse local files.

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Then go to the Data folder

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there you find a file "dsound" or "dsound.dll" and delete it

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:36 PM

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Deleted it, thanks, will try reload now

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Wow - thanks, game loads up now

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However....

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:37 PM

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no online

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this removed Tacitus

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:37 PM

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Yes ^

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:38 PM

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Tacitus is thus causing the game not to boot

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Don't know, but it could have to do with it simply not running well on Windows 7

halcyon sable Mar 4, 2025, 7:39 PM

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im having the same issue on windows 11

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:39 PM

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And also when you remove dsound.dll the game is fixed for you?

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As in: it boots again?

halcyon sable Mar 4, 2025, 7:40 PM

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yes

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:40 PM

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What anti-virus are the both of you using?

halcyon sable Mar 4, 2025, 7:40 PM

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just ms defender

elfin gladeBOT Mar 4, 2025, 7:40 PM

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GG @halcyon sable, you just advanced to level 1!

red needle Mar 4, 2025, 7:41 PM

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AVG

elfin gladeBOT Mar 4, 2025, 7:41 PM

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GG @red needle, you just advanced to level 2!

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:44 PM

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red needle AVG

Garbage, would remove it and just use regular Defender

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And then try again

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:45 PM

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halcyon sable just ms defender

Then I don't have any solution at the moment

halcyon sable Mar 4, 2025, 7:46 PM

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np, il just wait for an announcement. cheers

wintry bay Mar 4, 2025, 7:47 PM

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halcyon sable np, il just wait for an announcement. cheers

Thanks for being understanding 🙂

wintry bay Mar 31, 2025, 2:14 PM

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@halcyon sable Are you still having this issue?

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And @red needle

#Hi all - RA3 Won't launch since downloading the tacitus and unistalling C&C online launcher.