Installs fine with no errors. Trying to start it, even using every flavor and variation og compatibility mode I still get "Windows encountered an error" (duh) then the info is appcrash.

Windows 2008 Server, SP2
Dual Xeon 32-bit with 4GB RAM

I think the problem is the video. I need to do a couple of different log-ins and see if that is it.

quod, i think your problem is with resolution. When the game was written it was simply not meant to be run on today resolutions and so when the game starts it crashes if its not running in right res. There is a fix on http://www.ghostrecon.net/ its a file you just need to drop it in the install directory and you should be good to go. Do some searching in forums over there you should be able to find it.

I have been running it at 1900x1200x32 for ages, which is the native rez for my monitor. It runs at a number of other rez choices under graphics tab in options, also. But Doug, I assume "flavor" means you have been trying the various graphics settings (using whatever your monitor's native rez is,and your desktop is set to that same rez?) that are available on the Graphics tab in GR's options menu.

Back again.

Keep in mind this is a dedicated, remote server 1500 miles from me and it is headless. I log in using remote access tools.

I'm about at wit's end with all the trickery I know about.

Now I'm specifically digging around in Google for posts with "Windows Server 2008" + "Ghost Recon"

I am running it off of C:\ and not in Program Files or Program Files (x86). I've tried running it in compatibility mode in every variation possible. I've tried running it in 8, 16 and 32 bit. I've tried to manually match the resolution and downloaded the server tools all to no avail. I've even tried the old trick that works for MP in EECH and GTR2... install on a local machine then zip and upload the entire folder.

Now I need your help. Tell me about "dedicated.xml" and how it should be setup. I can keep digging :rtfm: but short of spending significant time digging, if you know offhand it would be appreciated.

Referring thread:
http://www.ghostrecon.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=52341

Who'd a thunk this would have ever been a problem? I'm really aggravated cause I can usually best PC-demons like this.

Can you post a crash log? If you don't get anything else, can you attach a debugger so we at least have a trace of what the culprit could be?

Failing that, is there any other OS you could use? Maybe run it in a VM? (Dunno what else runs on the box though, might not be feasible)

I hate to say it but the dude in the thread was right: Windows Server 2008 is just about the worst OS for gaming. Having experience with it, I'd even go as far as to say it's the worst OS for just about anything, including the things it was designed for. But then again I do ATC related software and anything safety-critical running any kind of Windows gives me the heebie-jeebies. So I'm biased

(We have had a tower full of windows boxes that suddenly demanded activation and all that jazz...)

Windows 2008 does okay for our other games: ArmA2, rFactor, F4:AF, GTR2. Zero chance to run it on some other OS. The info below is running it (or trying to) in WinXP SP2 compatibility mode. Thanks for taking a look:

Problem signature

Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: GhostRecon.exe
Application Version: 0.0.0.0
Application Timestamp: 73655965
Fault Module Name: GhostRecon.exe
Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 73655965
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 0011c320
OS Version: 6.0.6002.2.2.0.272.7
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: c27e
Additional Information 2: 4166393fe8a8f06f683d915771582ad2
Additional Information 3: 274e
Additional Information 4: a3adf9f10d88eae505228d04d594c7cd

IkeCrash.log

GhostRecon caused an Access Violation in module GhostRecon.exe at 001b:0051c320.
Exception handler called in Main Thread.
Error occurred at 6/29/2011 01:38:02.
C:\GhostRecon\GhostRecon.exe, run by Administrator.
4 processor(s), type 586.
1024 MBytes physical memory.
Read from location 00000008 caused an access violation.

Registers:
EAX=00000000 CS=001b EIP=0051c320 EFLGS=00010246
EBX=021035ec SS=0023 ESP=0012fd1c EBP=000000a8
ECX=00000000 DS=0023 ESI=028cc9a0 FS=003b
EDX=00854750 ES=0023 EDI=00000004 GS=0000

Bytes at CS:EIP:
8b 50 08 8d 48 08 ff 52 04 8a 86 f0 03 00 00 84

Stack trace:
0051C320: GhostRecon.exe! <no symbol>, <no file>, <no line>

Module list: names, addresses, sizes, time stamps and file times:
C:\GhostRecon\GhostRecon.exe, loaded at 0x00400000 - 6402084 bytes - 73655965 - file date is 10/11/2002 15:08:34
C:\Windows\AppPatch\AcGenral.DLL, loaded at 0x6e8b0000 - 2159616 bytes - 4c769745 - file date is 8/26/2010 11:33:06
C:\Windows\system32\d3d8.dll, loaded at 0x6fb80000 - 1039360 bytes - 4791a65b - file date is 1/19/2008 02:34:02
C:\Windows\AppPatch\AcLayers.dll, loaded at 0x6fe60000 - 542720 bytes - 4c769746 - file date is 8/26/2010 11:33:06
C:\Windows\system32\DINPUT8.dll, loaded at 0x708c0000 - 159232 bytes - 4791a672 - file date is 1/19/2008 06:23:26
C:\Windows\system32\sfc.dll, loaded at 0x70d80000 - 4608 bytes - 4549bdb4 - file date is 11/2/2006 04:46:14
C:\GhostRecon\DBGHELP.dll, loaded at 0x72a00000 - 163088 bytes - 3af32067 - file date is 8/10/2001 09:27:10
C:\Windows\system32\cryptnet.dll, loaded at 0x72f30000 - 97792 bytes - 4791a771 - file date is 1/19/2008 02:34:02
C:\Windows\system32\dwmapi.dll, loaded at 0x733c0000 - 39936 bytes - 4791a6c1 - file date is 1/19/2008 02:34:08
C:\Windows\system32\SensApi.dll, loaded at 0x733f0000 - 8704 bytes - 4549bdd6 - file date is 11/2/2006 04:46:14
C:\Windows\system32\WINSPOOL.DRV, loaded at 0x73680000 - 258048 bytes - 4d385e1e - file date is 1/20/2011 11:07:44
C:\Windows\system32\Cabinet.dll, loaded at 0x738a0000 - 71680 bytes - 4791a63d - file date is 1/19/2008 02:33:50
C:\Windows\system32\WINTRUST.dll, loaded at 0x74440000 - 172032 bytes - 4b320061 - file date is 12/23/2009 06:33:30
C:\Windows\system32\OLEACC.dll, loaded at 0x748a0000 - 234496 bytes - 4ace54b1 - file date is 10/8/2009 16:08:02
C:\Windows\system32\WINMM.dll, loaded at 0x748e0000 - 189952 bytes - 49e03856 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:26
C:\Windows\system32\ShimEng.dll, loaded at 0x74c30000 - 111104 bytes - 4549bdb7 - file date is 11/2/2006 04:46:14
C:\Windows\system32\UxTheme.dll, loaded at 0x74c80000 - 240128 bytes - 4791a77a - file date is 1/19/2008 02:36:48
C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.6002.18305_none_5cb72f2a088b0ed3\comctl32.dll, loaded at 0x74cc0000 - 1686016 bytes - 4c7d2463 - file date is 8/31/2010 10:43:54
C:\Windows\system32\SHUNIMPL.dll, loaded at 0x74e90000 - 6656 bytes - 4549bdbf - file date is 11/2/2006 04:46:14
C:\Windows\system32\WSOCK32.dll, loaded at 0x74f80000 - 15360 bytes - 4791a7c1 - file date is 1/19/2008 02:37:12
C:\Windows\system32\d3d8thk.dll, loaded at 0x74f90000 - 11264 bytes - 4549bcc0 - file date is 11/2/2006 04:46:04
C:\Windows\system32\MSACM32.dll, loaded at 0x74fa0000 - 71680 bytes - 4791a704 - file date is 1/19/2008 02:34:56
C:\Windows\system32\DSOUND.dll, loaded at 0x74fe0000 - 444416 bytes - 49e0375c - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:20
C:\Windows\system32\sfc_os.dll, loaded at 0x750f0000 - 38912 bytes - 4791a759 - file date is 1/19/2008 02:36:26
C:\Windows\system32\POWRPROF.dll, loaded at 0x751d0000 - 98816 bytes - 49e03812 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:24
C:\Windows\system32\NTMARTA.DLL, loaded at 0x751f0000 - 121344 bytes - 49e03833 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:24
C:\Windows\system32\GPAPI.dll, loaded at 0x75270000 - 75264 bytes - 49e0372c - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:20
C:\Windows\system32\rsaenh.dll, loaded at 0x75290000 - 241128 bytes - 49e037ea - file date is 4/11/2009 01:27:48
C:\Windows\system32\VERSION.dll, loaded at 0x75550000 - 20480 bytes - 49e03812 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:26
C:\Windows\system32\BCRYPT.dll, loaded at 0x75620000 - 274432 bytes - 49e036fc - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:20
C:\Windows\system32\ncrypt.dll, loaded at 0x75670000 - 204288 bytes - 49e0379f - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:24
C:\Windows\system32\slc.dll, loaded at 0x757a0000 - 228352 bytes - 49e037d3 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:24
C:\Windows\system32\CRYPT32.dll, loaded at 0x757e0000 - 978944 bytes - 49e03824 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:20
C:\Windows\system32\MPR.dll, loaded at 0x758e0000 - 68608 bytes - 49e0375d - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:22
C:\Windows\system32\MSASN1.dll, loaded at 0x75940000 - 60928 bytes - 4aa0fd15 - file date is 9/4/2009 06:42:00
C:\Windows\system32\SAMLIB.dll, loaded at 0x75960000 - 57344 bytes - 49e037e2 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:26
C:\Windows\system32\NETAPI32.dll, loaded at 0x75a60000 - 467456 bytes - 49e037a9 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:24
C:\Windows\system32\apphelp.dll, loaded at 0x75ce0000 - 171008 bytes - 49e036f3 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:18
C:\Windows\system32\Secur32.dll, loaded at 0x75d70000 - 72704 bytes - 4a366084 - file date is 6/15/2009 09:53:44
C:\Windows\system32\USERENV.dll, loaded at 0x75d90000 - 108544 bytes - 49e03810 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:26
C:\Windows\system32\PSAPI.DLL, loaded at 0x75e40000 - 12288 bytes - 4549bd99 - file date is 11/2/2006 04:46:14
C:\Windows\system32\OLEAUT32.dll, loaded at 0x75ee0000 - 563712 bytes - 4d0f85d3 - file date is 12/20/2010 11:35:06
C:\Windows\system32\imagehlp.dll, loaded at 0x75f70000 - 153088 bytes - 4791a709 - file date is 1/19/2008 02:34:34
C:\Windows\system32\LPK.DLL, loaded at 0x75fa0000 - 23552 bytes - 4a36603f - file date is 6/15/2009 09:52:44
C:\Windows\system32\WS2_32.dll, loaded at 0x75fb0000 - 179200 bytes - 4791a798 - file date is 1/19/2008 02:37:10
C:\Windows\system32\SETUPAPI.dll, loaded at 0x75fe0000 - 1591296 bytes - 49e037e9 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:26
C:\Windows\system32\SHELL32.dll, loaded at 0x76170000 - 11586048 bytes - 4d39b5c7 - file date is 1/21/2011 11:35:24
C:\Windows\system32\RPCRT4.dll, loaded at 0x76c90000 - 784896 bytes - 49f05bcc - file date is 4/23/2009 07:15:08
C:\Windows\system32\GDI32.dll, loaded at 0x76d60000 - 297472 bytes - 49e03728 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:20
C:\Windows\system32\ole32.dll, loaded at 0x76db0000 - 1316864 bytes - 4c28d53e - file date is 6/28/2010 12:00:22
C:\Windows\system32\USP10.dll, loaded at 0x76f00000 - 502272 bytes - 4bc89484 - file date is 4/16/2010 11:46:50
C:\Windows\system32\ADVAPI32.dll, loaded at 0x76f90000 - 800768 bytes - 49e03717 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:18
C:\Windows\system32\MSCTF.dll, loaded at 0x77140000 - 807424 bytes - 49e03793 - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:22
C:\Windows\system32\SHLWAPI.dll, loaded at 0x77210000 - 353280 bytes - 4d39b5cc - file date is 1/21/2011 11:35:24
C:\Windows\system32\USER32.dll, loaded at 0x77270000 - 627712 bytes - 49e0380e - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:26
C:\Windows\system32\msvcrt.dll, loaded at 0x773a0000 - 679936 bytes - 49e0379e - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:24
C:\Windows\system32\kernel32.dll, loaded at 0x77450000 - 891392 bytes - 49e037dd - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:22
C:\Windows\system32\IMM32.DLL, loaded at 0x77530000 - 114688 bytes - 49e0378e - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:22
C:\Windows\system32\urlmon.dll, loaded at 0x77550000 - 1176064 bytes - 4db05569 - file date is 4/21/2011 11:03:50
C:\Windows\system32\ntdll.dll, loaded at 0x77680000 - 1205080 bytes - 4cb73436 - file date is 10/15/2010 08:49:00
C:\Windows\system32\NSI.dll, loaded at 0x777b0000 - 8192 bytes - 4791a7a4 - file date is 1/19/2008 02:35:58
C:\Windows\system32\iertutil.dll, loaded at 0x777c0000 - 270336 bytes - 4db98f58 - file date is 4/28/2011 11:00:52
C:\Windows\system32\WLDAP32.dll, loaded at 0x77810000 - 287744 bytes - 49e0387e - file date is 4/11/2009 01:28:26

Hmm sadly while the log does mention the EIP, there's no indication what part of the code that was, and the hex location is meaningless without running a debugger...

I assume you're using the latest version of Ghost Recon (1.4 or something)?

Is running it in a VM an option, like a small virtualbox winxp instance?