Okay, I've been having this ongoing problem ever since I had my new system built. Backstory: I've been playing FFXI on PC since NA launch, I guess a little over 3 years now. Recently, the motherboard on my computer died (ide controller went bad) and I wasn't able to replace it, due to it having been discontinued in favor of the newer Intel chipsets, so I decided to build a new system. The specs for the new system are as follows:
Mobo: Asus P5B-E
RAM: 2GB
Video: GeForce 7600 GT (run through dual 19" Viewsonic CRTs)
Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.4GH
OS: XP Pro sp2
HDD: 2x 500gb Mirrored
...and FFXI won't run on my computer at all for some reason. Screen just goes black and the app hangs whenever the game goes from POL to fullscreen mode. I've installed like 3 sets of appropriate drivers (including the Forceware 91.47 drivers that SE told me to try using), I've uninstalled/reinstalled four times, I've defragged the HDDs. At first, it was thought to be a problem with the video card itself, so I replaced it and that was not the cause. I run a few high-end graphics programs such as 3ds MAX, Maya, Poser, etc, and everything else functions normally. The monitors are from my last system, which ran the game for 3 years just fine, so I know it's not a monitor problem. As I said, this is a brand-spanking new rig, so it isn't anything being caused by a virus either. I've run burn-in tests on my hardware, and everything seems to be running in perfect condition, I've run the video stability test that Nvidia told me to try using, and the card seems to be functioning at normal standards.
I can enter POL normally, like I said, and as soon as I hit the "Play" button and the game enters fullscreen mode, my main monitor goes black and that's it. No sound, no error, just a black screen. I have to close the program from the Windows Task Manager.
Also, when using the FFXI Config utility, if I click the button for "Configure Gamepad", it also hangs, but I'm not sure if the 2 problems are related. I use a ps2 controller running through a KiKy ps2 > usb adapter that has worked beautifully for years. I know it isn't malfunctioning because I can go to the Windows Game Controllers menu and it works perfectly and shows no errors. I also end up having to close the FFXIgamepad menu from the Task Manager in order to get back to the FFXI Config utility.
Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I read a few of the threads, but it doesn't seem like anyone is having this exact same problem with all of the "quick fixes" appearing to be normal. I've spoken w/ SE and Nvidia, and no one really has been able to offer me anything. I love my FFXI, having played it since the day it came out and devoted a lot of time to my character, so this problem is really starting to stress me out.
Please help...