[SOLVED!] problem with Omerta ~Chinmoku no Okite~ (won't start)

Okay so I installed the game fine, but when I go to run it and click the desktop icon, there's the little loading hourglass for a few seconds and then nothing. The program doesn't start at all no matter how long I wait. @_@

This happens every time I've tried playing it. I've tried it with the patch and without, made sure I was set as the Owner (admin), added it to firewall exclusions, turned off antivirus, etc etc.

I'm running on WinXP.

Two weird things seem to occur frequently as well. Firstly, after the problem with it not loading, I can't seem to run any other windows processes such as when i first attempted to add it to the firewall exclusions after it didn't run (I ended up adding it after restarting), and worse then that, my computer can't shutdown or restart (so I have to turn it off from the back). At one point the computer froze up as well.

Secondly, the omerta_M.exe seems to be running when I check the 'processes' in task manager. I can't end it as a process at all. It's in the applications tab too, as 'not responding' and I can't 'end task'. :doh:

Anyone know what may be causing this and what I could do to remedy the situation (any suggestions would be welcome) so I can finally get to playing this game? Am I the only one who has this issue? T_T

I got it to work perfectly on Vista, now on Windows 7 I can tun it but it wont save. According to Windows 7 the best way tio run it is on XP mode, and you got XP + service pack 3. You should also make sure you got enough space. Cause sometimes programs wont run unless you got plenty of extra. I'm still trying to figure out how to fix the saving. :/

Oh, also make you your computer can view Japanese. Otherwise I'm not sure it will run at all...

Yeah, I'd suggest setting it fully to japanese as I was playing it on WinXP with no problems...until the PC itself died for some other reasons :sic:

I've got all the service packs installed, have tried it on full Japanese (I always have it on Jap in the 'language/non-unicode' bit anyway, but added Jap to the 'standards and formats' part too, for good measure), have PLENTY of extra space - it's still not working at all. >____>

as mentioned before, any suggestions are appreciated - I badly want to get this to work!

What other stuff do you usually have running when you start it up? PC's resolution...? Tried uninstalling, then reinstalling+apply patch? Where did you install it...? (ie I have 3 Hard-drives, so I had it be the non-main one instead of the default path it suggested) Have DivX9 or whatever the programm was called the game offerers by he install menu?
Turning off the anti-virus shouldn't be neccecary as you should be able to set it up as an exclusion, firewall I'd say is totally unrelated

the only program I have running is avast antivirus my internet connection (closed all other programs before I tried it every time). Resolution is 1920 x 1080. I have 2 built-in & one external hard-drive. have the Divx9c whatever installed (makes no difference - I think i had it installed already anyway).

I haven't tried installing it on the other hard-drives, which is what I'll do right now - I'll edit this post when I've tried that.

EDIT: didn't work when i tried it on the other hard-drives either.. sigh..

Which ver of the game did you download then? As I used the links uploaded by hydrog, so past maybe there being a difference by that...I have no clue as the problems seems to be the game not having enough memory to load when it should've started up instantly. Tried switching compatibilities by the properties menu...?

According to the official homepage you need to update your directx version, unless you already haven't or if you don't have it installed. Maybe, if you haven't tried it do it. The game should have an option to update it. Just a thought.

I installed the DirectX from the program menu right at the start - didn't make any difference. I used the version of the game that Hydrog uploaded - so if it worked for you then that can't be the issue either. I've tried switching compatibilities in the properties menu of the programs shortcut and none of them make a difference.

What confounds me about this whole thing is that Omerta appears to be running in the Processes tab of the Task Manager, but not in the Applications tab (it doesn't show up there at all).. so it's sort of weird.. like something of it is running, but if not the game then what? And of course right after initializing the program with a double-click, Windows starts freaking out - can't shut down or restart (always have to turn it off at the back because of that) and the start menu and such will freeze up; task bar disappears and whatnot. This is so weird!