If you got the game on Steam, try Verify integrity of game cache.

You may also want to make sure that the correct options for your PC are set. When opening the game and the dialog pops up, change some graphics settings in there and see if that helps (or changes anything at all).

no i didnt get the game on steam and i have tried changing some graphic settings but it doesnt change anything the black texture is still there and the walls and water is all white with no texture at all.
I hope you get what I want to say
please help me i really want to play this game i have already tried reinstalling it but it didnt work.
the game was working fine a few days ago but my electricity was shut down unexpectedly could that be the problem?

Are you playing on a laptop that has integrated graphics + a dedicated (discrete) graphics card?
If you are, then make sure the game is using the dedicated graphics card.

The problem you have sounds like back in 2005 when the game was released where this problem happened on computers running Intel graphics or having very old graphics cards.

Have you tried deleting Stronghold2.GraphicsSettings.xml which is in the Stronghold 2 folder in your Documents folder? When you start the game a new file should be created.

You can also try if running the game in compatibility mode for Windows XP works.

[This message has been edited by PCDania (edited 07-14-2014 @ 03:29 AM).]

i am playing on a PC desktop that has built in GPU(Nvidia 6150 Le) i have tried deleting .xml file and running the game in XP compatibility mode but they done change anything.
as for my GPU i dont thinkk thats the prob because it ran the game for a few days on high settings easily.
Please help me i really wanna play this game

the game was working fine a few days ago but my electricity was shut down unexpectedly could that be the problem?

No. That would affect your entire PC, not just one game installed.

As PCDania states, try deleting the documents/stronghold 2/Stronghold2.GraphicsSettings.xml file, but also change your monitor resolution and see if that helps you. Make sure to do both at the same time as it may re-adjust itself to the newer resolution.

Guys thanks for the reply but it didnt change anything i tried to change the Resolution and deleting the .xml file but nothing chnged guys i beg you plz help me i really wanna play this game. plz help me solve this black ground and white waves problem

[This message has been edited by stronghold0300 (edited 07-14-2014 @ 05:50 AM).]

Make a backup of the saves folder in your Stronghold 2 folder in My Documents by copying it to somewhere outside the Stronghold 2 folder.

Uninstall the game and make sure by checking in Windows Explorer that the games mainfolder is deleted.

Make sure the Stronghold 2 folder in My Documents is deleted.

Restart your computer, install the game and then restart the computer again.

Patch the game if needed.
If auto-patching does not work, the patches for manual patching can be found here:
http://www.fireflyworlds.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=164&Itemid=247
Note that patch 1.4 MUST be installed before installing patch 1.4.1.

Start the game and set the graphics as you like it.
Close the game and copy the saves folder to the Stronghold 2 folder in My Documents.

Start the game and continue playing using your old saves.

Hope above works out for you.

I've tried everything just as u said but it still the same old problem black ground and white waves. PLease help me!

[This message has been edited by stronghold0300 (edited 07-14-2014 @ 07:25 AM).]

I'm actually trying to help you. That is why I write these posts.....

Download the latest graphics driver for your graphics card here:

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

At Product Type make sure it says "GeForce"
At Product Series make sure it says "GeForce 6 series"
At Operating System make sure it says "Windows 7 32-bit"
At Language select your language. If your language is not in the dropdown menu, select "Other"

Click the green Search button.
On next page click the Download button.
On next page, click the Agree & Download button.
Save the file to your computer.

Install the driver (can take several minutes). When it has finished, restart your computer.

Install the lastest release of DirectX.

You can update DirectX here:

Update DirectX

Click the Orange "Download" button.

Click the Blue "No thanks and continue" button

Select "Run" on the popup.

Select "Yes" to any warning.

Select "I accept the agreement" in the "Setup for DirectX" window, then click the "Next" button.

Remove the Check at "Install the Bing Bar", then click the "Next" button.

The DirectX installer will check your computer and install as necessary.

Hope this helps you.

[This message has been edited by PCDania (edited 07-14-2014 @ 08:06 AM).]

I've tried everything just as u said but it still the same old problem black ground and white waves. PLease help me!

For starters, you can help us help you by actually providing information on your issue. I don't know how people expect us to help without actually providing any relevant details. We're not psychic - we can only help based on what you tell us.

1.) What have you tried?

2.) Have you noticed any other issues apart from this?

3.) Since you claim it worked at first, have you installed anything, or has anything changed on your PC since it was first installed?

4.) Are the textures actually there? (located in the /stronghold 2/terrain/ directory)

5.) Does anything actually make it crash completely to the desktop? If so, have you tried running it in compatibility with windows xp?

6.) Is this game pirated or legal?

There is a possibility that with a hard shut down from a power outage has caused some problems in windows itself, have you tried a restore point before the power went out.

You should also check your ram, it could be bad from a power outage not likely but worth looking at.

Have you played any other games since?

well im still downloading the the update and Direct X update so ill inform if that works.
as for the Duke's question
1_I have tried running it with many compatibility modes(XPsp3 Xpsp2 vista etc),deleting the .xml file ,reinstalling the game but problem still remains
2_well when i turn graphics to highest the ground begins to glow (something like that)nothing else.I have installed 1.4.1 patch but it still shows 1.4
3_nah, installed nothing but the PC was turned off because of power outage
4_yeah textures are there
5_no it doesnt crash and yes tried the compatibility thing
6_Legal(my friend bought it for me and he didnt install it on his PC)
and i dont think somethings wrong with my ram bcuz i am playing other game and its working flawlessly

2_well when i turn graphics to highest the ground begins to glow (something like that)nothing else.I have installed 1.4.1 patch but it still shows 1.4

That should be fixed if you disable Bloom in the graphics settings for the game.

Okay Dania i have tried everything once again it doesn't work.
btw if you guys are getting annoyed by this unsolvable problem of mine you can tell me and I'll forget this game

[This message has been edited by stronghold0300 (edited 07-14-2014 @ 11:32 AM).]

Hmm. I'm perplexed. It has to be graphics driven, as there have been many other issues similar I.E. http://stronghold.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/forum/display.cgi?action=ct&f=26,3932,,365

btw if you guys are getting annoyed by this unsolvable problem of mine [...]

We're not getting annoyed at you, we were only getting irritated by the fact that you weren't providing details but expected us to know instantly.

Quoted from Sir_Vet:

Have you played any other games since?

Quoted from Firefly:

ensure the graphic settings for Stronghold 2 are set to maximum in the graphics configuration panel. You can access them by going to: Start\All Programs\Firefly Studios\Stronghold 2\Stronghold 2.

Quoted from Firefly:

This could be caused by bloom being turned on when using a Nvidia Graphics Card. A recent driver update has caused the effect to break on Nvidia Cards. Please turn this off in the graphics panel.

[This message has been edited by Duke Chris (edited 07-14-2014 @ 11:48 AM).]

well i have played one game(company of heroes TOV) and that runs prefectly. have tried run on the highest nothing changed and also turned off the bloom still the problem remains.
could it be my windows? should i reinstall it?

could it be my windows? should i reinstall it?

No. Absolutely not. Do not reinstall windows unless there is a fatal error on your machine - in which case it would be better to restore, not reinstall.

While windows 7 has a few minor issues running the game at times (I.E. random crashes to the desktop & the "stronghold 2 has stopped working") it is generally, compatible - whatever bit operating system you have.

I have installed 1.4.1 patch but it still shows 1.4

Is this still occurring?

yea its still occurring but it was like that before this unsolvable problem occurred

Pretty strange. The main menu should say 1.4.1 to the lower right after installing that patch.

Try download patch 1.4.1 (again) from firefly (link in one of my former posts) and then try install it but this time, before installing it, right click the file, select Properties, then compatibility and set a check at Run program as administrator. You will get a popup window warning you, make sure to allow. If you get any error messages when installing that patch, please tell what it says.

Nope it didn't change anything.

Very strange.

I would like you to right click the shortcut for Stronghold 2 on the desktop.

Select "Open file location"

Right click the Shaders folder, select Properties and tell us:

The size of the folder.

Disk space used

How many files and folders are reported.

That to me sounds like something is wrong with the cache. Delete the sh2.cache file from the /my documents/stronghold 2/ folder and see if that helps.

Does the auto patcher appear when you try and load the game still?

[This message has been edited by Duke Chris (edited 07-15-2014 @ 02:30 AM).]

Strange thing is I have asked him to delete the stronghold 2 folder in My Documents before reinstalling the game so the cache file is brand new but he still gets the same shader errors.

Have you tried to play the game without any patching? Just install it, and not to path it to 1.4 and 1.4.1?