Game plays too fast

[Calum]

Hi all.
I have recently received a game, which runs far too fast to be playable.
I estimate it runs about 5 times faster than it should- gameplay, controls and music are all the same.
I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the game to no effect.
The game is "Sonic & Knuckles 3" produced by Xplosiv.
All 3 of the games in the pack (Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic & Knuckles 3) suffer from the same problem.
I don't have a receipt to get a refund/exchange either because it was bought for me and the person who gave it me hasn't got the receipt.
Can anyone help me?
Thanks in advance.

[Calum]

It's a PC game.
Not using an emulator.
Not ROMs.
There are no options other than volume and fullscreen or windowed mode, and the problem happens in both modes.
Thanks for the ideas though.

[Calum]

+ and - keys make no difference.
Turns out the game is playing between 10 and 15 times faster than usual, I watched the time counting up on the levels.
Also, it's not just the in game action, I've noticed that it times out quickly too (you know, when you don't press a button for however long it shows a demonstration of the game?  There's about 2 seconds before it times out)

[Neil]

Are these old DOS games? Might be worth running in an emulator. Try looking around their fansites for information.

[Calum]

I'm sure there are no other options.
I don't have the receipt because my friend threw it away, so I can't take it back.
They're not DOS games, they're definitely for Windows, and it says it's compatible with 95, 98, and XP (but not 2k, strangely).
Compatibility options don't help.
A screenshot wouldn't be much use I don't think, because it would just show one frame,and the problem is that it's showing about 15 frames in the time it should show one.
Normally I complain about low fps, now it's the other way round...
Anyway, thanks for the replies.
If I can't solve it, I think I'll just sell it at a car boot or throw it away, it was only a few quid anyway.

[Neil]

You can get tools that purposefully waste your CPU's resources in order to prevent old games from running too fast. Try Google for them.

[Track]

I'm sure there are no other options.
I don't have the receipt because my friend threw it away, so I can't take it back.
They're not DOS games, they're definitely for Windows, and it says it's compatible with 95, 98, and XP (but not 2k, strangely).
Compatibility options don't help.
A screenshot wouldn't be much use I don't think, because it would just show one frame,and the problem is that it's showing about 15 frames in the time it should show one.
Normally I complain about low fps, now it's the other way round...
Anyway, thanks for the replies.
If I can't solve it, I think I'll just sell it at a car boot or throw it away, it was only a few quid anyway.

Tell me the specs of ur PC and the program ur trying to use, along with a windowed screenshot.

[Calum]

Game = Sonic & Knuckles collection.
Specs = 2GHz AMD Turion 64 MT-37
ATi Mobility X1600 256Mb
100Gb 8200rpm HDD
XP Pro SP2
Craetive Audigy 2 ZS Notebook
15.4" 1280x800 screen
Need more info let me know.
Screenshot is attached.

[Track]

 i have never seen this sort of this happen in windows XP.

1. what is in the options?
2. Try increasing the window size.
3. Try running it in Windows 98.
4. Try using ATITool to underclock ur GPU to 100Mhz.

Report back..

[Neil]

This game is simply a port from the console version that is unable to cope with the fast speeds of modern processors. (I doubt the game will use anything other than the basic features of a graphics card)

This Wikipedia article explains how to solve the problem. Google found it in 0.28 seconds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_&_Knuckles_Collection

[Calum]

Thankyou very much to everyone, the patch solved my problem.
Strangely, the article says running in fullscreen solves it, but it doesn't help for me.
@ Track - My GPU is underclocked to 138:140 to reduce heat, any lower and it causes instability.
Thanks once again.

[Track]

This game is simply a port from the console version that is unable to cope with the fast speeds of modern processors. (I doubt the game will use anything other than the basic features of a graphics card)

This Wikipedia article explains how to solve the problem. Google found it in 0.28 seconds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_&_Knuckles_Collection

Excellent job!
I had an idea that it may have something to do with the game itself not having proper speed limiting routines, but i didnt think it was that old.. obviously then it would be wise to switch it to full screen where it would be subject to the monitor's refresh rate.
*Side Note: Always keep ur monitor at 75hz and not below!

[Calum]

*Side Note: Always keep ur monitor at 75hz and not below!

It seems that my monitor doesn't support higher than 60Hz, I found this out immediately after i bought my laptop as this was one of the first things I tried to change.

[Neil]

On flatscreens refresh rate is irrelevent and should be left at 60Hz.

And that should have been a semicolon.

[Calum]

I didn't think it was important for TFT monitors.
Semicolon after 60Hz?
Sorry.
OH NOES1! TEH GRAMMAR/SPEELINGS POLICES!1! HIDE TEH ERRORS!!!11!