Zoo Tycoon 2: minimum system requirements

This article describes the minimum system requirements for Microsoft Zoo Tycoon 2. Additionally, this article discusses supported and unsupported graphics hardware.

You can use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to look up your system information. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
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   , type dxdiag in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
   
   
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   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
2. Click the System tab. Note the information for the processor and for the memory.
3. Click the Display tab. In the Device section, note the name of the video card and its Approx. Total Memory.
4. Click Exit.

Game Advisor and troubleshooting issues

If you want to find out whether a computer will run Zoo Tycoon 2, visit the following Game Advisor Web site: You can use the Game Advisor to download a small piece of software that scans the system. This software will help you determine whether a computer has the correct hardware for the game that you want to play. If you do not have the hardware that you need, the Windows Game advisor provides links to hardware providers that can help you upgrade the system.

If the computer that you are using meets the game requirements, but the game does install or does not run, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: To verify that the computer that you are using meets the game requirements, see the "Unsupported graphics hardware" section.

Minimum system requirements for Zoo Tycoon 2

A Pentium 733 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor.

• One of the following operating systems:
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me)
  • Microsoft Windows 2000
  • Windows XP
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows 7
• 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM.
• A hard disk with at least 900 MB of available space.
• A 4x speed or higher CD drive.
• A Direct3D-compatible super VGA graphics adapter with at least 16 MB of Video RAM (VRAM).
• A keyboard and a Microsoft mouse or compatible pointing device.
• A sound card and speakers or headphones.
• DirectX 9.0b or a later version.
• Internet access to download optional content.
• A supported graphics adapter with at least 16 MB of memory.

Note All Zoo Tycoon 2 expansion packs require you to have Zoo Tycoon 2 installed.

Unsupported memory hardware

When you start Zoo Tycoon 2, you may receive the following error: This behavior may occur if your computer has less than 256 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM). To resolve this issue upgrade the amount of RAM that is installed on your computer. Contact your computer manufacturer or system builder to receive more information about how to upgrade the RAM.

Supported graphics hardware

To play Zoo Tycoon 2, your graphics hardware must have access to a minimum of 16 MB of memory. Additionally, your hardware must pass a system check when you start the game. If you received an error that your video card is not supported, contact your computer manufacturer to obtain a video card that is not listed on the "Unsupported graphics hardware" list. If your graphics hardware meets the video memory requirement and passes the system check when you start Zoo Tycoon 2, and you still experience a graphics issue, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Based article: For more information about known graphic issues, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Unsupported graphics hardware

When you start Zoo Tycoon 2, if you receive the following error message, your graphics hardware did not pass the system check, and it is not supported by Zoo Tycoon 2: For information about how to upgrade your graphics hardware, visit the following Microsoft Web site: