Seeing quite a few friends making the same mistake, Dingdu has tested and confirmed that this method works for Vista or XP:
Error message:
----- Initializing Renderer ----
Executing ragdoll.cfg from disk
----- Client Initialization -----
----- Client Initialization Complete -----
Trying SMP acceleration...
...succeeded.
----- R_Init -----
Getting Direct3D 9 interface...
Pixel shader version is 3.0
Vertex shader version is 3.0
Shader model 2.0 code path is available.
Shader model 3.0 code path is available.
Using Shader model 3.0 code path because it is the best available path on this hardware.
Attempting 800 x 600 fullscreen with 32 bpp at 60 hz
Game window successfully created.
Using 4x anti-aliasing
Creating Direct3D device...
Com_TouchMemory: 0 msec. Using sum: 0
Loading fastfile code_post_gfx
Loading fastfile ui
Loading fastfile common
Initializing render targets...
Requested frame buffer to be 24-bit color with 8-bit alpha
DirectX returned a frame buffer that is 24-bit color with 8-bit alpha
Loading fastfile 'code_post_gfx'
used 1.13 MB memory in DB alloc
Initializing static model cache...
Initializing dynamic buffers...
Initializing particle cloud buffer...
Creating Direct3D queries...
Setting initial state...
DirectX reports 512 MB of video memory and 550 MB of available texture memory.
Using video memory size to cap used texture memory at 496 MB.
Texture detail is set automatically.
Using picmip 0 on most textures, 0 on normal maps, and 3 on specular maps
Waited 39 msec for asset 'shadowcaster' of type 'material'.
Waited 1 msec for asset 'shadowoverlay' of type 'material'.
Waited 5 msec for asset 'stencilshadow' of type 'material'.
Waited 63 msec for asset 'cinematic' of type 'material'.
Error: Could not load material "water_droplet".
Error: Could not load material "water_dynamic_spray".
------- sound system initialization -------
Loading fastfile 'ui'
used 39.48 MB memory in DB alloc
Error during initialization:
Unhandled exception caught