Anyway, I have tried to play an old copy of Icewind Dale, and run into some problems that I havent found while trying to snoop around... but I might just have used the wrong search terms...
The game loads fine, character creation works, all the basic features run OK. There are no problems with the graphics per se. However, controlling single characters run into problems.
The main problem is that it seems like the computer decides to "push" command buttons (the one below the game window - talk, attack etc.) by itself, and characters freeze up. A red line flashes around the button, starts to flicker, and the only way to use another button is to change the main window - for instance, by switching to the inventory. Furthermore, its not as if the character is stuck on executing that command - it freezes, flickers and does nothing.
For instance, a fighter character has two "weapons" he could equip - the normal one and his bare fists. Whenever I choose him, the "fist" icon is outlined in red (where it is green if I had actually chosen it), it flickers, and the character doesn't respond to command, neither the sprite or the actual game functions (say, attacking). The same thing happens with similar buttons for other characters - the music button for a bard, the Turn Undead button for a cleric, etc.
In addition, when clicking spells, I can only get a separate window with spell choices to open if I switch to, say, the Inventory and click it. Otherwise nothing happens. If I wait just a few seconds, the button goes "dead" again.
Finally, the third problem I have noticed is that the "group formation" buttons work only momentarily - that red line outlines the one furtherst to the left at all times, and when I am able to activate another it quickly switches back.
I'd assume the same trouble causes these similar problems.
The computer I am running it on is some years old. It runs Windows XP. I'm not certain what NVidia version I'm using (I told you I'm very bad at this!) but it says GeForce4 MX Integrated GPU... if that matters.
The darndest thing is that when I got my hand on this game (used, off a friend) some years ago I distinctly remember playing it without this trouble, so I suppose I have messed up some since then.
I've run my standard virus scans and found nothing weird; the rest of the comp works as usual. I've installed the patches I've found.
And one final thing: the original Baldur's Gate (I have the 5 CD version) is the same. I'm thinking of maybe crossposting on that forum if I cannot get an answer here since it seems to be the same problem.
I'd be thankful for any help I can get!
Best,
Erik