As for the video problems I had before... I tried every possible combination of options, both within the game and within the video drivers themselves (textures, anti-aliasing, .. I updated the nvidia drivers when I first got the game, and (now several months later) I reupdated the video drivers.. maybe it was the new nvidia driver and not the 1.2 update.. (or both?) But the graphics are wonderful now...
and I've hooked enough now to put up with the crashes.. (I'm guessing I'm over half-way through with the game..Only one more quest to unite the clans..) So if i can't resolve the crashes its not gonna keep me from playing..

Though I can't play MM7-8 now, too..! They don't recognize that I have a working directX. I played and beat them on my ol' 400 mhz.. Only one that would work was MM6.. I just replayed and beat that one a few weeks ago. Thats what gave me the drive to retry MM9.....