starting problem

Darksnl

bleh this sucks ok
i never had this problem b4 but i did the patch nd everything im not using Windows 7 or Vista im on Windows XP nd when i push start on the load up it goes to start the game but then its just a blank black screen and in the middle its a hourglass i let it be like tht for an hr and when i click on nething else it just freezes and i cant even open my task manager do any of yu guys have same problem or is it just me?
if so any ideas on how to fix it thx