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[Mister McNope]

This may not be the best place to post this, but I don't think this is a bug nor something that needs to go to the bug tracker, but I also don't know what it is. So after a long while of not playing the game I decided to play some (just as a note, I'm running 42.06) but the game didn't open, said it was missing a few .dlls, after trying to copy the missing .dlls from my backup I decided it would be easier to just clear the game file (doing a backup before, obviously) and reinstall. Till then all was fine, but when I tried to open a save I got a message kinda like this:  "FATAL ERROR CREATURE NOT FOUND: DWARF", and now all my saves are like that, none open are opening in neither 42.06 nor 42.05, all giving me this message. Anyone now what migth have happend/how to fix this?
On a side note, here os what showed up in my errorlog:
Unrecognized Announcement Token: TRAVEL_ADVISORY
Missing Creature Definition: DWARF

[Shonai_Dweller]

Where did you get the game from? If it wasn't straight from Bay 12, get it from here and try again.
Are you using Windows, Linux or Mac?
Seems to be lots on Mac issues on the bug tracker.

Theoretically, travel advisory shouldn't be the problem (it's just a missing announcement), but people seem to be quoting it a lot in the Mac issues threads.

[PatrikLundell]

You're talking about your "saves", i.e. plural. Since you can't open DF these saves presumably are older ones. If so, which version are they from?
If you're copying DLLs (which I think implies Windows rather than Mac or Linux) from old DF versions into a new one I'd expect things either not to work at all, go horribly wrong, or go subtly wrong with a horrible ending.
I'd try to download either the latest official release as recommended by Shonai_Dweller, or the bleeding edge LNP which contains that version, install that in an empty directory (so nothing gets contaminated by old junk), start DF just to see if it starts, exit, copy saves, and then try to start those saves.
It can be noted that while 0.42.X is capable of using and running 0.40.X saves (not sure if it's all versions or just more recent ones) newly introduced features will be missing (such as instruments and the ability to make stuff to write on), so it's a judgement call whether to stick with the older latest major version (0.40.24) or use the newer one.

[Mister McNope]

Where did you get the game from? If it wasn't straight from Bay 12, get it from here and try again.
Are you using Windows, Linux or Mac?
Seems to be lots on Mac issues on the bug tracker.

Theoretically, travel advisory shouldn't be the problem (it's just a missing announcement), but people seem to be quoting it a lot in the Mac issues threads.

Downloaded it from Bay 12, Windows 10.

You're talking about your "saves", i.e. plural. Since you can't open DF these saves presumably are older ones. If so, which version are they from?
If you're copying DLLs (which I think implies Windows rather than Mac or Linux) from old DF versions into a new one I'd expect things either not to work at all, go horribly wrong, or go subtly wrong with a horrible ending.
I'd try to download either the latest official release as recommended by Shonai_Dweller, or the bleeding edge LNP which contains that version, install that in an empty directory (so nothing gets contaminated by old junk), start DF just to see if it starts, exit, copy saves, and then try to start those saves.
It can be noted that while 0.42.X is capable of using and running 0.40.X saves (not sure if it's all versions or just more recent ones) newly introduced features will be missing (such as instruments and the ability to make stuff to write on), so it's a judgement call whether to stick with the older latest major version (0.40.24) or use the newer one.

I tried to copy some of the .dlls from a old version of DF that was still laying around (42.05), it worked somewhat, the game opened, but there was no sound and I couldn't select anything, so I decide to backup the save of that version (42.06), clear out the folder were this version was and reinstall the game on that same (now empty) folder. (Note: I downloaded it from Bay 12)
I should also note that most of those saves were created on 42.06, with the exception of one, wich was created on 42.05, so there won't be any of those issues about missing stuff.
If someone could explain me how to, I could try and upload my saves here so someone can try and figure out if they are forever lost or I am just being an idiot.

[PatrikLundell]

Most people who haven't played DF in a long while mean years, not less than 2 months, so that expression causes incorrect assumptions.
So you've played 0.42.06 and generated saves, and then decided to continue and now it doesn't work. So, initially, did you continue with the DF installation you had since before (which should just continue to work), or did you somehow install anew before the first try? If continuing with an existing installation failed, have you done something to the computer in the mean time (such as switching to windows 10, replaced HW, or had a virus scan quarantine some DF .dlls)?
I would guess a virus scanner scans the DF download and finds some of the .dlls suspect (which is unusual. There are a number of DF utilities that are often targeted incorrectly, but the finger is rarely pointed at DF itself). The required files should all be provided with the installation. Using .05 .dlls with .06 is asking for weird trouble (such as missing dwarves...).
Thus, I'd try to look at the anti virus program to see what it claims to have done (but I can give no guarantee I'm not barking up the wrong tree).

[Mister McNope]

Most people who haven't played DF in a long while mean years, not less than 2 months, so that expression causes incorrect assumptions.
So you've played 0.42.06 and generated saves, and then decided to continue and now it doesn't work. So, initially, did you continue with the DF installation you had since before (which should just continue to work), or did you somehow install anew before the first try? If continuing with an existing installation failed, have you done something to the computer in the mean time (such as switching to windows 10, replaced HW, or had a virus scan quarantine some DF .dlls)?
I would guess a virus scanner scans the DF download and finds some of the .dlls suspect (which is unusual. There are a number of DF utilities that are often targeted incorrectly, but the finger is rarely pointed at DF itself). The required files should all be provided with the installation. Using .05 .dlls with .06 is asking for weird trouble (such as missing dwarves...).
Thus, I'd try to look at the anti virus program to see what it claims to have done (but I can give no guarantee I'm not barking up the wrong tree).

I continued with the same instalation then reinstaled when this whole thing happened, but a few weeks ago I had some issues with viruses and, if I recall corectly, my antivirus (AVG) decided to screw arround with the DF files so this migth be the reason why there were missing .dlls, and my attempt to fix it using .05 .dlls may have caused this whole thing. Great, I'm an idiot.
Now to the more important matters, is there a way the "fix" my saves or are they forever gone ?
Also, thanks everyone for the help.

[PatrikLundell]

Lack of knowledge does not mark an idiot, but failure to learn from experience does...
If you've managed to overwrite the saves with the mangled DF version you may have managed to destroy them. If, however, you've consistently failed to start the saves ought to be unchanged, and thus work with a sound DF installation. I'd check the time stamps of the files within the saves. If all of them are older than the latest string of attempts they should be unharmed. If they match the time you copied them they may be OK. If they're dated after attempting to use them I'd say there's a great risk they're beyond repair by anyone under the rank of Master DF Save Manipulator.

[greycat]

Missing Creature Definition: DWARF

This one in particular sounds ilke corrupted raws.  This can happen if you mix files from different versions of DF, or install mods (e.g. graphics packs) that are intended for a different version of DF.

One thing you should never do is install a new version of DF in the same directory (folder) as an older version of DF.  If you want to upgrade, you need to install the new version in a new directory, and then copy the saves over.

[Mister McNope]

Well after a few final tests it seems that my saves are forever gone, welp, could've gonne better but at the very least this can serve as warning to every player, that if you mix files from diferent versions you are going to have a bad time.
Also, thanks to everyone who came here to help, unfortunately this whole situation didn't end well.