Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation

If you have either of these Operating Systems or their successor when it arrives you will need to follow the following instructions when installing the game.

If you have Windows XP or earlier, you can ignore this post in its entirety.

Step 1) Install the game to a directory (folder) outside of the default /program files/ hierarchies.

This is mandatory. See FAQ 1 below for the why of it, if required.

The simplest way to do this would be to edit the default installation location line the installer uses by removing \Program Files, so change this...

C:\Program Files\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\WinSPMBT

to this...

C:\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\WinSPMBT

However, you may be happier with something like

C:\Games\WinSPMBT (Or WinSPWW2 as appropriate)

Now repeat this process for each and every patch, installing each to the new game folder you created.

The patches can be found at:
WinSPWW2
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/Camo_Wo.../WW2_page.html

WinSPMBT
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/Camo_Wo.../MBT_page.html


Step 2) once you have fully patched the game up to version 4.5 (WinSPWW2) or 5.5 (WinSPMBT)

The GameOptions launcher program supplied with version 4.5 (WinSPWW2) or 5.5 (WinSPMBT) detects if you have Vista or later, or XP or earlier.

Certain things apply in Vista or Windows 7:

2.1) - In Windowed Mode, the GDI graphics mode is pre-selected.

Using this mode instead of DirectX solves the problems with the Windows Aero interface destroying the game palette if you minimised it. (Aero will still destroy the palette even if you selected 256 colour mode, and disable desktop composition etc in the "compatibility mode" dialogue for the executable).

2.2) - In Full Screen Mode it uses a batch (CMD) file to remove Aero completely.

The batch file removes the desktop completely by shutting down Windows Explorer, thus turning the Aero interface off. On exiting the batch file script it should restore the taskbar and desktop icons.

2.2.1) - Note that unlike in Windows XP or earlier, you cannot now ALT+TAB out of the game and do email etc.

The game is the only thing you should be playing under the control of full-screen batch file session. You will have to save the game in progress and exit, then do any other activity and return to it.

NB - you may have other programmes available to ALT+TAB to if they were already running when you started the batch file session. Those programmes may have palette problems but should still work.

We recommend that you run in Windowed mode with desktop resolution set, should you require to work on other Windows programmes simultaneously (full game CD owners). This provides a windows-friendly full screen environment.

2.2.2) - If when exiting the batch file session, you find yourself with no taskbar and icons, simply press ALT+SHIFT+ESC to bring up Task Manager. Start a task called explorer.exe, and that will restore the desktop.

If this happens, and you have a non-English language edition of Windows, you may need to edit line 3 of the CMD file from cd c:\windows to cd c:\your local name for windows.

Once you have completed steps 1 and 2, you are good to go for Windows Vista or Seven.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

FAQ 1) Why avoid the /Program files/ and /Program Files (x86)/ Hierarchies?

Windows Vista and onwards attempt to "manage" the /program files/ hierarchy. The O/S will place required files to places it thinks are correct, rather than in the actual game's directory structure. In particular, what it thinks are user data files will go to the "virtual store" folder under your /user/ directory. Unfortunately, the virtual store seems to be a bit problematic, and patches can go to their own virtual store location and hence not take effect.

Simply installing your program to a path that is outside the "managed" hierarchy makes things work properly for pre-Vista programmes which were never written to use separate user data areas.

NB - if you have any older pre-vista software that seems to be flaky when installed on Vista or later, then this approach may well work for them as well. (It did for my Borland C++ Builder development suite - Windows Seven refused to let that write to it's own temporary files in its own folders (even if granted administrator rights and running in an administrator account). The problem was solved by reinstalling to a directory outside of /program files/).

FAQ 2) I have Vista/Seven and I already have the game installed under /program files/ or /program files (x86)/

So - can I just move the game folder to say c:\winSPMBT and update the paths in any desktop shortcuts?

Unfortunately not, since Windows Vista or Seven has shot-gunned game files to various directories that it thought were where they should be, as described in FAQ 1 above. Some may be in virtual store folders under different user profiles, or even different sub-folders of the same user profile. So not all the required files will be where they should be, unlike in XP or earlier where 100% of the game files could be guaranteed to be in the game's folder hierarchy.

Therefore the only solution, if you did not follow the requirement to install outside /program files/, is to uninstall the game and then follow the instructions in step 1.

NB: If you have save game files, scenarios under development, custom maps, edited OOBs etc then you may want to first find these and store them in a temporary folder or folders before uninstalling. They probably will be under your user account folder structure somewhere - you will have to search for these, since it appears that Vista/Seven does not consistently use the same place to stow the files. Any Secure mode PBEM game will be toast - there is no point in moving those save game files. Basic security mode PBEM games in progress should be OK, but are not guaranteed to be on moving to a new folder.

NB: It also appears that the uninstaller does not completely work in Windows Vista or Seven. It only seems to remove the GameOptions Programme. You may have to delete the game files under /program files/Shrapnel games/Camo Workshop/(WinSPWW2 or WinSPMBT) and also you will have to hunt under your user profile(s) for any files dumped in the Virtual Store as well.

FAQ 3) What Compatibility Mode settings should I use?

No Windows Vista or Seven compatibility mode settings are required.

FAQ 4) I have Windows XP or earlier - Does any of this apply?

This technical note is for Windows Vista or Windows 7 only. None of it applies to Windows XP or earlier.

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Thanks Andy!

Does this mean that now both games can be playable full screen on win7 without any issue?

Great to now that the new updates are out, kudos for that and keep up the great job you guys are doing!

Regards

R

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

See section 2.2.

Andy

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

hi andy

i have installed the new version, but compared with the previous one, one of the two errors i had under windows 7 is corrected.

when i run winspw in window, no errors
when i run it in fullscreen previously i had corrupted colours and a frozen screen when in was scrolling the map

now with the new patch, colors are no longer corrupted. but still the screen freezes a few millisecond every seconds when i scroll.

the game is installed in a non system directory, and i run the windows 7 command file.

i have also noticed that in fullscreen i can not choose directx any longer, but gdi is an enforced option in the option screen

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

We have had others with problems with freezing during scrolling, the solution in their case was to install the latest drivers for their video card.

I'll also check the GDI tab - AFAIR though, the game options uses whatever is the appropriate mode (DirectX for full-screen, GDI for Windowed).

Cheers
Andy

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

fantastic!

indeed with new drivers it works! i bought my computer 3 months ago only. i would never have thought it could be the explanation

thanks andy!

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Hi
I'm new at this stuff but maybe someone can make a suggestion or point me in the right direction.

I have installed Winspmbt onto my laptop which runs on Windows 7. Followed all instructions and the download and extraction looked okay, until I clicked onto the Play Winspmbt. Nothing happens and the pop screen "game options" disappears. Looked at the Task manager and the program was not running.

Look forward to some replies and hopefully be in a position to play the game.

Kind regards

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Not being silly but you have applied all the patches? If so & you installed it where stated should work perfectly.
Did you switch off game intro though think this plays now?
Have you tried windowed mode? set resolution to desktop if downloaded bought version.
Does your virus checker or firewall run new programs in a sandbox & is blocking it till you give the OK?

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Thanks John

I did originally run the patches, however decided to rerinstall them against after reading your response. Patch 4.0 failed to install a couple of times (I recall this happening on my first installation but merrily continued on my way loading the other patches)and then managed to do it on the 3rd time round. All other patches post 4.0 went okay. Am able to play the game now. Thanks for your response.

Kind regards

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Just so we are clear--- Patch 4.0 failed to install until the third try and THEN you installed all the ones after it.....correct ?

Don

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Was hoping somebody can offer some advice.

I recently upgraded to windows 7. (that is to say could not reinstall xp)

Attempting to reinstall the CD version of winSPWWII.

All goes well until the 3rd patch or so when i keep getting an error message that the patch did not install properly.

When attempting to run the game, it just crashes to desktop.

So I attempted to uninstall and reinstall again. Got several error messages that patches could not be uninstalled.

When reinstalling in different directory after that, I keep getting the "file did not install properly" message again.

Any advice?

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

The uninstaller does not work under vista/windows 7. Another thing broken by Microsoft it appears.

To uninstall - simply manually delete the game folder. Then delete the short-cuts on the desktop, and in the programme list. There are no registry entries to worry about.

The only thing I can think of that would cause any patch to complain is that you have a corrupt copy. Either the file was corrupted during the download from the shrapnel server, or the disk copy has become so (if it is an old copy you had lying around on your own media).

So I would suggest trying a complete disk test/repair (including possibly a test for corrupted surface sectors - a long process, so leave to run overnight) and then after that is done re-download all the patches from the shrapnel server and try again.

But firstly, I would re-download the patch that failed from the known good copy on the shrapnel server and try again. (maybe download it to a different place on the disk this time). That might then work if the download had produced a borked file due to a bad connection or storing it on a corrupted disk sector, and will save the pain of a disk surface test.

Cheers
Andy

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Andy,

thanks for your help

I found the problem and solution.

Apparently there is some draconian antialtering software in windows 7.

The solution is to right click on the selected file, in this case the patch files and select "run as administrator" otherwise, the OS will not permit the alterations to take place.

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Hi, just coming back after a long absence, Im going to improve my desktop PC bot Im not sure if improving to win7 or just sticking with xp, does the game works well with win7 Home Basic 64bits? Feels good to be back!

Thanks in advance
Regards
R

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

I'm not sure about the 'basic' edition - that is the cut down one without Aero interface and a few other things missing, for notebooks etc?.

Nobody has said that version does not work - or even has mentioned it at all.

My desktop XP box will shortly be replaced by a Windows 7 box. I have XP running on my Windows 7 laptop ATM, in a virtual machine and the game also works fine under that mode too, but mainly the virtual machine will allow the use of older development tools that simply don't work under 7 (like Borland C++ builder, Delphi etc).

Only the "Pro" version of 7 has the XP virtual machine mode, but VMWare have a free edition that does what is needed for non-pro versions
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/11060...ons-and-vista/

I downloaded that, and then found my old XP installation disk and then spent a really fun:rolleyes: morning installing XP to the virtual machine and installing a squillion updates restarts etc.... :hurt:

Once I had the virtual machine all happy and working, I then copied that to another image (its just a set of files after all!) and then installed some stuff on that new image, and renamed it "development". Thus the original is saved off as a pure install of just XP with nothing else added, and can be copied from as needed in the future without any need to do the entire painful installation process ever again.

VMware was a painless process (bar installing XP)and it installed its own virtual drivers etc automagically so the virtual XP machine session could talk to the Internet and use my wireless network. The only fiddly bit is setting up a shared drive that the virtual machine and windows 7 can both see, if you have a need to transfer files from XP<->7.

Once you have a Vmware virtual XP machine set up as a set of files, you can copy that and make new XP machines for new purposes as needed, copy the files to another machine with VMWare on it and mount it, etc. I am really liking the virtualisation thing, and if it works OK for the development side then I will probably purchase the full programme, as that gives a few extra things that a developer may find he needs.

For a "casual" Windows 7 user, setting up a virtual XP machine is a good way to play the game full-screen without the hassles that 7 introduces. Play it in the virtual sandbox, and swap back and forth as needed!. All you need is your original XP CD, the keys to it (that took some finding, it was on a label on the dell, not on the XP system CD! - it is now printed in ink on my CD sleeve!;)), and the VMWare free edition. (It may also be an answer for playing other older games that 7 does not like)

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Phew! that´s what I call a creative solution :up: thanks a lot for your fine reply!

Im sticking with xp pro32 (core2D) for the moment, got a nice deal off ebay :D but in the future I guess will inevitably end up with win7 following your advice, glad to know about this walkaround!

Is there any know problem with the game running on dual core?

Thanks in advance
R

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

No problems in dual core - my windows 7 laptop is such.

Andy

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

I got an email about the new installer for win7, I assume it will work for win 7 and xp alike? As I understand it´s the same thing, but the new one recognizes when win7 is installed and performs the win7 installation fix automatically?

I was thrilled when I saw the consolidated patch ready for download! I was expecting that one until spring, it´s indeed a great Christmas present

Thanks in advance and merry Christmas to all.

Regards

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

You already experienced the new installer with the last incremental patch - previous ones were built with the old model. Consolidated patch is of course fully built with the new model install maker.

The consolidated patch is the main thing - as it saves several separate downloads and installs. But nothing new otherwise if you have already patched up using the old incrementals which it replaces.

All new initial seed images, and the consolidation patch also are also now re-pathed by default to a windows 7 friendly one, as described in the installing to Visa/Seven sticky. That should help the folks that don't read the destructions! ;)...

New patch is TBD in the new year/spring whatever, as usual.

Andy

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Thanks Andy,

I haven´t installed it yet because I have the game already patched and working on xp, though a new win7 laptop is on it´s way as Christmas present so I'm planning to run it in a few days.

If I understand correctly (please bear with my programming ignorance) my old CDv installler will remain as it is, so if installing under win7 I can use the default path and this new consolidated patch will re-path the game in order to work properly? I won´t need to follow the win7 thread instructions or anything just click install on my old cd version installer and add this consolidated patch?

I remember there was an issue running the game in full screen (my favorite mode) under win7, was this issue addressed as well?

Thanks again

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

NO

If you use the original CD installer without changing the installation path manually the V1 version of the game will be installed under C:/ program files and all the patches will NOT.

The new consolidated patch will NOT magically re-path the game for you ---only the patches ------

if you are going to use the original CD installer you MUST change the default path from

C:\Program Files\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop

to

C:\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop

first


Don

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Thank you Don!

So I assume full screen mode is still unfriendly under win7

Regards

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Just installed the game, the consolidation patch v5.0 and when I run the game it takes all kinds of funny colors, like how WinSPMBT was to me when I didnt install the patches properly. Any suggestions?

Oh and DIDNT install the game in Program files and I have Windows 7 in my PC.

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

What version of the game is reported on the main game screen? - if it does not report as version 5.XX, then you have not installed the patch correctly.

Assuming you have installed and patched to 5.XX then what version of Windows does the GameOptions launcher programme report? - it should say "Windows Vista or later".

Also - what precise path did you install to?

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

In the main game screen in says WinSPWW2 v5.0-DL.

The launcher does indeed say Windows Vista or Greater.

The path to the game is: C:\ShrapnelGames\TheCamoWorkshop\WinSPWW2.

Oh and I've figured out that the game does run properly in Windowed Mode. It's the full screen mode that has the problem.

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Have you updated your video drivers lately ?


Don

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Video drivers is what I would suspect (unless for example, you can play MBT fine in full screen mode).

If you have changed your monitor recently, you might not have the correct colour profile file associated.

Also - I would suggest a de-fragmentation of the hard drive, and a check for disk errors. That's always worth doing every 6 months to a year or so, anyway. You can get strange results if there are "lost clusters" or even worse, bad disk sectors.

And are you trying to ALT+TAB out of the full screen game in Windows 7 - that is likely to cause problems if you are running the batch file. The batch file that kills Aero and explorer under 7 removes the facility to ALT+TAB - use the game in desktop mode windowed for full screen then, if you have the full CD game. Windowed mode is the "cure" to vista/seven problems with 256 colour palette games since it uses a 16 bit colour mode. If the game runs fine without attempts to AL+TAB off to other things then it is working as designed.

Make sure no other programmes are running (I had problems with the Avast! anti virus until I set it not to show pop-ups or whatever it was - it had various options, including a check box about not doing things if a full screen game was active which were not set by default. If it slid up one of those in the background when there was a full screen game in play it smashed the 256 colour palette). So you may have some sort of utility like that which is interfering. Try turning all these things off one at a time, disconnecting from the internet if it's your AV you are temporarily disabling of course!.

Other than that - see my post #15 above about setting up a virtual XP machine under windows 7.

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Aeraaa I posted an alternate fix for the color problen some months ago here:
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=49236
Maybe give it a try?`

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

I actually have Avast and havent checked th options. Will do now!

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Ok Im re posting this question here since it seems to get more attention.

The press relase for the incremental patch says:

"The physical CD versions have now been reprinted to take advantage of the new installations and are available now, making them the perfect stocking stuffers for the grognards in your life. The digital download versions have also been updated if that method of delivery is your preference."

Im somewhat confused here, is there a new CD version? if so, what is exactly the difference with the old one?

Thanks in advance

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

The updated physical CD has had the new model windows vista/7 friendly installer file added to it instead of the old one. Otherwise, it is exactly the same.

The same goes for the other initial install modules, i.e. CD electronic download and free game.

cheers
Andy

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

A "perfect storm" situation occurred

We had already decided to build and issue a consolidation patch for both games early last summer to simplify the upgrade from V1 procedure when it was discovered during a stock audit that , co-incidentally, the physical CD stocks of both games was getting low and there would need be a new order for them placed probably near the end of the summer

After long discussion is was decided that this was the perfect time to upgrade everything to the current versions rather than just issue consolidation patches and re-stamp the CD's that needed to be re-ordered with V1 of both games. Since sales for both games differ and they were issued a year apart there had never been a time when BOTH games need to be re-ordered at the same time before and this is why the new CD's have the latest version instead of V1. If you own V1 installing the consolidation patch will bring that version to current levels.

FYI the next patch for both games will be issued next week and that patch will be applied AFTER the consolidation patch but if you own the "new" CD version all you need to do is install the new patch when it is issued..... you DO NOT need to install the consolidation patch into a newly issued CD version of the game.

Don

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Thank you very much Don!

Please bear with my dumbness, I just want to make sure I got it right:

I bought my CDs back in 05, I assume they´re the V1 you´re refering to? They come with the installer for XP and all I have to do if I want to bring those up to date is just install them and immediately after that just run the consolidation patch for each one and after that the new upgrade patch and Im ready to go, right?

The installer issue confuses me a little Im sorry. As I understand, the original CD install path is intended for xp but consolidation patch and new upgrade have been updated so I have to redirect them manually if Im using xp?

Now, new CD versions have been issued, they´re already brought to latest version before the latest upgrade, right? and they have been updated with the new installers? so these new versions are intended to install under win 7-8 and the path for xp must be redirected manually or they will automatically set the path depending on my os?

It´s hard to believe it´s been almost 10 years already!

Regards

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

The old-model game installers will point at C:\Program Files\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\WinSPWW2

The new game installers use C:\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\WinSPWW2

In other words the "Program Files\" part of the path is removed.


It is mind-numbingly simple to change the old CD initial installer to use the new path!


Step 1 - assuming that you have some save games in progress in the old obsolete /program files/ folder that you want to keep - back these up by copying to a temporary folder.

Step 2 - Now uninstall the old game.

Step 3 - we will now reinstall the complete game form scratch but using the new style path.
We do that since all patches in the future will use that scheme, so now you wont now have to manually point to the old folder for each and every one.

When the path is shown in the old CD's game installer, you simply delete the bit in bold: C:\Program Files\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\WinSPWW2

Install the game there

Now, all you need do is install the new consolidation patch, and then the new version 6 patch in that order. These will now not require re-pathing as they are set up to use the path you just used to install the game to.

Finally, copy your saved games you backed up (if any) to the save game folder.

It really is as simple as that!

cheers
Andy

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Thanks a lot Andy! it´s crystal clear now.

Though regarding my past post about the changes in the new CD version (post No. 30) I was left with the idea that the only difference is the win7-8 friendly installer. But now I see that the new CD version has the consolidation patch already built into it. Is that so?

Thanks in advance

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

YES. It is "built in" to the recently issued CD version

That is why I explained we had only originally intended to issue a consolidation patch last year but because stocks of both CD versions were running low and had to be re-pressed the decision was made to up date them to the same version as the consolidation patch rather than press a version 5 years out of date which is why we tell people who bought the game since the new version was released to check their version number on the main screen and only DL patches that are numbered higher than that. Anyone who bought the CD version in the last couple of months will see "winSPWW2 V5-CD" so they only need to install the new V6 patch and any that follow in the years to come

NONE of this would be necessary if I had been allowed to put the games directly under C:\ when they were first released but that was in the days before Vista and Win7 and there was no real reason to argue that decision but hindsight shows my first impulse would have saved A LOT of aggravation on both sides of the issue

Don

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Ok, I’m downloading vCD5.0. I felt nostalgic when I saw it labeled No. 5.

I remember being in front of my computer the moment winSPMBT went out back in 05, the interface used to be brownish back then. I stumbled upon DOSspmbt by complete accident just a month before joining, I had an old office pc that could run it like a charm and started playing just a week before winspmbt´s launch, though launch day was yet undisclosed.

My old pc didn´t have graphic accelerator so I had to stick with the dos version for a while, I joined the yahoo group just a couple of days before Don and Andy said good bye from there and moved to these boards

Some time has passed, the game´s been outstandingly improved and I’m not the same guy either ; So I guess Im watching the tree grow, feeling part of a great and very refined game.
Ok gentlemen, let´s carry on.

P.S. I suppose our V1 CDs became collectibles by now.

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

NO !

The whole point of doing what we did was to ensure anyone who had bought the early version of the game could upgrade to current levels in a couple of easy steps......


1/Install the V1 CD as described by Andy four posts back

so what you are left with is this:

C:\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\WinSPWW2

2/ THEN install the consolidation patch in the same place

3/ THEN install the patch we just released in the same place

Simple..... and when those steps are completed you have the most up-to-date version of the game.

Don

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Thank you very much Don.

Now that I think about it, I believe that 8 years of work on a single video game must be a record of some sort, I doubt there is another WW2TBS VG with the same amount of work put into it.

On the other hand, as a suggestion, I would like to see a pdf version of the updated manual.

Regards

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

I remembered there was something you had to do to get the Consolidation Patch loaded onto the V.1 CD. (Don and Andy's Posts #21 and #34 above.) a little search brought me to this thread and I had "I could've had a V8" moment. Good information will well...always be GOOD information especially since I see it's patch time and weird things always seem to happen around this time operator error or other. Have to get caught up on this game while awaiting my new WinSPMBT CD to arrive.

UPDATE: As I'm still running XP SP3 fully updated the trick for me was to have to ADD the Program Files BACK IN now my CD V.1 game has the Consolidation Patch loaded onto dated 26 FEB 2011. When I checked the Program path from the downloaded file it already had the "Program File" removed and Would Not load onto the game file; again until I reinserted "Program File" into the File Path.

Regards,
Pat

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

"Program File" should of course read "Program Files" in my last just ran out of time to edit it.

Regards,
Pat

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

after installing lastest patch 7 (2014) with windows 7 game no longer works period. windowed or unwindowed or at any resolution. Hit play and computer goes back to desktop and both my laptop and desktop

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

Well you're the first that has happened to so delete the copy of the V7 patch you have then reinstall the game up to the V6 patch then download the V7 patch again.

I suspect what you have is a corrupted download of the V7 patch otherwise everyone with Win7 would be having trouble.

Don

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

I am running on Windows 7 and I installed the patch and no problems what so ever.

Everything is peachy fine.

Is running winSPWW2 on Win 7 64bit an issue?
 

Is running winSPWW2 on Windows 7 64bit an issue?

Re: Is running winSPWW2 on Win 7 64bit an issue?
 

not if you follow the directions in the first post of this thread and install it outside the "standard" .../program files/... or .../program files (86)/... file structure.

How about Windows 8?
 

Any plans to make the game playable on a 64bit Win 8 system?

Re: How about Windows 8?
 

Running perfectly fine on my 64 bit windows 8.1 box in windowed mode at desktop resolution so it uses the 1080i wide screen.

But 256 colour MSDOS mode is not well supported by some modern post Vista graphics cards/drivers. The mode causes graphics lags and stuttering on scrolling on many such modern cards that dont have legacy modes any more.

Full screen 256 colour mode is therefore obsolete (unless you happen to find a card where the vendor has written in support for legacy games). But that is what windowed mode + desktop resolution (if you have the full game) is for.

(Be aware that many modern graphics cards and/or monitors wont go down to an 800x600 screen size either, with 1280 being about the smallest size offered. Free demo users might have to play-test the game in an 800x600 window.)

Re: Windows Vista and Windows Seven Installation
 

It's running perfectly fine on my 64 bit windows 8.1 box in windowed mode at desktop resolution as well.

In my case I run a one year old machine that was built for win8 and I CAN run fullscreen up to desktop but fullscreen desktop for me runs "pokey" whereas fullscreen < desktop runs more or less normally the game runs best windowed mode desktop

Read the thread just below this one "Running the game windowed vs fullscreen " it explains our position on this issue

Don