Solved Game Refuses to Start at all

[Thagarr]

Glad you got it working mate! As for the stock game not working, the original disks did have copy protection, it's been so long now that I forget what it was. I am pretty sure that Windows 10 is the culprit here, Microsoft intentionally stops certain copy protection from working. see HERE.

They say it is for the users "protection", however, any trust I ever had in Microsoft disappeared completely many years ago when they started pushing console gaming over PC. Anything for a profit, even destroying your core consumer base.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Anyway, I hadn't installed the Mod properly, which I just realised and corrected (aka not unzipping the file but using the installer with the cab file in the same folder)

You are using the CAB archive? And STILL extracting it manually?
I'm at a loss; the very reason for naming it ".cab" (instead of .7z which is technically is), is to ensure people DON'T touch it.

Something interesting I noticed however, that I was unable to install the game with the Widescreen Resolution box ticked. The installed didn't freeze, you could still click the install and back buttons, simply nothing would happen. I couldn't close the installer without ending the process via task manager. Not sure if this is a known issue.

I check that option every time I make a new EXE; it works fine.

Concerning Vanilla refusing to run I'm pretty stumped, I was under the impression the english version didn't require a disk? However I think either windows 10 or maybe my dvd drive has an issue with autoplay because I noticed when I installed C&C 3 that autoplay would not work, so I think that may of been the issue.

Original game DOES require a CD. But maybe the mod ENGINE.exe helps?
If so, you could try copying only that file to your unmodded game.

Alternatively, copy the MODULES folder too.
As I remember it, that helped on some PotC game versions; though it has been YEARS since anyone ran into that problem.
Maybe because everyone skips a step and installs the mod straight away; I deliberately added that entire folder to solve such issues.

 

[Green Jacket]

You are using the CAB archive? And STILL extracting it manually?
I'm at a loss; the very reason for naming it ".cab" (instead of .7z which is technically is), is to ensure people DON'T touch it.


I check that option every time I make a new EXE; it works fine.


Original game DOES require a CD. But maybe the mod ENGINE.exe helps?
If so, you could try copying only that file to your unmodded game.

Alternatively, copy the MODULES folder too.
As I remember it, that helped on some PotC game versions; though it has been YEARS since anyone ran into that problem.
Maybe because everyone skips a step and installs the mod straight away; I deliberately added that entire folder to solve such issues.

To be honest I've never come across a CAB file before.... was kind of like 'wtf is that!'

Yeah it's not a massive issue for me, may rummage around to see if I can get widescreen to work on a clean install later. Maybe I'm not being patient enough but I left it for a decent amount of time.

I just saw some old threads stating vanilla potc didn't need a CD unless you had a non english version. Seems to be the issue may be windows 10 doesn't like the old CD DRM. I will try copying over only the .exe file next time I want to play vanilla.

Again thanks for your help and suggestions guys!

 

[Pieter Boelen]

To be honest I've never come across a CAB file before.... was kind of like 'wtf is that!'

GOOD! I tried to make it ".potc" instead to make it even stranger, but that was SO strange that browsers wouldn't register it as a download link.

Yeah it's not a massive issue for me, may rummage around to see if I can get widescreen to work on a clean install later.

Widescreen works on ANY game version, including the unmodded one.
You just have to manually edit engine.ini for it. On the mod, Config.exe does actually work though.

I just saw some old threads stating vanilla potc didn't need a CD unless you had a non english version.

Pretty sure that isn't true; MY European version most certainly DOES require a CD.

 

[Green Jacket]

Widescreen works on ANY game version, including the unmodded one.
You just have to manually edit engine.ini for it. On the mod, Config.exe does actually work though.

It's weird, I don't actually need to tick the box during installation to get the widescreen ratio option in config.exe anyway? So I suppose it's a non issue then?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

It's weird, I don't actually need to tick the box during installation to get the widescreen ratio option in config.exe anyway? So I suppose it's a non issue then?

The tickbox is purely to install some extra textures that look better on widescreen.
Basically just the spyglass view and the moon.

 

[Thagarr]

To be honest I've never come across a CAB file before.... was kind of like 'wtf is that!'

Thanks, like I need to feel even more ancient! lol ...ah the good old days of searching Windows .CAB files for drivers and files that were actually useful! And yes, I still even remember DOS commands and how to edit config.sys!!

 

[Pieter Boelen]

*I* remember some DOS commands too. So no need to feel old on that account.
I'm not old yet, am I?