Some broken games (Windows 7)

[Cloud121]

I decided to re-install the original Deus Ex last night, and it crashes every time immediately after loading. I installed the final patch for it, ran it in compatibility mode, administrator, and even software renderer (as opposed to 3D accelerated). I tried all possible combinations, and nothing.

Same with Diablo (set to 256 color mode), and Unreal Gold. StarCraft booted fine though.


The reason I'm confused is that I've played all these same games before on Windows 7 64-bit just a couple months ago. Same OS installation, motherboard, processor, HDD, etc. Only my video card has changed, but that shouldn't matter. It sounds like a software issue.

I did just recently install Origin, and I do have some games that have SecuROM installed (Even the digital versions of Crysis and Mass Effect have it. Lame!). I've heard stories of SecuROM messing with virtual drives, and even optical drives, but I don't need an optical drive for Unreal Gold, and it's still crashing. But I don't really think it's related to SecuROM.


Any ideas?

[wiggyx]

I hate Windows 7. I "upgraded" last year (my PC came with both XP and 7) when I caught a nasty bug and had to reformat. Half of the software that I use on a daily bases such as Solidworks 2009 and Adobe CS4 suite will NOT install. Hell, SW isn't even compatible with 64bit post-XP OS (at least not the version that I have). I swear XP is the ONLY Microsoft OS that isn't buggy as hell.

Sorry for the rant, I have no idea how to help you with your issue, but I can't say that the issues surprise me >:(

[Kitsune Sniper]

I decided to re-install the original Deus Ex last night, and it crashes every time immediately after loading. I installed the final patch for it, ran it in compatibility mode, administrator, and even software renderer (as opposed to 3D accelerated). I tried all possible combinations, and nothing.

Same with Diablo (set to 256 color mode), and Unreal Gold. StarCraft booted fine though.


The reason I'm confused is that I've played all these same games before on Windows 7 64-bit just a couple months ago. Same OS installation, motherboard, processor, HDD, etc. Only my video card has changed, but that shouldn't matter. It sounds like a software issue.

I did just recently install Origin, and I do have some games that have SecuROM installed (Even the digital versions of Crysis and Mass Effect have it. Lame!). I've heard stories of SecuROM messing with virtual drives, and even optical drives, but I don't need an optical drive for Unreal Gold, and it's still crashing. But I don't really think it's related to SecuROM.


Any ideas?
Don't install any old games to C:\Program Files (x86). Ever. It just messes things up. Install them to C:\Games or somewhere similar so 7's stupid UAC won't get in the way.

[wiggyx]

Don't install any old games to C:\Program Files (x86). Ever. It just messes things up. Install them to C:\Games or somewhere similar so 7's stupid UAC won't get in the way.

Hmm, I wonder if that would work with my non-gaming software...

[Kitsune Sniper]

Hmm, I wonder if that would work with my non-gaming software...

Nope, Adobe just fucking sucks.

If the program refuses to uninstall complain to them and tell them to fix their activation BS.

[Cloud121]

Don't install any old games to C:\Program Files (x86). Ever. It just messes things up. Install them to C:\Games or somewhere similar so 7's stupid UAC won't get in the way.
Funny you say that, as the games were previously installed there, and worked fine. Now I'm installing them to my secondary HDD (G:\Games), and now they aren't working. I know that's not what's causing the problem though.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Funny you say that, as the games were previously installed there, and worked fine. Now I'm installing them to my secondary HDD (G:\Games), and now they aren't working. I know that's not what's causing the problem though.

Have you tried installing them to Program Files then? :p

[wiggyx]

Nope, Adobe just fucking sucks.

If the program refuses to uninstall complain to them and tell them to fix their activation BS.

It's not an activation issue. It actually won't let me install it in the X86 folder. It automatically tires to install in the 64 bit folder and then it always has a fit about halfway through the install. A window pops up for a split second that asks where I'd like to install it, but then just goes ahead and makes the choice for me.

Adobe said tough shit. Buy CS5. Right, that's gonna happen. With that sort of advice, I'd much rather "buy" it from piratebay >:( I found a workaround for my old copy of CS2 which lets me get work done, but there are MANY features that I used regularly that I can't now.

Solidworks just tells me right from the getgo that Vista/7 64bit isn't gonna happen.


Oh well. Going back to XP this weekend either way...

[Shulamana]

Why fuss with emulation (which is effectively what you're trying to do running Win9x games on Win7), just get the original hardware like I do. :)

Windows 7 is an EXCELLENT OS if you're running software that is remotely recent.

[Gameguy]

I hate Windows 7. I "upgraded" last year (my PC came with both XP and 7) when I caught a nasty bug and had to reformat. Half of the software that I use on a daily bases such as Solidworks 2009 and Adobe CS4 suite will NOT install. Hell, SW isn't even compatible with 64bit post-XP OS (at least not the version that I have). I swear XP is the ONLY Microsoft OS that isn't buggy as hell.

Sorry for the rant, I have no idea how to help you with your issue, but I can't say that the issues surprise me >:(
You can fix those problems, there are ways to install Solidworks 2009 on Windows 7.
http://www.sevenforums.com/software/198086-cant-install-solidworks-fix-2008-2009-2010-a.html

Adobe CS4 can also be installed.
http://www.snaver.net/2009/09/18/install-adobe-cs4-windows-7/

I used to use Windows XP for everything, after switching to Windows 7 I realized how slow Windows XP really was. It doesn't take 10 minutes to boot anymore, just 10 seconds. I really pity anyone who had to use XP with hardware that just met the minimum requirements, I had above that and it ran poorly.

[Edmond Dantes]

Why fuss with emulation (which is effectively what you're trying to do running Win9x games on Win7), just get the original hardware like I do. :)

Windows 7 is an EXCELLENT OS if you're running software that is remotely recent.

I concur. Dosbox will run most old games but for anything that requires Win3.1, Win95 or Win98--especially if they require OpenGL, Glide or later versions of DirectX--you really need an older system.

The problem is that computers are space-hogging beasts...

[Jorpho]

Only my video card has changed, but that shouldn't matter.It might. Did you switch from NVidia to ATI or something? Also, is your new installation completely up-to-date?

As these are very popular games you're referring to, I suspect someone out there must have surely run into the same problem by now. Can you be more precise about the nature of the crashes?


Don't install any old games to C:\Program Files (x86). Ever. It just messes things up. Install them to C:\Games or somewhere similar so 7's stupid UAC won't get in the way.Well, if it's a UAC problem, then that ought to be fixable just by running the game with elevated privileges. I understand it's much less obtrusive than it used to be when it comes to these things, though.

[YoshiM]

Other than Origin (which may or may not be the issue), it could be your video card drivers. Sometimes they can F things up on you. If you're bold, try an older version to see what happens. In the case of Origin, you could either uninstall it completely (whatever black magic that may entail) or do a system restore to the time just before you installed it.

[wiggyx]

You can fix those problems, there are ways to install Solidworks 2009 on Windows 7.
http://www.sevenforums.com/software/198086-cant-install-solidworks-fix-2008-2009-2010-a.html

Adobe CS4 can also be installed.
http://www.snaver.net/2009/09/18/install-adobe-cs4-windows-7/

I used to use Windows XP for everything, after switching to Windows 7 I realized how slow Windows XP really was. It doesn't take 10 minutes to boot anymore, just 10 seconds. I really pity anyone who had to use XP with hardware that just met the minimum requirements, I had above that and it ran poorly.


Neither of those threads address my problems.

[Kitsune Sniper]

It might. Did you switch from NVidia to ATI or something? Also, is your new installation completely up-to-date?Shit, how could I overlook this?

I had an NVidia card for years but I had to upgrade to an ATI one out of necessity and now many of my games don't behave the same way. Apparently ATI's drivers and chipsets don't support some older DirectX commands and settings anymore, which makes things act wonky. I have some older games from the early 2000s that run at 10 FPS, despite them being simple DirectDraw stuff!