Installing old games into Vista

so, i found command and conquer generals laying around...
i decided to throw it on my new gaming laptop to get a feel from the good ol' days, but upon installation, i get this lil' error box that keeps popping up. I keep clicking ok and it seems to still be working, but wtf?

any1 know wat this is?, it didn't do this wen i installed it on my desktop like 4 years ago. But my desktop is XP, so i think its a Vista problem, meaning this MAY be in the wrong forum, but its still about a game. Mod feel free to move. Honestly, i prolly need help from both forums... any ideas why this is happening?

 

sorry, serious error occured wen i start the game up, or try to rather.
i found an EA support thing, clicked it, and theres a check next to all requirements EXCEPT OS. it says windows 2000/XP, etc.. but NO vista! So how can i get it to install on vista and work? this mite have to be moved into Windows thread now that i think about it

 

I tried installing Command and Conquer Generals on my Vista laptop, to bring back old memories . Last time i installed it was on my XP desktop like 4 years ago. ANywhoo, i get "string PRODUCT_NAME missing error" alot during the installations, as well as other string related issues. I kept clicking ok and and it installed, but now it just says "sorry, serious error occured" and doesnt start. I found an EA support thing built into the program files and it said i had all the requirements except OS... need ME/2000/XP, etc...

So how can i get this to work in vista? and i tried the "check off run in compatibility mode :-/)

btw.. to Mods and admins, sorry i created this in gaming forums too. at first i didnt realize it was an OS thing... ... luv ya

 

Probably not possible if it doesn't work in Compatibility Mode. Have you tried right-clicking on the installer and choosing "Run as Administrator" along with the Windows XP SP2 Compatibility Mode fix?

 

yeppidity doo i has!

aw well, its a shame if it wont work.. im sad on my birthday now..

 

C&C Generals didn't work for me either in vista although I got a different error message

Happy birthday btw!!

 

EA is so cool...(sarcasm, for those who didn't realize) I bet it has something to do with the anti-piracy tool they are using. Find out if it is using securom or something and see if people have found any workarounds for getting such games to run on Vista.

 

i dont even think that was out wen this game came out lol. I found on EA's website that this game apparently works for ppl!.... load a bull!

 

Uh, C&C Generals isn't that old. Programs like SecureRom have been around for many years now.

 

rele.... eh.. watev... Hey SirMet, you have the same system as me! more or less. Same OS, which is all that matters in this situation... THe main error is a String error... i wanted to play it so bad too.

 

I don't think it is directly a Windows error. I am fairly sure it is a message basically saying that the game tried to check some valdiation tool/database and could not find the string (as in text string) that it was looking for. Without finding that, the game won't be allowed to start up. That's why I'm saying you should try to find info on the copy protection scheme for the game and see what others are saying in regards to that. There may well be a fix out there for getting it to work.

 

i heard these string errors are installer problems. like it'll say more than just string Product_name not found. It'll be like String uninstaller not found, string askshellobject not found, string readme not found. Its asking for parts of the install but it isnt working. Thing is, im Using the CD... so it cant be corrupt... well, shouldnt..

 

Just cause you are using the CD doesn't mean the install can't be bad. Most games install to the HDD and basically only use the disc as a form of validation that you actually have a legal copy of the game.

 

these errors happen DURING the install... I cant even install the game, thats the problem

 

There's lots around about C&C Generals on Vista. Hope you can find something.

 

That's odd, I was able to install the game successfully but it froze when starting it.

 

thats the funny part... i've found all the stuff about it and vista. ANd every1 else is having game specific problems. I, on the other hand, am getting string errors, which alotta vistas users get with installers of other random program. Thats why i think its more of an OS thing rather than the game. Plus, my disc is still new, no scratches, so i doubt its corrupted. Its amazing how the same OS operates different in every1s computer.

 

You have adjusted compatibility settings for this game to XP service pack 2? If not right-click on the shortcut and do the necessary changes under compatibiliity. Run the game under Administrator mode if UAC is still on for your system.

 

did all that...

 

Next task is to patch the game, update your video drivers and defrag your hard drive. A DirectX reinstall might also be necessary since in my experience Vista doesn't always get the DX9 emulation correct.

 

This is cross-posted on the Windows forum. That thread is longer, might as well make it the master thread. Cross-posting is against forum rules.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=260350

 

I'm aware of this and in the windows thread i asked the mOds and Admins to show their mercy upon me.

 

interesting... altho from wat im finding on google this happens with the installers of many other programs. it doesnt seem to be a game issue. Its an installer thing.

 

What is the specific installer on Generals? If it isn't working properly perhaps switching your account to full administrative control might help.

 

The threads have been merged...

 

how do i check the specific installer again... could that be the problem? My account is the only account and admin of the computer...

and thanks for the merge mod!

 

Ok, this is not related to this game, but is an example that there should be workarounds: I bought the Warhammer40k Platinum a few months back. I have Vista 32-bits. So the big surprise is that I could not install it!!! The problem? Actually the window for entering the DVD-key didn't pop-up. I googled the problem and found a way to avoid the step and install it (I had to manually go to the register files and enter the DVD-key later on).

And by the way, this solution was not in the official web-page. So it would be good to do an exhaustive search.

 

So far, I managed to get all my older games running on vista, including Sanitarium
I may just be lucky so far I guess...

 

C&C Generals & Zero Hour have issues with some multi-core CPU's.

I downloaded this fine piece of freeware:

http://www.geocities.com/edgemeal_software/SetAffinity/index.htm

Then C&C runs like a charm, at least in WinXP.

 

this is an interesting program.. AGAIN, i must stress that these issues occure DURING installation, and then i get the serious error message wen i try to play after i install. But i think its the problems at installation that are causing the errors so that i cant play the game once it is installed. Thus, much of wat your telling me is wat i can do after i already installed a working copy. This is why i think Harleyquin may be onto something if he knows about issues with specific types of installers.

 

I'm not an expert on this type of problem so others can feel free to correct me on this, but my experience with games is that most comes with prepackaged installers for putting the game on your system. As all of the OP problems are during installation it seems logical to assume the game's inbuilt installer is corrupted or something within the system is preventing the system from running the installer correctly.

I don't know if the .NET framework interfaces with game installers but a reinstallation of that might help. It worked for me when one of my programs persistently crashed the system for no apparent reason.

 

I second that, a few games out there require at least .NET framework 1.1.
And there's v.3 now or more.
Haven't updated in quite a while.