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v2.09 freeware install under Windows XP


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I read in one of the other threads that someone had gotten V2.0 to run under XP...however he was starting from a CD release rather than the v.209 freeware.

I tried compatibility mode for Win95, Win98/ME, Win2K. No dice. The installer says "the operating system is not adequate".

Can anyone suggest a way to fool the installer so it'll run?

Failing that, would someone be willing to zip up their freeware 2.09 (i.e. post-install files) and post a torrent for it? Or does it have registry settings and DLL installs in windows etc without which it won't run?

At this point I'm about ready to give up and move on to other space sims. Vega Strike looks okay, I just have to modify the source code to fix the mouse pointer problem. Or maybe just start an open-source space sim project of my own.

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quote:

Originally posted by Marvin:

Try
.

That would provide me another space sim*, but it doesn't solve my specific legacy problem. Thanks anyway.

* But then, so would Starfleet Command I or II, or Vega Strike (once I fix the code), or Frontier (which I've now found and got working), or to a lesser extent the X-Wing and Wing Commander series. I'm not committed to the Battlecruiser series yet as I haven't seen any of the games in action. Will the BCM demo run on WinXP? Is there a UC demo? Is it worth a 12 hour download at 28.8K to try?

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Try this old thread. Last post.

Apollo got it working and he outlines the steps very briefly. I think the main thing is to get it to not ask for the disk. If you had the CD version you could copy the "cd1.id" (I think that was the name) file to the main directory and get past the disk check.

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quote:

Originally posted by Cmdr Chavik:

Last post.


Right. I read that one. He installed it from the CD, patched it, fixed the CD-asking problem, and was able to run it from Start->Run...

My problem is not that I can't run it after installation...I can't even get it to install. I suspect that the freeware installer performs a system check that the CD version does not.

That's why I'm looking for a way to fool the installer into thinking it's on Win98 (the Windows built-in Compatibility Mode setting has no effect)...or for someone to zip up an already installed freeware version for me.

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I've got the freeware one on a CD somewhere... will try checking it out tomorrow and see if I can't get it to run on XP assuming I can find it... (I don't label any of my CDR's...)

I think I know about where it's at though...

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Let $ilk check his version but I have the retail 2.0. As in the 1.0x thread I would have to figure out how to burn it but I could send it you when I do.

Since it is now freeware I see no problem with copying the retail cd.

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$ilk: Thanks! I eagerly await your results.

Cmdr Chavik: Thanks for offering to do that! I'll gladly pay you for media and shipping costs.

Before doing it, though, it would be a good idea to get permission from the Supreme Commander; after all, it's his IP and he has the right to say how it can be used.

Copyright law can have odd implications. For instance, I think that program X can be offered both as freeware and as retail and it can be legal to copy one but not the other.

Hmmm...one more thing...I assume I can get patches on the net to bring it up to 2.09, but what about a manual?

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quote:


Originally posted by Cmdr Chavik:

Since it is now freeware I see no problem with copying the retail cd.


You can't do that. I released the electronic downloadable version for free, not the CDROM version.

And the downloadable version does NOT require a CDROM. If it asks for it, then the person installing it did NOT read the readme file AT ALL.

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quote:

Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

And the downloadable version does NOT require a CDROM. If it asks for it, then the person installing it did NOT read the readme file AT ALL.

I can't even get that far; the installer complains that my opsys "is not adequate" and won't install anything. Now if I could just find the right shims to fool the installer into thinking it's on Win95/98...

Do you happen to know what specific system characteristic the installer checks to see if the opsys is "adequate"? If I knew that, finding the right shim in System Compatibility Toolkit would be a breeze.

Oh, and thanks for taking the time to post on this thread. I know that 2.x and 1.x are unsupported, so helping out here qualifies as above and beyond the call of duty.

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quote:


Originally posted by dbhankins:

Do you happen to know what specific system characteristic the installer checks to see if the opsys is "adequate"?


The installer [installshield Express] checks for WIN95 or WIN98. Back then WIN2K and WINXP were not out yet. I have no idea if there is a commandline parameter to pass to the SETUP.EXE in order to get it to ignore this OS check.

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quote:

Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

The installer [installshield Express] checks for WIN95 or WIN98. Back then WIN2K and WINXP were not out yet. I have no idea if there is a commandline parameter to pass to the SETUP.EXE in order to get it to ignore this OS check.

Oh well. I was hoping you knew how it checked for it, but that's how it goes. I'll play with shims for a while and see if I can't fool it. Or maybe I'll find a buddy with Win98, get him to install it, and send me the result.

Does the game install anything in the registry, or in directories other than the installation target directory?

Thanks for your help.

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if you are using 2k or XP have you tried putting the installer itself into windows 98 compatibility mode? I find that sometimes tricks the installer enough to get past the check.

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  • 8 years later...

Greeting Commanders.

I've just recently download the classic, BattleCruiser 3000AD v2.09 freeware,

and i've found a proven way to install it on winXP system or newer.

For this purpose, a tool named Orca, -- a .MSI editor -- must be installed.

After downloading the BC3K209FREE.EXE , run the Installer.

This will created file named: BATTLECRUISER 3000AD v2.09 FREEWARE.msi ,somewhere in your temporary folder.

That file must be copied elsewere,

since orca can't works on running installer,

and that file will be deleted if the installer is dismissed/canceled.

So, use the windows find file, and copy that .msi elsewhere.

After you copy the file, you may dismiss/cancel the installer.

Run Orca, and open the copy of that BATTLECRUISER 3000AD v2.09 FREEWARE.msi

On left hand side, look and click on "Launch Condition",

then on right hand side Right click on "(Version9X = 400) OR (Version9X = 410 And Not WindowsBuild = 2222) OR (Version9X = 410 And WindowsBuild = 2222) OR (Version9X = 490)" and choose "Drop Row".

It will ask confirmation if you want to delete it, click the "OK" button.

This opeation will change the .msi to be allowed to launch on any version of Windows.

Save the changes, exit Orca, and launch the modified .msi file, and this time installation should be a success.

This concludes the installation process.

To run the game on 16-bits crippled/incapable OS, something like DosBox might be needed.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I know this is slightly late in replying back, however I have taken the liberty of extracting the freeware versions of the game and zipping them up for anyone to use. Both are the actual install folders ( BC3K for v1, BC3000AD for v2 ). They should both work as soon as you extract them, however for BC3K you will need to change the PATHS variable in 'BC3000AD.INI' both cdrom= and home= have to point to where you've extracted the game. I have it setup for C:\BC3000AD but as long as its DOS friendly you'll be fine.

BC3K.zip - Battlecruiser 3000AD v1 Freeware - 99MB

BC3000AD.zip - Battlecruiser 3000AD v2.09 Freeware - 129MB

Hope this helps. :)

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No problem. I keep both BC3K v1 and v2 setup and ready to go to keep testing on my phone to see if DOSBox gets good enough to play the game. A mobile BC game would be wonderful. Sadly the emulators aren't quite there yet.

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