Silent Hunter III Won't Run on Windows 7
 

I installed Silent Hunter 3 on a Windows 7 machine and I can't get it to play. Originally it would not accept the password protection thing from starforce. I tried running the game in Windows XP, 2000, and 98 compatibility to no avail.
I followed the steps in downloading the program to allow you to play SH3 without the DVD(Silent Hunter 3 v1.4b [ENGLISH] No-DVD/Fixed EXE file). I also tried updating the game to the latest v1.4 patch. I had to try a couple of different patch 1.4b's before it would accept it. It kept telling me certain files were not valid. I then got to the loading screen where the red line loads the game contents and at the very end it crashes to the desktop. I tried downloading Directx9Res as to change the ResX and ResY but the files can not be opened by my computer. They are not recognized file formats. With these files in the game folder the game crashed after the two intro movies, it never gets to the main loading screen. I then tried updated my Directx to the current available version . Does anyone know what else I should do? Is there a patch for this game to allow windows 7 users to play?

Can anything be done to allow this game to be run on Windows 7?

I'm guessing you have one of the starforce copies of SH3. Not my area of expertise but you might have some luck on the SH3 forum, if memory serves there was a topic over there covering most win7 issues.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=162165
There it is. Stickied on the main page of the Sh3 general forum.

Myself, I'm lucky. I've got it running perfectly from just a straight up install and GWX install.

I'm running an original copy of SH3 on W7 64bit now.

Go to SH3 Forums and do a little research. The answers are there if you look.

All of the suggestions over there I have tried. That is where I got my information about the programs I downloaded. How does someone get an uncoded version?

Welcome to Subsim, PM sent.:yep:

Sorry to hear your having this problem with old SH3 version.

As you've seen by alot of the evasive answers posted. We'de be kicked off this website if we told you in detail how it's done.

Simple fix ? Spend another $10.00. :down:

I have an old Starforce riddled copy of SH3 working just fine on 64-bit Win7. All I can say is that I followed the instructions stickied somewhere hereabouts, and if I remember the most important bits are don't install in the defaulted Program Files (see below), don't install GameShadow, and don't click finish when it asks. I've only had to install the once on W7, unlike XP.

Oh, if you're quite good keeping your security up, and are the only user I'd recommend disabling UAC (if you do disable then installing in the defaulted Program Files shouldn't be an issue).

Good luck, let us know if (when) you get it working. :)

I hate to add more bad tidings but, W7 64bit doesn't like IL2 1946 or GTR2 either. :nope:

I have 1946 installed ok, but haven't got gtr2!

I've done nothing special to 1946 so can only assume that because I have UAC disabled it is that that causes the issues?

Although I've not really played it since installation, hmmmm, I'll try tonight! - That'll be another hour setting up my X52 :nope:

I got SH3 running on my Win7 system, by D/L it from steam for £5. No troubles running it, runs just fine.

One thing you havent mentioned is directX 9. SH3 was built to DX9 standards - Win7 supports DX10/11 - so you may want to install the full redistributable of DX9.

Also - do you have the UAC or DEP on? If so, turn them off. Make sure you run the program as an administrator -and as odd as it sounds, its best to NOT install the program to the default location "c:\Program Files\" as this can cause issues. Create a "Games" directory on your C drive or install to another drive when possible.

Good suggestions on DX9, :yep:

If your system can handle it you could go virtual.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/vir.../download.aspx

Not sure that works. Iirc it's just a virtual machine, with a virtual graphicscard that can't do squat. :hmmm:

I know this thread is long dead.. But i did get it to work. I was bored at work yesterday and decided to instal it again. What a PITA.

Now I just have to instal this Grew Wolves mod and see how it is. Everyone seems to love it. But there are like 8 files and no instructions. :/