How to re-install SH4! Also Vista Installation Tips

[AVGWarhawk]

If you are having trouble installing/reinstalling SH4 and looking to call UBI all sorts of bad names as a result, please follow the instructions below:

For SH4 and Vista Installation, click this link here.






Anyway, here's what you do...virtually guaranteed (Well, I can't really say that... it's at your own risk, of course):

FIRST, create a System Restore Point. This is easy, accessible through Control Panel or simply by directly Running "System Restore" and the process is also described/accessed in any Windows OS Help section. Then follow the Steps below:

It is assumed that you have encountered the Installation(Re-installation) problem/weirdness subsequent to your having attempted/completed an SH4 Uninstall(Program removal) using the Control Panel option. It is even likely that the Uninstall/Removal operation, itself, caused the registry problem. In any event, if you have not already done so, copy/backup your MOD folders/sub-folders/files...and Sound\Gramaphone files/music, etc, to a new/separate location on your Drive(s). Then, go to Control Panel and Uninstall your SH4 program(s) showing there. after you have done that, follow the steps below:


1. On your C:\ drive, using Explorer/MyComputer delete manually all remaining SH4 folders and files, including the SH4 folder in your Desktop\Documents folder.
[[Needless to say, before you delete your SH4 files, backup/copy any possible remaining folders/files of your stuff like MOD folders/files...Sound\Gramaphone files/music, etc. You can then simply place those back into your SH4 once you are up and running again after a fresh install....Some people also recommend copying over (backing up) the Saved Game files from the Documents\SH4\ folder and attempt to put them back into the final Re-Installed Game...or even to skip the step entirely and leave the Documents\SH4 folder untouched; I have no experience with that, so it's your call if you want to try that.]] Personally, I also delete all JSGME folders/files at the same time.

2. Special Caution: While it is possible to follow step by step instructions in order to edit the registry, the first precaution necessary, prior to even attempting to make alterations, is to ensure that you have a current backup of the registry, either as a full backup or a backup of the respective registry hive.[Don't worry about this term] Should disaster strike and a registry edit go wrong you will, at least, have a working backup with which to replace the damaged registry.
To backup the registry proceed as follows:
1/ Click Start
2/ From the menu click Run
3/ In the Run dialog box type: regedit (Or, in other words, Run/Open "regedit.exe" which is located in your C:\windows root directory).
4/ The Windows registry Editor will now open
5/ Click the File option on the main toolbar and, from the drop down menu, select Export
6/ In the Export Registry File dialog box select All
7/ Now name the file
8/ Finally click the Save button
9/ To return the registry back to its original state should something go wrong, simply click on the File option on the main registry editor toolbar and then select Import.


3. Now, in the Registry, go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall{{0D005F09-A5F4-473B-A901-5735C6AF5628} key. [This was the designation associated with SH4 version 1.4] Delete that key (looks like a file/folder).

4. You can also, in addition, go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Ubisoft folder and delete all the Silent Hunter folder(s) there......you will have one or two or more. These don't seem to have any direct effect, but you can do without them. I'd say get rid of them. I did. [Note that it is this entry which identifies the specific designation of the associated key/file which you should delete from the previously mentioned HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall folder]


5. Exit/close Regedit.

6. Re-boot your 'Puter.

7. Install SH4 1.0 from your DVD.

I'd reboot again just for the heck of it.

8. Download and install the Patch 1.4. (This step may be skipped if you do not want to install a separate SH4 1.4 version on your hard drive. If that is the case, proceed to Step #10)

9. Reboot the PC. (If you do want a separate install of the SH4 1.4 version, copy your SH4 1.4 Folder(s) to a new location on your hard drive...before proceeding).


10. Install Patch 1.5, (UBOAT Addon), if you wish. (Patch 1.5 can be installed directly over SH4 1.0 or over 1.4)

11. Reboot the PC.

12. Download/reinstall JSGME. Do the setup, being sure to include taking the "Snapshot" of your clean install.

13. Run/Play your default install to see that it all works.

14. Copy back all your previously saved MOD folders into your new MOD folder, copy back all your previously saved music files into your "...Data\Sound\Gramaphone" folder, etc etc.

15. Enable selected MODs with JSGME.

You should be good to go!

Instuctions provided by Dolittle. He did more than do little.
__________________

[Rockin Robbins]

Just about every time SH4 starts acting squirrely on us (technical term for unascribed anomalies) the solution can be found in Doolittle81's post: Total uninstall and clean reinstall. These are very complete step by step instructions to accomplish that.

Three times I have had problems ranging from squirrely keys:p to CTDs. All three times this fixed it. If you are having weird problems happening, please believe that Silent Hunter 4, either 1.4 or 1.5 is a very stable game with very few fatal errors. Most of us have run it for months without freeze-ups or CTDs.

Please try Doolittle's procedure before you ask for help. I'll bet you won't have to!

[d5j55]

that exact thing just happened to me not to long ago

[Hackett]

I posted an almost exact problem not a week ago. Didn't get a response, and a search failed to locate Doolittle81's or this post about it.

Thanks to AVGWarhawk for this solution. Even though not my exact problem, did fix the problem as a whole, and now I'm happily back patrolling the Pacific.

[ChanceBS]

After install of 1.4 trigger maru overhaul I get a error after sim loads. Missing file STRATEGICRED.DDSAny ideas where to find this file are welcome.only mods used on 1.4 are Captain Mids news and tigger maru overhaul for 1.4.

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by Hackett

I posted an almost exact problem not a week ago. Didn't get a response, and a search failed to locate Doolittle81's or this post about it.

Thanks to AVGWarhawk for this solution. Even though not my exact problem, did fix the problem as a whole, and now I'm happily back patrolling the Pacific.

This thread needs to be retitled to "First solution to unexplained crashes, missing files, squirrely behavior." Then people would know where to look. I always use Google's site search function over the website search routine.

[kiwi_2005]

A very good program i use is 'Uninstaller 2008', cleans out everything even making sure all files in the registery are uninstalled - displays what files its about to uninstall in the registry and has a backup feature just incase it goes all wrong, but ive been using this program for a few months now without any problems. For instance last time i uninstalled SH4 i use the windows add/remove option then i load uninstaller 2008 to check for any files left over from SH4, it found some in the windows folder, the sh4 folder in my documents and registry files.

[Krauter]

For some reason, after i re-installed (albeit not with these steps, this is the reason why im looking into this post..) i can only upgrade my version to 1.2.. iv asked aroudn and no ones given a credible answer to why this is happening.. any reasons?

Krauter

[Doolittle81]

Originally Posted by Krauter

For some reason, after i re-installed (albeit not with these steps, this is the reason why im looking into this post..) i can only upgrade my version to 1.2.. iv asked aroudn and no ones given a credible answer to why this is happening.. any reasons?

Krauter

I have no idea...

My suggestion is the obvious one: Install following precisely the Directions in the first post in this thread.

Please report your results. Thanks.

[buddha95]

followed all instructions. there were NO reg intries at the locations listed for silenthunter, ubisoft, or the one listed by @ 0d00 etc. not even close.,

i can reinstall my game but when i load my patch (ver1-5) it locks up about 80% started.

[buddha95]

i got it !!!!!!!
used holy water !!

[Kloef]

Just download TuneUp Utilities 2008 and you have a 30 day free program that automatically removes everything that does not belong on your system,so when you remove/uninstall software simply run the cleanup tool and your register and maps will be cleaned of any unwanted files.Best part is you dont have to buy it after 30 days,it just adds a little time penalty everyday so in 100 days you have to wait 7 minutes for it to run,not bad for a free program that isnt free.

Trust me this works,i've been using it for 5 years and it allways solves any install/uninstall problem including SH3/4.Even the really tough ones like Battlefield2.

It can make pc's that havent had any spyware/register/malware scanning for years run smooth again,i've cleaned alot of pc's for people over the years with this program removing hundreds of old registry entries,and you dont have to do anything manual cause there is allways a risk of you forgetting any important step,which corrupts the registry.And it can do alot of other things too like optimising internet connection and finetuning Internet Explorer..

Dont forget to back-up the gramophone/sound files etc before you use it..

[Rolf Eschke]

Hi !
This Way is easy and secure !

1.Download EasyCleaner(Freeware)

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?vytds6ttwuf

2.Extract Archive and start EasyCleaner(no Installation)
3.Select Your Language
4.Hit Add/Remove



5.Find Silent Hunter 4 and hit Uninstall
5.If Silent Hunter 4 has been removed,hit Delete
--------
FINISH
Now You can Install Silent Hunter 4 again.
This Program also Helps You to clean Your System.I use it for myself since 2 Years without Problems,
Regards
Rolf

[Doolittle81]

Attention AVGWarhawk:

Perhaps the original post in this thread (a copy of my original post from a different thread) should be removed. Some people (well one, specifically Buddha 95) report that the registry entries which I discussed/named do not exist, although I find that impossible.

There also are now several recommendations in this thread for different 'all-in-one', ostensibly error-free, hands-off registry cleaners (Uninstaller 2008, TuneUp Utilities 2008, EasyCleaner) which reportedly 'simplify' the solution, negating the need to follow the detailed instructions in my original post(first post in this thread).

My original reason for delineating the excruciatingly detailed Step-by-Step manual re-installation procedures was that many folks had reported using various packaged 'uninstallers' without success...and I KNEW that my manual procedures, if carefully followed, would undoubtedly result in 'clean' working re-installs. The first several posts in this thread, and also posts in other threads over the past five months in which people were linked to this thread for a solution, have reflected Success in using those precisely delineated procedures.

I would agree that there is no need to send people off doing a manual uninstall/reinstall procedure if, in fact, the aforementioned registry/uninstaller Applications do it with just a simple click or two of the mouse.

[[ P.S. Call me old-fashioned if you will (or old codger), but as for me if I ever have to do a reinstall again (I hope not, of course), I'll follow those 'manual' procedures which worked for me in the past...flawlessly. I won't go all the way back to using DOS instructions, though!!! ]]

[Munchausen]

Originally Posted by Doolittle81

Some people ... report that the registry entries which I discussed/named do not exist, although I find that impossible.

I uninstalled the game using "Start" -> "All Programs" -> "Ubisoft" -> "Silent Hunter" -> "Uninstall" instead of the option in Control Panel. Afterward, the only remaining folder was one for Ubisoft in the main Program Files directory ... nothing remained in "My Computer".

Launching Regedit, I did find a Silent Hunter folder in the "\Software\Ubisoft" section and deleted it. Doing a search for the key you said would be in "\CurrentVersion\Uninstall", I found it ... but not where you said it would be. It was in "\CurrentVersion\ARPCache". I did not delete that one.