Silent Hunter III on Win 7 64-bit

[Deputy]

If there is a thread that actually offers a fix, please feel free to send me to it. I did a search and most of what I found were fixes that didn't work.
And Ubisoft was less than worthless at fixes.

First, the specs...
I am running Windows 7 64-bit OS. I did a clean install of SH3 and patched to 1.4b. I checked to see if I have Starforce and the removal tool said I didn't have it on my comp. The message I get when I try to run SH3 is:
"Error - This application can be launched with a release version of Microsoft Windows 95/OSR2.1/98/ME/NT 4.0/2000/XP/Server 2003 only."
I tired running in EVERY previous Windows operating system via compatibility mode and none of them worked. So I am at a loss.

I DO have some comps running Windows 7 32-bit. Would it work on them?
If so, it's no problem installing it on them. But if this is something inherent to Win 7, then I'd sure like to know a fix. From the error message, I think Win 7 32-bit won't be any help. And why hasn't ubisoft FIXED this problem???? Is SH3 vaporware or what?????

Thanks in advance,
Dep
BTW...SH4 works fine on Win 7 64-bit. I tried it. I just hate that sim. :)

[scott_c2911]

If you've already seen some of the fixes you may have tried this already but try installing the sim to anywhere but program files.

[scott_c2911]

Oh and I forgot to mention the 4gb patch. Most win 7 computers use more than 4gb of ram and sh3 vanilla or stock was never meant to run on more than 4gb of ram. Same goes for xp the os sh3 was written to run on. I dont think this is the cause of this particular error but it could cause the next one. You can download it on this forums download pages. I dont bother with vista, 7 or 8 and have a specially built rig just for sh3 with xp sp3 and maybe a bit of ie8 browsing. I kept it simple and I have few ctds or other errors. Call me old fashioned if you will but if it works why change it

[Deputy]

Scott: I found the detailed fix in another thread. But thanks a ton for your suggestions. :up:

Mods: Feel free to lock this thread down. I apologize for not looking at the Win 7 info sticky above. :)

[jericho791]

I'll throw this out there so that all can see.

I originally bought SHIII as soon as it was released. So I have version 1.0.0 with all the starforce crap. Anyway, I haven't had it installed in quite some time, what with the release of SHIV and SHV. Granted they each have their own failings, but I just don't find it necessary to use up hard drive space on older games if the updated versions of them work just fine. Anyway, my son first started playing sub sims (mainly SHIII) when he was only 6. So SHIII is his favorite game. Well, now he's 11, and he really wanted me to re-install SHIII. So, I did, and I encountered all the same problems everyone else did when trying to run it on Windows 7 64 bit Ultimate edition. I followed all the instructions from all the different posts on the solution to the problem, but alas, I couldn't make it work. The best I could do was get to the loading screen upon which the game would crash as soon as the red bar was complete.

I know many people got the fixes to work, or they would get it working with one fix or another. Some people said they did the same thing 3 or 4 times and it finally worked, which is kinda silly actually, but I digress.

What finally worked for me.... I had to re-purchase the game through steam. It only costs $9.99 USD, and it comes patched to 1.4 and it works fine. Yeah, I didn't want to pay for a game I already own again, but I blow $10 a day on cigarettes, so I figured it wasn't really that bad since my son really wanted the game to work.

Cheers mates, and I hope it all works out for you.

[Deputy]

For those that are still struggling with getting SH3 to work in Win 7, post #389 in this thread worked for me:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=153900&page=26

[Deputy]

Well the instructions I posted didn't say anything about "do not hit finish". I hit finish and continued to install stuff as described in the post 389. It looks like a lot of warnings on the post you suggested aren't used in post 389 and my install worked great in both Win 7 64 and 32 bit.

[Deputy]

Here are the instructions I followed....EXACTLY.

No "don't hit finish" anywhere.

1. Do NOT install the game (yet). If you have installed it, UN-INSTALL the game completely.
2. Download the following files to a TEMP folder or your desktop, so it'll be easier to find them, AND for other reasons later on, such as - C:\TEMP\Downloads\SH3\
A. 1.4b patch - http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...do=file&id=158
B. No DVD patch - rld-sh14.rar - (scroll down to where it says "Silent Hunter 3 v1.4b [ENGLISH] No-DVD/Fixed EXE", click on the floppy disc icon.)
C. SH3_XPSP2_Res_Fix_for_1.4b - http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=1092
D. 4GB_Patch_Reloaded - http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=2888
3. Unpack, unzip, extract these files ONLY TO a TEMP file, such as - C:\TEMP\Games\SH3, so that you will ONLY need to do a Copy-Paste of the required files just in case there's an install issue.

4. Install SH3. DO NOT install to the default directory C:\programs(x86)\Ubisoft\SilentHunteriii.
For some odd reason, the game crashes if it is installed there. Windoze UAC is a useless "feature" that just treats the user like an idiot leper. Instead, install the game at the ROOT of your hard drive, such as - C:\SH3
5. DO NOT install the game's update system.
Do NOT install the directx version that came with the disk.
Do NOT attempt playing the game.
Don't argue with me. Shut-up & do what you're told.
** If, by chance you have an older version of the game that includes Starforce, you will need to download the following file (to a TEMP directory) - http://onlinesecurity-on.com/downloads/sfcdrvrem.zip -
and install it to remove the insulting BS the game came with.

6. Install the 1.4b patch (exe). Make sure you install the correct patch - for US DVD's use the US DVD patch. Do NOT use the european patch for the US DVD. The same for the EU DVD, use the EU patch.

7. Install the "No DVD Patch" by doing a Copy-Paste from the temp folder to the game folder C:\SH3\. This will replace the following 5 files: sh3.exe, MissionEngine.dll, SimData.dll, StateMachine.dll, Utils.dll

8. Install the "SH3_XPSP2_Res_Fix_for_1.4b" by doing a Copy-Paste from the temp folder to the game folder C:\SH3\. This will add the following 5 files: d3d9.cfg, d3d9.dll, SHIII.sdb, SP2 Rez fix.bat, SP2 Rez fix uninstall.bat

9. Install the "4GB_Patch_Reloaded" (exe). Click on the exe.

10. Go to the game directory C:\SH3\ (or whatever you called it). Execute the batch file "SP2 Rez fix.bat".

11. Start the game. If it starts and works fully, congrats. don't bother with the next steps.

Mine started right up. :)