[hienz1]

* UPDATE ** UPDATE ** UPDATE ** UPDATE ** UPDATE *

I GOT IT TO WORK in Win 7. FINALLY !!!
Here's how:

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).

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.
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12. If it refuses to start and/or crashes, then you may need to do a bit of hacking to the "Main.cfg" file such as located here - C:\SH3\data\Cfg\ - Open the file by right-clicking on the file, select "Edit", and it will open in Notepad. In there you need to find the following:

VIDEO
Resolution=1024 x 768

Make sure it has "Resolution=1024 x 768" in there. Save file as "Main.cfg", NOT as a text file. If by chance your 'puter won't let you save it (no worries - just don't close it yet), right-click on the file (using windows explorer), choose "Properties", goto the "Security" tab, and then click the "Edit" button, a pop-up window will open called "Permissions for Main", click on "users" in the security tab, then under "Permissions for Users" click on the check box "Full Control". Click OK, then OK again, THEN save the "Main.cfg" file. Welcome to windoze (what can I say).

13. Next you will need to do a bit more hacking by going to the main game directory, such as C:\SH3\, and right-click on the file "d3d9.cfg" choose edit, and then look for the following:

config
; ResX: Horizontal resolution setting
; ResY: Vertical resolution setting
; useFiltering: Use linear filtering for UI elements
; enableScreenshots: Hook printscreen keypress to save TGA screenshot
resX=1024
resY=768
useFiltering=1
enableScreenshots=1
screenshotPath=.

Make sure it has resX=1024, resY=768 . Then save the file as "d3d9.cfg" not as a text file. If it won't let you save it, remember what you did to that other file (in step 12)? Do that.

13. Then start the game AGAIN. It should work. If by chance it STILL doesn't work, then I'm a moron.

-30-