SH4 (Vista) to Windows 8?

[Flaskegaard]

I have been playing SH4 for nearly seven years on Windows Vista, which was the operating system on my computer. I have heavily modified the game with various mods during those seven years. Just recently, my computer began to crap out on me. (It's over 15 years old). I copied all my SH4 files and folders onto an external drive, so when I get my new computer, all I have to do is copy/paste the game on it (if it can be done). I finally purchased a CyberPowerPC gaming computer, but it already came installed with Windows 8. Would it STILL be possible to transfer my SH4 files to it under a different Windows operating system? Thanks in advance....

[Flaskegaard]

Ubisoft Support says SILENT HUNTER 4 WOLVES OF THE PACIFIC is not compatible with Windows 8. It was designed to only work with Windows XP / Vista. That's Ubisoft's official answer to my tech support question....

[cdrsubron7]

Aside from the official Ubisoft statement above, you should be able to transfer files to your new computer with little problems. I'm using Win 8.1 and SH4 works perfectly for me.

[Sailor Steve]

I run SH3, which is even older, with no problems. I'll be playing SH4 soon as well. I don't see any difference as far as playability goes.

[Flaskegaard]

The game installs and patched to 1.4 with no problems. The game loads to the main menu, but every time I click on any of the options, (career, patrols, missions, etc) I get a CTD saying something caused SH4 to not work properly, and that Windows is looking for a solution. It then gives me only one option to click on, CLOSE PROGRAM, which sends me to my desk top. Any idea what's causing that?

[Sailor Steve]

Where is the game installed to? I'm told that newer versions of Windows don't like having outside programs installed to Program Files. I redirected it to install directly to the main folder outside of Program Files. My path looks like C/Steve's Stuff/Games/UBISoft/SH3.

I don't know if that will work for you, but given the problem you're having now it can't hurt to try.

[cdrsubron7]

Could we get the specs of your new computer, please.

One more thought. You may find that you'll have to set everything up from scratch again to get SH4 to work again. But, SH4 will work on Win 8.

[Flaskegaard]

CyberPowerPC
Intel Core i7-4790K CPU@4.00GHz
16 GB RAM
64 Bit OS

I have two (2) Program Files...

Program Files
Program Files(64)

SH4 loaded into the Program Files(64)....

[RockHard]

I just installed this game on Win 8.1 using Steam and have had no issues so far.

[Pisces]

Aside from the installed game folder (that you had in Program Files (64) previously) you also need the SH4 folder in your Documents folder to be restored. That contains your savegames and config settings. Obviously you must recreate and apply the exact same mod sequence as you had before. Or else crashes when loading are likely to happen.

[Flaskegaard]

I copy/pasted my modded game folders from my old computer into the Program Files (64) folder in my new computer under Ubisoft, and copy/pasted my SH4 folder from my modded game into the Documents folder in my new computer....now the game will not start at all. When I click the SH4 shortcut on my desktop, an error box says: CANNOT START PROGRAM. . Ok, back to the drawing board....

[Sailor Steve]

It could be that the shortcut can no longer find the game. Delete the shortcut. Go into your game folder, right-click on the .exe and create a new shortcut. Move it to the desktop. It should work.

You're still better off moving the game folder out of Program Files and into a new folder in the main drive. Sometimes Program Files doesn't like having non-Windows stuff in its folder.

[Flaskegaard]

Well, I want to thank everyone that gave me tips and suggestions on how to get SH4 to work on my new gaming computer. It will download, patch to 1.4, and play fine straight from the SH4 CD, HOWEVER, when I try to copy / paste my modded files from my old computer onto my new computer, the game will not even start. I get a COULD NOT RUN PROGRAM box after I click the SH4 thumbnail on my desktop...I have followed ALL suggestions given to me by forum members, but nothing has worked. I am going to purchase a Windows Vista CD and see if it will install over the Windows 8 this computer came with....

[TorpX]

Flaskegaard,

I would hold off on dismembering Win8, until you try this:

1. Uninstall and scrub everything SH related out of the registry.

2. Then, install SH4, in the normal way, under Windows auspices, but create a special folder. Don't use either/any program folders.

3. Play a mission just to verify that the game works, and you can save to the correct location.

4. Finally, swap out any custom folders/files/mods that you earmarked for this purpose.

I don't think just copying the game's *.exe and files over will work. The OS needs to have it properly installed so the program knows where to find the various files and folders it needs. Iow, the registry entries will not be there, if you just copy stuff over.

This is assuming that you actually want to have Win8 on your machine, and haven't already tried this.

I formerly used Win Vista, 32-bit, then upgraded to Win7, 64-bit. For the most part they work the same, excepting only that the game is very touchy now about me alt-tabbing out of it.

Hope this helps.