Windows Vista: Installing SH3 and Patching 1.4b

[Lzs von swe]

Oh, and if you do the above you can uncheck the run as admin option for the SH3.exe.
Saves you that extra promt when starting the game

[irish1958]

Lvs,
Thanks for the info. Do you also need to uncheck the "read only" choice on the 1st panel of the properties folder?

[Lzs von swe]

No, no need to touch that. It stays checked on folders after you have done the above. But not on the files inside the folders.

[JScones]

I can't believe that we are ten pages in and still showing convoluted ways to get games working under Vista when the easiest and most painless way is simply to NOT install them to your \Program Files folder in the first place! Install them to C:\Games or something. No UAC problems then, so no need to fiddle with privileges, permissions etc etc and no need to get the metaphorical sledgehammer out and turn UAC off altogether (which I've seen some people do - amazing ).

I can't think of any easier solution. Thus I really struggle to understand why Vista users still persist with ignoring this advice, posted across all of the subsim forums many, many times (indeed, I posted it in this one over a year ago), and continue to install into \Program Files. :hmm:

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" and all that.

This only leaves the Starforce driver problem, but that has been answered to death here already.

The misinformation emparted throughout this thread due obviously to a misunderstanding of Vista is real scary.

[irish1958]

JSCones is right. The main problem is that people will install the game into vista first and only read the thread after it is installed and they have a problem. The obvious answer is to uninstall it then reinstall it the correct way.
Most people will want to try to fix it first, however.
To see what the problems are, I made a second install into my program files and I have to admit it is a pain in the ass (or arse in the British Commonwealth). CMDR doesn't work well either.
Suggestion: bite the bullet and reinstall.

[Redeagle]

Well, i do NEVER install Games in C:\Program Files ! I use a own Oartition for that.


Finally i made it work:
-Installed SH3 (Admin-Mode of course)
-Patched 1.4b (Admin-Mode of course)
-#needs to be bleeped#

Et voilà, up and runnig! (System Vista64Bit)

[irish1958]

Originally Posted by Redeagle

Well, i do NEVER install Games in C:\Program Files ! I use a own Oartition for that.


Finally i made it work:
-Installed SH3 (Admin-Mode of course)
-Patched 1.4b (Admin-Mode of course)
-Downloaded and installed no-CD-Crack

Et voilà, up and runnig! (System Vista64Bit)

Redeagle,
Two suggestions: 1] edit and remove the third line in your post (mention is not allowed on this forum). 2] The game will run fine on Vista 64 with your install IF you don't use SH3CMDR and IF you don't wish to use any mods.
There is where you get into trouble.

And, Welcome Aboard

[JScones]

Originally Posted by irish1958

2] The game will run fine on Vista 64 with your install IF you don't use SH3CMDR and IF you don't wish to use any mods.
There is where you get into trouble.

I prefer to say simply that everything will work fine if you just avoid the Program Files folder.

And that should be the simple mantra here with ANY game - "just avoid the Program Files folder!".

Redeagle will have absolutely no probs now using JSGME to enable/disable mods nor will he have any probs using SH3Cmdr, SH3Gen or any other file-altering tool, assuming they too are installed outside of Program Files.

[Redeagle]

Did not try mods yet; but i will do when i'm no longer satisfied with plain SH3.
Yet, i just enjoy submerging again

[Michael_manchester_uk]

Originally Posted by Michael_manchester_uk

Hi all,

I Have tried to make my old copy of SH3 run under Vista 64 sp1 without success. I got the starforce error message same as others and had tried the various suggested fixes without success.

Today i was in WH Smiths and saw the "Focus Essential" / "Ubisoft EXclusive" branded SH3 at £9.99 and thought that it was worth a try, especially as my existing copy dates from the games release and is mightily scratched .

I can now confirm that it installed very easily, is pre-patched to version 1.4 and does NOT need the disk in the CD drive to play (i.e no Starforce

it runs a treat on Vista 64 and is, as you would expect, blindingly fast to startup and loadup. Only small issue is that it is a tiny bit too streched on my 22" monitor and looks a tiny bit jaggily in places, but i am working on getting it running in a window so i can shrink it down a little.

hope that this info is of some use to others who are having problems.

Mike

As a follow up to this earlier post and having read some of the subsequent replies :

1) mine is installed to the Vista suggested location of "C:\program files(x86)\ubisoft\ etc,etc without any problems - i do have UAC disabled tho and my login account is an Administrator one.

2) any "protection system..." type error message comes from Starforce

3) i have subsequently installed JSGME and GWX 3.0 without any problems

mike

[Nedlam]

I just installed SHIII onto my laptop that runs vista. Sub Commander works and JGME works. I installed the no DVD patch and therefore have no Starforce problems either. Took me all of 10-15 minutes I think.

If you have Vista and can't run SHIII like you use to on XP (as an example) youre doing something wrong.

[CapnHeck]

I have the same issue that's been chewed and rechewed over and over. When reinstalling on Vista, I can't patch 1.1 because of the de_help discrepancy. MY problem is this . . . and before you toss flaming Zaunkonigs, my way, I KNOW it's a basic one:

I'm supposed to delete SH3 stuff in "My Documents & Settings". I know that. Problem is, I can't FIND that.

It is NOT in c:\users\myname\documents. I can't figure out where it is, and two hours of browsing forums and online resources haven't helped.

Can anyone here help? I'm starting to tremble and I can tell I need a fix. GWX 3.0 melted and directly injected into my arm isn't helping! <---withdrawal-induced seizure!

[irish1958]

CptnHeck
I am no computer expert; that said, delete the file from your install that the patching program is complaining about.
As far as the SH3 folder is concerned, I assume you did a search via the Vista search for a folder called "SH3"; if so, and you couldn't find it, it may not be there.
Be sure to clean your registry before you reinstall.
Finally, the recent SHIII dvds have been patched to 1.4b and are Starfarce free, so I would suggest all to spring for the $10.00 and buy a new one.
The $10 isn't going to be worth much soon, anyway.

[CapnHeck]

Irish --

Thanks so much for your quick response!

Oddly, on several occasions --yes, I've reinstalled that much-- the de_help.txt file, the one in dispute, doesn't even appear to have installed.

I've also been careful to eliminate SH3 from my registry between attempts. I guess my main problem is this:

SH3 allegedly installs some files in My Documents & Settings (different, I believe from the simple Documents folder) and it's THAT which I can't seem to find.

As for your suggestion of a 10 dollar purchase, I think there's probably some validity in that. Is direct download possible?

[u_tommy]

I can't change the destination directory for my installation...its driving me nuts!

When i click on browse it crashes.. (never had such problems with any other program)




error



I'm trying to get this great game back.. any ideas?