get sh5.exe genericpatcher to work with steam.

gap · 08-19-14, 04:24 PM

Interestig thread.

A while back I had discovered with the help of a subsim mate who owns the steam varsion of the game, that replacing the Steam executable with the regular one, was enough to get the generic pather to work, while retaining intact game functionalities (including copy protection and tonnage awarding). I couldn't make the discovery fully public, as this method would have involved the sharing of SH5.exe by a private user, and I wasn't sure that Ubisoft would have considered it a legitimate method.
Apllying to the official patch, wich was made freely available by Ubisoft itself, the legitimacy of the new method suggested by the OP should definitely be out of question, though its application might be out of the reach of computer iliterates.
Automating the process into the generic patcher would be, no doubt, a further step forward. Nonetheless, I think that an unpacked version of the patch 1.12 is already available on the web. While TDW is working on his automated steam patcher, maybe some Steam user could try and replace his exe with the one of the unpacked patch.

TheDarkWraith · 08-20-14, 12:06 AM

I figured out how to have my app extract everything from the v1.2 exe patch for the game. This extraction yields the InstallShield setup.exe and supporting files in the folder Disk1. Since I now had access to the InstallShield files I could 'see' what they were doing (or not doing in this case!). The files showed that the installer for v1.2 is NOT checking to see if the Silent Hunter 5 folder already exists nor is it checking to see if any of the files it needs to update exist. All it cares about is whether or not the required registry entries exist. Excellent, lets exploit this vulnerability!!

Now I did the below on my computer and everything worked just like I thought it would so it should work flawlessly on those with Steam installations also.

This is for those who have the Steam version of the game!

Find your \Silent Hunter 5 folder and move it to your desktop and rename it 'Silent Hunter 5 save' (cut it so it no longer exists at it's current location but rather on your desktop). Make a copy of steam's sh5.exe and name it sh5-steam.exe. Run the official v1.2 patch from Ubicrap saying yes you want to install even though you are already at v1.2. If everything goes to plan then another Silent Hunter 5 folder should've been created where your old one existed. In there you'll find the non-steam sh5.exe

Copy the non-steam sh5.exe to your 'Silent Hunter 5 save' folder on your desktop. Make a copy of this new sh5.exe and name it sh5-ubi.exe. Delete the new Silent Hunter 5 folder that was created by the official 1.2 patch. Copy the 'Silent Hunter 5 save' folder to where the new Silent Hunter 5 folder was and rename it back to 'Silent Hunter 5'. Run the Generic Patcher and see if you can patch the sh5.exe.

If this all works then I will have the app automate everything so you simply click one button and it does everything for you

Balu0 · 08-25-14, 01:53 PM

Got one, Thx

---------------
OK my only problem left is that the uplay config still starts steam when I hit play because it is still configured that way.

There is a file here:
Ubisoft Game Launcher\cache\configuration\configurations

Yyou can open it with notepad.

Anyone not steam user would be kind enough to copy paste here the the SH 5 part so I can paste it in my config? It might work.

ty

Dragonlord47 · 09-25-14, 04:26 AM

Well I was going to give this a try because I have the steam version and really want the Generic Patcher. However, Ubisoft does not download or install the v1.2 patch onto steam. Steam downloads the patch. I tried the way TheDarkWraith said to do it and ubisoft just starts up steam then steam says the folder isn't available (because its been moved to desktop)

So then I tried it the way sirrawrsalot said to do it and I can not find

5.
Next get your paws on "InstallShield_Cabinet_File_Viewer"

Any where. not as a free download or as a purchase software. I find help me files every where but nothing linking to where I can download for free or purchase. Nothing. What sucks is all I need is that SH5.exe v1.2 and I am pretty sure it would work.

I have another game through steam that required me to do that (just change the Steams .exe with the non steam .exe and steam still saw the game and ran. Is there an easier way to get the one file that I need to test this.

Any help would be great and thanks everyone for spending so much time getting a broken game to work so great.

Echolot · 09-25-14, 05:00 AM

Hello Dragonlord47.

Check your pm box, please.

Dragonlord47 · 09-26-14, 02:25 PM

As a Steam owner and player I can confirm that this idea works. I have been playing all day with only one CTD. And that was my fault.

Thanks to everyone who is still working on making this game work better then what ubicrap made.

Also thanks to Echolot who pointed me in the right direction to get what I needed so I could test this.

I'm off my crew is well rested and ready to sink something.

Firebiro · 10-02-14, 05:14 AM

Hey guys, which solution is working? Also is the Generic Patcher TDW mentions the JSGME?

Just a little confused, Thanks a million for all the great work btw, brilliant stuff

dhatfiel · 10-07-14, 06:06 PM

First post, thanks to all for the brilliant work here guys. After playing vanilla I got frustrated again with the bugs, unrealistic mechanics and poor mission design. My personal worst bugbear is the ship damage mechanics which totally break immersion.

I have my shiny Sober's in hand, then I notice only compatible with patched and I'm a steamer - holed in the hold.

Unfortunately, I could not register mscomctl.ocx (DllRegisterServer failed), so I can't unpack the Installshield cab. The 1.02 patcher detects a version conflict, so no luck there either.

Would someone be kind enough to send an exec my way?

Bad Fairy · 11-01-14, 06:41 PM

Massive thanks!

Decided to go and buy the game because of this work (loved SH2/3 but had shied away from 5 due to its rep for needing modding) + the prospect of Sobers mod soup of loveliness

Unfortunately - same issue as DragonLord - my googlefu is weak as I have only found some slightly dodgy looking forum links to the Cab/Hdr file viewer...

Anyone got a link?

Echolot · 11-02-14, 09:55 AM

Quote:

same issue as DragonLord

Welcome to Subsim forum.

Please check your pm box.

Andyx86 · 05-30-16, 03:00 PM

Hi,

It was a great post! I´m going through it but I cannot find the InstallShield Cab File Viewer in no ways on the web - it looks like a real rare good out there!

Can anyone help me?

Thanks!

Andyx86

THEBERBSTER · 05-30-16, 05:14 PM

A Warm Welcome Back To The Subsim Community > Andyx86
Subsim <> How To Donate <> See The Benefits <> Support The Community
If you are new to SH5 look > > HERE <<

Post #161 TDW’s Generic File Patcher Steam Installation Instructions By sirrawsrsalot
Go to item 5

Benzin1973 · 06-13-16, 04:39 AM

Man! i cant thank you enough for this.
I was just about to uninstall SH5 for ever. Now im gonna give it a final try, hoping that once patched it becomes at least playable.

Thanks!

tat501 · 06-30-16, 06:11 PM

Hi Guys,

Berbster - fantastic and clear instructions. Thanks very much. I just did all this however and its looking good - until the save game loads up. Instant CTD.

Do I have to start a new campaign?

Do I have to re-install Wolves of Steel?

Hmm...edit.

Just started a new campaign. Instant CTD also.

jggallow01 · 07-01-20, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Echolot

Hello Dragonlord47.

Check your pm box, please.

I need it and cant find it. Any help?

08-20-14, 12:06 AM	#2
TheDarkWraith Black Magic Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 11,962 Downloads: 147 Uploads: 5	I figured out how to have my app extract everything from the v1.2 exe patch for the game. This extraction yields the InstallShield setup.exe and supporting files in the folder Disk1. Since I now had access to the InstallShield files I could 'see' what they were doing (or not doing in this case!). The files showed that the installer for v1.2 is NOT checking to see if the Silent Hunter 5 folder already exists nor is it checking to see if any of the files it needs to update exist. All it cares about is whether or not the required registry entries exist. Excellent, lets exploit this vulnerability!! Now I did the below on my computer and everything worked just like I thought it would so it should work flawlessly on those with Steam installations also. This is for those who have the Steam version of the game! Find your \Silent Hunter 5 folder and move it to your desktop and rename it 'Silent Hunter 5 save' (cut it so it no longer exists at it's current location but rather on your desktop). Make a copy of steam's sh5.exe and name it sh5-steam.exe. Run the official v1.2 patch from Ubicrap saying yes you want to install even though you are already at v1.2. If everything goes to plan then another Silent Hunter 5 folder should've been created where your old one existed. In there you'll find the non-steam sh5.exe Copy the non-steam sh5.exe to your 'Silent Hunter 5 save' folder on your desktop. Make a copy of this new sh5.exe and name it sh5-ubi.exe. Delete the new Silent Hunter 5 folder that was created by the official 1.2 patch. Copy the 'Silent Hunter 5 save' folder to where the new Silent Hunter 5 folder was and rename it back to 'Silent Hunter 5'. Run the Generic Patcher and see if you can patch the sh5.exe. If this all works then I will have the app automate everything so you simply click one button and it does everything for you Last edited by TheDarkWraith; 08-20-14 at 12:37 AM.

08-25-14, 01:53 PM	#3
Balu0 A-ganger Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 79 Downloads: 180 Uploads: 0	Got one, Thx --------------- OK my only problem left is that the uplay config still starts steam when I hit play because it is still configured that way. There is a file here: Ubisoft Game Launcher\cache\configuration\configurations Yyou can open it with notepad. Anyone not steam user would be kind enough to copy paste here the the SH 5 part so I can paste it in my config? It might work. ty Last edited by Balu0; 08-26-14 at 04:31 AM.

05-30-16, 03:00 PM	#11
Andyx86 Bilge Rat Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1 Downloads: 55 Uploads: 0	How can I get the InstallShield Cab File Viewer??? Hi, It was a great post! I´m going through it but I cannot find the InstallShield Cab File Viewer in no ways on the web - it looks like a real rare good out there! Can anyone help me? Thanks! Andyx86

05-30-16, 05:14 PM	#12
THEBERBSTER Growing Old Disgracefully Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Hythe - Southampton Posts: 9,609 Downloads: 1133 Uploads: 0	A Warm Welcome Back To The Subsim Community > Andyx86 Subsim <> How To Donate <> See The Benefits <> Support The Community If you are new to SH5 look > > HERE << Post #161 TDW’s Generic File Patcher Steam Installation Instructions By sirrawsrsalot Go to item 5 __________________ LSH3-2015 <> TUTORIALS <> ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW <> ALL IN ONE PLACE SH4 <> TUTORIALS <> HOW TO DO IT <> INFORMATION <> DOWNLOAD LINKS SH5 <> TUTORIALS <> HOW TO DO IT <> INFORMATION <> DOWNLOAD LINKS Always Here To Help A Fellow 'Subber' \| Need An Answer to A Question Just Send Me A PM

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08-19-14, 04:24 PM	#1
gap Navy Seal Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: CJ8937 Posts: 8,215 Downloads: 793 Uploads: 10	Interestig thread. A while back I had discovered with the help of a subsim mate who owns the steam varsion of the game, that replacing the Steam executable with the regular one, was enough to get the generic pather to work, while retaining intact game functionalities (including copy protection and tonnage awarding). I couldn't make the discovery fully public, as this method would have involved the sharing of SH5.exe by a private user, and I wasn't sure that Ubisoft would have considered it a legitimate method. Apllying to the official patch, wich was made freely available by Ubisoft itself, the legitimacy of the new method suggested by the OP should definitely be out of question, though its application might be out of the reach of computer iliterates. Automating the process into the generic patcher would be, no doubt, a further step forward. Nonetheless, I think that an unpacked version of the patch 1.12 is already available on the web. While TDW is working on his automated steam patcher, maybe some Steam user could try and replace his exe with the one of the unpacked patch. __________________ _____________________ \|May the Force be with you!\| ...\/

09-25-14, 04:26 AM	#4
Dragonlord47 Watch Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 15 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	Well I was going to give this a try because I have the steam version and really want the Generic Patcher. However, Ubisoft does not download or install the v1.2 patch onto steam. Steam downloads the patch. I tried the way TheDarkWraith said to do it and ubisoft just starts up steam then steam says the folder isn't available (because its been moved to desktop) So then I tried it the way sirrawrsalot said to do it and I can not find 5. Next get your paws on "InstallShield_Cabinet_File_Viewer" Any where. not as a free download or as a purchase software. I find help me files every where but nothing linking to where I can download for free or purchase. Nothing. What sucks is all I need is that SH5.exe v1.2 and I am pretty sure it would work. I have another game through steam that required me to do that (just change the Steams .exe with the non steam .exe and steam still saw the game and ran. Is there an easier way to get the one file that I need to test this. Any help would be great and thanks everyone for spending so much time getting a broken game to work so great.

09-25-14, 05:00 AM	#5
Echolot Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 718 Downloads: 575 Uploads: 0	Hello Dragonlord47. Check your pm box, please.

09-26-14, 02:25 PM	#6
Dragonlord47 Watch Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 15 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	As a Steam owner and player I can confirm that this idea works. I have been playing all day with only one CTD. And that was my fault. Thanks to everyone who is still working on making this game work better then what ubicrap made. Also thanks to Echolot who pointed me in the right direction to get what I needed so I could test this. I'm off my crew is well rested and ready to sink something.

10-02-14, 05:14 AM	#7
Firebiro Watch Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Kildare Eire Posts: 24 Downloads: 42 Uploads: 0	Hey guys, which solution is working? Also is the Generic Patcher TDW mentions the JSGME? Just a little confused, Thanks a million for all the great work btw, brilliant stuff

10-07-14, 06:06 PM	#8
dhatfiel Swabbie Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 8 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	First post, thanks to all for the brilliant work here guys. After playing vanilla I got frustrated again with the bugs, unrealistic mechanics and poor mission design. My personal worst bugbear is the ship damage mechanics which totally break immersion. I have my shiny Sober's in hand, then I notice only compatible with patched and I'm a steamer - holed in the hold. Unfortunately, I could not register mscomctl.ocx (DllRegisterServer failed), so I can't unpack the Installshield cab. The 1.02 patcher detects a version conflict, so no luck there either. Would someone be kind enough to send an exec my way?

11-01-14, 06:41 PM	#9
Bad Fairy Bilge Rat Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 1 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Massive thanks! Decided to go and buy the game because of this work (loved SH2/3 but had shied away from 5 due to its rep for needing modding) + the prospect of Sobers mod soup of loveliness Unfortunately - same issue as DragonLord - my googlefu is weak as I have only found some slightly dodgy looking forum links to the Cab/Hdr file viewer... Anyone got a link?

06-13-16, 04:39 AM	#13
Benzin1973 Engineer Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 217 Downloads: 151 Uploads: 0	Man! i cant thank you enough for this. I was just about to uninstall SH5 for ever. Now im gonna give it a final try, hoping that once patched it becomes at least playable. Thanks!

06-30-16, 06:11 PM	#14
tat501 Helmsman Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: London Posts: 108 Downloads: 275 Uploads: 0	Hi Guys, Berbster - fantastic and clear instructions. Thanks very much. I just did all this however and its looking good - until the save game loads up. Instant CTD. Do I have to start a new campaign? Do I have to re-install Wolves of Steel? Hmm...edit. Just started a new campaign. Instant CTD also.