To Vista or not to Vista

[Torplexed]

The mileage really seems to vary. I've had no luck installing SH3 on Vista. Some say they have had no difficulties with it at all. The consensus seems to be to try and buy a bargain bin Starforce-free disk patched to the latest version and to install it in a folder outside of the Program Files in Vista.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

The mileage really seems to vary. I've had no luck installing SH3 on Vista. Some say they have had no difficulties with it at all. The consensus seems to be to try and buy a bargain bin Starforce-free disk patched to the latest version and to install it in a folder outside of the Program Files in Vista.

If you do go Vista, get no less than the Home Premium Version. Torplexed is right about installing outside the other MS files. That is simple, create a root file for it. Name it whatever you want. When you load SH3 and it asks you what folder to load it to, load to the newly created root folder. If you don't you will receive errors loading mods into JSGME MODS folder if using the MS program section of your root drive in Vista. Other than that, SH3 should work just fine with Vista.

What is your story Torplexed on not loading in Vista for you?

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

What is your story Torplexed on not loading in Vista for you?

It installs okay. You even see the into movie and get the music. But it goes black on the loading screen. Someone counseled removing the intro movie, but that didn't change things. There was another recommendation to remove ffdshow...but still no effect. This is using an Encore Starforce free disk patched to 1.4

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

It installs okay. You even see the into movie and get the music. But it goes black on the loading screen. Someone counseled removing the intro movie, but that didn't change things. There was another recommendation to remove ffdshow...but still no effect. This is using an Encore Starforce free disk patched to 1.4

Since SH3 and SH4 are so close in file structure I suspect you are having the same issue I did. I did a clean install of SH4 on the Vista OS and got exactly what you did. I see the intro and then upon the actual loading screen, nothing but black yet I hear the music play etc. SH4 does not like when you are using Vista in starting the game with your video card already tweaked. In other words, I had to reset my video card to all the default values as if it was straight out of the box brand spank'in new. Then start your game (as I did) and the loading screen can be seen after the movie intro. After you have done this, go back and reset your card to the tweaks you like. It should work no problem after this. Do not look for new drivers and all that good stuff. It did not help me at all. I just loaded the current driver and left my card at the defaults. The game loaded and all was good.

As a note, I have a Nvidia card and use the standard Nvida program for card adjustments. I have read that the ATI card is much the same issue with SH3/4 and using Vista as the OS. Some have gone to 3rd party card programs for tweaking to get 3/4 to work but I know you can use the standard program for tweaks provided by the manufacture of your card. I'm the proof in the pudding on that.

[TheDarkWraith]

I've installed SH3 and SH4 on one of my laptops running Vista Ultimate 64 bit and have had no problems. I installed it under a C:\Games folder to prevent any errors. I wish other programs were this easy to fix with Vista 64 bit.... Photoshop 5.0 won't even install (says invalid OS on the installer program). A simple copy and paste of the folder from a working 32 bit computer and some registry editing got it working though. Can't say that for most programs and Vista 64.
Microsoft's own Visual Studio 2007 won't even install under Vista 64. From Microsoft's website they said they will not support anything earlier than Visual Studio 2008 with Vista. Forced me into buying Visual Studio 2009...bad bad Microsoft...that's not how you treat developers!!

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Since SH3 and SH4 are so close in file structure I suspect you are having the same issue I did. I did a clean install of SH4 on the Vista OS and got exactly what you did. I see the intro and then upon the actual loading screen, nothing but black yet I hear the music play etc. SH4 does not like when you are using Vista in starting the game with your video card already tweaked. In other words, I had to reset my video card to all the default values as if it was straight out of the box brand spank'in new. Then start your game (as I did) and the loading screen can be seen after the movie intro. After you have done this, go back and reset your card to the tweaks you like. It should work no problem after this. Do not look for new drivers and all that good stuff. It did not help me at all. I just loaded the current driver and left my card at the defaults. The game loaded and all was good.

As a note, I have a Nvidia card and use the standard Nvida program for card adjustments. I have read that the ATI card is much the same issue with SH3/4 and using Vista as the OS. Some have gone to 3rd party card programs for tweaking to get 3/4 to work but I know you can use the standard program for tweaks provided by the manufacture of your card. I'm the proof in the pudding on that.

Hmmm. I've being using one of those third party programs. nHancer in this case. Should I uninstall it prior to attempting to install SH3?

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Hmmm. I've being using one of those third party programs. nHancer in this case. Should I uninstall it prior to attempting to install SH3?

No, do not go through all that trouble first. Install your game. Reset your card to default values and start the game. I hate to see you dump your 3rd party program and create all this work for nothing. As I said, others have went to 3rd party programs to make this work. I found it is not necessary but all the same, these people did get the game to run and load using these programs. So, I see no reason at this point to drop your current program. Just set your card to default values using your current program for your card. Make a note on current tweaks so you can reset the card after SH3 loads. Reading what you have stated is happening is certainly what I experienced and others have experienced. The game is loading you just can not see it but you can hear it by the music and your hard drive is grinding away loading files. So, if you can not see it, what is causing the issue? Your vid card. My answer to my same exact problem as you have is resetting the card to defaults, loading the game and seeing it now then went back and reset my card tweaks.

PS: I see you use Nhancer. Nice program and all but the program offered by Nvida is just fine for any tweak you will ever need. I use it without issue. It is up to you what program you want to use but my experience with this problem was resolved using the OEM program.

Forgot....make your own root file to load the game to. Then you will not have errors and Vista asking for permission etc. I did this with SH4 and I can go into the file without issue and make changes no problem. I created a root file C:/ Games2

[Torplexed]

Just completed your advice to the letter AVG.

You have my deepest Atlantic gratitude. Thanks to you I have SH3 and U-Boats again for the first time in eight months. It's merrily running like the motor in your sig. Cheers mate!

Now I gotta find the latest GWX.