Windows 8.1

[Leandros]

Hi, all - I finally bought a new laptop and before I start wasting time on installations, etc. I'd like to ask if there are any problems installing SH4 on it. It's got Windows 8.1 operative system and should have no performance problems.

Looking forward to any information if there is a supposed problem and, if so, any ways around it. The CD box does say Windows XP/Vista.

Fred

[Hambone307]

The only issue I had was with crashes to desktop, but my particular issue was fixed with running in compatibility mode. Won't know until you try to run it.

[pdiddy]

Many hours running SH4 on Win 8.1 with no issues. Enjoy!

[CapnScurvy]

You might want to take a look at this sticked thread regarding installing on a Vista, and Win7 OS. It's not Win8.1, but its tips on installing the game for newer versions of Windows....newer than what's stated on the game box.

I would think installing the game into another folder other than the Programs x86 folder, would still apply. There's been a long time standing issue with games being installed into the "Programs" folder and not allowing game files to be changed, as would be the case using JSGME. I don't think it would hurt if you made your own C:/Games/UbiSoft folder....putting SH4 there.

If you have more than 3 gigs of memory, download the App Large Address Aware to have the game use more than the default ceiling of 2 gigs of ram. This will force the game to use the extra memory your system has. The game being released in 2007, didn't expect most computers today to have more than 2 gigs of ram available. LAA opens the game to the additional memory.

[Leandros]

Thank you, guys - it seemingly installed correctly but offers (I cannot find it, anyway) no start-up exe file. When I try sto play it from the disc it says: "The game is already running on a different account."

I shall try a couple of the suggestions given here. Thank you again.

Fred

[CapnScurvy]

I'm no expert on Win8.1. I've got the game on two different computers, XP, and Vista. I would think Win8.1 offers some kind of Windows Explorer that can be used to open the Drives and Folders of the computer. Finding the "Silent Hunter Wolves of the Pacific" folder will produce something like the following:



If the view is set for "Icon's", your game's .exe file will be the one with the black sub and reading SH4 on the icon. Actually, there are two icons looking the same, but only one is the .exe file.

[Leandros]

Thank you, captain - I have the two symbols, one of which is only the graphics.

The other does not say ".exe" but calls itself "application".

I'll try to load some other old games to see how it reacts. Problem is I was intending to use the SH4 for a special purpose.

Fred

[Leandros]

OK, I downloaded the basic version of SHIII and that worked out ok without any modifications......starts nicely!

SH4 does not Place the start symbol on the desktop as did the SHIII and I find no ".exe" file anywhere.....

I installed SHIII in the "086" program folder as it recommended, or intended, to do. I've tried both with SH4.

Fred

P.S.:Looking in at the SHIII files I see that the ".exe"-file there is also called "application" like in the SH4 folder. Difference is SHIII starts by clicking it but SH4 does not.......

[CapnScurvy]

Which version of SH4 do you have?

The original CD version (v1.0) DID NOT have the U-Boat Missions. The latest CD version states it includes the U-Boat Missions....usually it's called the "Gold Edition", which puts the game to v1.5.

If you have seen the Black Sub icon in the "Silent Hunter Wolves of the Pacific" game folder that states it's the "application"......that's the .exe file. Copy it as a Short Cut to your desktop, and double click it. It should start your SH4 game.

You say you've found the proper icon yet it doesn't start the game? Again, make sure the game is not placed in the directed "Programs x86" folder. Put it in another folder of your making under one of your main drives (C:/, or D:/). As I've suggested have it like this: C:/Games/UbiSoft/ (then the game folder) Silent Hunter Wolves of the Pacific.

[Leandros]

It seems I have found the problem. A new installation of SH4 shows to be an exact duplicate (in the sense of uploading) as that of the SHIII installation. Only difference is when I push the exe button I get the response: "The game is already running on a different account."

Would this be because it was first installed on my old machine....? Would there be any way of opening this bar...?

Anybody?

Fred

[Leandros]

Originally Posted by CapnScurvy

Which version of SH4 do you have?

The original CD version (v1.0) DID NOT have the U-Boat Missions. The latest CD version states it includes the U-Boat Missions....usually it's called the "Gold Edition", which puts the game to v1.5.

If you have seen the Black Sub icon in the "Silent Hunter Wolves of the Pacific" game folder that states it's the "application"......that's the .exe file. Copy it as a Short Cut to your desktop, and double click it. It should start your SH4 game.

You say you've found the proper icon yet it doesn't start the game? Again, make sure the game is not placed in the directed "Programs x86" folder. Put it in another folder of your making under one of your main drives (C:/, or D:/). As I've suggested have it like this: C:/Games/UbiSoft/ (then the game folder) Silent Hunter Wolves of the Pacific.

Thank you for your efforts, Captain! Latest development is I had the exe icon moved to the desktop. When starting it responds: "The computer can't start because the "intro.dll" file is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this program."

Actually the intro.dll file is there in the same folder as the start symbol. This installation was made in "086" program folder.

Fred

[Leandros]

Originally Posted by CapnScurvy

Which version of SH4 do you have?

The version is 1.3.0

Fred

[Portugeezer]

Hey Leandros

I've just had the same issues after installing SH4 onto my new laptop which runs Win 8.1. I couldn't get the game to run at first then I checked the Task Manager which showed it was running. Then I got the same message that the game was running on another account. A quick skim of the forums here prompted me to try to run the compatibilty mode wizard which solved my problem.

First you need to go to the directory that you installed the game in my case C:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft\Silent Hunter 4 Wolves of the Pacific. I then right clicked on the SH4 application icon and from the options selected the Troubleshoot Compatibilty option and selected Windows Vista mode.

You can also select the properties tab and select Vista mode through that.
This allowed me to run the game. Hopefully this will help you to run yours.
Hope this makes sense.

Happy New Year and Good Luck!

[Leandros]

Originally Posted by Portugeezer

Hey Leandros

I've just had the same issues after installing SH4 onto my new laptop which runs Win 8.1. I couldn't get the game to run at first then I checked the Task Manager which showed it was running. Then I got the same message that the game was running on another account. A quick skim of the forums here prompted me to try to run the compatibilty mode wizard which solved my problem.

First you need to go to the directory that you installed the game in my case C:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft\Silent Hunter 4 Wolves of the Pacific. I then right clicked on the SH4 application icon and from the options selected the Troubleshoot Compatibilty option and selected Windows Vista mode.

You can also select the properties tab and select Vista mode through that.
This allowed me to run the game. Hopefully this will help you to run yours.
Hope this makes sense.

Happy New Year and Good Luck!

Thank you, P. I tried your suggestion but it still persists in lacking the "intro.dll" even if it is listed in the folder.

Fred

P.S.: Captain - I have tried your suggestion of storing under the C: drive to no avail. Maybe the "intro.dll" file is damaged....

[CapnScurvy]

So, let me get this straight. You have version 1.3 of SH4 on a DVD disc? It's not a download coming from Steam...right?

You have installed SH4 into your "Programs (x86)" folder? Although I don't think you should have done that......but, you may wish to look at this thread, it has to do with installing SHIII onto a Win 8.1 computer.

The two things you should get out of reading this thread is:

1. If you have installed the game into the Programs (x86) folder, run the game as "Administrator".

2. Run the game in "Compatibility Mod" which forces the computer to run the game in an alternative OS, other than Win8.1.

Much like what Portugeezer so correctly stated........by right clicking the .exe file (I'm talking about the true .exe application found in the Silent Hunter Wolves of the Pacific folder....NOT the .exe "short cut" file on your desktop. You may need to make another "short cut" IF you make changes to the .exe file as noted) you will find the menu pages as described under the "Properties" tab.

Also, under the "General" tab of the "Properties" menu, of the games true .exe file, make sure the "Attributes" section DOES NOT have a checkmark in the "Read-Only" box. Having it checkmarked, you can't change a thing in the other tabs.



The main reason I asked about which version of the game you have is because version 1.0 (the first release) required you to have the DVD disc in the DVD Drive before it would start, due to the games protection from piracy features. Some time later, in a patched updated version (either 1.3, or 1.4), the requirement to have the DVD in the Drive was dropped. I just don't remember when the requirement was removed.