Silent Hunter 4 & Windows 10

[Fifi]

I’m running compatibility mode on VISTA alone (no SP2 etc) for SH4.exe and Jsgme.exe with great success.

Also check everything you need to run SH is matching your bit system (32 or 64)

[Pyryck]

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

...<posting>...

Pardon the intrusion...

Depending on which version of Win10 (I run Win10Pro) you are running, there was a recent Windows 10 update around the beginning of September, 2019, that added Ransomware Protection to lock down "Documents"/"My Documents" from being unintentionally changed.

If you're running the game full-screen, you may or may not see the Security Warnings about a program trying to access those save game files. You may have to ALLOW the changes to be made to the files/folders. (it got to be such a royal PITA to me that I turned off the Security setting)

Check under Settings then Update & Security then Windows Security then Virus & Threat protection then down to the Ransomware protection. Manage ransomware protection. "Controlled folder access" might be the culprit in this case.

[propbeanie]

Ah-HAA!!! Thank you for that Pyryck!... I ~knew~ Win10 had done it... I couldn't figure out why all of the older "legacy" apps I have where having issues...

[Aktungbby]

Pyryck!

[skirich]

Originally Posted by Pyryck

Pardon the intrusion...

Depending on which version of Win10 (I run Win10Pro) you are running, there was a recent Windows 10 update around the beginning of September, 2019, that added Ransomware Protection to lock down "Documents"/"My Documents" from being unintentionally changed.

If you're running the game full-screen, you may or may not see the Security Warnings about a program trying to access those save game files. You may have to ALLOW the changes to be made to the files/folders. (it got to be such a royal PITA to me that I turned off the Security setting)

Check under Settings then Update & Security then Windows Security then Virus & Threat protection then down to the Ransomware protection. Manage ransomware protection. "Controlled folder access" might be the culprit in this case.

Small caveat here. This is only an option if you use the built in windows defender AV. I use the term AV lightly here as its not a true AV, but more of an exploit and sandboxing tech.
If you added an aftermarket AV like Norton, which takes over completely here, then this option is not available (and not an issue).
YMMV depending on your software for AV.

[SgtMustang]

EDIT: Looks like I got it running! It looks like moving "d3d9.dll" and "d3d9on12.dll" from SysWOW64 to the SH4 root directory worked! Would like to hear if this fix works for anyone else with Windows 10/Dx9 related issues. Let me know if you want more details and I can post. No compatibility settings of any kind are enabled on my SH4.exe file, by the way. This is a raw Steam installation of SH4 + SH4 UBoats.


Reporting in that Silent Hunter IV does not appear to run on my Windows 10.0.18362 Build 18362 PC. The window opens with a black screen, then closes after a second or two.


Tried the following:
-DirectX web updater and the DirectX redist in the game folder
-Disable full screen optimizations
-Override High DPI Scaling
-Compatibility Modes (XP, Vista, 7, etc)
-Launching in windowed mode (via Main.Cfg)
-Setting display monitor res = 1024 x 768



None of these have worked for me so far. Odd thing is that the game DID work when I last tried launching it 3-6 months ago, so looks like some update to Windows or my graphics drivers has broken it, since.


Anyone know if there have been any major Windows updates in the last few months that have broken compatibility?


THanks!

[Aktungbby]

SgtMustang!

[SgtMustang]

@Aktungbby thanks for the welcome!


Glad to say that I think I was able to sort out the issue. Looking at Event Viewer showed me that the app crash was related to d3d9.dll, so I figured it was a DirectX related issue. By copying d3d9.dll and d3d9on12.dll from my SysWOW64 folder, the game could finally launch again.

My thinking is that d3d9on12.dll was the real fixer, the name suggests that it has something to do with DX9 backwards compatibility with DX12. I expect the Steam installer does not include the .dlls necessary to run the game on the latest versions of Windows, but by bringing them over from the Windows folder, you're taking care of that manually.

For the record, I have no compatibility settings or LAA mods on my sh4.exe, this is a raw install from steam (SH4 + U boats).


Here is a photo of the fix for anyone who likes visual instructions:







Hope this solves other people's SH4/5 issues!

[THEBERBSTER]

A Warm Welcome To The Subsim Community > SgtMustang
Subsim <> Make A Donation <> See The Benefits <> Support The Community
SH3 – 4 - 5 Tutorials > Downloads > Other Useful Information > See Links in My Signature Below

[kiwikid1940]

Hi,
I am running Windows10 64 Home and all of a sudden ALL my separate SH4 modded programs will not run due to Windows blocking SH4.exe on all of them.

I have included a screen shot and wonder if anyone can help. All of the programs are "Run as Administrator"

Mike

https://www.dropbox.com/preview/SH4%20Block.jpg

[propbeanie]

You created the jpg link behind the log-in, and it is "private". I cannot remember off the top of my head about DropBox, since it's kind of automatic with me anymore, but you create the link from the "Share", then "create" the link, then "copy" the link. It will then tell you the file was private and has been made public for the share... I think... - oldfahrtbrain here...

In the meantime, what kind of Silent Hunter do you have? Steam, UPlay, Amazon, Disk, etc? Besides the "Run as administrator", have you tried the "Compatibility" mode and the "High DPI" settings? I am on a Windows 7 machine right now, and it would not do me any good to tell you the names I see, but they are from the same "Properties" page for the SH4.exe file you did for the "Administrator" tick box.

Also, any recent Windows updates? Any recent Steam updates? Any recent UPlay updates? I have had all three on my Windows 10 laptop (that the wife is on at this moment), one of those three updates have trashed my Silent Hunter installs - all of them. This includes SH3, SH4 & SH5. I do have SH5 (Steam) back up and running TWoS, I do have SH4 back up and running (UPlay) with FotRSU, though I have not tried any other copies of that for other mods I use. I also can get one copy of my Steam SH3 going. As soon as I try to get a 2nd going, it will trash the first. Very frustrating, and I am hoping they have not changed the licensing agreement after my purchase, but they do say "... subject to change without notice..." in the UA... Anyway, let us know what you have!

[kiwikid1940]

Hi propbeanie,

I have installed SH4 from CD and it does not require me to be on Steam, UPlay etc. I have given it "Compatability" as well as "Run as Administrator" and "High DPI" options but to no avail.

There has been Windows updates and I think it may be one of those, but which one is any ones guess.

At this time my SH3 and SH5 both still run with no problems.

Sorry about Dropbox but screen print justs shows that Windows has blocked SH4.exe on all my hard drives saying an administrator has blocked it but I have UAC at lowest level???

I will have a look on Microsoft's web site and see if I can try to establish what has happened.


PS Problem solved by turning UAC (User Access Control) OFF. I have always run it at the lowest level but found a way via UTube to actually turn it off. I am not worried about having UAC off as it gives me COMPLETE control of computer!!!

[WH4K]

Windows 10 Pro here. Haven't touched a sub sim for several years and a couple Windows versions, but reinstalled Wolves of the Pacific yesterday just for kicks.


I'm happy to say I had minimal problems getting SH4 running on Windows 10. Essentially, simply updating my Nvidia drivers made the game run trouble-free. So far, at least; I haven't played a whole lot yet.


Now I need to work out what mods I want to apply, because the vanilla game looks bloody AWFUL at 2560x1440. Yeesh.

[propbeanie]

@ kiwikid1940: which version of the game do you have on disk? Did you purchase it in like 2007, like I did my first copy? If so, you need to keep the game inserted in the drive, then update the version with Official v1.4 patch and then set the "Properties" page for SH4 to "Run this program as administrator", maybe change the High DPI settings to program controlled, and possibly have to use the Compatibility settings to Win7. Each computer is different in this regard, due to the UAC settings each person has on their computers. You could also look at your UAC settings, and see if reducing that doesn't allow the SH4.exe to run. If you already have SH4 v1.5, which has the UBoat Missions in it, then those "Properties" setting still might help.

For both you and WH4K, you want to make certain that your SH4 install is NOT in a "Program Files" folder, such as "C:\Program Files (x86) \Ubisoft \Silent Hunter 4...", since that is a "protected" folder on the 'modern' Windows system (since Vista). Windows will rollback most changes done by a mod to that folder, and then you end up with a mess. You want to install your game to a folder you create yourself. What I usually do with my installs is just edit the command line for install choice, and delete the Program Files reference, such that I end up with "C:\Ubisoft \Silent Hunter 4..." for the install path, or I also have a "Games" folder on my other computer, and install there with "F:\Games \Silent Hunter 4...". You could also select the contents of the install folder, copy everything, and then paste that into a folder you create outside of "Program Files", and then run it from the "SH4.exe" file...

[kiwikid1940]

Hi propbeanie

In reply I had my several SH4 modded games running quite sweet for the last two to three years and it was only the other day that Windows decided it didn't like SH4.exe!!

All mods are run outside of "program files" with some being on two separate external hard drives and no problems at all.

I can only assume that a recent Windows update decided that the UAC should block this file and of course it affected ALL my SH4 installs including the external drives.

But now, having turned off UAC, I can run all of my modded games again and I am quite happy to run with UAC off.