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[Stinkin_Cheeze]

Hi, I'm trying to play this old cd rom on my computer. My laptop has a DVD-ROM drive but eh, it's still not compatible--I even tried setting the game compatibility to run to the require color settings and under Windows 95. The program requires Microsoft Windows operating system 3.1 or later. Also MS-DOS operating system version 3.1 or later. Something complex and over my head must be done, I sense it. All answers appreciated

[AlumiuN]

Which program is it?

[Eagle of Fire]

Originally Posted by http://starsautohost.org/sahforum/

Hey all.

Just returned to this old game after a long Hiatus (1.5 years or so) and discovered that I'd lost all my old Stars! stuff in a transfer (except, thankfully, my serial). So I download it again, only to find that my shiny new 64bit Vista SP1 computer refuses to run Stars 2.6JRC4, telling me that as a a 32bit application, it's not compatible. I tried 2.7JRC3, and still, no luck.

I find this odd, because WOW64 is meant to dynamically handle such problems, and in this case it didn't. A few searches failed to bring up any conclusive answer, but most of the partial answers seemed to be along the lines of "too bad", or "it works better if you install the game in the OS first".

So, I come you for help. The only solutions I can think of at the moment are either some alternative 32bit emulator, somehow convincing windows to recognise that it should be properly emulating the program, or some sort of patch. Does anyone who's mucked around with the Stars! program know what could be causing this? Some 32bit-only API, perhaps? Has anyone encountered and somehow solved this problem?

It's not a terrible tragedy if there is no solution available, as I have a 32bit XP laptop that can run it just fine, but this isn't just a concern for myself as it is for the who Stars! community, as the industry-wide transition to 64-bit may mean that some day it will be very difficult to play or get into Stars! for new players. Is there some way to future-proof it?

Originally Posted by http://starsautohost.org/sahforum/

Stars! is a 16-bit application. It already runs in XP in "compatibility" mode. AFAIK Vista by default excludes support for 16-bit applications (or maybe just the 64-bit Vista, but IIRC some players reported running Stars in Vista within the dosbox (emulator of DOS machine for Windows without proper support for DOS games). Check sourceforge for it, and please report of you succeed.

Originally Posted by http://starsautohost.org/sahforum/

I have been able to run Stars! on a Vista 32bit machine without any problems but have not been able to run it on a Vista 64bit machine. So I would guess that your friend has a 64bit version of Vista. The only workaround that I have been able to come up with is to use some kind of desktop virtualization software and run windows xp as a virtual machine. Microsoft has one called VirtualPC which is a free download. You do need to have a Windows XP installation disk though.
Good Luck

Originally Posted by http://starsautohost.org/sahforum/

As a note, it also runs just fine on win 7 beta (64 bit).

Originally Posted by http://starsautohost.org/sahforum/

Upgrading your Vista to XP, or waiting for Windows 7 would be other, more long-term options.

Conclusion: Vista blows so much, it can sail its own ship...

I hope you don't have Vista 64 bits.

[dosraider]

Simple solution:
Dosbox +W3.X
http://vogons.zetafleet.com/viewtopic.php?t=9405

[Stinkin_Cheeze]

holy crap...haha, well thank you for the quotes. Yes, Vista is the worst I've had experience with. And...oh I was hoping to not answer so, but yes, it's a 64-bit machine hahah

hi, it's a windows program called Microsoft Musical Instrumentshere's a pic http://www.answers.com/topic/microso...al-instruments. I was digging through some old cd roms and thought I'd try this one since it seemed like a pretty simple cd rom to test on my laptop, but this Vista really is problematic. *sigh*

Thank you--I will try right now

[Eagle of Fire]

Why are you triple posting?

[dosraider]

Originally Posted by Stinkin_Cheeze

.... but this Vista really is problematic. *sigh*

Nope.
It simply isn't meant to run 16 bits programs.
If you want to run 16 bits programs in a 64 bits OS it's YOU that asks for problems.

[Stinkin_Cheeze]

I'm just replying to the others

yes, I know that's kinda what I meant--
when I have problems I like to word it in such a way where it doesn't sound like so. I'm new, pardon my ignorance

[Eagle of Fire]

Originally Posted by Stinkin_Cheeze

I'm just replying to the others

Stinkin_Cheeze, this is not a lame low-tech forum. It is a true forum, in which you can do far more than in those other lame low-tech forums you are used to participate in.

In forums such as the one you are using at this very moment, the standard procedure is to post only once even if you reply to several people at the same time. If you do not do that, you will eventually be warned about "spamming" the boards.

If you want to reply to many people and you fear that it will be hard for them to know which part relate to them or not, I welcome you to try and use the quote function. You will see that all the options here are far better than on the other lame low-tech forums.

[Stinkin_Cheeze]

Originally Posted by Eagle of Fire

Stinkin_Cheeze, this is not a lame low-tech forum. It is a true forum, in which you can do far more than in those other lame low-tech forums you are used to participate in.

In forums such as the one you are using at this very moment, the standard procedure is to post only once even if you reply to several people at the same time. If you do not do that, you will eventually be warned about "spamming" the boards.

If you want to reply to many people and you fear that it will be hard for them to know which part relate to them or not, I welcome you to try and use the quote function. You will see that all the options here are far better than on the other lame low-tech forums.

Oops, my bad--I see Horseman also had to merge my two posts. Thanks for the info, sorry about that. Btw, I got the game to work :nuts: "Eaah!"
I used the w3.x--I can't remember everything done because I'm not as savy and just...slow. No credit to me got some help from another, and the info here helped. I am grateful



Update:

2014…Never got it to work. That laptop was trashed.