Giveaway of the Day Forums

1. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   I'm nearing the end of a project that's lasted almost 3 months now. I have a Windows 7 desktop (about 2 1/2 years old) and got a laptop with Windows 8.1 almost 3 months ago. I've been transitioning games from the old machine to the new machine. I'm doing it mainly as a backup and a way to play the games if my husband is using the desktop and I just want to play. It's also a heck of a lot of fun (I'm a real geek/nerd at heart).

   I've currently got 23 DVDs of zipped backups of the games. They're either install files or "gut" copies of the installs. I'm hoping to install almost 1250 games. I have 1256 games on the desktop and 15 will not be tried (DOS, CD required ... that sort of thing) and currently have found 22 "failures" (with 1153 successes). I have some things to try with those failures but that's after I get finished.

   I'm on the LAST disk (oldest - I'm doing them backwards). This is the source of my title for this thread. In this one disk of very old games (acquired at least 5 years ago) are some very very old games.

   The Good -- I found 3 games from Aha! Software (Family Games) that all gave a build date during the install of October 1999. Now those are old games! All are windowed. All are very small. All work perfectly under Windows 8.1! They're pre XP. They're either 98 or ME creations -- I think 98.

   The Bad -- In that same DVD, I found 2 DivoGames that stated they were from 2002. That's XP time. Both games (Quadranoid and Quadranoid 2) gave a simple "#17" error if I tried with no compatibility. With compatibility, I got into the games, gave my registration code and then it proceeded to give me a total white screen that flickered and turned on music. It stuck there and when I exited the game, it kept the music going! I had to reboot to get that music stopped. I couldn't find it in Task Manager.

   The Ugly -- This one is weird. There were a series of FreeGamePick games on that disk. I tried to install 13. The others had been replaced by something later so were not suitable for installation. ALL have been installed twice before using the EXACT SAME downloaded files. The first 2 times were fine. 11 of the 13 now had different icons for the shortcuts and, although there were no questions about hijacking anything or toolbars during installation, refused to let me play until I installed a toolbar and allowed hijacking. It had a wrapper. It didn't with Vista or Windows 7! Those 11 games are being replaced by a variety of other freebie circuit sites. I do not trust FreeGamePick. If this can happen one, it can happen again!

   Weird experiences but fun!

   Posted 8 years ago #
2. 

   Whiterabbit-uk
   Games Guru

   Hi Dragonlair,

   With respect to your comment 'DOS, CD required ... that sort of thing'

   There are a few sites that deal specifically with games that require CD/DVD disks to play the game. I used to play a particular game every day for over 3 years (Battlefield 2). I used to put the disk into the reader virtually every day. Over time the disk became badly scratched and the center of the disk started to crack. I managed to find a site that did what are called No CD patches or mods. These enabled you to play your game without having to place a CD/DVD in the disk reader. The sites I used to frequent had thousands of listed games, all with No CD patches/mods as well as trainers and updates for each game. Each update to a new version would require a No CD patch that was matched to the version number.

   Offhand I can't remember the names of the sites I used to vist. I downloaded NoCD patches for many of the disk based games I have, though I haven't played a disk based game in quite some time now.

   It may be that some of those games you are unable to play may have NoCD patches that you could use to play the games.

   edit:

   Yeah! Found one of the sites. Hopefully you'll find what you need HERE

   If you find what you need, download the appropriate patch, and if they have them any updates then place them directly into the games main folder. Usually you get instructions on where to place thepatch. You have to replace the installed games executable with the patches executable for the No CD patch to work executable. It's basically been modded so that it thinks it detects a disk.

   When you click on the link above the firwt page you come to is a list of servers. click on one. This takes you to a second page with an important notice that states the following:

   GameCopyWorld only supplies Information and Tools necessary to make
   a PERSONAL BACKUP of legally owned Game CD/DVD's.
   GameCopyWorld in NO WAY links or makes it possible to illegally download or acquire any copyrighted game(s) or Serials/Keys (including CD/DVD & Activation Keys).
   GameCopyWorld cannot be held responsible if any of the information and/or files contained on this site are used in the pursuit of illegal activities,
   such as copyright infringement or piracy.
   Keep the following in mind when making a backup of an Original Game CD/DVD:

   You are LEGALLY ALLOWED to make a personal backup of an Original Game CD/DVD as long as you are the owner of the Original Game CD/DVD.
   You are NOT ALLOWED to sell, rent or give away any backups of copyrighted Games CD/DVD's, as this is not allowed by Copyright Laws.
   You MUST DESTROY any backups when you don't legally own the Original Game CD/DVD anymore (e.g. selling or giving it away)
   Before making a backup, check in the supplied manual or on the back of the CD/DVD, if there are special conditions or provisions for making a personal backup.

   You are ONLY allowed to ENTER GameCopyWorld if you need information to make a backup of an Original Game CD/DVD of which you are the legal owner. By Clicking the ENTER button you agree with the above Notice!
   If you do not agree with the above notice then close your browser now!

   Click on the enter button. To find the game you are looking for look to the right hand column and select the first letter of the game you are looking for under the PC - Game Index

   If you need any help just post here and I'll try and give any more info if needed. I think you will easily understand what's needed.

   Posted 8 years ago #
3. 

   Whiterabbit-uk
   Games Guru

   p.s. I've got executables and registrations details for both quadranoid games. Maybe they will work for you. I'm still trying to sort out my backups. I've got hundreds of DVD's, CD's and blu Rays with games, no CD patches and mods backed up. When I find the quadraonoid files I can upload them to a site I use for sharing images and other files so that you can download them. That's if you are interested.

   That pile of disk cases The large ones hold 100 disks, the small ones 50 and containers plus external drives are all the back ups I've mase over the last 10 years. I dread to think how many games and applications as well as music, photographs and video I've backed up over the years, most of which I've not accessed since backing up. I've been using a data base program to finally sort them out. Each disk is scanned then all of the contents are added to the database. I reckon I'm about 20% through so far. Just one Blu Ray disk takes up to 45 minutes to be added (if it's more or less full {23GB}) and I've got around 200 of those.

   

   Of course, i've not played them in several years so don't know whether I'd have the same problem as you.

   I loved those breakouts. My daughter used to use the levels editor to make her own levels. I liked the four bats which could make the game hard to beat. :)

   Posted 8 years ago #
4. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   WR,

   For most of my CD/DVDs that are used for installs (the masters), I found I was able to just copy the data onto the hard drive and install that way. Not only was it faster than reading from the disk, it told me I could zip up that install information for backups. Only a few would not let me do that but required some hidden hook on the disk. BigFishGames is one that does that and for some strange reason, MumboJumbo did, too (Chainz 2). That gave me a series of PERSONAL backups that I could use to install most of these games on the new desktop much faster and easier than using the disks. My disk for the Hide & Secret series warped, for example. That series is on the freebie circuit so I replaced it long before I tried this trick.

   Those that would not allow installs that way, and the games that required the disk, I found I could create and ISO copy of the disk that could be used to burn a new one if needed. I think I used ImgBurn for that. One of the few that still would not allow copies was Pandora's Box. Your link did not have a patch for that but did give a link that does. I'll have to try that later if I can figure out how it works.

   For the Quadranoid games, I have registration codes for both of them and did get them in a compatibility mode that allowed me to enter them. They were recognized and that's not the problem. It's when the actual game started that gave me the white-screen/music mess. It may be the graphics setup of my laptop that prevents normal action rather than true Win 8.1.

   I did notice a few new things last night -- one neat, the other a bit odd. I was down to the very very old Alawar games. I was installing Hyperballoid Complete. I got it registered and it started. It "loads" by changing the color of the word "HYPERBALLOID". It got through "HYPE" and then HUNG! I could not Alt+F4, I could not Alt+Tab, I could not CTRL-ALT-DEL -- I could not do ANYTHING. I had to hard boot twice fussing with this game. I finally got it in a compatibility mode where it gave me my first BSOD for Win8 and it was different. It was simply a message that it had to restart my machine and did! I finally got the game to work (and work correctly) when I set the compatibility mode all the way back to 98/ME. I may not have had to go back THAT far but it worked and I wasn't about to fuss with success.

   Then I found an odd thing with a side-program to Snowy Puzzle Islands - Snowy Puzzle Islands Winter Edition. It doesn't have the same wrapper and is only available if you have the original program. In fact, a few years ago, Alawar gave me permission to GIVE a copy of it to a friend who had the original but this one was no longer available. Your copy of the original Snowy game has to be from Alawar for it to work, though. I now have it from a DVD bundle (under another name) so I thought I MIGHT have to install the original just to get the secondary game. Nope! It uses the same registration code as the base game! Just register it with that code and you're good to go!

   I'm down to about 54 games to install besides the 22 failures. I'm no longer removing the failures on the laptop for now -- I'm going to see if I can get them to work using DXWnd. That seems to be the product designed for my issue -- old games!

   Thanks for the help with the CD games. Pandora's Box is the ONE game that I would like to play locally rather than CD but have never been able to figure it out. I hope this works.

   Diane

   Posted 8 years ago #
5. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   BTW - I did download a "fix" for Pandora's box. Windows REFUSED to run it. It said it had "compatibility issues". I guess my game is just too old!

   Why do some 1999 or so games work absolutely perfectly (like Valvo and Oktagon) but not others like RahJongg and Pandora's Box. Pandora is from Microsoft!

   I guess only some people know how to program RIGHT -- for longevity.

   I haven't Tested Apus Software yet (Astral Arrows and Firestones) but I have to give them credit. The game was originally expected to last AT MOST 10 years. When people started asking why their games failed in 2009, The developer issued a "patch" for Astral Arrows because it was STILL wanted! At least on Windows 7, it still works. It's next to be tested on my laptop's Windows 8.1.

   Posted 8 years ago #
6. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   Just a simple note -- both of the Apus Software games -- Astral Arrows and Firestones worked after the known patches (I already have copies) were applied to both to extend their lifespans beyond 2009.

   Both are full-screen only with limited options but both work like a charm under Win 8.1

   Posted 8 years ago #

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