[Winter]

 just got this game back after a friend have borrowed it for like 5 years. And i really want to play it again, but one small problem. I can´t get the windows installer to start, not even the autostart will work. Perhaps it has something to do with XP. Well, hope some of you guys can lend me a hand om this one.  Thanks

[karajorma]

Are you getting a "system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications" error? Cause the solution to that one is pretty simple.

If that's not it I'm sure we can solve the problem with a little more details on the problem. Does it no nothing at all? Does it give you an error of some sort?

Worst case senario you can always download the HotU version (See the downloads links thread for details).

[Winter]

No it doesnt say anthing at all, ive tried the thing when u copy the Autoexec files and so on to /system32 But it doesnt do anything? Nothing happens at all. I can explore the cd to but when i try to start the install then nothing. It loads a while, then it stops, and if i press again it doesnt load at all. Yes im thinking of downloading an open copy here, but only if all ther movies and sounds are there?

[Wobble73]

I think your CD's are damaged, I recommend you download Shivan SPS pack!

[Winter]

Haha Im thinking about it But will the movies and sounds work?

[Wobble73]

Yes at nearly 2 gigs worth of data I'm pretty sure that all the movies and sound have been included, The HoTU version I think is still missing the movies but I think has every thing else!

[karajorma]

I recommended HotU of Shivan's pack cause the MVEs probably still work and could just be copied off the CD.

To be honest it's just a matter of how much bandwidth you have Winter.

[Winter]

well, the bandwidth is not a problem í think ill try downloading both of them just in case. Ill get back to you guys when ive got it all up and running

[karajorma]

I wouldn't bother with HotU in that case. Everything in that package is in ShivanSPS's one.

[Winter]

Well, ive downloaded the Shivan SPS pack. But for some strange reason the original suddenly worked  I just wanted to try it one last time before i installed the pack. And it worked!? Ive been trying to install it like 50 times. And now when i was just about to start to install the pack it Worked. Strange strange,,but well. Computers does act in mysterious ways sometimes. But thanks for all your help guys. Im off for some freespacin!!! Thanks again

[Wobble73]

And are you now using Shivans pack to get all the bells and whistles that the SCP provides? All the HTL ships etc. and the working mods and the like?

[Colonol Dekker]

Cant believe you left it this long guys.............

[Freespace Freak]

I'll tell you what I just did recently.  I put in the FS2 discs, opened up My Computer, right clicked on the DVD drive and selected Explore.  This opened up all the files in the disc.  I then copy and pasted all the files to a new Folder I created like so: My Documents\Freespace Folder\Freespace 2\Disc 1  And I put them all in there.  I then did the same for disc 2 and 3.  Then I also put all of the contents of my Freespace on discs in the Freespace folder for disc 1, 2, and Silent threat.

After that, you can install the retail version of the game completly without using the CD's.  I would just open up disc one and douple click on the setup icon (it looks like a picture of a computer).  Install will run normally.  When it asks you for disc 2, you click on Browse and go to My Documents\Freespace Folder\Freespace 2\Disc 2, and so on for Disc 3.  Do the same for FS1 and Silent Threat. 

Now you don't have to worry about your discs getting scratched up.  You now have a back up of your discs and you don't have to worry about them getting scratched beyong repair or lost.  Burn the files in these folders to a CD so you don't have to worry about losing info on your hard drive in case something happens.

This will not play the cutscenes, even if you burn an exact copy of the FS2 discs and have it in the drive.  You'll need FSOpen to play them.  Read Karajorma's FAQ so you can learn about how to do so.

[Trantzz]

Would having Shivan's pack installed on my external HDD, and then installing the retail version of FS2 on my internal HDD result in any issues?

[karajorma]

You might find that setting things in the SCP or retail launcher would affect the set up of the other one. To be honest I have no understanding of why anyone would do this though. Having FS2_Open installed does absolutely nothing to prevent you playing retail with the exception of the problem I mention above and that's going to affect you either way.

Unless you've got some really good reason all you're really going to achieve is wasting about a gig of hard drive space.

This will not play the cutscenes, even if you burn an exact copy of the FS2 discs and have it in the drive.  You'll need FSOpen to play them.  Read Karajorma's FAQ so you can learn about how to do so.

Not quite true. A cracked exe like the one available in my downloads section should also play the MVE cutscenes. FSO is just the best choice rather than the only choice

[Freespace Freak]

I learned the hard way.  If you follow Karajorma's FAQ, and install only the launcher and the build version in the main Freespace 2 folder, while placing mediavp's and mods in their own folder, you'll be able to play retail FS2 without a hitch.  Put everything in the main FS2 folder and boom!  Black screen of death!

[karajorma]

Well ShivanSPS's pack is pretty much exactly the way I'd do it so he's already got everything set up to allow him to swap between the two already.