[Dark Hunter]

Alright, here goes: I'm sure this has been asked many times, but I'll ask it again.

I downloaded the 7/28/2005 build of fs2open (The later one didn't work at all), and the .vp files needed, and all of Light's effect files. I then transferred them to my other computer (the one I play Freespace 2 on) and installed them as directed by the setup guide at the SCP's website. I even configured everything right at the launcher! But now, when I try to use it, nothing whatsoever happens. The screen blacks, then flickers between the desktop and various shades of black screens, then returns to the desktop. Furthermore, Freespace 2 (the retail) won't work (says it has a problem with the weps .tbl) and neither will FRED2, it has the same problem. What's going on? (If it matters, the computer i'm attempting to run it on is an older one, with Windows 98 SE.)

[Fenrir]

By "Light's effect files" do you mean the various downloads strewen about the SCP's site? You don't need to get those as they're older versions of things that are already in the Media VP's and will most likely cause conflicts like what you're having. You should only have the Media VP's and the three patches (and the beam slowdown fix if you need it).

 And the 7/28 build is older than 3.6.7 one, so that won't work at all with the 3.6.7 Media VP's.  The only other thing is that the very lastest builds require you to have the 3.6.8 delta VP's. This one's old (and yet new) enough that it should work, though:
http://fs2source.warpcore.org/exes/latest/October2005/20051020-redmenace.rar

[Dark Hunter]

Right thanks I'll try that.

[Dark Hunter]

Ok that didn't work. Now when I try to select those builds on the launcher it says:

"Fatal error: Failed to read flag file."

I checked the stickied thread on this error and downloaded the file, installed it and......... nothing changed.

Now what?

[WMCoolmon]

You probably need to install OpenAL 1.1...if you have an Nvidia onboard audio chipset you'll need a special installer, for everything else use this one.

[Dark Hunter]

That had to be the fastest reply to a post I have ever seen. Almost spooky.

As far as I know I do not have an Nvidia chipset, so this should work.

[Dark Hunter]

Fixed the flag error, but the program still fails to load. It just returns me to the desktop....

[WMCoolmon]

You posted right as I got back from dinner.

Does the _d version pop up any errors?

[CP5670]

By "Light's effect files" do you mean the various downloads strewen about the SCP's site? You don't need to get those as they're older versions of things that are already in the Media VP's and will most likely cause conflicts like what you're having. You should only have the Media VP's and the three patches (and the beam slowdown fix if you need it).

 And the 7/28 build is older than 3.6.7 one, so that won't work at all with the 3.6.7 Media VP's. The only other thing is that the very lastest builds require you to have the 3.6.8 delta VP's. This one's old (and yet new) enough that it should work, though:
http://fs2source.warpcore.org/exes/latest/October2005/20051020-redmenace.rar

Actually the 3.6.7 vp pack works fine with that build and several other pre-3.6.7 versions. I was using it two months ago. It's only the 3.6.8 ones that have issues with older versions due to their tbm files.

[karajorma]

Fixed the flag error, but the program still fails to load. It just returns me to the desktop....

Which version of the launcher are you using? Current one is 5.3. Try deleting flags.lch and whatever variation of launcher.ini you have then using that.

If that fails start again following my guide from this point. (Install the CVS build you have and the 3.6.7 VPs so you don't have to download anything new)

[Dark Hunter]

One question before I try anything else: if I have the 3.6.7 media vp's, do I need the various vp's in the "Myzpack" file (mv_core.vp, mv_models.vp, etc)?

[Dark Hunter]

No i was using version 4.0 of the launcher, because
#1. There were no direct links to the launcher downloads at SCP's site that I could find.
#2. The installation guide on the SCP linked to version 4.0. Someone should update that link.

So, where can i go to get the latest version?

[Dark Hunter]

You know what? Since in looking into this I have fond out so amny things I've done wrong, I'm just gonna delete FS2Open files, redownload them, and put it together based on karajorma's very informative Fs2Open Installation guide. 

If this doesn't work, I'll post again.

[WMCoolmon]

#1. There were no direct links to the launcher downloads at SCP's site that I could find.

They're cleverly concealed in the "Downloads" section...

But yes, the install guide does need to be updated. I can make a direct link to the wiki guide in the menubar.

[Dark Hunter]

Don't worry I found Launcher 5.3.



But when I try to run it, it told me first that D3D9.DLL and D3D8THK.DLL were not found. I found them on a newer computer and copied them to the old one, and now it gives me the following two curious messages:

"A device attached to [Launcher] is not functioning. The program failed to start." (I'm paraphrasing)

"D3D8THK.DLL is linked to missing export GDI32.DLL:DdEntry1" (not paraphrasing there)

I don't have a clue what that last statement means, so here I am again, asking for interpretation of bizarre computer error messages.

[WMCoolmon]

What version of Windows and what version of DirectX do you have installed?

If nothing else, you can use this registry file to switch to OpenGL mode. This may let you start fs2_open or the launcher:

http://fs2source.warpcore.org/support/videocardfs2open.reg

[Dark Hunter]

I am running Windows 98 ( I think its the SE)

and DirectX version 8.1.


That number seems high to me, but then I don't make it a point to keep track of DirectX upgrades. Is that outdated?

[StratComm]

A little, but not for Freespace.  Modern games require DirectX 9.0.  If all else fails though, update to 9.0 and it should take care of the problem.

[Dark Hunter]

Those sounded like really good ideas, but there are problems with each:

With OpenGL registry file..... this may sound silly, but I don't know what to do with it. Also, my computers are reading it as an MP3 sound file . Don't know if that's normal....

With DirectX 9.0 update: The download available on DirectX's website is a file that accesses the internet and then downloads necessary components. This presents a problem because the computer I'm using has no Internet connection! I've been getting files onto it via Flashdrive. Is there a "manual installation" package available, that doesn't require Internet?

[Shadow0000]

You need to download the End-User Redistributable version:

Check this page, I could give you the direct link, but:

A - Is somewhat wrong

B - Here you're free to choose to match your OS Language

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3F2828FA-0E3C-4837-AFC0-6C67DCAA54BF&displaylang=en

-------------------------------------------

Does it is work ?. It should be the DirectX 9.0c of with SDK code fixs of December 2005, but it was posted a few days from now. Probabily released also with d3dx9_28.dll, anyways, DirectX is often updated without version alphanumeric changes, you just need to check often........