Author Topic: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)  (Read 6057 times)

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Offline zornhau

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Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
Hi - I'm amazed that this community exists! Like everybody else, I'm trying to get Freespace running. I hope somebody will be able to help me.

I got the annoying error:

Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory

The read before you post instructions on this forum say:

•   If you've installed the game to the desktop or My Documents, move it somewhere else, like C:\games\freespace\ for example.
•   Run Launcher.exe and select an fs2_open build before doing anything else.
•   Delete launcher6.ini, then refer to solution #2.
•   If you have a shortcut to the Launcher, make sure that the path defined in the shortcut is correct.


I've got the thing installed in I:\Program Files\FreeSpaceOpen so I guess that's OK?

So now I want to run "Launcher.exe"

At the risk of seeming stupid, I don't see a file called Launcher.exe. Help?




 

 
Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
Did you even install FSO? The 2.17 installer should provide you with the 5.5g launcher for Windows. Make sure that you've actually selected the correct folder when you run the installer though.

You can find the installer here: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=87537.0

You can also grab wxLauncher from this thread:  http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=67950.0
The interface is a bit easier to use for some people.
« Last Edit: June 23, 2014, 05:30:54 am by FrikgFeek »
[19:31] <MatthTheGeek> you all high up on your mointain looking down at everyone who doesn't beam everything on insane blindfolded

 

Offline Colonol Dekker

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
Do you have Freespace installed?
Campaigns I've added my distinctiveness to-
- Blue Planet: Battle Captains
-Battle of Neptune
-Between the Ashes 2
-Blue planet: Age of Aquarius
-FOTG?
-Inferno R1
-Ribos: The aftermath / -Retreat from Deneb
-Sol: A History
-TBP EACW teaser
-Earth Brakiri war
-TBP Fortune Hunters (I think?)
-TBP Relic
-Trancsend (Possibly?)
-Uncharted Territory
-Vassagos Dirge
-War Machine
(Others lost to the mists of time and no discernible audit trail)

Your friendly Orestes tactical controller.

Secret bomb God.
That one time I got permabanned and got to read who was being bitxhy about me :p....
GO GO DEKKER RANGERSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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The only good Zod is a dead Zod
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Offline jr2

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
Do you have Freespace installed?


He mean FreeSpace Retail, whether from the original discs, Good Old Games, or Steam.

EDIT: You have to install FS Retail first, then install Open on top of it.  The only exception is, now the Installer (mentioned above) can install Retail from a GOG FS2 retail setup package for you in addition to FSO if that's what you have.

 

Offline zornhau

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
Thanks all of you for responding so rapidly. I appreciate it must be frustrating when people can't seem to manage the most simple things.

In my case I have done as instructed in a thread over on the Steam Freespace forum:


 :yes: I have Freespace from Steam.
 :yes: I downloaded the installer from here: http://www.fsoinstaller.com/files/installer/FreeSpaceOpenInstaller.jar (as per the landing page of this site)
 :yes: I ran that. It cheerfully grabbed the Steam installation, shifted it to a new location and did whatever it does without generating error messages.
 :yes: I consulted the "Read this before posting" and found my issue (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.msg1180353.html#msg1180353)

As per my OP the step I'm stuck on is:

"Run Launcher.exe and select an fs2_open build before doing anything else."

Despite having done all of the above, I don't have such a file anywhere on my PC.








 

Offline Colonol Dekker

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
Is there a desktop shortcut?

search for WXlauncher too.
Campaigns I've added my distinctiveness to-
- Blue Planet: Battle Captains
-Battle of Neptune
-Between the Ashes 2
-Blue planet: Age of Aquarius
-FOTG?
-Inferno R1
-Ribos: The aftermath / -Retreat from Deneb
-Sol: A History
-TBP EACW teaser
-Earth Brakiri war
-TBP Fortune Hunters (I think?)
-TBP Relic
-Trancsend (Possibly?)
-Uncharted Territory
-Vassagos Dirge
-War Machine
(Others lost to the mists of time and no discernible audit trail)

Your friendly Orestes tactical controller.

Secret bomb God.
That one time I got permabanned and got to read who was being bitxhy about me :p....
GO GO DEKKER RANGERSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
President of the Scooby Doo Model Appreciation Society
The only good Zod is a dead Zod
NEWGROUNDS COMEDY GOLD, UPDATED DAILY
http://badges.steamprofile.com/profile/default/steam/76561198011784807.png

 

Offline General Battuta

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
Hi guys! Let's try to keep the support here simple, precise, and on point.

First up, do you see a 3.7.2 RC3 executable in your FreeSpace directory? If you click on that, you should be able to just launch the game. This is your best way to get into space and shooting Shivans right away.

Second up, can you post a screenshot of your FreeSpace 2 directory?

 

Offline AdmiralRalwood

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
I've got the thing installed in I:\Program Files\FreeSpaceOpen so I guess that's OK?
As of 3.7.2 RC3, FSO no longer requires short paths to avoid erange errors, so you should be fine regardless of installation directory these days.

Beyond that, follow General Battuta's advice above and report back!
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Codethulhu GitHub wgah'nagl fhtagn.

schrödinbug (noun) - a bug that manifests itself in running software after a programmer notices that the code should never have worked in the first place.

When you gaze long into BMPMAN, BMPMAN also gazes into you.

"I am one of the best FREDders on Earth" -General Battuta

<Aesaar> literary criticism is vladimir putin

<MageKing17> "There's probably a reason the code is the way it is" is a very dangerous line of thought. :P
<MageKing17> Because the "reason" often turns out to be "nobody noticed it was wrong".
(the very next day)
<MageKing17> this ****ing code did it to me again
<MageKing17> "That doesn't really make sense to me, but I'll assume it was being done for a reason."
<MageKing17> **** ME
<MageKing17> THE REASON IS PEOPLE ARE STUPID
<MageKing17> ESPECIALLY ME

<MageKing17> God damn, I do not understand how this is breaking.
<MageKing17> Everything points to "this should work fine", and yet it's clearly not working.
<MjnMixael> 2 hours later... "God damn, how did this ever work at all?!"
(...)
<MageKing17> so
<MageKing17> more than two hours
<MageKing17> but once again we have reached the inevitable conclusion
<MageKing17> How did this code ever work in the first place!?

<@The_E> Welcome to OpenGL, where standards compliance is optional, and error reporting inconsistent

<MageKing17> It was all working perfectly until I actually tried it on an actual mission.

<IronWorks> I am useful for FSO stuff again. This is a red-letter day!
* z64555 erases "Thursday" and rewrites it in red ink

<MageKing17> TIL the entire homing code is held up by shoestrings and duct tape, basically.

  

Offline zornhau

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
As requested, here is the screenshot of the directory.

> a 3.7.2 RC3 executable

Do you mean an actual file called "3.7.2 RC3.exe"?

THANKS!

[attachment kidnapped by pirates]

 

Offline General Battuta

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
I do mean exactly such a file. And huh, that's odd - the executables just don't seem to be there. Nor does the launcher.

Could you rerun the FSO Installer, targeting that directory. Check the box that says something like 're run for already installed content'. Select 'Custom', and only check the boxes for 3.7.2 RC3 and the Launcher.

 

Offline zornhau

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
Thanks - it seems stuck on computing hash values...

Eventually it cancel and got this message
FreeSpace Descent Manager Modding Tools: To use these tools go to <The Folder You Installed To>\tools\


The following errors were encountered:

FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC3 Windows SSE: The hash value for 'Launcher.exe' did not agree with the expected value.  This could indicate a corrupted download or a problem with the mod.  If this problem persists over multiple attempts, contact the mod author for assistance.
Additionally, the installer was unable to delete the file.  Please delete the file yourself and do not open it.
MV_Assets: Cancelled by user request.


« Last Edit: June 24, 2014, 07:17:58 am by zornhau »

 

Offline jr2

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
Right. Run the installer as administrator (with administrative privileges) or move the whole fs2 directory to \games\FreeSpace2 and try again, using the method Battuta  mentioned.
Edit:
Scratch that, just move the directory and try what Battuta said again.

Edit2:

I'm thinking it's UAC, guys.  Installer tried to write to program files / FreeSpace2, got redirected to /users/username/VirtualStore, and then tried to pull hash values from non existent file in program files / FreeSpace2?

Edit 3: "You may not be interested in VirtualStore, but VirtualStore is interested in you!"
« Last Edit: June 24, 2014, 08:43:49 pm by jr2 »

 

Offline Colonol Dekker

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
UAC sounds right. Does the installer leave an FSOI_open_log?
Campaigns I've added my distinctiveness to-
- Blue Planet: Battle Captains
-Battle of Neptune
-Between the Ashes 2
-Blue planet: Age of Aquarius
-FOTG?
-Inferno R1
-Ribos: The aftermath / -Retreat from Deneb
-Sol: A History
-TBP EACW teaser
-Earth Brakiri war
-TBP Fortune Hunters (I think?)
-TBP Relic
-Trancsend (Possibly?)
-Uncharted Territory
-Vassagos Dirge
-War Machine
(Others lost to the mists of time and no discernible audit trail)

Your friendly Orestes tactical controller.

Secret bomb God.
That one time I got permabanned and got to read who was being bitxhy about me :p....
GO GO DEKKER RANGERSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
President of the Scooby Doo Model Appreciation Society
The only good Zod is a dead Zod
NEWGROUNDS COMEDY GOLD, UPDATED DAILY
http://badges.steamprofile.com/profile/default/steam/76561198011784807.png

 

Offline jr2

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
... Which is located in the top level of the user profile directory, right? 

 

Offline General Battuta

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Re: Freespace/Fred 2 cannot be run from root directory (confused by instructions!)
If you are sick of all these complicated instructions, just download 3.7.2 RC3 manually, put it in your FreeSpace 2 folder, double click on it, and enjoy the game.

Then you can install the advanced graphics and the launcher manually too - that's pretty easy, if you're read for that step.