Silent Hunter 1 and XP

[killerzone22]

hello, I am now faced with a new problem with an old game. Silent hunter 1

In the past, I have been able to follow this guide http://www.subsowespac.org/sh_xp/silent_hunterxp.shtml

correctly and without much issues. I been able to play SH1 without the need for dosbox and all in all, been able to have fun with it. But now, my dad accidentally deleted the game and i had to reinstall the whole game on my dad's old XP. Now, the issue I am facing with now is everytime i go to try and install it by getting past the system check stuff, the installation just closes on itself. I don't touch anything and the installation just closes. If i do it in fullscreen, the installation doesn't start up.

I do D:
then install and it closes.

If I do it in windowed mode D: then install d: , it comes to the how big you want to install it, I choose maximum install but after that, it just closes on itself by the time it reaches the hard drive part. I tried the other choices and the same issue. I don't understand why it doesn't want to work now. Like i said, in the past, the installation work just fine and all and i could run the game without any problems. I don't understand why it decides to just not work now. I have followed the guide to step 2 and then i can't proceed from there unless the installation can just stop closing itself.

I rather not resort to dosbox since I can't install it properly on my windows 7 because it refuses to find my HDD for some reason. If anyone knows why the installation closes on itself or if anyone can provide a bypass for this or solution, I would be greatly appreciated.

[Sailor Steve]

Go to Start and do a search for Silent Hunter. This will show you every location anything SH-related is stored. Delete everything with Silent Hunter on it. Don't worry about later versions if you have them; they will be identified by their numbers, so you can ignore them.

I'm not sure if this will help, but getting rid of all remains of the earlier installation is a good idea anyway.

[killerzone22]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Go to Start and do a search for Silent Hunter. This will show you every location anything SH-related is stored. Delete everything with Silent Hunter on it. Don't worry about later versions if you have them; they will be identified by their numbers, so you can ignore them.

I'm not sure if this will help, but getting rid of all remains of the earlier installation is a good idea anyway.

My dad did and only found the shortcut created from the first step. I made sure before starting the re-installation to delete every trace of it even in the registry.

[Sailor Steve]

If you're still having the problem I'm afraid I won't be much more help. I'm one of the worst at making things work, and that was the only idea I had. I haven't tried to run SH1 on my XP system yet. I do, however, have Aces Of The Deep running just fine, but through no great effort of my own, I'm afraid.

[killerzone22]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

If you're still having the problem I'm afraid I won't be much more help. I'm one of the worst at making things work, and that was the only idea I had. I haven't tried to run SH1 on my XP system yet. I do, however, have Aces Of The Deep running just fine, but through no great effort of my own, I'm afraid.

No worries. I am sure there is someone on here who can direct me in the right direction. Getting to work on my window 7 computer is a no go since it doesn't want to install right and on my dad's old XP computer, it keeps closing without an error or anything. I have no doubt that someone on here can assist me in this situation i am faced with.

[aanker]

It should work with Win 7 too using DOSBox.

I zipped an install from Win ME years ago and unziping that to a Win XP computer made the install part easy. (I have the CD) SH doesn't like installing to NTFS that's all. Once an install is on NTFS you can get it to run through DOSBox - probably the easiest.

Can you locate an old Win 3.1 or Win 95 or ME computer to install it on then zip up the entire install and un-zip it to your Win 7 ??

Happy Hunting!

Art

[killerzone22]

Originally Posted by aanker

It should work with Win 7 too using DOSBox.

I zipped an install from Win ME years ago and unziping that to a Win XP computer made the install part easy. (I have the CD) SH doesn't like installing to NTFS that's all. Once an install is on NTFS you can get it to run through DOSBox - probably the easiest.

Can you locate an old Win 3.1 or Win 95 or ME computer to install it on then zip up the entire install and un-zip it to your Win 7 ??

Happy Hunting!

Art

Nah. All those computers we had of those OS's broke down. All we have is XP and 7. I tried installing on my 7 computer since we had this issue on my dad's computer now for some reason but when i try to install it, it refuses to detect my hard drive but instead only my CD drive. I don't know what's up and I can't do a regular install without dosbox because it gives me the full-screen not supported error in MS-DOS. It does work on my dad's computer but its acting up now for some reason. Trust me, if that was possible, I would have done that.

Any other solutions you can try to provide?

[TorpX]

Other have used D-Fend Reloaded (instead of DOSbox). I haven't had SHCE installed since I stopped using the old machine, so I can't provide any detailed help.

[aanker]

Originally Posted by killerzone22

hello, I am now faced with a new problem with an old game. Silent hunter 1

In the past, I have been able to follow this guide http://www.subsowespac.org/sh_xp/silent_hunterxp.shtml

I do D:
then install and it closes.

In that guide it first asks you to create a DOS shortcut to install from on XP

The first thing you will need to do is download DOSBox and the D-Fend windows front end here. They each install smoothly in Windows XP. I recommend you install DOSBox first, and then D-Fend. Be sure to configure D-Fend so it points to your DOSBox installation. The program will ask you do to this when you first open it. It should point to this location, unless you installed it differently:

C:\Program Files\DOSBox\

Now let's get down to the basics. We need to break the bonds Windows XP imposes and get Silent Hunter installed on your hard disk. To accomplish this, I will borrow some steps and graphics from Don Wells's excellent article, "Installation and Operation under Windows XP (SP1)". In performing the following steps, I was signed in with a user account designated as a "Computer Administrator."

First, from the Windows XP desktop, right-click the mouse and select "New > Shortcut".

Point the shortcut to the file: "C:\Windows\System32\Command.com"

Name the shortcut "Silent Hunter Dos Install" and click the "Finish" button to create the shortcut so it is on the Windows XP desktop

Now right-click on the "Silent Hunter Dos Install" shortcut icon to bring up the context menu, and choose "Properties." Displayed will be a nine-tab window, with the "General" tab looking something like the one shown below.

Next choose the "Program" tab and change it so that it is identical to the one shown below.

MS-DOSPrompt
Cmd line: C:\WINDOWS\system32\command.com
Working: C:\
Shortcut key: None
Run: Normal window
Check the box Close on Exit

Next choose the "Memory" tab and change it so that it is identical to the one shown below.

Total: Auto Initial environment: Auto
Uncheck Protected (if it was checked)
Expanded EMS Memory:
Total Auto
Extended XMS memory:
Auto
Check the box Uses HMA
MS DOS protected mode DPM memory
Total: Auto

Next choose the "Screen" tab and change it so that it is identical to the one shown below.

Usage:
Full screen

Check the box Restore settings at startup
Check boxes under Performance
Check Fast ROM emulation
Check Dynamic memory allocation

Click the "Apply" button, then the "OK" button. The shortcut is now configured to allow installation of Silent Hunter from the CD-ROM.

Now double-click the "Silent Hunter Dos Install" shortcut icon to start a full-screen DOS session. Execute the "Mem.exe" program at the DOS prompt. The memory data displayed will be similar to the screen shown below.

Next, at the DOS prompt use the "Make Directory" command, i.e., "md" to create the sub-directory "c:\GAMES". This assumes drive "c:" is the target drive for the game installation. As Don notes in his article, "Failure to create this sub-directory will cause a failure later during the installation process. The install program is brain-damaged and will not create any sub-directory except for the destination directory off the root of the install drive or a pre-existing sub-directory on that drive."

Place your Silent Hunter CD-ROM in the CD drive, and at the "C:\>" prompt change the current drive to that of the CD drive. Then type the following at the command-line prompt:

Install x:

(where 'x:' represents the target drive for the installation)

The following installation screen will appear. Select the "Maximum Install" option.

Too bad the graphics are gone but I took good notes. I think this is from the link you have above.

Try using this DOS shortcut as described and see what happens on XP

[killerzone22]

Originally Posted by aanker

In that guide it first asks you to create a DOS shortcut to install from on XP


Too bad the graphics are gone but I took good notes. I think this is from the link you have above.

Try using this DOS shortcut as described and see what happens on XP

That isn't exactly from the link I put above but that is also another way to install SH. I wasn't a fan of D-Fend reloaded anyways. I prefer the old D-Fend V2 as its much simpler to use then reloaded imo.

I could try that but my dad's computer is so old (A 2005/6 I think), I may just not bother with SH anymore. What i can do is install it using the guide for using DOS-BOX and then carry it over to my computer and play it that way but that's up to my willing to do so. I thank you for providing an ample solution. It would seem I am out of options and Dos-box is the only way to get it work.

Regardless, i am grateful for the help you all could provide. I just thought their was a way to bypass Dos-box and run it the normal way as if you installed it on a 95 computer heh and their is a way but its unfortunately not working atm. Thanks again in advance. I will use the guide to install it through dos-box in the future.

[killerzone22]

Originally Posted by aanker

The first thing you will need to do is download DOSBox and the D-Fend windows front end here. They each install smoothly in Windows XP. I recommend you install DOSBox first, and then D-Fend. Be sure to configure D-Fend so it points to your DOSBox installation. The program will ask you do to this when you first open it. It should point to this location, unless you installed it differently:

C:\Program Files\DOSBox\

Now let's get down to the basics. We need to break the bonds Windows XP imposes and get Silent Hunter installed on your hard disk. To accomplish this, I will borrow some steps and graphics from Don Wells's excellent article, "Installation and Operation under Windows XP (SP1)". In performing the following steps, I was signed in with a user account designated as a "Computer Administrator."

First, from the Windows XP desktop, right-click the mouse and select "New > Shortcut".

Point the shortcut to the file: "C:\Windows\System32\Command.com"

Name the shortcut "Silent Hunter Dos Install" and click the "Finish" button to create the shortcut so it is on the Windows XP desktop

Now right-click on the "Silent Hunter Dos Install" shortcut icon to bring up the context menu, and choose "Properties." Displayed will be a nine-tab window, with the "General" tab looking something like the one shown below.

Next choose the "Program" tab and change it so that it is identical to the one shown below.

MS-DOSPrompt
Cmd line: C:\WINDOWS\system32\command.com
Working: C:\
Shortcut key: None
Run: Normal window
Check the box Close on Exit

Next choose the "Memory" tab and change it so that it is identical to the one shown below.

Total: Auto Initial environment: Auto
Uncheck Protected (if it was checked)
Expanded EMS Memory:
Total Auto
Extended XMS memory:
Auto
Check the box Uses HMA
MS DOS protected mode DPM memory
Total: Auto

Next choose the "Screen" tab and change it so that it is identical to the one shown below.

Usage:
Full screen

Check the box Restore settings at startup
Check boxes under Performance
Check Fast ROM emulation
Check Dynamic memory allocation

Click the "Apply" button, then the "OK" button. The shortcut is now configured to allow installation of Silent Hunter from the CD-ROM.

Now double-click the "Silent Hunter Dos Install" shortcut icon to start a full-screen DOS session. Execute the "Mem.exe" program at the DOS prompt. The memory data displayed will be similar to the screen shown below.

Next, at the DOS prompt use the "Make Directory" command, i.e., "md" to create the sub-directory "c:\GAMES". This assumes drive "c:" is the target drive for the game installation. As Don notes in his article, "Failure to create this sub-directory will cause a failure later during the installation process. The install program is brain-damaged and will not create any sub-directory except for the destination directory off the root of the install drive or a pre-existing sub-directory on that drive."

Place your Silent Hunter CD-ROM in the CD drive, and at the "C:\>" prompt change the current drive to that of the CD drive. Then type the following at the command-line prompt:

Install x:

(where 'x:' represents the target drive for the installation)

The following installation screen will appear. Select the "Maximum Install" option.

I definitely make sure to note this if i attempt it in the future. Thanks aanker

[aanker]

I installed on XP Pro using the Don Wells procedure mentioned in that long post and there was no need for DOSBox.

At one time I was in a position to try to install SHCE or SH1 on as many different types of computers running XP I could find. The Don Wells procedure worked on all of them.

As I mentioned I also tried un-zipping a zip which worked and DOSBox. DOSBox finally became the way to go after Vista came out.

Too bad XP came out mostly incompatible with SH1 because IMO it had a big part in people losing interest in SH1.

A great old DOS classic and I have many nice memories playing Silent Hunter!

Happy Hunting!

Art

[pcohen]

Originally Posted by aanker

In that guide it first asks you to create a DOS shortcut to install from on XP


Too bad the graphics are gone but I took good notes. I think this is from the link you have above.

Try using this DOS shortcut as described and see what happens on XP

I have Silent Hunter Commanders Edition V1.31 whch is the upgrade from the Original which I lost. I have run this Program before with no problems.

Have used Don Wells Tutorial to Install it and everything is starting up as it Should with Music and sound effects etc, but alas, no picture

Any help or suggestions Please

Many thanks

Regards

paul

[TorpX]

Does anyone know how to install SHCE on Windows Vista?

I installed it with D-Fend Reloaded, but can't get it to work. It seems to install, but when I go to play it, it tells me to insert the CD; doing so does not get me any further though.

[aanker]

Ed Howard at subsowespac.org wrote a nice 'how to' install SHCE with Vista. I'm thinking it will work with Win7 too.

Most have succeeded in following his detailed walk-through.

Happy Hunting!

Art