# Old games



## Option7 (Jun 11, 2007)

I recently got a new computer, with Windows Vista on it. My problem is regarding the playing of old games of the bastard new OS. I'm trying to play Postal 2, but apparently it's not compatible. 

I looked on google and found out something about tricking the game into thinking it's on the right OS, but I couldn't find any more than that (that I could understand). So, does anyone know what this is/how to do it?

Thanks in advance ^_^


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## HaTcH (Jun 11, 2007)

I'm assuming this holds true for Vista as it does in XP.

Locate the executable (.exe file, with your game's icon) where ever you have it installed with My Computer. You may have to click through some screens to get into program files... I'll just assume you know how to find the game program.

For example, I'll use the old Sim City 200 NE game I have. You locate the program and you right click on it. Pull down to 'Properties' and you'll get another window open. Switch over to the 'Compatibility' tab and select what suits your needs. Hopefully this will do the trick!

=D


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## Option7 (Jun 11, 2007)

I get it, and shall give it a go. Not right now though, I totally have to sleep.

cheers.


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## DavidN (Jun 11, 2007)

I've found that a lot of things (well, Carmageddon and Civ 2: Test of Time, anyway) work best with Windows 2000 Compatibility mode, even  though they never worked very well under the "real" version of that OS. So the one you expect isn't always the one that works!

Of course, for games a few years older than that, DOSBox and ScummVM work wonders.


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## Cybergarou (Jun 12, 2007)

You may want to consider checking the option to run as an administrator. I've found that many games crash on Vista simply because they do something the OS thinks it shouldn't be able to do. In fact, most programs that ran on XP only need this option checked in order to start working and a compatibility mode isn't needed.


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## net-cat (Jun 12, 2007)

Hmm. I was going to suggest VMWare Server or Microsoft Virtual PC (both free now,) but those don't support 3D acceleration yet. Something Postal 2 definitely needs. It might help for some older games that don't have 3D or can use software rendering, though.


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## Option7 (Jun 12, 2007)

I went into the properties and changed the compatibility (i tried all of them) but it didn't work. I also changed it to run as administrator but again, no joy. 
I would try that virtual pc thing but as net-cat says it doesnt support 3D. So, does anyone have any alternatives?


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## HaTcH (Jun 12, 2007)

Do you get any specific error message when you try to run the game?


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## Option7 (Jun 13, 2007)

I get two... one of them says "This application can be launched with a release version of Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME/NT 4.0/2000/XP/Server 2003." 

The other when (which is when I run it as 95/98) says "Launching the application in compatibility mode is impossible. Please turn off the compatibility mod on the compatibility tab of the shortcut's properties dialogue". I do so and it goes back to the first message.

I also tried selecting all the extra settings to see if it would work.
http://img2.putfile.com/main/6/16309030277.jpg
Not sure if that was the right thing to do...


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## HaTcH (Jun 13, 2007)

Tried running it in XP or NT/2k mode? Windows 9x might be going back a bit too far.

~Edit: 
I did a little more digging around and another option could be the Application Compatibility Toolkit. This is something MS released to help you trick programs into thinking they're running on the right OS. Give it a go if XP compat mode doesn't work. There's a thing at the bottom of that page that will show you how to use it


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## Option7 (Jun 13, 2007)

I've got it working now. I downloaded an updated version of the .exe or something and replaced the old one. Still had to run it in XP compatibility mode, but it works not nonetheless ^_^


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## Icarus (Jun 16, 2007)

Red Alert 1
speaks for itself.


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## Meganutter (Jun 16, 2007)

speaking of simcity 2000 (german version somehow) it can run, but when wanting to access the disk t crashes, i am admin, admin mode is on, compatibility on 95 (OS the game is made for) wont work either.


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## HaTcH (Jun 17, 2007)

Perhaps you're having a hard drive issue? I can't really say. Are there any error messages you get? 

Anything in the system event logs, under 'errors'? 
(Start>Run>eventvwr.msc)


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## Meganutter (Jun 17, 2007)

no errors whatsoever... just BOOM, close... it happens when its supposed to open the Save/Load dialog...
thats usually the time it is reading the hard drive...


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