Problems installing Defending the Reich on Vista

D-Day_Dodger · 01-07-2010, 07:43 AM,

With my new found interest in Bomber Command I decided to resurrect my copy of Defending the Reich. I hadn't tried to play it since I upgraded(?) to Vista so I tried to install it and no go. I went to HPS' website and downloaded the 3 .dll files that were supposed to fix the problem. I tried to download these files into my Windows\System32 folder but every time I try this damn OS keeps preventing me.

It tells me I need the Administrators permission, but I thought I was the Administrator. I usually click OK and it goes ahead and copies the file, but not in this case. This dialog box comes up a lot and is most annoying. I recall that when I originally got my Vista system that this dialog box never came up, but when I re-installed vista myself, it does. Is there some way to get around this requirement or to remove it altogether? I'd be most grateful for any suggestions.

In the meantime, I just dug up my old pb copy of Guy Gibson's 'Enemy Coast Ahead' and will have to be satisfied with that until I get this problem licked.

billk1 · 01-07-2010, 10:37 PM,

I had the same problem, got a new computer with Windows 7 and I still get the same error message. Good luck on finding a solution, I haven't had much luck yet.

**KG_RangerBooBoo** · 01-08-2010, 10:15 AM,

Check and make sure that it isn't giving you an error message about just one of the files. If I remember right I had to put them in the folder one at a time and one of them wouldn't go but the game played okay. I've never been able to get the video to play but it's fine without it.

billk1 · 01-08-2010, 10:01 PM,

I tried that also, still could not get the files into my system32 folder.
Queried Microsoft and was told there is no need to change the security settings in the system32 folder.

Still in hopes of finding a solution.

Weasel · 10-06-2010, 06:42 AM,

I just tried DTR today after seeing it was one of the games here but it won't work on my Win7 either, keep getting RUNTIME ERROR 429, ACITVEX COMPONENT CAN'T CREATE OBJECT. Those 3 files did nothing for me either. Sucks that it worked fine on XP.

**KG_RangerBooBoo** · 10-06-2010, 08:40 PM,

Try going into Explorer and right clicking on the DTR folder. Click Properties and uncheck the Read Only box under attributes under the General Tab. Then click on the Security Tab and click Edit under Group or User Names. Select Users and then below that select Full Control ->Allow and then click Apply. This will change the permissions of your folder in under the Program Files folder. Then install the files and see if that won't work. You could also try creating a folder, call it HPS, outside the Program Files folder and then install the game there and see if you can install the three patch files.

Mike Abberton · 10-06-2010, 10:49 PM,

This won't held with the System32 folder problem, but a few tips installing with Win7:

1 - Never install non-Win7 games (or any games if you're not sure) in the default Program Files directories like you did with WinXP. They are generally write-blocked and it seriously messes up most non-Win7 games. A Win7 native program puts all writeable files in your user profile folder.
2- It's not always necessary, but I always set all non-Win7 games to use "WinXp compatibility mode". I don't remember the exact steps, but you can right-click the icon and hunt for the settings. They are easy to find.

IMPORTANT - If the game uses an initial popup menu screen (as in many of Matrix Games' program where you can select to run the game or read the manual, etc.) you need to set the compatibility mode for the actual game executable file in addition to the menu executable. Some games (e.g. the Matrix Campaign Series) might even have multiple .exe files for the menu popup, the main game, the editor(s), etc. For safety's sake, I'd set them all WinXP compatible.

Those two step have worked very well for me.

Mike

Weasel · (This post was last modified: 10-08-2010, 02:03 PM by Weasel.)

Hi Mike; None of my games go in default directory, they all go on my D drive so no problem there. Yep, XP mode enabled. Didn't know about the compatibility mode for both so will try that and let you know.

Thanks for the help.

(10-06-2010, 08:40 PM)KG_RangerBooBoo Wrote: Try going into Explorer and right clicking on the DTR folder. Click Properties and uncheck the Read Only box under attributes under the General Tab. Then click on the Security Tab and click Edit under Group or User Names. Select Users and then below that select Full Control ->Allow and then click Apply. This will change the permissions of your folder in under the Program Files folder. Then install the files and see if that won't work. You could also try creating a folder, call it HPS, outside the Program Files folder and then install the game there and see if you can install the three patch files.

Wow, so much work eh! And I don't even know if I am going to keep the game on my computer. It, along with Talonsoft's Battle Of Britain, are two games I played a few times and uninstalled but I wanted to check it out again since it is played here.

Thanks for you help.

Weasel · 10-10-2010, 07:58 AM,

Woohoo, got it working. The first two DLL files did nothing and Win7 wouldn't even take them, but it allowed me to run the dx7dll and this fixed the problem.

Just played a few turns and suffered 4.8% loss rate to my poor Brits, ouch. Guess I had better read the manual again, been a long time!

Thanks all for your help and feedback.