Need help with installing an old game

[Menegrothx]

I'd like to install this game to my computer but I don't know how to do it. It's really obscure game so there's no GOG release or anything like that to my knowledge. Anyways I managed to find an ISO file and when I mount it and check the file in (F:) there's both setup and autorun but I can't get either of them working. I've tried in compatibility mode (both Windows 95 and Windows 98) but it gives me an error message how my Windows is 64-bit. I guess you cant run the installer in the compatibility mode, only the installed game. And the installer refuses to work on a modern computer.

I dont have much experience of working with DOSbox. Most of old games I've downloaded load up DOSbox automatically when you click the game icon. I checked a DOSbox guide while trying to get the game to work on my old computer (Windows XP) and I couldn't figure out how to install/run a mounted ISO via DOSbox.

Any ideas how I can get this thing working?

[theclaw]

Some games you can replace the setup exe with a 32bit version close enough to get by.
Mega Man X4 and Gradius Deluxe Pack anyway.

[Ziggy]

Why not use Windows Virtual PC and install Win98 to it? Then you can run whatever you want in 98.

[Menegrothx]

Why not use Windows Virtual PC and install Win98 to it? Then you can run whatever you want in 98.

Never heard of it before. Or well I think I've heard about it, but I've never had the need to do so thus far. Imma try that then

[MrPopo]

The other thing you might try is see if an alternate installer exists. In general the way a game installer works is it expands any compressed files and makes sure all the files get into the right spot, so if someone takes the time to catalog all that then a new installer can be created that will do that work for you. A number of installers in that era were 16-bit versions of InstallShield, even though the game would be a 32-bit application. I believe that was the case for X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter, but someone created an alternate installer that lets you get the game onto a modern system.

[Niode]

I'd like to install this game to my computer but I don't know how to do it. It's really obscure game so there's no GOG release or anything like that to my knowledge. Anyways I managed to find an ISO file and when I mount it and check the file in (F:) there's both setup and autorun but I can't get either of them working. I've tried in compatibility mode (both Windows 95 and Windows 98) but it gives me an error message how my Windows is 64-bit. I guess you cant run the installer in the compatibility mode, only the installed game. And the installer refuses to work on a modern computer.

I dont have much experience of working with DOSbox. Most of old games I've downloaded load up DOSbox automatically when you click the game icon. I checked a DOSbox guide while trying to get the game to work on my old computer (Windows XP) and I couldn't figure out how to install/run a mounted ISO via DOSbox.

Any ideas how I can get this thing working?

Most likely caused by the installer being a 16-bit application. Microsoft ditched 16-bit compatibility with xp-64bit. Either you need to use a virtual PC with XP or earlier on it (easiest, but slowest option) or convert the 16 bit installer to a 32 bit installer. This is relatively easy if it uses installshield Instructions here. The latter is a harder to implement but fastest option to run assuming the game is a 32bit game and it's just the installer that is 16bit. If the game is 16 bit then the only options are virtualisation or installing windows 98/XP.

[Pulsar_t]

I have encountered those nasty 16-bit installers before. You could try extracting the game on a 32-bit machine and copying the folder to your computer and applying a CD crack.

[Nemoide]

Oh man, I had no idea there was a Duckman game! I used to love the show.

It might be too obvious to suggest, but have you checked to see if the game files are just on the disc and could be copied without using the installer?

[Niode]

Oh man, I had no idea there was a Duckman game! I used to love the show.

It might be too obvious to suggest, but have you checked to see if the game files are just on the disc and could be copied without using the installer?

.cab would be good files to look for to know whether this will work or not. These will most likely need to be unpacked. It's worth a punt to copy it all to a director and run the games .exe if present, if not, it's likely that it will be contained in some form of compressed archive.

[Menegrothx]

I'm not sure if I misunderstood the guide at reactOS or what. The game had a _inst32i.ex_ file in the folder, but the guide said that if that's the case, you should

Launch setup under Windows or Wine and leave it running. This extracts a file, usually called _INS0432._MP,

Well how the hell am I supposed to do that when Windows gives me an error message as soon as I click setup?