Help transferring to new comp

[veneficus]

Hello everyone, it's been a while.

Have some vacation time during these holidays and miss playing WinSPWWII.

I bought the CD version ages and ages ago, the shrapnel store doesn't even recognize my email anymore.

I was able to copy the entire file to a usb from the old computer to the new one.

But I have no install option. If I try to run the game, it runs, but I cannot install the latest patch.

Can anyone offer a suggestion on how I can actually install the old CD game or install the free version and copy the CD unlock file over it so I can patch it?

[Mobhack]

Where was your old game installed?

If it was an old release, for XP then it probably was installed under /program files. That won't work with the modern installs which use a folder outside of /program files because windows post XP will bork any attempt to install patches to the correct folder

You should zip up the SP folder on the old PC and install it to the modern install folder, which is given to you in the game installation section of the game help.

C:\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\winSPWW2

or

C:\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\winSPMBT
for t'other game

Simply create the folder C:\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop on your hard drive and then unzip the old zipped-up copy there into the appropriate sub-folder using whatever your zipfile programs instruction is to put it into a sub-folder of the name of the archive.

You will need to create your own shortcuts to the game launcher etc in that case, as the installer was not run to create the start folder. Right click op the appropriate exe, select create shortcut, drag to the desktop or wherever you want it, and rename it if required.

The alternative is to install as fresh. In your case, check the main installer programme and see if it has the /program files/ part in the install path it shows - edit out the /program files/ part of the path or simply copy the correct path I showed above, and paste it in there. Then run the patches off the main website (not any old ones you may have laying about on your old PC) as the new ones are all set up to use the new path, not the obsolete one with /program files/ in thereh.

C:\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\winSPWW2 is used so that windows does not mangle the file handling, which it will do if the game is put in the program files hierarchy (It also works for other older softwares which predate Vista, I have made older games and programming suites work by installing them outside of /program files/ - it's not just our games that get borked by "modern" Windows!)

[veneficus]

My old game was installed under c:\winspwwii

I never let it install under program files.

I didn't see any install exe or otherwise, I just copied the whole folder to a USB, then copied it to the D drive on a newer computer. The last patch I had installed was version 12.

I created a new folder d:\spwwii, copied the files from the USB, it copied everything, saves and all, and in the 4 tests I ran, it appeared to be working in both full screen and windows mode.

The first time it just crashed out, then it seemed to work, I could even load old saves. (that was a trip down amnesia lane)

After I think I got it working, I DLed and unzipped the version 13 patch to the folder, d:\wpwwii, it now says that it is version 13 and as long as I open it with any of the three files:

win7spww2
winspww2
ww2gameoptions

it seems to run and work, but I am worried since I never "installed" it, just copied the files, there might be a problem.

What is your opinion on the stability of doing that?

Thanks for your earlier reply

EDIT: I am running it on compatibility mode (windows 8.1) on windows 10

[Mobhack]

It does not need compatibility mode on windows 10, just that it be installed to a folder outside of the program files hierarchy. otherwise windows will bork any update attempt (putting the files in the windows 10 personal files hierarchy, not in the game folders).

A simple copy of what you had on the old PC will work fine, you will just have to make a shortcut to the game launcher (WW2gameOptions), mobhack etc. The installer will make the program files group of shortcuts for you - it does no special tricks with e.g. the registry.

[veneficus]

Awesome, thanks