SMAX under Vista

[CEO Aaron]

Okay, what hacks do I need to use to get Vista to run SMAX properly? I installed it and the 2.0 patch and when I try to run it, the screen blanks then the process ends. No errors or anything, just failure to execute.

Has anyone gotten SMAX running under Vista, or is this a fools' errand?

PS: I have already tried running in XP compatibility mode. No change.

[Hydro]

CEO,

Vista is, well, challenged. I've installed XP on my new rig to avoid the myriad of backward compatibility problems and driver failures. Honestly, I'd have guessed Microsoft would have ironed out these problems by now. But, the Very Large Company I work for hasn't adopted Vista and won't any time soon - that speaks volumes.

Others my have ideas on helping SMAC play in hostile Vista-land.

But, if you need Vista and it refuses to play nice with SMAC then you may want to consider installing a separate drive (perhaps from an old PC, which should be almost free - an older HD will be fine since you don't need much space), installing XP and SMAC, and running SMAC from this SMAC-specific HD. In fact, you could pull the HD from a recently retired PC that already has an OS and SMAC and you’re all set. If you’re running a laptop your options are more limited.

Best of luck – SMAC must live on…

Hydro

[Petek]

Some folks have the game running under Vista. Others had problems, but eventually got it to run. I can't recall whether anyone who persisted could never get it to run.

Try adding the line

directdraw=0

to the [Alpha Centauri] section of Alpha Centauri.ini. Also make sure to run the game from terranx.exe, not axstart.exe.

HTH

Petek

[Hercules]

Originally posted by Petek
Some folks have the game running under Vista. Others had problems, but eventually got it to run. I can't recall whether anyone who persisted could never get it to run.

Try adding the line

directdraw=0

to the [Alpha Centauri] section of Alpha Centauri.ini. Also make sure to run the game from terranx.exe, not axstart.exe.

HTH

Petek

I haven't moved to Vista but if and when I do that is very useful advice. Thanks Petek.

[Petek]

Originally posted by Hercules


I haven't moved to Vista but if and when I do that is very useful advice. Thanks Petek.

Thanks, but let's wait and see whether either suggestion actually works! My first thought, after reading the CEO's post, was that this was a video problem. The crash also might be caused by Vista security, which I understand is set to high by default.

Petek

[Googlie]

hmmm - I am getting it to run without problems under vista on both my desktop and laptop.

And I do use axstart (but first click produces nothing except a screen flicker and then an axstart button at the bottom screen toolbar that does nothing until I shut down, when it disappears)

But more to the point, upon second clicking from my menu list, the game loads no problem (I use the nocd crack)

and I am using a vanilla .ini file (as somehow I am not able to edit it - vista doesn't recognize as a save any changes I try to make)

[Petek]

Originally posted by Googlie

and I am using a vanilla .ini file (as somehow I am not able to edit it - vista doesn't recognize as a save any changes I try to make)

This is something that I think I know how to fix. You need to run Notepad as follows:

Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Notepad, and then click Run as administrator

even if you are logged in with the Admin account.

Petek

[CEO Aaron]

So my Alpha Centauri.ini file is pretty much empty, is that normal? Just the following appears in it:

------------------------------------

[Alpha Centauri]


------------------------------------


PS: I added the directdraw=0 line, but it has no effect, seemingly. I suppose I may have a bad install, and have to retry, or maybe SMAX is dying because of my SLI setup.

[Petek]

Oops, I forgot that no Alpha Centauri.ini file is created until after the first time the game runs.

I know of only one Vista-specific fix, found here.

Petek

[Mart]

I run smacx (planetary pack) on vista 32-bit.
Is your system 32 or 64?

And I have Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0 installed. I don't remember if it actually helps or not, but I can see some event log entries pertaining to terran.exe, but not terranx.exe

I had problems though with installing XP compatibility (for smac) and had to disable User Acount Control

Interesting is that I have no compatibility settings in "standard" setting for both exe (might be MACT 5.0 is enough)

[Coyotebay]

Well I just installed SMAX on my new(er) computer with Vista, fully expecting the worst, and it went fine. Just installed the original, patched it, Alien Crossfire, patched it again, set DirectDraw=0 in the .ini to get the higher resloution, put the shortcut to terranx.exe on my desktop, and it ran without a hitch.

....and having not played this game in about three years, I was surprised at how fast I was able to recall the ins and outs of it, though I'll need to brush up on the strategy. When Brother Lal stopped by early in the turns, I blew off his demands for tech because I remembered what a wimp he is. Now if it was Sr. Miriam....

[bongedone]

I have it running under Vista without problems. I turned off "user account control" when I 1st got the laptop. I don't know if that helped.