System Shock II not working on XP Pro
- Thread starter Nikhil
- Start date
Well, this reply is very late - after 2 years but I only installed SS2 a couple of days back..
Man...after trying to run the game for 3days I, thought I could never run it on my PC - even after applying all Win Xp patches (My OS: Win XP with SP2).
After going through various search results....i found a link to a topic on the Nvidia forums regarding SS2.
The reason why this game won't run on many systems (including mine) is because of the architecture of Nvidia 8800 series gfx cards as well as their drivers. I have an 8800 GT & ForceWare driver 175.16 installed on my system. Even ATi cards suffer from these issues.
System Shock 2 is a "Dark Engine" game, its rendering & dithering method is not supported by these modern GPUs & their drivers, the engine also suffers from texture corruption....reason for the game not being able to run. So, it’s a hardware as well as software issue.
Check out these articles:-
NVIDIA Forums -> Thief2 & 8800_GTS/GTX
Timeslip's Oblivion utilities and mods
So, now in order to get the game running - here's what u have to do :-
1. Install the game from the CD (or from the ISO image using Daemon tools to mount it).
If you can't install it directly, open a command prompt. Change the directory to your CD
drive and type
setup -lgntforce
This should allow you to install the game as normal.
2. Download the game patch from the link given below. This is the official patch to update the game from v1.15 to v2.3
http://www.irrationalgames.com/shock2/files/_temp_shkpatch.exe
Run the patch. (Don't stop the process until you see the "patch complete" message).
3. I have uploaded a proper working No-cd cracked copy of Shock2.exe. Download it from the link below.
RapidShare: Easy Filehosting
Go to the directory where you installed the game, backup the original shock2.exe to a safe location & replace the shock2.exe in the game directory with the one you just downloaded.
Restart the PC, remove the CD & try to run the game - if you can get into the game main menu /or recieve an error stating that SHOCK2.exe has encountered problems and will shut down - u are set for the final step.
However, if you get a error message telling you to insert the right CD in your drive, then press the Continue button 4-5 times & see if you can enter the main menu -- if yes, then just restart the PC & try again, this u should get into the game main menu without the error message.
But if the error message persists & you just can't get into the game main menu then you might have to manually apply the No-cd crack onto the orginal Shock2.exe u backed-up earlier. I have uploaded the neccessary tools to the link below; just follow the steps in the readme.
RapidShare: Easy Filehosting
4. Now, the most important step. As you might have noticed in step 3, I said that on running Shock2.exe, u might get into the game menu.
Well for some it works but for others, the game just crashes. Even if it works though, game graphics will be of poor quality & the game will crash soon - because of the Nvidia issue (even Ati cards have same issues) & a multi-core CPU.
To your rescue, "ddfix" - A patch for running Dark Engine games on modern hardware. It has been created by this cool dude, Timeslip. This patch will fix all rendering & dithering issues, texture corruption problems, DirectX 6 issues as well as multi-core CPU issues of the Dark Engine.
Download "ddfix" from the link given below (download the GUI version).
Timeslip's Oblivion utilities and mods
Unzip the files. Copy the four files (other than the readme text) into the main game directory. Run "ddfixGUI.exeâ€, select a suitable resolution & patch, u will receive a success message.
THAT'S IT. YOU ARE DONE!!!
RUN THE GAME. IT WILL RUN JUST LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO ORIGINALLY!!! (...ah finally, phew)
............ENJOY THE GAME.................
Man...after trying to run the game for 3days I, thought I could never run it on my PC - even after applying all Win Xp patches (My OS: Win XP with SP2).
After going through various search results....i found a link to a topic on the Nvidia forums regarding SS2.
The reason why this game won't run on many systems (including mine) is because of the architecture of Nvidia 8800 series gfx cards as well as their drivers. I have an 8800 GT & ForceWare driver 175.16 installed on my system. Even ATi cards suffer from these issues.
System Shock 2 is a "Dark Engine" game, its rendering & dithering method is not supported by these modern GPUs & their drivers, the engine also suffers from texture corruption....reason for the game not being able to run. So, it’s a hardware as well as software issue.
Check out these articles:-
NVIDIA Forums -> Thief2 & 8800_GTS/GTX
Timeslip's Oblivion utilities and mods
So, now in order to get the game running - here's what u have to do :-
1. Install the game from the CD (or from the ISO image using Daemon tools to mount it).
If you can't install it directly, open a command prompt. Change the directory to your CD
drive and type
setup -lgntforce
This should allow you to install the game as normal.
2. Download the game patch from the link given below. This is the official patch to update the game from v1.15 to v2.3
http://www.irrationalgames.com/shock2/files/_temp_shkpatch.exe
Run the patch. (Don't stop the process until you see the "patch complete" message).
3. I have uploaded a proper working No-cd cracked copy of Shock2.exe. Download it from the link below.
RapidShare: Easy Filehosting
Go to the directory where you installed the game, backup the original shock2.exe to a safe location & replace the shock2.exe in the game directory with the one you just downloaded.
Restart the PC, remove the CD & try to run the game - if you can get into the game main menu /or recieve an error stating that SHOCK2.exe has encountered problems and will shut down - u are set for the final step.
However, if you get a error message telling you to insert the right CD in your drive, then press the Continue button 4-5 times & see if you can enter the main menu -- if yes, then just restart the PC & try again, this u should get into the game main menu without the error message.
But if the error message persists & you just can't get into the game main menu then you might have to manually apply the No-cd crack onto the orginal Shock2.exe u backed-up earlier. I have uploaded the neccessary tools to the link below; just follow the steps in the readme.
RapidShare: Easy Filehosting
4. Now, the most important step. As you might have noticed in step 3, I said that on running Shock2.exe, u might get into the game menu.
Well for some it works but for others, the game just crashes. Even if it works though, game graphics will be of poor quality & the game will crash soon - because of the Nvidia issue (even Ati cards have same issues) & a multi-core CPU.
To your rescue, "ddfix" - A patch for running Dark Engine games on modern hardware. It has been created by this cool dude, Timeslip. This patch will fix all rendering & dithering issues, texture corruption problems, DirectX 6 issues as well as multi-core CPU issues of the Dark Engine.
Download "ddfix" from the link given below (download the GUI version).
Timeslip's Oblivion utilities and mods
Unzip the files. Copy the four files (other than the readme text) into the main game directory. Run "ddfixGUI.exeâ€, select a suitable resolution & patch, u will receive a success message.
THAT'S IT. YOU ARE DONE!!!
RUN THE GAME. IT WILL RUN JUST LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO ORIGINALLY!!! (...ah finally, phew)
............ENJOY THE GAME.................
Well, this reply is late - after 2 years 
hyeah: - but I installed SS2 only 2 days back....I found way to properly install & run the game on today's hardware, read on.........
Man...after trying to run the game for 3days I, thought I could never run it on my PC - even after applying all Win Xp patches (My OS: Win XP with SP2).
After going through various search results....i found a link to a topic on the Nvidia forums regarding SS2.
The reason why this game won't run on many systems (including mine) is because of the architecture of Nvidia 8800 series gfx cards as well as their drivers. I have an 8800 GT & ForceWare driver 175.16 installed on my system. Even ATi cards suffer from these issues.
System Shock 2 is a "Dark Engine" game, its rendering & dithering method is not supported by these modern GPUs & their drivers, the engine also suffers from texture corruption....reason for the game not being able to run. So, it’s a hardware as well as software issue.
Check out these articles:-
NVIDIA Forums -> Thief2 & 8800_GTS/GTX
Timeslip's Oblivion utilities and mods
So, now in order to get the game running - here's what u have to do :-
1. Install the game from the CD (or from the ISO image using Daemon tools to mount it).
If you can't install it directly, open a command prompt. Change the directory to your CD
drive and type
setup -lgntforce
This should allow you to install the game as normal.
2. Download the game patch from the link given below. This is the official patch to update the game from v1.15 to v2.3
http://www.irrationalgames.com/shock2/files/_temp_shkpatch.exe
Run the patch. (Don't stop the process until you see the "patch complete" message).
3. I have uploaded a proper working No-cd cracked copy of Shock2.exe. Download it from the link below.
RapidShare: Easy Filehosting
Go to the directory where you installed the game, backup the original shock2.exe to a safe location & replace the shock2.exe in the game directory with the one you just downloaded.
Restart the PC, remove the CD & try to run the game - if you can get into the game main menu /or recieve an error stating that SHOCK2.exe has encountered problems and will shut down - u are set for the final step.
However, if you get a error message telling you to insert the right CD in your drive, then press the Continue button 4-5 times & see if you can enter the main menu -- if yes, then just restart the PC & try again, this u should get into the game main menu without the error message.
But if the error message persists & you just can't get into the game main menu then you might have to manually apply the No-cd crack onto the orginal Shock2.exe u backed-up earlier. I have uploaded the neccessary tools to the link below; just follow the steps in the readme.
RapidShare: Easy Filehosting
4. Now, the most important step. As you might have noticed in step 3, I said that on running Shock2.exe, u might get into the game menu.
Well for some it works but for others, the game just crashes. Even if it works though, game graphics will be of poor quality & the game will crash soon - because of the Nvidia issue (even Ati cards have same issues) & a multi-core CPU.
To the rescue, "ddfix" - A patch for running Dark Engine games on modern hardware. It has been created by this cool dude, Timeslip. This patch will fix all rendering & dithering issues, texture corruption problems, DirectX 6 issues as well as multi-core CPU issues of the Dark Engine.
Download "ddfix" from the link given below (download the GUI version).
Timeslip's Oblivion utilities and mods
Unzip the files. Copy the four files (other than the readme text) into the main game directory. Run "ddfixGUI.exeâ€, select a suitable resolution & patch, u will receive a success message.
THAT'S IT. YOU ARE DONE!!!
RUN THE GAME. IT WILL RUN JUST LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO ORIGINALLY!!! (...ah finally, phew)
............ENJOY THE GAME.................
hyeah: - but I installed SS2 only 2 days back....I found way to properly install & run the game on today's hardware, read on.........Man...after trying to run the game for 3days I, thought I could never run it on my PC - even after applying all Win Xp patches (My OS: Win XP with SP2).
After going through various search results....i found a link to a topic on the Nvidia forums regarding SS2.
The reason why this game won't run on many systems (including mine) is because of the architecture of Nvidia 8800 series gfx cards as well as their drivers. I have an 8800 GT & ForceWare driver 175.16 installed on my system. Even ATi cards suffer from these issues.
System Shock 2 is a "Dark Engine" game, its rendering & dithering method is not supported by these modern GPUs & their drivers, the engine also suffers from texture corruption....reason for the game not being able to run. So, it’s a hardware as well as software issue.
Check out these articles:-
NVIDIA Forums -> Thief2 & 8800_GTS/GTX
Timeslip's Oblivion utilities and mods
So, now in order to get the game running - here's what u have to do :-
1. Install the game from the CD (or from the ISO image using Daemon tools to mount it).
If you can't install it directly, open a command prompt. Change the directory to your CD
drive and type
setup -lgntforce
This should allow you to install the game as normal.
2. Download the game patch from the link given below. This is the official patch to update the game from v1.15 to v2.3
http://www.irrationalgames.com/shock2/files/_temp_shkpatch.exe
Run the patch. (Don't stop the process until you see the "patch complete" message).
3. I have uploaded a proper working No-cd cracked copy of Shock2.exe. Download it from the link below.
RapidShare: Easy Filehosting
Go to the directory where you installed the game, backup the original shock2.exe to a safe location & replace the shock2.exe in the game directory with the one you just downloaded.
Restart the PC, remove the CD & try to run the game - if you can get into the game main menu /or recieve an error stating that SHOCK2.exe has encountered problems and will shut down - u are set for the final step.
However, if you get a error message telling you to insert the right CD in your drive, then press the Continue button 4-5 times & see if you can enter the main menu -- if yes, then just restart the PC & try again, this u should get into the game main menu without the error message.
But if the error message persists & you just can't get into the game main menu then you might have to manually apply the No-cd crack onto the orginal Shock2.exe u backed-up earlier. I have uploaded the neccessary tools to the link below; just follow the steps in the readme.
RapidShare: Easy Filehosting
4. Now, the most important step. As you might have noticed in step 3, I said that on running Shock2.exe, u might get into the game menu.
Well for some it works but for others, the game just crashes. Even if it works though, game graphics will be of poor quality & the game will crash soon - because of the Nvidia issue (even Ati cards have same issues) & a multi-core CPU.
To the rescue, "ddfix" - A patch for running Dark Engine games on modern hardware. It has been created by this cool dude, Timeslip. This patch will fix all rendering & dithering issues, texture corruption problems, DirectX 6 issues as well as multi-core CPU issues of the Dark Engine.
Download "ddfix" from the link given below (download the GUI version).
Timeslip's Oblivion utilities and mods
Unzip the files. Copy the four files (other than the readme text) into the main game directory. Run "ddfixGUI.exeâ€, select a suitable resolution & patch, u will receive a success message.
THAT'S IT. YOU ARE DONE!!!
RUN THE GAME. IT WILL RUN JUST LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO ORIGINALLY!!! (...ah finally, phew)
............ENJOY THE GAME.................