SS2Tool questions

[6649525237011Kennit]

Hi,

thanx for the quick response. The error message appears when i try to start SS2Tool.exe itself.
Its in german, so i'll try to translate:

"The version of this file is not compatible with the current Windows Version. Open the system information of your computer and check, if a x86-(32Bit) or a x64-(64Bit) version of the application is necessary, and contact the author of the software."

When i try to open SS2Tool.exe from a command-window, it says something similar:

"Not supported 16-Bit application. The program / the function SS2Tool_v2.7.exe cannot be startet / executed due to an incompatibility issue with 64 Bit version of Windows. Contact the author of the software, if theres a 64-Bit Version available."

When i try to open SS2Tool with admin rights, it says something completely different, though:

"g:\SS2Tool_v2.7.exe could not be found. Make sure you've used the right name and repeat your action"

This is a strange error, because i just startet g:\SS2Tool_v2.7.exe, and now windows says it cannot find it... 

I also tried to download it again from strangebedfellows, in case it got broken during download the first time.

[664952523732cKolya]

Well... I can assure you that the SS2Tool is a 32bit executable and starting it does not call any 16bit processes. I know it doesn't help, but at this point I assume this is a problem on your system. I can't really check it though, since I don't have access to a 64bit windows system. I'm just going by the fact you mentioned yourself, that others have run it on 64bit before without reporting this problem.

BTW: There is a known problem with the DDFix GUI under 64bit windows. A fix for that will be included in SS2Tool v2.8. But that isn't your problem, just mentioning it for reference.

[6649525237482Kennit]

Well, no problem. Think i should be fine doing it manually, with a little work.
I'll just follow the steps mentioned in your SS2Tool topic.

Or i'll just go buy Windows 7... 

Again, thnx for the quick reply.

[66495252375aaKennit]

Hi Kolya,

the problem I mentioned is gone with SS2Tool v2.8.
Works just fine now.

Thnx for the update.

[66495252376c6Kolya]

Odd, since you said the problem occurred right after starting the SS2Tool I assumed it could not be the DDFix GUI since that isn't even called by the time.
Oh well, glad it works for you now. Happy gaming.

[66495252377c9Kennit]

Yes its strange... maybe Windows Vista checks everything in the archive or something...
Anyways, i'm happy now 

[66495252378c7apedap]

Well, I have downloaded the latest patch and all the essential stuff to get the game running on my resolution (1280x1024) but I don't know how to install SS2Tool, I am using Windows Vista, please help me!

[6649525237a6bvoodoo47]

there are only two things you need to do (as mentioned here)-copy the SHOCK folder from your cd to your hdd (c:\games\ is good, C:\program files\ is bad), and run the ss2tool. done.

[6649525237defEnchantermon]

The SS2Tool is just an executable file (make sure you download the first file from the SS2Tool's thread and not the second one), so after you've copied the contents of the SHOCK folder onto your hard drive, just double-click the SS2Tool file you downloaded and follow the wizard.
And voodoo is right; you don't need the official patch, DDFix or the widescreen mod; the SS2Tool will patch your game and install DDFix (and its widescreen component) for you, and much more as well.

[6649525237f23SirKalen]

I'm trying to get SS2 working under win7 (64-bit) and the first recommendation I found was to use the SS2Tool. When I try to download it (v3.5) , my antivirus software finds a virus in the .exe and helpfully kills it for me. I can download the zip file with all the individual components, but no executable. Since I figured I'd simply apply every patch and bug-fix recommended, do I have to go through and apply each one individually by coping/moving/updating the files?

[6649525238107Enchantermon]

There is no virus of any kind inside the SS2Tool. From the SS2Tool thread: "NOTE: If your antivirus software throws a warning, please update your antivirus definitions. There used to be a false positive. The SS2Tool of course contains no malware/virus of any kind."

Update your definitions and then download the tool again. If the problem persists, disable your antivirus program before downloading, then enable it again after installing the tool.

[6649525238398Nameless Voice]

If you are ever in doubt as to whether or not something is a false positive in your antivirus software, it can be a good idea to use this site:
http://www.virustotal.com/

It will scan either URLs or uploaded files with pretty much ever virus scanner in existence, and tell you how many think it might be a virus.

[66495252384f4Kolya]

The virustotal.com report for the SS2Tool v3.5 is here. Most come up as clean but a few throw some hilarious warnings. They're wrong of course.

[6649525238703SirKalen]

I went to that virustotal place - 6 different scans, with definitions updated today, reported a virus in the SS2Tool. So you can understand why I'm not 100% convinced. Still.. a lot of things do report as infected by Artemis when they're just custom exe files, and there's not exactly any consensus among the different scans. If all the Tool does is shuffle around the source files - which are clean themselves - I suppose it's worth the risk of allowing it on long enough to run, then re-scanning when it's finished. Got to have at least a little faith, if I'm going to be running _anything_ found on a forum.

[664952523884cZylonBane]

Your show of faith is truly heartwarming.

[6649525238b29SirKalen]

Yeah, I'm a bit cynical since the last time I let an infected file onboard, I had to do a complete HD reformat and windows re-install.. how's the saying go, once bitten twice shy?
Still, no damage done, no viruses in anything the Tool left on my HD, so an apology is in order - it was harmless after all, and my AV software was wrong.

[6649525238c8cKolya]

I guess one could write an interesting little article about how overzealous virus-scanner heuristics hurt free small software creators in favour of the big players.
I got nothing to sell, so I don't care too much. Take it or leave it. But I've seen enough websites where angry or resigned software creators told their visitors to take the false positives to their anti-virus producers instead of them.
Consider doing that.

[6649525238f0fAJ]

First of, I admire all the work you do for this game.  It's nice to see people who would agree with me that it's a gem.

Ok,  Here's what I've tested to get it working.  I tried running the game normally from a torrent and got it to work, with the exception of the many bugs that comes with it (drag/drop problem, no multiplayer, resolution problems, etc)

The quality of the game wasn't what I was after so I tried patching it.  When I use the 2.3 patch (I know this isn't the ss2tool) It tells me "cannot find installation directory" and the patch never executes.

I've tried using the ss2tool (v3.6) as well.  As far as I know the patch performed all the way through.  It even did the little jingle at the end.  But afterwords when I go to play the game it crashes and windows gives me the typical error message with the "send error report" button on it.

I've tried using the DDfix.gui and it says the game is already patched, if I remove the patch using the gui instead, ss2 still crashes the same way.

I've also tried adapting my computer in the following ways, all of which failed to change anything: Different compatibility modes, 16bit colors instead of 32, and changing my screen res via the ss2tool.  I've tried running with Just one of my video cards or both.

Maybe there's a way I run SS2 with just 1 core but I don't know how to change affinity for processes that aren't running.  Also from my understanding the ss2tool fixes that, but maybe I'm wrong.

Here are my specs

Windows XP service pack 2
22 in LCD (1680x1050)
Radeon 2600 HD XT (I got 2 of them, I run crossfire)
AMD 2500 Quad-core
6gb Dual channel (3gb)

Thanks for your time.

[664952523a40bAJ]

Also I run the game from D:\program files\system shock 2
Windows is also on D, and oddly enough C is my backup.

[664952523a573Kolya]

On Windows XP it doesn't matter from where you run it.

Try renaming the file LGVID.AX to LGVID.AX.BAK. If this fixes it, read on here: SS2 Videos / Cutscenes Guide

Also why haven't you installed Service Pack 3 yet?

[664952523a7a2AJ]

Renaming the file didn't help.  Does the file LGVID apply to cutscenes?  If so it's running the program at all that I'm having issues with.

As for service pack 3... no comment. 

[664952523b28eAJ]

Wait a minute, sorry I do have service pack 3.  I thought I didn't.

[664952523b3b9Kolya]

Yeah LGVID.AX applies to the videos, but since the first thing the game tries to do is play a video...

Are you sure that torrent is a clean game, ie has no previously applied patches, mods, etc?
You can usually tell if it says something like "Win2k/Vista/7" in the name that it's been fiddled with.

[664952523b521AJ]

Here's my source.  I'm not sure what version it is or if it already comes with a no-cd or any other kind of patches. It is odd though that the file is an exe.  I doubt however, that it is a later version, due to all the bugs that come with playing it immediately after installing.

[link removed]

Do you think I should find somewhere else to get it?

"number of games in the system shock series:"... this question made me sad.