Problem with SPS 700

[oper190]

Well here's what happened. Copied the unzipped folder onto a flash card, booted the old XP system with the flash card and ran the .exe. The install popped right up, and installed in seconds right onto the flash card and now have it in my OR installs.

Obviously some incapability with the old Installshield and newer Win11 systems.

Using Task Manager I saw Installshield 32 bit running on my Win11 system, but it just sat idling using a few mb of memory but doing nothing for minutes. Might it be a 16bit version that's not able to run on some Win11 systems?

[slipperman]

Hi Geary,
That's a little convoluted!! It also depends on an XP system being available and I doubt if many users have one just hanging about!!
Using my attachment replaced the 16bit setup.exe with a slightly more up-to-date 32bit version which appears to have solved the problem - I note the original setup.exe file is dated 1997!!

Way back in 2020, I created and released a program called Utility22 (file ID 85324) for unpacking CDs which used the 16bit InstallShield installer and may have used the SecuROM/SafeDisk protection system. Originally, I was planning to extend it to process such folders as that unpacked from sps700a.zip but, for some reason, it was shelved - maybe it's time to dig it out again and update it!!

Cheers,
Ged

[oper190]

It also depends on an XP system being available

Yes - but research shows that you need to make a virtual machine on your Win11 system that runs an older version of Windows, (98 or XP are the best) and you need the installation CD for that system to make it work. So as long as my XP is running that's where I'll do things like that.

Leason, don't be so fast to dump your old computers, they can be handy to have sometimes. I still run my XP as my "Work" computer and most games, as I have older ones that won't install on Win11.

Way back in 2020, I created and released a program called Utility22 (file ID 85324)

See it was for Win 9 & 10, will it work on Win11?

[slipperman]

Hi Geary,

See it was for Win 9 & 10, will it work on Win11?

Win 9 ?? I don't know, mate, because I don't currently have Windows 11 - my CPU is incompatible!

If any members running Win 11 have the original CDs for the Severn Valley Railway, West Somerset Railway, Cambrian (1) routes or the TGV Pack from JustTrains, I would be interested to know if Utility22 v1.0 successfully unpacks any of those MSTS add-ons.

Cheers,
Ged

[UP6706]

Sorry Ged, but I don't know if anyone has them, Cause none are on eBay.

[slipperman]

Hi Clayton,
Thanks for your reply
The add-ons (except for the TGV pack) are UK routes so I think it'd be more likely that UK members would have them - in their time, the Severn Valley and West Somerset routes were very popular!

Cheers,
Ged

[oper190]

Cambrian (1) routes

I have it somewhere, as soon as I find it, I'll give it a try.

Also just tried several older CD games and none would load in Win 11, yet one I know loaded fine on my Win10 laptop as I ended up with two CD, as I bought a set which included the one I already had, so keep it with the laptop for travel.

Ooops my error (Win 9 - I was only quoting what's said in library with the file) it was Win 7 - probably will give it a try and see what happens. There's a windows update I installed for running 16 bit on a 32bit system, but it doesn't work on my 64bit Win11.

[eric]

Because of the problems with some of these older installers combined with how virus protection programs are constantly quarantining these, I might be okay if somebody wanted to replace this and anything else of reasonable historic value with just a traditional zip file.

Happy to hear other opinions before we make that type of a policy change...

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

[slipperman]

Hi Geary,
Thanks.
It will probably unpack other older CDs, it's just that I didn't have any others which used the same installer.
I was advised by a Flight Simulator player that Utility22 also successfuly unpacked a CD for him, using, I believe, Win10!

Cheers,
Ged

[oper190]

Utility22 also successfuly unpacked a CD for him, using, I believe, Win10!

If it doesn't work on Win11 I can always use on my laptop, Win10, and put more games on it for trips.

Cambrian (1) routes

First try was a no-go with that Route on my Win11 computer. Won't even read the CD so it might have gone bad. Will try it on my old XP and see what happens, but copying files onto a flash card at the moment so can't shut done to run it.

[oper190]

Cambrian (1) route

No joy, doesn't open on the old XP either, so the CD must have gone bad. Neither computer doesn't read that there's a CD there.
CDs are noted for that, temperature changes and humidity can affect them, and been many years since I tried it last.

[oper190]

Utility22

Ged - So far no luck with this utility on Windows 11 ( ran in Windows 7 compatibly mode). Keeps ejecting the CD before doing anything, so reinserted and ran the program, shows it's doing something with some files, ejects the CD and askes for folder to put things in. Made a new folder and selected it, and nothing happen, with only option "Quite." Reinserted the CD before selecting the Folder, again only option is "Quite" but nothing has gone into the folder.

[UP6706]

Geary, how about trying this tool on GitHub? It can self-extract any installers.

[slipperman]

Hi Geary,
Many thanks for trying, mate
It could be a Windows 11 problem but I'll try reading the Cambrian 1 CD.......

Well, I don't believe it! I'd put a note in the case with the CD indicating that, when I originally tried to use the CD, I received a "Catastrophic failure" message and that Utility22 should be used to unpack it. This was a few years ago!
TODAY, the CD worked perfectly, giving the usual Autoplay and "Choose what to do" messages - the route was installed and both MSTS and Open Rails opened it OK. Maybe a previous Win10 update fixed a bug?

Anyway, since this part of the thread is about Utility22, I ran it on the disk. No problem at all, giving ROUTES, SOUND and TRAINS folders, ready for copying into an installation.

Sorry this is absolutely no help to you! If it's not a Win 11 problem, are you sure your disk isn't damaged?

Cheers,
Ged

[oper190]

Universal Extractor 2

Probably give it a try. Not really needed that bad right now.