Problems running King's Quest VII on Win7 64bit [SOLVED]

[arj0n]

Some time ago I have bought the King's Quest Collection [2006 Vivendi Edition].
This edition is know for it flaws and I encountered a nasty one:
Today I tried to run Roberta Williams' King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride v1.4 (windows version) but it failed to run.  
My best guess is that this version might needs to be run as 16bit.


Once installed on Win 7, I got this message when starting up the game:

"This version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running.
Check you're computer's system information to see whether you need an x86 (32-bit)
or x64 (64-bit) version of the program, and then contact the software publisher."

(Official) patches doesn't work:
The official patch 'KQCollectionDBUpdate.exe' from www.sierrahelp.com doesn't work, can't seem to find the proper file(s)... And it might also be only for the DOS version since it has something to with DOSBOX.
There seem to be more patches around but these are all for the DOS version.

Virtual machine doesn't work:
I tried to run it on VMWare but then the graphics driver causes the game not to start.

Compatibility mode doesn't work:
Trying to run it in XP mode or Win95, 265 colors, 640x480, or any other setting: fail.

Anyone else have had this issue and know how to get it to run on Win7 64bit?  

This is the cover:

[DoorKnobHandle]

Try Dosbox and ScummVM. If these don't work you might be out of luck, 16-bit applications really aren't compatible with 64-bit operating systems to the best of my knowledge.

[Babar]

7 was made in that troublesome little slot of time where the games weren't DOS games, but only worked on windows 98.

So Dosbox doesn't work.
It isn't supported by ScummVM yet either.

I still have the original KQVII on CD (with the box and manual and everything), and it doesn't run anymore , but I think my problem is different one particular file (and not any other) got corrupted, and it doesn't run properly.

I bought 7 off GoG again recently, when it was having a deal on those games, although I haven't had a chance to test it out yet, as I've been busy playing other games.

[arj0n]

Dosbox doesn't go with Win games.

I bought 7 off GoG again recently, when it was having a deal on those games, although I haven't had a chance to test it out yet, as I've been busy playing other games.

Can you please let me know if it works once you've got the time to test it out 

[Babar]

Oddly enough, GoG uses Dosbox to run the game. Maybe they also released a dos version of the game?
It seems playable so far, although it has a couple graphical glitches. Thing is: I'm on 32bit Windows XP.

[arj0n]

There's indeed a DOS and a WIN version of KQ7, I seem to have the 1.4 WIN version. Which is the worst KQVII version ever...

But: problem SOLVED!:

Running KQ VII - The Princeless Bride v1.4 (from the King's Quest Collection, 2006 Vivendi Edition) on Windows 7, 64-bit:

There is a patch that converts the "KQVII 1.4 Windows version" into the "KQVII 2.0b DOS version", it also converts the movies into DOS compatible files (RBT files).

1.:
Download the "DOSBox Patch for the 3rd King's Quest Collection (2006)" [grab it here, exe]

2.:
Select both the game and the DOS movies to patch

3.:
When you select the install location by browsing it will most probably be this:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sierra\King's Quest Collection(TM)\King's Quest Collection
Now remove the last directory, it's auto added by the patch. Now it will look like this:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sierra\King's Quest Collection(TM)\

4.:
If you have chosen not to patch the movies by using the patch you can also download and manually add the 'DOS version movie files' (after the patch is finished). [Grab it here, rar].
Just extract them to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Sierra\King's Quest Collection(TM)\KQ7\AVI\" "or X:\<somewhere>\KQ7\AVI\".

5.:
Finish the patch and:

Enjoy KQ VII - The Princeless Bride v2.0b DOS via DOSBOX, running smooth and with sound! 




*me busy playing KQVII now*