Gabriel Knight 1 in XP...

[Rincewind]

I've been trying for some time now to run GK1 in winXP, but appearently it is doomed to fail. Argh... I can install it, if you do it in dos, but when you try to start the game, the bloody thing crashes...  
I'm sure I've read about this problem somewhere, but I can't recall where... Anyone got any clues on how to make it work?

[GarageGothic]

Have you tried running without the sound? GK1 runs fine on my XP, but sometimes, when it doesn't, it's because the sound card isn't responding and I have to reboot to get it working.

[AGA]

Use VDMS - http://ntvdm.cjb.net/ - it's a programme that runs DOS games under Win XP and 2000 with full sound.

[Hobbes]

Unfortunately VDMS is incompatible with GK1.

I'm assuming here you mean the full CD version...

When installing the Windows version, skip the tests. They make XP crash the install.

But, be sure to install the Windows version, then set your screenmode to 640 x 480 in 256 colours (Go to your Advanced Display Settings, it isn't normally shown in XP).

Then you can run the game.

The only problem is Saving and Loading. It doesn't matter whether your drive is NTFS or FAT, it won't work. Or, at least, it will sporadically work if you use it on the map-screen.

The only way to solve this? Running it in Windows 98 or DOS.

If you're running the disk-based version, do as was mentioned above. Disable the sound, use General Midi and hope it's somewhat playable. As far as I've read on the GK sites, VDMS won't work for this baby.

(PS. There's also a patch available on the web somewhere... it should solve some crash-related problems)

[Rincewind]

GarageGothic:
I haven't tried that, but I suspected that the sound might have something to do with it, since I get an error message saying "Cannot find sound driver - Please reinstall" or something similar.

Hobbes:
Yep, I mean the full CD-version. (I also noticed that the tests makes it crash, so I try to avoid them...)

Ok, I'll try fiddling around with my settings and see if it works.

And I might just as well download VDMS as well, AGA - just in case...

[Rincewind]

Hm... Nope, not working. I changed the settings for the "sierra.exe"-file, so that it runs in 256 colours and in 640x480, but all that I get is the intro with the Sierra Logo, some music, and then the game crashes if you press any button or click... Suspicious... Maybe time to start looking for patches?

[GarageGothic]

I was talking about the floppy version, but I do think it's a sound thing (have you turned off sound effects as well as midi in the install music?). The error message is the same I got the few times it wouldn't start (because the sound card was busy doing something else). What sound card do you have?

Are you running windows or dos version? Windows SHOULD work, I see no reason why not. But as I say dos version runs on my XP. It's a patched v1.1 (i think) of GK floppy version.

[Rincewind]

You think that turning all the music & sound off might help? I'll try and see if it works.

I'm running it in windows, but it'd the same result when I run it in Dos.  

[Interference]

Am I the only one who has a copy of GK1 (not the CD version) that actually works in XP? I was surprised myself to find it actually functions (most other DOS games must be played in 98 - I dual boot - but I have a screwy sound card so can't get sound for DOS in 98). It even has sound too and I've had no problems with saving or loading. I've got a Soundblaster 128 and I'm running XP Pro on the following system specs:

1.3ghz Duron Processor
6 gig & 37 gig hard drives (37 partitioned into 30 and 7 gigs)
512mb RAM
LG CD R/W
Liteon DVD Drive
128mb Radeon 8500 graphics card

[GarageGothic]

Interference, as I said, my GK1 (floppy-disk DOS-version) also runs fine on XP (Pro) without any tweaks. I've got an Audigy 2 and the sound is fine.

I'm starting to think the problem is with the CD version. I'll see if I can borrow my cousin's cd and see if it works. As I recall, cd-version used AVIs for the cutscenes. Could it be avi-playback which causes problems?

BTW: If you run the windows version it uses Windows' own general midi setup. I see how that could cause conflicts. DOS installation should work though. Can you get other Sierra games from that period to run (PQ4, KQ6 etc.)?

[Rincewind]

GG:
Yeah, maybe so. It wouldn't surprise me...
I haven't got any other Sierra-game from that period, though. I'll see if I can get it to work if I install it DOS.

[Hobbes]

Ok, the trick is not to set "sierra.exe" to run in 640 x 480 in 256 colours, because that won't work.

You really need to set your screen resolution yourself.

Oh, and yes, the floppy version works fine. There *is* a bug in the cd-version when it comes to digitized sounds. You see, speech and the sound fx. That's why it's a bastard to play in XP.

And once again, once you get the cd version playing, you still have the save and load problem.

[GarageGothic]

Pardon me for asking, but what is the save/load problem? Once I experienced not being able to overwrite my old savegame, but after deleting the savegames and restarting I could overwrite my new saves without any problems.

[Hobbes]

Are you using the cd version in XP? It only exists there.

It prevents you from saving games. Apparently there is %0.01 percentage of GK1 users who do not experience it, so consider yourself blessed if you are.

What happens is that the game crashes whenever you try to access the save or restore screen.

[GarageGothic]

Nope, not using cd version (yet!). I guess I'll just have to play it in Win98 then when I get the cd. It's strange how some games using the same interpreter works and other don't. I could get GK2 to run in XP, but not Phantasmagoria 2 (or maybe... didn't they use different video formats now that I think of it?).

[Rincewind]

Hobbes:
Ok, all right...  
I did have the floppy version before I bought the cd version, and I did experience a save/load problem with that version, but I solved with a patch.

Argh, I have a feeling that this isn't going to work too well...  I can only set my screen resolution to as low as 800x600.

[Eero]

Will someone say to me what's wrong (or right then) with my computer? I'm running XP Professional and have never experienced no problems with music/sound/speech/save/load in DOS games...

[Hobbes]

Rincewind, go to the Advanced Settings tab in Windows XP. You can manually select 640 x 480 in 256 colours from the list there.

And all the other people, who are very surprised at this bug: BE GLAD! You're able to play the game in XP, so that's terrific for you. Go enjoy it, I would say. I've explained the bug quite a few times now, so read the thread before asking questions. Or do a search on the internet: there's plenty of stuff on this.

[Rincewind]

Hobbes, I assume you mean under "Display", "Settings" and then "Advanced..."-button, right? Or am I searching in the wrong place?

[Hobbes]

Yep. Then if you go to the "Adapter" page you should be able to set it manually.