Windows 7 startup problem
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- With my desktop being on it's last legs, today I invested in a spanking new laptop with 64- bit Windows 7. To my horror my excitement was just cut short on the realisation that SF apparently doesn't work on 64-bit Windows!! NOOO! (Why would people build a computer that doesn't run StellarForces!!??)
On trying to run thre client I get the error " 'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."
After doing a bit of Google searching on any possible ways around this I read about something called WoW64 (which) "is a subsystem of the Windows operating system that is capable of running 32-bit applications and is included on all 64-bit versions of Windows including Windows 2000 Limited Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, IA-64 and x64 versions of Windows Server 2003,as well as 64-bit versions of Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and Windows 7."
It sounds great, except how does a computer novice like myself actually use this thing? I found it at C:windowssysWoW64, but the file is huge and alien to me. This link:
http://www.tipandtrick.net/2008/how-to-open-and-run-32-bit-command-prompt-in-64-bit-x64-windows/
explained how to open a command prompt window with it, so I compied the client into the folder and tried to run the SF start file but got this:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y267/Flark/error.png
I'm probably doing it completely wrong, can anyone please help me out? or is this a hopeless cause and I will be forced to keep shoveling coal into the old desktop? I really hope there is a way around this.Posted by Deadlime 14 years ago [Login to reply] - To get past the error shown in the screen shot, instead of entering "stellarforcesstart", do "cd stellarforces[enter]" then "start[enter]". Let me know what happens. Posted by SteveSmith 14 years ago [Login to reply]
- Thanks Steve. Unfortunately it still didn't work though. On typing start all that happens is it opens up a new system32 cmd.exe window. Typing start in that one just opens up another. Any other suggestions? Posted by Deadlime 14 years ago [Login to reply]
- I took a snapshot and then forgot to post it..
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y267/Flark/error2.pngPosted by Deadlime 14 years ago [Login to reply] - Ah, I think that's cos there's a special windows command called "start" which it is running instead. Try entering "start.bat[enter]", or instead rename start.bat to something else like startsf.bat, and enter that. Posted by SteveSmith 14 years ago [Login to reply]
- I managed to solve the problem by editting the second line in start.bat.
In my case it looks like this: '"C:Program FilesJavajre6injava" -Xms64m... etc.' <--- Only added the file path of java.exe
I also have Win 7 and after adding that file path game have been working fine :)
(Sorry for terrible english :S)Posted by Micro 14 years ago [Login to reply] - Excellent! It seems to work now. I didn't have any turns left to try it out in full, but I got past the login for it to tell me I have no turns to take so I assume it works. :)
Micro, you mean that by editing the start.bat like that means you don't need to manually run it through the WoW64 cmd window? If so that would be MUCH better, but I don't really understand what to change? I'm terribly useless with this kind of thing. Do you understand that Steve? If so is there any chance of releasing future Clients with an extra start.bat file for use on 64-bit Windows?Posted by Deadlime 14 years ago [Login to reply] - I don't want to sound like a pesimist, but under Windows 64 bit, it's usually when it tries to open the 3D window that it fails. I've got my fingers crossed though! :) Posted by SteveSmith 14 years ago [Login to reply]
- I certainly hope this is a solution to getting the game to work in Windows 7, but I'm curious how adding the path to java got it to work. Is it a special version of Java that you're pointing it to, like a 32bit version? Posted by SteveSmith 14 years ago [Login to reply]
- Right then, at first I was celebrating when the 3D map loaded no problem and I seemed to take my turn (turn 11 Alien Escape vs Kael) without incident. On ending turn and closing down the Client it seems that nothing has actually been transfered to the server. Looking at the map, my units havent moved and it's still my turn. I re-ran it agian and all my units are back in the same position they started in with full APs again like nothing happened.
It didn't create me an error log to show you so I took a couple of snapshots after the 2nd attempt to see if you can make any sense of it. (I had to do it in 2 parts because it was so long). I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that this is something we can work around.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y267/Flark/error31.png
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y267/Flark/error32.pngPosted by Deadlime 14 years ago [Login to reply] - (BTW, I just took my turn against Kael using my old computer.) Posted by Deadlime 14 years ago [Login to reply]
- All the errors mentioned in the two screenshots are to do with the program not having permission to write to any files; it couldn't write to the error log, store your password or store the 3D settings. However, none of those should stop it sending data to the server, and I'm not sure why the client didn't say that it was unable to send the data. It usually timesout or something. Posted by SteveSmith 14 years ago [Login to reply]
- Those 2 snapshots were taken after the 2nd time I ran the client. The 1st time I ran it I moved all my units (there were no messages from the client about not sending data to the server) and shut it down without recording the error messages. The 2nd time I ran the client (after realizing it hadn't worked through the website), I simply started it up, then shut it back down down without moving any units or anything. Do you think the error messages would have been different if I'd tried to move my units? I'm at work at the moment but can try it again when I get home. Posted by Deadlime 14 years ago [Login to reply]
- I've looked at the code and just reminded myself that it needs permission to write to files in order to send the data, which is why the server wasn't updated.
I think the best thing to try is rather than run the game that you copied into the /Windows directory, try running a copy that's in the root directory (i.e. "c:/StellarForces/"). Just enter "cd \StellarForces[enter]" then "start.bat[enter]".Posted by SteveSmith 14 years ago [Login to reply] - On the plus side, it sounds like you've solved the 64 bit problem. :) Posted by SteveSmith 14 years ago [Login to reply]
- Excellent! It worked this time! My turn was taken. Thank goodness for that. Thanks Steve and Micro. :)
Steve, while we are fresh on the subject of this, is it possible to add an improvised start.bat (which 64-bit users can rename or something) into the next released client which will automatically run SF through WoW64 without having to do the start command prompt every time we take a turn?
http://www.tipandtrick.net/2008/how-to-open-and-run-32-bit-command-prompt-in-64-bit-x64-windows/Posted by Deadlime 14 years ago [Login to reply] - I'm adding it now. :) Good work! Posted by SteveSmith 14 years ago [Login to reply]
- It's just normal java. In its default folder.
When i first time tried to start game and it said error i just was curious to try if i am able to fix it :P And for my own surprise i get game working.
But i am very sceptic if this will really be final solution to problem, because after i editted start.bat i still get sometimes error messages and i needed to redownload game and re-edit start.bat to get it working again.
(Windows started to get errors from 'bin...'-command just like java before)
So i don't think i really fixed the problem, i think i just temporary managed to keep game working.Posted by Micro 14 years ago [Login to reply]
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