Run Halo 2 on XP

[alexander33]

Originally Posted by GanondorfTM

Right here!

But wait until abcba uploads a new version, since this doesn't do the job.

Could you upload it on RapidShare Webhosting + Webspace ? because your link not work.

[Anger007]

so is anyone with similar specs to myself unable to get it working?

[STORMTROOPER91]

Ok..I tried it....very good.

IT WORKS!!!!!
With that you can play HALO2 on XP ....but the only problem now is,you need a CD key and I didn't get one.

[Rads]

hmm i seem to be gettign the same problem, Halo 2 loads up up to the Halo 2 logo/loading screen then it stops, goes black and quits to desktop with my resolution going to 800x600 from 1024x768.

I've ran Halo 2 Vista Before on Windows Vista with all settings on High but no Anti Aliasing and it runs smooth. but i have decided to go back to XP because of some incompatabilities with games/older programs etc.

I installed Halo 2 fine with the loader, i think i installed XLiveRedist1.0.6027.msi by Repair and it installed the files asking me to reboot, i done that and then installed vcredist.exe and yeah.

My system specs: AMD Athlon 64 3700+ 2.2ghz Asus Radeon X1600pro 512mb 1024MB DDR 400 Ram 300GB Harddrive

Good work on the loader so far Abcba, i'd hug you if i could but is there perhaps a possible solution? Thanks in advance

[abcba]

@Rads & Anger07:
I've made a special build for you to help determine what's going wrong: WowLoader-DBG.rar

The usage is the same but this build will create a file named Trace.log in your Halo 2 installation directory.
Do a single run with the new build, then paste the Trace.log contents on pastebin or similar and either post or pm me the link.

[DAVID19990]

at first, thanks for loader But i have question: How I can play in fullscreen, because when I select this option nothing happend. My specs: Athlon XP2400+ 1GB RAM GF6600 128MB, otherwise game run perfectly

[mothball]

Kickass work you've done, abcba. It works great single player, but when I try to sign on to Live (with a legit key), it says I need an update. When I accept, the updater crashes with an error:

---------------------------
halo2patch
---------------------------
Command line option syntax error. Type Command /? for Help.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------


Here's that part from the trace.log:

Jun/22/06 12:17:18  [3100:3744]  WowGetProcAddress(76C30000, DllCanUnloadNow) (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:18  [3100:3744]  WowGetProcAddress(75E60000, DllCanUnloadNow) (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:18  [3100:1992]  WowShellExecuteW(00000000, nulL, C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\XLive\Updates\4d53080f\Content\update.exe, /c:"update_internal.exe -pid:3100 -cmd:", G:\games\halo2, 00000001) (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:18  [3100:1992]  Remote dll loaded at: 10000000 (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:19  [3100:1992]  CMMDeviceEnumerator::Release() (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:19  [3100:1992]  CMMDeviceEnumerator::~CMMDeviceEnumerator() (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:19  [3100:1992]  CMMDevice::Release() (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:19  [3100:1992]  CMMDevice::~CMMDevice() (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:19  [3100:1992]  CAudioSessionManager::Release() (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:19  [3100:1992]  CAudioSessionManager::~CAudioSessionManager() (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:19  [3100:1992]  CSimpleAudioVolume::Release()CImportPatcher (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:19  [3100:1992]  CSimpleAudioVolume::~CSimpleAudioVolume()CImportPatcher (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:20  [3100:1992]  Wow.dll Unloaded (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 12:17:20  [3100:1992]  mf.dll Unloaded (from G:\games\halo2\halo2.exe)

I booted into Vista and successfully installed the update, but it had no effect in XP. If I manually run the patch in XP, the system reboots with no effect.

[abcba]

There was a problem in WowShellExecuteW (which spawns the updater).
Hence why it gives an invalid syntax error.

I've updated the debug build, get the new one here: WowLoader-DBG-0.2.rar
If this fixes it, I'll release a new version without logging.

EDIT: Trace.log will now be created in the same directory which Wow.dll is located in.

[STORMTROOPER91]

nice,but I have a problem....I can only play the first level,an at the moment I have initialazing error.I have to reinstall it.

[abcba]

The game allows you to play the first level without activating it.
After that you have to activate it.

[bwhouwant]

Nice job abcba

Any chance you are going to release the source code for this? I'm just curious to see how it works.

Thanks again for your hard work. Much appreciated.

Bungie are laughing all the way to the bank now it runs on XP, there's a party in your name somewhere

[Anger007]

well with tracelog 0.2 it does not crash however it does not continue either - it just keeps writing to the tracelog file. 2 minutes worth is nearly 60 meg.
however i just checked the file and after a certain point i get this:

Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 0046230E (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 00462314 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 00462315 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 0046230E (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 00462314 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 00462315 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 004620F5 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 0046219E (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 004512D8 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 004512D8 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 004512D8 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 004512D8 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 004512D8 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 004512D8 (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)
Jun/22/06 20:27:53  [3100:3104]  Exception at: 0046230E (C0000005 (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2\halo2.exe)

after that it just repeats and keeps repeating that exact cycle.

[abcba]

Sure but I would like to get any outstanding issues sorted out first.
Since this is a one time deal for me, it's been my intention from the start to make the source available.
Hopefully others will be able to use it for other games that are artificially bound to Windows Vista.

[abcba]

Those are memory access violations.
The address of the exception occours at appears to be inside halo2.exe, which I cannot look at.
However it's evident that this is a conflict between the game and something else in your system.
It could be anything from faulty ram to outdated graphics drivers.
Personally I would try closing all other software, update all drivers plus directx and if none of that works I would reinstall windows.

[Anger007]

still very impressive work. you have beaten a company to the punch and your releasing it for free as well. incredible.
it is very strange because i updated dx and my drivers as well to the latest wdm versions but ill try killing some processes - i suspect it may be something thats running. thanks for the help.