Using original CDs on Windows 10

[adsii1970 85]

After nearly a four year break in playing SimCity 4, I have decided to play it again. Without thinking, I pulled the original CDs for the Deluxe edition from the drawer, installed the program... downloaded the basics from STEX, and when I went to play last night... Nothing.

So far, I've tried:

• Compatibility mode in XP
• Compatibility mode in Windows 7 (the last version of Windows I played the game in)
• Searching this forum for tips (but I haven't been able to find any posts on this issue - unless I am completely blind)
• Four pages of "do this, do that..." on Microsoft Windows 10 useless site.

Short of re-purchasing this game in Steam, is there a walk-through? Any ideas?

 

[rsc204 21,808]

28 minutes ago, adsii1970 said:

• Four pages of "do this, do that..." on Microsoft Windows 10 useless site.

That's funny, since MS should know precisely why they don't work... The driver needed for validating the on-disk DRM (SafeDisc) was pulled from the Windows 10 O/S upon release. MS citied an unpatched security risk as the cause, which means thousands of titles from around the same time are now coasters.

You can in theory grab the driver files from an older version of Windows, but to use it you must manually digitally sign it for use with your machine. That's not a procedure I can heartily recommend given the complexity and risks of doing so.

In short, you probably need to get a digital copy which has this DRM check removed. Avoid Origin, many problems with their version, Steam have added DRM, but it works, GoG however offer a DRM free version, if this episode tells us anything, it's that the GoG version would be the last you ever need to buy. If you are quick. GoG still have it on sale right now for about $5, there version has other advantages over the competition too. By using the link here, you will also support ST a little with your purchase as we have an affiliate program with them.

[adsii1970 85]

4 hours ago, rsc204 said:

That's funny, since MS should know precisely why they don't work... The driver needed for validating the on-disk DRM (SafeDisc) was pulled from the Windows 10 O/S upon release. MS citied an unpatched security risk as the cause, which means thousands of titles from around the same time are now coasters.

Grrr. Leave it to Microsoft to bungle something rather than to do something good. It gets me... now I have to go and find either a work-around OR rebuy seven games that were staples...

4 hours ago, rsc204 said:

You can in theory grab the driver files from an older version of Windows, but to use it you must manually digitally sign it for use with your machine. That's not a procedure I can heartily recommend given the complexity and risks of doing so.

Yes, and there's that... the risk of a Windows 10 security flaw.

I've checked into several sites which claim to do this. But I am very suspicious of anything that doesn't look legitimate.

4 hours ago, rsc204 said:

In short, you probably need to get a digital copy which has this DRM check removed. Avoid Origin, many problems with their version, Steam have added DRM, but it works, GoG however offer a DRM free version, if this episode tells us anything, it's that the GoG version would be the last you ever need to buy. If you are quick. GoG still have it on sale right now for about $5, there version has other advantages over the competition too. By using the link here, you will also support ST a little with your purchase as we have an affiliate program with them.

I'll probably do this, but through Steam. I have tried to use only one digital downloading site where I can simply because I don't like having to maintain a butt-load of profiles across a lot of different sites. But to support Simtropolis and to make my life easier, I will simply donate and get the SC4 disc packs of Simtropolis favorites...

 

[adsii1970 85]

@rsc204: Bought it on Steam, installing it now... thanks for your patience and advice.

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

On 2/20/2018 at 10:25 AM, adsii1970 said:

I have tried to use only one digital downloading site where I can simply because I don't like having to maintain a butt-load of profiles

If I understood prior threads correctly, GoG is DRM-free, so maintaining a profile is purely optional. One can download from GoG and then play off-line.

[rsc204 21,808]

Yes, but I suspect the objection is with signing up for another account to purchase it.

[adsii1970 85]

1 hour ago, jeffryfisher said:

If I understood prior threads correctly, GoG is DRM-free, so maintaining a profile is purely optional. One can download from GoG and then play off-line.

Not really the issue...

23 minutes ago, rsc204 said:

Yes, but I suspect the objection is with signing up for another account to purchase it.

Oh, now we're talking!

As it stands, I have a GameSpy account, a Steam account, and a Turbosquid account. I'm to the point I really didn't want to create any more accounts... Too much junk email...

(I have two other accounts out there, but I cannot think of them because either they are defunct or I didn't like the games that well...)

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

22 hours ago, adsii1970 said:

Too much junk email

Understood. I own a personal web domain, so I just create a new email alias for each and every site registration. If I get junk, I not only know immediately who sold me out, but I can delete the offending alias or redirect it to my bitbucket -- an email box called "bitbucket4u@comcast.net" that I haven't needed to look at since 2012.

[adsii1970 85]

44 minutes ago, jeffryfisher said:

Understood. I own a personal web domain, so I just create a new email alias for each and every site registration. If I get junk, I not only know immediately who sold me out, but I can delete the offending alias or redirect it to my bitbucket -- an email box called "bitbucket4u@comcast.net" that I haven't needed to look at since 2012.

Hahaha... Yeah, and since I have my own domain, I guess I could do a "junk@adsii1970.us" or something. Still... I'm not sure I want that much of a web on the  web, if you know what I mean.

[redfox85 659]

9 hours ago, jeffryfisher said:

Understood. I own a personal web domain, so I just create a new email alias for each and every site registration. If I get junk, I not only know immediately who sold me out, but I can delete the offending alias or redirect it to my bitbucket -- an email box called "bitbucket4u@comcast.net" that I haven't needed to look at since 2012.

 

I have my own .com as well, and my philosophy is just to click the unsubscribe button at the bottom of the email or just put a server level block on any emails from them.

[rsc204 21,808]

It appears I'm not the only one with a domain for this purpose. I picked up the tip many years ago and like jeffyfisher, I just divert all crap into an old hotmail account I never bother to check. Mostly I like knowing, provided I keep the registration, I'll never have to worry about changing my e-mail address. But the filtering and use of a unique e-mail for any annoying sign ups is a great way to avoid SPAM and know where it came from too.

[Prophet42 1,501]

Actually my ISP has something similiar.  I can create what they call 'Disposable Adresses'.  Basically it is an email base name with a -identifier @domain.com add on. Any email sent to the disposable address shows up in your main email account, but can't be traced to the main account.  So if I start getting a lot of Spam, I know which disposable address it is being sent to.  I just delete that disposable address and poof, problem solved.  My ISP allows me to have up to 10 main email accounts, from which I can create up to 500 disposable addresses each.  I can create up to a grand total of 5000 disposable email addresses.

[reble1 50]

On 2/20/2018 at 6:10 AM, rsc204 said:

That's funny, since MS should know precisely why they don't work... The driver needed for validating the on-disk DRM (SafeDisc) was pulled from the Windows 10 O/S upon release. MS citied an unpatched security risk as the cause, which means thousands of titles from around the same time are now coasters.

You can in theory grab the driver files from an older version of Windows, but to use it you must manually digitally sign it for use with your machine. That's not a procedure I can heartily recommend given the complexity and risks of doing so.

In short, you probably need to get a digital copy which has this DRM check removed. Avoid Origin, many problems with their version, Steam have added DRM, but it works, GoG however offer a DRM free version, if this episode tells us anything, it's that the GoG version would be the last you ever need to buy. If you are quick. GoG still have it on sale right now for about $5, there version has other advantages over the competition too. By using the link here, you will also support ST a little with your purchase as we have an affiliate program with them.

DO NOT, DO NOT buy and download SimCity 4 Deluxe from GOG.com. My OS is Win 10 Home 64 bit. I bought the game and the download hasn't worked right from the start. The list of problems is long.

[rsc204 21,808]

25 minutes ago, reble1 said:

DO NOT, DO NOT buy and download SimCity 4 Deluxe from GOG.com. My OS is Win 10 Home 64 bit. I bought the game and the download hasn't worked right from the start. The list of problems is long.

This really is about the opposite of my experience. The first thing you need to know is that at their core, every version of SC4 is identical code. Assuming you have a fully patched game, the experience will be identical.

First I would ask when you downloaded it, did you per-chance use the GoG Galaxy client? This seems to cause problems with SC4, it's recommended to instead use the "Offline Installer". This download is basically the installation disk, made into an installer you can run anytime. Because GoG is DRM free, provided you have this file, you are free to reinstall SC4 whenever you like and cannot be forced up upgrade the game either. Not to mention, at least whilst GoG exist and you have a login, you can re-download the file again any time you need. Safer to keep a secure backup though, just in case.

See the following post for how to get the Standalone Installer, my understanding is GoG tend to "push" users towards the Launcher, which is completely unnecessary.

GoG also includes some vital extra command line switches, these are commands that tell the game to for example, run on only a single core. All modern PCs need this, since otherwise SC4 is very unstable, but only GoG listened to customer feedback and subsequently included it.

I suspect one of two things may be happening here. When you installed the new version of SC4, did you uninstall your old one beforehand? If not you need to uninstall all installations of SC4 and only then re-install it once more. If you do have multiple installs, the registry entries telling SC4 what files to use might be pointing to the wrong install. Otherwise, because it's a new install, any custom settings needed to get SC4 working on your hardware, will need to once more be setup.

It would also help too if you were to give us some idea as to the problems you face. Whatever they are, you're in the best place to get help.

[Propfam 2,288]

GoG SC4 in fact is working on my laptop. OK, I'll specify the spec: i3 4005u, HD 4000, 4 GB DDR3, 500 GB mechanical drive, Windows 10 1909. I'm running the SC4 in Hardware mode and it works. If GoG SC4 doesn't work, why are we promoting it? The truth is otherwise, GoG SC4 is guaranteed to be working in almost any computer, including those that running latest Windows 10.

To be fair, I used to play CD SC4. There is an important advantages: total ownership of the game. But it's a hassle. It require the CD to be inserted to the drive and it's slightly slower than GoG one. Also, the CD SC4 had a problem with the first CAM 2.0. I complained to @InvisiChem to fix the issue and the issue was fixed.

Sorry for my words. Thanks.

[Prophet42 1,501]

I also use the GOG version of SC4 on my Windows 10 Pro 64 bit machine and have no issues.  I do not use the GOG galaxy installer.  As rsc204 stated, the galaxy installer is unnecessary and should be avoided.  What I like about the GOG version is that it is DRM free, I don't have to launch Steam or Origin to play it, and I don't have to be online.

@reble1 if you give us your long list of issues, we may be able to help troubleshoot some of the issues you are having.    You should start with rsc204's suggestions and see if that resolves any of the issues your are having.

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

On 7/31/2020 at 2:33 AM, reble1 said:

the download hasn't worked right from the start...

You really should have asked for help before complaining here.