I need to trick 2000 into thinking it's XP.

Legion5

Ok this is just ridiculous. The only difference between XP and 2k are some optimizations, and a few changed registry keys.

It has been repeatedly and consistently proven that Win2k can run ANY XP game.

and frankly I'm tired of the marketing BS. Microsoft purposly breaks games (Rise of Legends anyone?) to make you shell out 80$ because it lines their pockets with cash.

Honestly, if there were no reprisals, I would seriously kill bill gates in cold blood for all the people he causes trauma to.

Rant over.

Microsoft has released in it's new version of Direct X something called: "XACT audio".

I am what you would call an audiophile, I love sound, and this is a new way to code sound into video games.

When you install DirectX9c it determines your operating system, and puts all of the necessary cab files into their right places, which work in turn with the DLL's to play sound.

It also needlessly blocks the install of XACT Audio.

I don't know why nobody has developed a Hack for the lack of Windows2k Support, but after extensive searching it just isn't out there.

So I am going to be the first. I seriously hate the wasting of resources for profit that much.

I am going to find and promote a way to destroy this pointless limitation in the new files packaged with DirectX9c

Either way I need to trick DirectX9c into installing itself like it were on XP, when I am running it from 2k.

This would be the emulation approach.

Another option, a difference approach might be to find a program that detects all the "changes" made inside a folder. That way I could install DirectX 9c on a blank copy of XP, and simply see what files it is placing where.

It would also need to compare new and old registries.

-

Both methods are obvious possible obviously possible, and we have 2 directions to go at it.

I implore you, if you are knowledgeable about achieving either end, act, find search, and inform.

I have few skills in programming, but many in graphics and in promoting. So if you help me, you'll be helping others, and if that isn't enough I'll make you graphics. Which I am stunningly good at.


Until then I am going to play the most wonderful new game ever.

And just IMAGINE the sound.



-

Microsoft Hurts people.

Be warned.

Legion5

Wow wtf, I installed the whole XACT audio system DLL by DLL and registry key by registry key on Windows 2000, and I still can't hear anything.

The files match exactly, wow. Not only that it took 4 hours of scouring the net and finding 20 different small programs to get the right files onto my system. =(

noo....

NebulaD

It's like your trying to put a Dodge Viper engine into a Honda seems like a big waste of time to me.

Legion5

Actually contrary to pupular brain washing they are the exact same opperating system, with the exact same functions etc.

It's the equivilent of trying to put a Nissan Micra engine into a Nissan Cube, both being based on the exact same platform.

I would surmize that the issue is just that Microsoft doesn't care about Windows 2000 in a purposefull marketing ploy, the equivilent would be having the same situation, as above. (same platform car), but the leads from the engine to the battery have an inch of difference for some silly reason.

It's impossible in software terms that the issue could be one of functionality.

In other words f*ck Microsoft.

montypythizzle

lol call up david blaine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrjFiRdTIs4

ender080

ack
That's not true. Take xactengine2_x.dll and look at the dependencies. msvcrt.dll will lack some export functions. Using a winxp version will result in same problem with the kernel and so on. No way to fix it using XP-components.
will not work (see explanation above)
no fun at all. Just take the .inf-files located in cabs from the dxredist and install manually.

So what I did to get X3DAudio to work on w2k:

1. Download latest dxredist and extract (with zip).
2. Take all XACT cabs for x86 and extract to same directory starting with oldest one
(2b. Read the .inf files - nothin really interesting here, x3daudio and xactengine dlls get copies to system32 and then xactengine ist registered -> com-interface.)
3. Search for a msvcrt version 7 or higher in system32 (name will be msvcr7?.dll). Make a copy called msvcrx.dll in system32.
5. Take a hex editor and change reference to msvcrt.dll in xactengine-dlls to msvcrx.dll
6. Copy all x3daudio and modified xactengine dlls to system 32.
7. For each xactengine dll type following command line in system32 directory:
regsvr32 xactengine2_?.dll

After these steps X3DAudio worked for "supreme commander" on w2k - before I had missing exports/no sound (only copied x3daudio1_1.dll).

Interesting would be a tool to test X3DAudio - dxdiag is not showing anything. Does it under wxp? More ideas and results of the above appreciated...

millerm277

If you get it working...let me know, I still like 2k pro far more than XP or Vista.

ender080

it works for me - didn't I say this in my post before

just follow the steps and give it a try. I think XInput (the other new interface only included in dx9.0c for wxp) should work the same way

millerm277

Hadn't read that far .

I'll give it a shot when I have some more time on my hands.

sygin

Hi,

I can confirm that the above ender080 post works, I have compiled a zip with the edited dll files.

http://rapidshare.com/files/18090098...sound.zip.html

From the Readme

Credits:
Hatred
ender080

If you are running Windows 2000 Supreme Commander won't
start:

1. Copy faultrep.dll and ws2_32.dll into the Supreme Commander bin directory.
(these files are all in the SCwin2K directory)
i.e. Copy to c:\program files\thq\Gas Powered Games\Supreme Commander\bin

2. Search for a msvcrt version 7 or higher in system32 ( c:\windows\system32 )
(name will be msvcr7?.dll or msvcr8?.dll). Make a copy called msvcrx.dll in system32.

3. Copy all x3daudio and xactengine dlls to system32 ( c:\windows\system32 )
(these files are found in the sound_win2k directory)

4. For each xactengine dll type following at the command line:
regsvr32 xactengine2_?.dll

i.e.
regsvr32 xactengine2_0.dll and then press enter
regsvr32 xactengine2_1.dll and then press enter
regsvr32 xactengine2_2.dll and then press enter
regsvr32 xactengine2_3.dll and then press enter
regsvr32 xactengine2_4.dll and then press enter
regsvr32 xactengine2_5.dll and then press enter

To get the command line, Start menu select Run and type: cmd
and then press enter.

After these steps audio worked for "supreme commander" on w2k.

The files provided are from DirectX Feb 2007 and have been modified as described in the section 'ORIGINAL ender080 Notes' below.

Note: If this does not work, tough luck - no guarantees - no combacks - I and those named in the credits accept no responsibility for anything related to the information contained in this document.



ORIGINAL ender080 Notes:

So what I did to get X3DAudio to work on w2k:

1. Download latest dxredist and extract (with zip).
2. Take all XACT cabs for x86 and extract to same directory starting with oldest one
(2b. Read the .inf files - nothin really interesting here, x3daudio and xactengine dlls get copies to system32 and then xactengine ist registered -> com-interface.)
3. Search for a msvcrt version 7 or higher in system32 (name will be msvcr7?.dll). Make a copy called msvcrx.dll in system32.
5. Take a hex editor and change reference to msvcrt.dll in xactengine-dlls to msvcrx.dll
6. Copy all x3daudio and modified xactengine dlls to system 32.
7. For each xactengine dll type following command line in system32 directory:
regsvr32 xactengine2_?.dll

After these steps X3DAudio worked for "supreme commander" on w2k - before I had missing exports/no sound (only copied x3daudio1_1.dll).

Interesting would be a tool to test X3DAudio - dxdiag is not showing anything. Does it under wxp? More ideas and results of the above appreciated...

Cheers
Sygin

ontaru

Thanks, I was able to get my sound working for Supreme Commander in Win2k with this post! A couple of info points:

1) I didn't have a version 7 of msvcrt.dll (or msvcr7*.dll) anywhere on my Win2K system (I looked at version properties for all of them), even after installing .NET runtime, MS V C++ runtimes, latest DirectX, etc. I ended up copying the msvcr*.dll files from a Windows XP installation just to have several to play with (that included msvcr70.dll, msvcr71.dll, msvcr71d.dll, and msvcrt.dll). Note that I ended up only using one of them (msvcr71.dll), not all of the ones I copied from WinXP.

2) Renaming version 7 of msvcrt.dll didn't work (I got errors trying to register the xactengine dlls with the renamed msvcrt.dll even after the hex edit). I had to rename the msvcr71.dll file instead, and afterwards successfully registered the xactengine files and enabled sound!

skeeder

Audio wise, XP still does things like 2000. So not really sure why your doing this. what does XACT offer?

JimShorts

Yeah, seems like a whole lot of wasted effort to me, too.

ontaru

I don't understand these two comments. I currently have Windows 2000, not Windows XP, and Supreme Commander does not have any sound without following these steps. To recap:

Why? To get sound working in Supreme Commander.
Wasted effort? It's not a wasted effort if it gives me sound in Supreme Commander when I otherwise wouldn't have it.