how to run a game from 1997 on windows XP home SP2?

yes, i know.. why would anyone want to run a game from 1997 in 2005? well, i
loved the game called Fragile Allegiance back in '97 and i recently found it
on e-bay and wanted to buy it again and play it.

Now, i've learned or been told over and over again that every "new version"
of windows OS can work with programs that are older and it seemed to work out
that way with the demo. I shut off everything i could think of under my own
user name and the demo seemed to begin, but it would freeze once you got past
the initial screens adn when u asked it to play a tutorial or start up a new
game it would just freeze up.. "Ctrl-Alt-Delete" would close it down to the
task manager, but that would say the game was still running. but then the
game does kinda run in DOS..

One thing i thought of was that maybe i need to rebuild an "olde fashioned
computer", one that would run win 98SE and not have too many systems running
when i want to play the game.

Or if ya think that i just got a bad copy of the demo from Gamespot's
download system.. Yes i'm very serious about wanting to play this nostalgic
strategy game..

please send replies to mikey1871@yahoo.com

hope to hear from some of your old-style gamers who now are puter guru's

Hi mikey1871,

Try installing and playing that using 95/98 Compatibility mode.

To install a program using Windows XP's Compatibility Mode, hold
down SHIFT as you insert the game CD, use My Computer to browse
to the setup program, and then skip down to step 1 in the list below:

To run an installed program using Windows XP's Compatibility Mode,
first right click the program and "Send To..." / Desktop (create shortcut).

1.. Right click on the shortcut to the program.
2.. Click on Properties.
3.. Click on the Compatibility tab.
4.. Click on Run this program in compatibility mode and select one of these:
a.. Windows 95
b.. Windows 98
c.. Windows NT 4
d.. Windows 2000
5.. Under Display settings, check mark the mode that you think that is best:
a.. Run in 256 colors.
b.. Run in 640 X 480 screen resolution.
c.. Disable visual themes.

Click on Apply.Click on Ok.Double click on the program.

Of course, let's not forget to check for any patches or updates for that game.
A good place to find them is: www.avault.com/pcrl/patches_list.asp?letter=a

If you'd like to learn more information about compatibility mode, you can click the
link in the Compatibility tab that reads "Learn more about program compatibility",
or watch this Application Compatibility Power Point Presentation:
http://support.microsoft.com/service...2/WC112202.ppt

--
Cheers, *Windows_XP_MVP_Shell/User*
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Visit my MSN Zone.com and Gaming Help Site: http://mvps.org/nibblesnbits
MS Games Help and Support Center: http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=gms
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
__________________________________________________ _______


mikey1871 Wrote:
=================
| yes, i know.. why would anyone want to run a game from 1997 in 2005? well, i
| loved the game called Fragile Allegiance back in '97 and i recently found it
| on e-bay and wanted to buy it again and play it.
|
| Now, i've learned or been told over and over again that every "new version"
| of windows OS can work with programs that are older and it seemed to work out
| that way with the demo. I shut off everything i could think of under my own
| user name and the demo seemed to begin, but it would freeze once you got past
| the initial screens adn when u asked it to play a tutorial or start up a new
| game it would just freeze up.. "Ctrl-Alt-Delete" would close it down to the
| task manager, but that would say the game was still running. but then the
| game does kinda run in DOS..
|
| One thing i thought of was that maybe i need to rebuild an "olde fashioned
| computer", one that would run win 98SE and not have too many systems running
| when i want to play the game.
|
| Or if ya think that i just got a bad copy of the demo from Gamespot's
| download system.. Yes i'm very serious about wanting to play this nostalgic
| strategy game..
|
| please send replies to mikey1871@yahoo.com
|
| hope to hear from some of your old-style gamers who now are puter guru's