Possible Help On Running Il2 Ultrapack On Win 7

[DoubleTap]

Hey Gents,

Thought I would pass this along in the hopes it helps someone with a similar issue in running IL2 Ultrapack on a Windows 7 machine.

My primary install of IL2 is on an XP machine, but recently I wanted to install it with the Ultrapack to a laptop to work on missions during my commute. The laptop, though, has Windows 7, and after transferring my working copy of Ultrapack 3 RC4 to the Win 7 machine, I found it would not work properly.

Initially, the Ultrapack selection screen where you can choose which type of game and the settings for Ram would come up, but when I tried to launch the game, it would seem to launch, then dump back to the selection screen. I played with various elements of the game setup, including IL2 vanilla;various levels of reserved RAM;different compatibility modes (Vista service packs, XP windows not only the game shortcut, but also the actual IL2fb exe and the exe for the set-up program; and others. I had varying degrees of success, with me being able to launch the game with some, only to have it dump to desktop later, or to the selection screen or simply lock up when I tried to fly, or loaded some non-standard maps like the Solomons.

Anyway, I can't say why this worked, or what part of it allowed to work, but after screwing around with various settings, the following now allow me to use the FMB with MDS and from initial tests, even allowing me to run a quick mission.

IL2fb exe = Compatibiliy mode Windows XP Service Pack 3; disabled visual themes, disable desktop composition; disable scaling on high DPI settings; run as ADMIN privilege level

IL2fb.exe shortcut = same settings as above

IL2setup.exe = Compatibility mode Windows XP Service Pack 2

*SET-UP Settings: OpenGL, 800x600 32bit, Use stencil buffer, ATI Radeon, Soundblaster LIve!

JSGME = Compatibility mode Windows XP Service Pack 3

IL2 Selector Screen Settings : RAM usage 256MB, NO items checked below RAM usage

The system this works on is a Dell Inspiron N5010 (I know, not a sexy machine):

Windows 7 Premium

Service Pack 1

64 bit operating system

Intel Core i3 CPU M 380 @ 2.53ghz

RAM 3GB

I hope this info is for some use to someone. I have not had time to go back and try to isolate the issue and likely won't bother as long as this set-up works for me.

DT

PS. One interesting but I think unrelated note. I tried to install 1946 clean to this machine, thinking a clean install might be needed. However, I could NOT for the life of me get Win 7 to install the program. No error message, just simply looked like the Exe was firing up when I clicked on it and then...nothing. Tried couple of different ways, and could not even get the Install screen to show up.

[Snacko]

Hmm, I have not heard of anybody having to do all of that. I would do a fresh install like you tried. Are you saying the setup.exe was "fireing up when you clicked on it", or did you get it to install and it was il2fb.exe that was "fireing up"?

I have heard that the memory should be set at 512 I think to run and just fly the game. I have mine set to 1200 Ram usage to mission build. And I fly fine with that as well. I have 6gigs of Ram.

I had one major problem with the game shutting down when I tried to start it. The Selector program was complaining about not having access to the game folder or something. It turned out to be my Antivirus blocking it. I had to add the game folder and il2fb.exe to the whilelist/approved programs in my AV. That fixed it. I run BitDefender as my AV and everyone with that AV had the same problem. I think there was at least one other AV that also had this issue.

Snack

PS:

You might try buying IL2 1946 from Steam to install fresh? Just $9 I think...

[FoolTrottel]

There's a thread on UBI's Community Help forum: how to get il21946 to work with win7 FIX

That might possibly help you installing a clean version...

As for the current config: Try and run it with sound disabled. If it runs better, then try 'No hardware acceleration' or 'safe DirextX settings'.

From what I read about this laptop on the Internet, to get it running good/better, me thinks you need to focus on grapics settings... turn 'm down, forget about stencil buffer and perfect mode and stuff, keep it simmle,,,

[DoubleTap]

There's a thread on UBI's Community Help forum: how to get il21946 to work with win7 FIX

That might possibly help you installing a clean version...

As for the current config: Try and run it with sound disabled. If it runs better, then try 'No hardware acceleration' or 'safe DirextX settings'.

From what I read about this laptop on the Internet, to get it running good/better, me thinks you need to focus on grapics settings... turn 'm down, forget about stencil buffer and perfect mode and stuff, keep it simmle,,,

Oh, I am good for now, Gents. All I need this for is to screw around with FMB and MDS, and it appears to work fine for that. I just thought I would mention that playing around with some of the settings above got it to work for me, somehow.

Snacko, not sure which part of what I wrote you are asking about, but having just tried it again, when I click on the IL21946 disc, I hear it spool up and Win 7 brings up a window asking if I want to run setup.exe from the disc. I click "Yes", and literally nothing else happens. Desktop does nada.

When I was clicking the exe for the transferred Ultrapack version, I always got at the least the Selection screen to come up, but without any tweaking when I clicked on it to launch IL-2, it would disappear for about 3 seconds, and then the selection screen would pop back up.

DT

[Snacko]

I don't have my CD handy, but I've heard of that problem before. I think you have to click on another .exe on the disk top get the install to work. It's a known problem..

[FoolTrottel]

I don't have my CD handy, but I've heard of that problem before. I think you have to click on another .exe on the disk top get the install to work. It's a known problem..

Ah, that's in this thread: Vista Home Premium x64 and 1946