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uninstalling SMP
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ronnraymore
Seaman
Posts: 131


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 03, 2016 4:09 pm    Post subject: Tricked!( Reply with quote

Found the '04-'05 new Atari version at eBay. Was worried by the Atari (Mario/Donkey Kong) association but thought Sid wouldn't let Atari screw his game into a Mario cartoon...was I wrong.

On installation a menu of choices for "enhancements" was presented one at a time...storms/hurricanes, rocks and reefs, crew background fights, sword sparks, etc. Naïve person I am I thought Sid's rendition of these would be realistic and rational...but not with Atari in the mix. When I ran the game I found I had bought a Mario/Donkey Kong version of Sid Meier's Pirates...what a gross corruption of a really good/fun pirates adventure/role play game (award winning no less).

Unfortunately, whoever put this crap into the game did not build in a reversal feature that allows the user to remove it when they find it disgusting.

No one seems to know how to undo this "enhancement", tried to reinstall using Iobit uninstaller, no initialization menu...tried cloning a Win7 HD which was not exposed to the game...still no initialization menu.

Anyone in the world of Sid's Pirates have knowledge on how to undo this gross error? Where are these selections recorded? I bought a new game disk, still in the wrapper...but still got no menu. I'm out of logical ideas.
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fleetp
Boatswain
Posts: 3689



35857 Gold -

PostPosted: Fri Jun 03, 2016 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the Atari release, but it's been so long since I installed it that I can't remember ever seeing the option to install the enhancements that are causing you problems. Crying or Very sad

Did you clean the registry after uninstalling but before re-installing?
Here's a link on how to do it without using a registry cleaner program.
http://www.askvg.com/how-to-completely-uninstall-remove-a-software-program-in-windows-without-using-3rd-party-software/

I hope this helps.
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ronnraymore
Seaman
Posts: 131


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 2:58 pm    Post subject: Nope Reply with quote

I already did all the usual things to remove the program and reinstall.

I used IObit uninstaller, which is about the best in removing everything, including Registry keys and such.

Did not work...sigh...no idea why. Even if the previous installation had installed a key reference which the new game finds and prevents the installation menu subroutine, the HD key removal would stop that and present a pristine condition for the installer to run the subroutine.

Is the DVD a RW disk, and has it been written on with the selections from the initial setup? The second, new...still in the wrapper, disk installed to a cloned Win7 OS HD should have prevented anything on the disk from affecting the setup.

I did get a message asking if intended to use the disc as a RW or flash drive...could that have been the opportunity? I canceled the window not expecting that would be a critical step in the process.
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fleetp
Boatswain
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the cloned Win7 OS HD was cloned from a HD that once had SMP on it AND the registry (or some other hidden files/folders) were not fully removed, the the undesired optional features you described will still be on the cloned HD.

You already said that you used IObit uninstaller, which is why I suggested the manual registry clean procedure. Uninstallers don't always do what they describe on every program.

I don't understand the part you wrote about "a message asking if intended to use the disc as a RW or flash drive." Was this from the new game DVD disk you bought on ebay?

The original Atari version was released on 2 CDs, not on DVD. I have the two CD release.

Could it be that the DVD versions of the game that you've been using hard code those undesirable features (as in the DVD release doesn't give you the option to NOT install)?

The only other suggestion I have are rather radical, and I only suggest it as a 'last resort'.
Buy a used computer with Windows XP and install the game on it. E-bay has several the last time I checked, just be sure it's not a 'parts only' computer, and that it has a DVD drive.
When installing SMP, be sure to look carefully at any options shown during the installation process (as in if it gives you the option to do a full or standard installation, say 'No' and look for only those features that you want.
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ronnraymore
Seaman
Posts: 131


4823 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:43 pm    Post subject: Nope Reply with quote

I was aware of that and used an archive HD Win7 on which SMP had not been installed. The clone was clean.
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ronnraymore
Seaman
Posts: 131


4823 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:47 pm    Post subject: XP Reply with quote

My first install was to XP which did not play well with SMP...I stepped up to Win7 (the '04-05 DVD revisions may have been targeted to his OS) which I have played ever since.

I recently went back to XP...got no startup menu, and played a game with minimal aggravation except the sailing is very very slow.
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ronnraymore
Seaman
Posts: 131


4823 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:51 pm    Post subject: DVD install Reply with quote

The setup menu appeared when I installed the DVD the first time.

I really avoid manually removing registry keys without knowing the specific key I need to remove. If anyone can identify the key for this game I would like to know so I can clean it out of the registry. lacking that I will trust IObit which seems to be doing a pretty good job of deep cleaning.
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ronnraymore
Seaman
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:53 pm    Post subject: DVD message Reply with quote

Nope...that is the standard WinOS question when a new RW disc is first run
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ronnraymore
Seaman
Posts: 131


4823 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:58 pm    Post subject: New computer? Reply with quote

I have three IBM/Lenovo Thinkpads that I run different WinOS on.

I also have a collection of SSDs that have different OS from 2K to Win10.

Also have a blank around for situations like this, which is what I used for the clone from the WD HD Win7 Pro archive OS.

I wish I could locate someone with specific IT knowledge of this program, since this appears to be well hidden for some idiotic reason...so much for Atari programmers.
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fleetp
Boatswain
Posts: 3689



35857 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Reality check.

Based on the number of times you've asked folks here to make specific game-play mods for you (and gotten no volunteers), I'd say your best bet is to get a hex editor program and try to do it yourself.

Very respectfully,
fleet
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sparticus
Helmsman
Posts: 5818



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PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 2:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

fleetp wrote:
Reality check.

Based on the number of times you've asked folks here to make specific game-play mods for you (and gotten no volunteers), I'd say your best bet is to get a hex editor program and try to do it yourself.

Very respectfully,
fleet


Yes - I do not think that there are too many - if any modders left in this forum. Sad
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ronnraymore
Seaman
Posts: 131


4823 Gold -

PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 2:30 pm    Post subject: Not any it would seem Reply with quote

The one modder I found that showed a mastery of the profession I wrote to but got no reply ...in the 10 years or so since his post he probably has moved on to the better games that have come out.

Where do I find a Hex editor? Got a recommendation? I don't mind tinkering with the program but I am really shy of doing stuff to the registry.

Thanks for the guidance...wish I could just find someone familiar enough with the 04-05 DVD installation popup menu to provide insight and understanding of what the hell is going on.

Arrrgh Matey's be look'n for the signal flags from your ship.
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fleetp
Boatswain
Posts: 3689



35857 Gold -

PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For hex editing, I've used HxD; it's free.
Here's a link to the official site.
https://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/


Gentle (probably unnecessary) reminder: Always make a back up copy of a file before editing it.

Very respectfully,
fleet
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ronnraymore
Seaman
Posts: 131


4823 Gold -

PostPosted: Fri Aug 05, 2016 3:31 pm    Post subject: Fleet...yep SOP Reply with quote

Backups are my salvation many times over as I am prone to tinker with the OS and the Registry just to see what happens.
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