is there a program that enables a 64 bit system to run 16 bit installers

[andreasaspenberg]

virtual pc i have already tried and that cant access the host system. if you know of any please tell me because it would help a lot.

 

[TriggerHappy]

What are you trying to do, run a program from Windows 3.1? lol.

Basically the answer is no. Setup VirtualBox or something.

 

[andreasaspenberg]

i want to run installers that is 16 bit but where the games themselves is compatible with windows 7. i want to install dark colony so that the cd check works.(requires registry keys.)(cd check is required for hosting.) i also want to install star wars force commander but i have the same problem there. virtualbox is just a better version of virtual pc.(checked it out on wikipedia.) windows 7 have very good backwards compatibility so most games run. it is just the installers that is the problem. please help me out.

 

[TriggerHappy]

Have you tried running the program compatibility mode? You can do so by right clicking the application and going to properties.

I don't recommend gaming in a virtual machine.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Have you tried running the program compatibility mode? You can do so by right clicking the application and going to properties.

Does not help him since the computer is physically incapable of running the installer as the instruction set is not compatible.

For security reasons 64 bit OS will only run in extended mode which supports 32bit legacy and 64bit modes only. Old 32bit OS could run in both 16bit and 32bit mode (not 64bit mode) but were considerably slower and less secure. Your modern day AMD or Intel processor does support both modes of operation but the OS itself does not.

There are multiple solutions to this problem.
1. Dual boot a 32bit OS.
2. Run a 32bit OS in a virtual machine.
3. Use a 16bit emulator.
4. Get an old 16 bit computer and use that.
5. Write your own OS which is buggy and unsafe but can use all modes inefficiently.]
6. Tell the stupid maker to recompile/assemble this game using x86-64.

Personally I like 2. Virtual machines use virtualization features of modern processors to allow them to securely access legacy modes of operation without compromising the active OS by exposing it to the security flaws. This change in mode required does come at a high performance overhead (minimized by modern hardware) but this really does not mater since 16 bit programs were designed for processors around 100 MHz, which modern processors out speed by well over 100 times.

Since the game itself seems to be x86 (at least that is what you say?) then all that is needed is for you to use a 32bit virtual machine to install the game and then export the game files and registry settings to your 64bit OS and then run it.

 

[andreasaspenberg]

what is a 16 bit emulator.

 

[Dr Super Good]

what is a 16 bit emulator.

An emulator that emulates the 16 bit instruction architecture used by old intel and amd processors. Believe it or not but our high end I7 processors and AMD equivalents we use today actually can run legacy 16 bit code from over 20 years ago for backwards compatibility natively. Although the instruction set fundamentals are similar to x86 and AMD's x86-64 extension, it lacks the features that the modern instruction sets provide that are needed for the high quality OS we use today. For this reason the 64 bit OS cannot run in legacy mode.

However like all instruction sets (even x86/64), you can make an emulator that simulators the execution of the instructions on a bytecode incompatible processor (or processor mode). Obviously this is not as efficient but 16 bit stuff does not need this efficiency. An example of a 16bit emulator I think is DOS box which allows you to run DOS programs that were written in 16bit code. Obviously it could pipe the code natively to a 16bit compatible processor if the OS allows it to but a true emulator would work on any architecture it is built for (such as ARM or POWER PC derivatives that are not byte code compatible or even have a similar assembly).

Still the best you can do is install a 32bit XP virtual machine (MS does not support it soon so I am guessing not using a licence for it is not so much of a legal dilemma any more(my opinion do not quote me)). You can run this virtual machine natively inside the 64bit Windows 7 OS and it will natively execute 16bit programs thanks to virtualization. It is slower but who cares when you run stuff 100-1000 times faster than intended when the program was made. If you have Windows 7 Ultimate (or professional?) you can even get a XP virtual machine for free. I used it to play some very old games and it works very well (no complaints).

 

[andreasaspenberg]

since star wars force commander is direct 3d only and since that isnt supported in virtual pc it wont help. dark colony uses direct draw and that doesnt seem to be supported either. i have used virtual pc before but when i need to run games that require 3d i cant use it. dark colony however works in windows 7 but its installer doesnt and a manual install doesnt enable the cd check unlike the warwind games. i therefore need a different solution. maybe a 16 bit wrapper or something. anybody know of one?

 

[Dr Super Good]

maybe a 16 bit wrapper or something. anybody know of one?

Not possible for the reasons explained above. The OS runs in extended mode so is incapable of executing 16 bit machine code. It has to boot up in legacy mode (32bit) for it to be able to run 16 bit machine code which requires a 32bit OS. Virtual machines get around it by virtualization allowing another OS running in another mode to coexist with a master (control) os managing it.

Like I said, try installing the game and then exporting the registry keys and things to your host OS.

 

[andreasaspenberg]

a wrapper is a program that translates code in a way. a 3dfx wrapper for example translates 3dfx into open gl. a 16 bit wrapper would translate 16 bit into 32 bit. i dont however i have the skills to program it myself. anybody know if there a 16 bit wrapper somewhere?

 

[Dr Super Good]

a wrapper is a program that translates code in a way. a 3dfx wrapper for example translates 3dfx into open gl. a 16 bit wrapper would translate 16 bit into 32 bit. i dont however i have the skills to program it myself. anybody know if there a 16 bit wrapper somewhere?

That is a form of emulator. Instead of interpreting each instruction line by line they can re-compile the instructions into native code. Dolphin and PCSX2 uses this technology to allow high speed emulation of Wii/PS2 games.

 

[LordDz]

I downloaded the game from a site with a boat to test your theory, it worked fine to install and run with Windows 7. So if you own the game, I'd suggest you check it out instead of trying to install Virtual PCs, etc to get an old game to work.

Even tho I think the old installer also works.

 

[Dr Super Good]

I downloaded the game from a site with a boat to test your theory, it worked fine to install and run with Windows 7. So if you own the game, I'd suggest you check it out instead of trying to install Virtual PCs, etc to get an old game to work.

Windows 7 32bit or 64bit? Windows 7 32bit can install it just fine as it supports 16bit machine code as I explained. The 64bit version does not.

 

[LordDz]

Looks like 64 Bit to me?

 

[Dr Super Good]

Well then clearly it is not 16 bit. Since I know for a fact that Windows 7 64bit cannot run 16 bit programs as I have tried it.

 

[andreasaspenberg]

that is 16 bit installers only. lords of magic for example runs perfectly in windows 7 64 bit and that is 16 bit though it runs better in 8 bit. that makes it likely that windows somehow uses software to make that possible.

 

[Dr Super Good]

though it runs better in 8 bit

As far as I know 8 bit operation mode is unsupported by all modern processors. Even in 1998, when the game was released, no one should have been writing stuff in 8 bit code. Are you sure you do not mean 8 bit colour? 256 colour mode is still supported by Windows and has nothing to do with the machine code the program used.

 

[andreasaspenberg]

the game is still 16 bit. dark colony run either in 8 bit or 16 bit.(there isnt a 32 bit executable.) both games work in 64 bit windows despite being 16 bit because windows somehow upgrades them temporary to 32 bit. therefore it should be possible with installers as well.

 

[Xonok]

the game is still 16 bit. dark colony run either in 8 bit or 16 bit.(there isnt a 32 bit executable.) both games work in 64 bit windows despite being 16 bit because windows somehow upgrades them temporary to 32 bit. therefore it should be possible with installers as well.

I googled this game and you are talking about colors. This has nothing to do with whether the game is coded in 8-bit.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Diablo II also is coded using a low colour (256 colours? 16bit? not sure) and works fine in Windows 7. However Diablo II is a x86 game.

 

[pyf]

Spoiler: Necrobump!

i want to run installers that is 16 bit but where the games themselves is compatible with windows 7. i want to install dark colony so that the cd check works.(requires registry keys.)(cd check is required for hosting.) i also want to install star wars force commander but i have the same problem there.[...]

Play Star Wars: Force Commander on your modern PC
May the Fo... errr, I mean Good luck.

Fyi, there are other fan-made installers for some legacy LucasArts games.

It seems LucasArts' 16-bit installers were based on Installshield 3.x.
VOGONS • View topic - Star Wars Force Commander

Please read also:
ReactOS Website • View topic - Installing 32-bit programs with 16-bit setup launcher stubs

since star wars force commander is direct 3d only

Maybe yes, maybe no:
Star Wars: Force Commander for Windows (2000) Tech Info - MobyGames

 

[pyf]

Spoiler: Necrobump!

For those who care, here are free alternate installers for a few old LucasArts games:
- Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
- Star Wars Episode I: Racer
- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3D
- Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance
- Star Wars: X-Wing Collector Series - X-Wing 95
- Star Wars: X-Wing Collector Series - TIE Fighter 95
- Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter
- Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter - Balance of Power

Quoting their developer Markus Egger, "these installers help getting the games installed on modern (64 bit) OS. They can, however, not alleviate problems that are caused by evolutionary changes to DirectX, graphics card hardware and graphics drivers."


While I am at it, here is also one for both Jedi Knight and/or Mysteries of the Sith:
JK Hub - [Project: Jedi Knight Alternate Installer]


Many other alternate, third party installers for various games from various developers, can be found here:
SHP Forums • View topic - Non-Sierra Installers and Patches