Tutorial : How to run Grim Fandango on WinXP!!

[Wikingus]

Now it works the same as before I applied the patch (thanks for the .zip!). I get to the loading screen and then I get a CTD. Didn't help.

[Stridoca]

have you tried windows 98 compatibility?

[Wikingus]

Yeah. No effect.

[Stridoca]

Yeah. No effect.

 

are you running WinXP Pro SP2? you should try on another computer too, maybe your cd files are corrupted

 

add me @ msn : stridocarox@hotmail.com

[musicpete]

Hi everybody! Thank you for the hints and tips in this thread! Helped me a lot to find a personal way to install GF. Unfortunately the thread got a little confusing and I thought I'd contribute something (to give something back to all GF lovers). Here is a surefire and totally easy way to install and run Grim Fandango on XP SP2. It worked for me and was a bit easier than the convoluted process described above:

 

1) Download the official 1.01 update and the launcher utility and save them somewhere. Have the original installation discs ready. Make sure you have at least 1.2GB of free space on the hard drive where you want to install the game.

 

2) Restart Windows and enter "safe mode" by pressing F8 during booting (after the BIOS screen disappears).

 

3) Insert disc 1 and install the game normally to any folder of your liking. Remove all discs from your CD-ROM, then apply the 1.01 update. Then restart the computer, but this time let it start the regular Windows interface.

 

4) Find the launcher utility you downloaded earlier. Extract the contents of the .zip file to the folder where you installed the game in step 3.

 

5) Start the launcher and select "? Options" (it's on the bottom of the window). A new window opens. Select "Run Grim from hard drive". A box will appear and ask you to insert disc 1. Follow the instructions and let it copy disc 1 and 2 to the hard drive.

 

6) When all files have been copied, you can close the options window. Choose one of the starting options from the top of the launcher menu. Have fun!

 

Note: When starting the game in window mode, it may complain about not finding a disc in your CD-ROM drive. Just click "Cancel" a few times and you will be able to play normally.

[humberx]

stridoca's solution works fine with me...i didn't play so long so i dont know if it is going to crash somewhere but i hope it'll be fine...

 

i want to add one more thing: for those who dont want that brazilian menu, paste the files in the zipped patch except "GRIM.TAB"...thats the file that change the menus language...

[blizzardwolf]

Okay, I seem to be having a unique problem with Grim Fandango. It installs for me under XP just fine, and I can get the patch applied as well, and when I go to run it the game starts just fine, but it always crashes and refuses to progress at the exact same spot: the moment in Manny's office during the intro video when the pipe behind him is about to explode. (I've never played this before, so I don't know if that's when actual gameplay kicks in or what)

 

I've tried the copy and paste method outlined above, and no luck. My processors don't run hyperthreading. Just the same, since I run a dual-core, I tried disabling one of the CPU's, and still no luck. I've also tried running the game in Windows 98 compatibility, and downloading different copies of the .iso, hoping that maybe it's just some corrupt data. But it's still running into the exact same problem no matter what I do.

 

I really want to play this game, but Windows apparently thinks otherwise. Can anyone help me?

[Bonedagger]

Okay, I seem to be having a unique problem with Grim Fandango. It installs for me under XP just fine, and I can get the patch applied as well, and when I go to run it the game starts just fine, but it always crashes and refuses to progress at the exact same spot: the moment in Manny's office during the intro video when the pipe behind him is about to explode. (I've never played this before, so I don't know if that's when actual gameplay kicks in or what)

 

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Ok so that's exactly whats been happening with me too and I tried everything I could find until I started doing things on my own. So try the following:

 

Run it in 98 compatibility mode.

Start the game as normal with all hardware acceleration turned up to full.

Run the game as normal (I am using version 1.0.0.1)

As soon as the intro starts press F1 and select options.

In the options menu turn the 3D hardware acceleration on.

And after the pipe explodes you should be in the game but you may notice that Manny's suit looks a little messy with the graphics so to fix this press Alt+tab and return to the desktop and alter your graphics acceleration to 3 out of 6:

(Display properties / Settings / Advanced /Troubleshoot)

Click apply and then maximise the program to full screen.

Now it should be playable and you're on your way!

You may need to repeat this procedure everytime you want to play the game.

(I am currently running it from CD alone so the next trick for me will be installing the full version and tweaking it here and there)

Good luck and enjoy!!!

 

PS Let me know if it works for you!

[sebekm]

A few weeks ago I tried installing and running GF on my new (one year old) system (MPC ClientPro 385 /w Intel Core2 Duo processor-2.40GHZ, 4MB cache, 1066 FSB; 4GB RAM, 160GB HDD (2x80 w/RAID controller); ATI Radeon X1650PRO 512 MB PCIE video card; Creative Soundblaster Audigy SE sound card; running Windows XP Pro w/SP3). Initially, I couldn't install the game from the CDs I purchased way back when. When that problem was solved, the game wouldn't run without freezing up after about five minutes or so (video freeze/audio stuttering). I eventually solved these problems and just finished running the game from start to finish with no problems whatsoever. Since my solutions were a combination of suggestions found by searching the internet and my own trial and error, I thought I'd post what worked for me - as it seems that lots of folks are discovering this game and trying to play it on their newer systems.

 

1. The solution to the install problem was to download and install the Grim Fandango replacement setup and installer program from:

http://quick.mixnmojo.com/grim-fandango-setup

Once this program was installed, I was able to install the entire game on my hard drive with no problems.

 

2. When I tried to run the game, I encountered the above described freezes and audio stuttering. I found that setting the game's properties in Win XP's compatibility mode to: "Windows NT 4.0 (Service Pack 5)," and then setting the game's 3d Hardware Acceleration to "OFF" through the game's Options Menu provided the best results - although the freezes/stuttering continued. (Note: I tried running the game in both Windows 95 and Windows 98/ Windows ME compatibility modes, but both of these settings produced an inferior "scratchy" audio, and degraded video.)

 

3. More internet searching led me to a web page titled "Game Issues with Multiproccessor/Hyperthreading Systems" at:

http://www16.brinkster.com/salvage/thief/darkengine.htm

I followed the instructions on this page for the "permanent way" to fix the problem (the temporary fix didn't work for me). This consisted of downloading imagecfg and unzipping it to the two folders specified; creating processor.bat per the instructions; saving processor.bat to the game directory; copying a backup of grimfandango.exe to a different directory (just in case); and then modifying grimfandango.exe in the game directory with processor.bat.

 

Once I did this the game ran like a charm - no hangs, no problems with any of the puzzles (although the elevator puzzle and the crane/chain puzzle were a bit "twitchy" - just the same as when I ran the game on my older systems). But the graphics, sound, and everything else was spectacular. I've kept the compatibility mode set to "Windows NT 4.0 (Service Pack 5)," and the hardware acceleration set to "OFF" in the game's Options Menu.

 

Hope this information helps anybody having problems running the game on their XP system. Good luck!

[kimzeey]

hi i went through the first thread on here because i found that the screen would have fuzzy lines across it when playing , i changed the hardware to windows and then it had fuzzy lines across just the one character.

I went through the first thread did everything successfully loaded up the game and it was still like this apart from the fact that it is now in a different language , i don't know what to do please help

p.s. sry for the bad descriptions i am no good with technicality

[Gurges]

Buenos dias fellow adventure gaming fans! In honor of another one of my favorite games of all time I decided to help resurrect this classic from the Land of the Dead and back onto everyone’s computer screen. This game is thankfully much easier to run than its Dos companions since it’s a Windows native program. But before you search through your closet, attic, or basement to find your old copy make sure that you spend a few minutes to know how to get it running.

[williamsmith]

Sounds good to me.

ts really amazing.

[sachashoes]

don't know if this helps anyone and haven't seen it posted before so maybe it's just me, but Win 95 compatability mode worked for me. Windows 98 did not

 

I installed according to instructions up top, but got screen flickering in and out of windows. Still flickered with Win95 but eventually held on loading screen and I could play normally

[wobble7]

Have XP sp3 with a Geforce 9800GT card. Installs OK including the patch. I get the start menu but as the game launches the first graphic appears (Glotis racing on his souped up car) the InstallShield crashes out - I know its the instalshield because when you launch grim.exe directly thats what is running when it dies. Have tried compatability options and disabling the graphics accelerators to no avail. Have downloaded the Grim Fandango launcher 1.5 but made no difference. Downloaded the mixnmojo installer GrimSetup.1.0.exe which includes the souped up launcher and .... still no joy ...

[wobble7]

The game starts on an older XP laptop but locks up not far into it - yet it works fine on a more modern Vista laptop !

[Longcat]

Sounds like a hyperthreading related issue. Have you tried my patch from here:

 

http://lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=195709

[xbox360]

I sometimes get a little obsessed with tasks... missions... quests? I see a goal, and will do whatever it takes to reach some sort of resolution. The hunt is often all consuming and generally pretty ridiculous when framed against larger goals like working, eating, etc, and compared to the level of energy I put into those endeavors (which is not to say that "working" or "eating" haven't themselves been targets of er quests).

 

Grim Fandango is a PC game released in 1998 for Windows only (target OS was Windows 95/98). It's a game I always meant to play. Rave reviews and all that. But I really wanted to get it working on my Macbook. Not sure why, exactly. I have a perfectly fine desktop PC I use for most gaming, and I know it works on that. But, what if I wanted to play Grim Fandango anywhere. Well, then I'd be right out of luck, or so I thought. I honestly can't remember the impulse that shoved me along on this particular quest, but the goal was laid out.

[Longcat]

Yes.... and then what happened?