Running CFS3 in Windows 10: solved for now

Hi,

I can't play CFS3 on my W10 system (portable PC). I am certainly wrong. Can anyone do a list , order of patches to apply? I am stuck in the numerous posts of this thread!

JMC
 
Well I managed to brick my previous computer by installing an Intel SATA driver update that prevented Windows from loading, or even being reinstalled because the drives went dead as soon as window tired to load.

After a day of trying everything I could think of I decided it was time to buy a new prebuilt gaming computer (Ryzen 7 3700X - GTX 2070 Super), and see if there was anything I could salvage off the old home built one.

After a bunch of rerouting their factory installed cable bundles I was able to successfully mount the 3 SSDs from the previous computer, and found that all the user files were essentially intact. The old c drive eventually had to be reformatted once I pulled the CFS3 files off of it, because the remains of the corrupted Windows 10 install were interfering with the new computer's boot cycle.

Surprisingly, the new Win 10 Pro has been able to run CFS3 using the previously working installs without so much as a "Hey, you need to register that first!". I've only had to run MultiCFS3 pointing each install to the copies of the folders I had from the old Appdata\Roaming\Microsoft directory, and then reset ConfigOverrides.xml with CFS3config.exe to recognize the new video card (DeviceID). I'm feeling extremely lucky compared to my last couple of Forced Windows Update disaster recovery efforts (3 in just over a year is way too many to deal with).

Not that I could really afford this right now, but it turns out that in going from a pretty decent for its time I7 7700K - GTX980 system to this one, my typical CFS3 FPS at 3440 x 1440 has risen from the 70s to the 120s. :gameon:
 
I always thought the Win 10 Pro didn't have all the issues the other versions have. Your new rig sounds great!
 
I'm with you Major. Just about ready to get a new gaming pc close to yours. A Ryzen 7 3700x,(liquid cooled),Nvidia Geforce RTX 2080 Ti,32gb ram, 1TB NVME ssd, 1TB ssd and 650w gold psu. Found one cheaper than if i built it myself,( CUK ). Been away for months ,and it's been hard ! Can't wait to see what this new rig will do !!! Nervous to see how Win10 will do with CFS3. Have everything saved on a external ssd so installing shouldn't be too bad.
 
sixstrings5859 said:
I'm with you Major. Just about ready to get a new gaming pc close to yours. A Ryzen 7 3700x,(liquid cooled),Nvidia Geforce RTX 2080 Ti,32gb ram, 1TB NVME ssd, 1TB ssd and 650w gold psu. Found one cheaper than if i built it myself,( CUK ). Been away for months ,and it's been hard ! Can't wait to see what this new rig will do !!! Nervous to see how Win10 will do with CFS3. Have everything saved on a external ssd so installing shouldn't be too bad.
Click to expand...

Yes, My CyberpowerPC Gamer Supreme came with liquid cooling on the CPU as well, and an 800W power supply. The 2080Ti versions they had on sale were going to be $2,400! Mine was still $1,400 before tax. https://www.microcenter.com/product/610246/cyberpowerpc-gamer-supreme-liquid-cool-gaming-computer
 
The gaming rig i talked about was just too costly to get right now with new medical bills . I found a cheaper one that has all the features i need and doesn't break the bank. It should be able to handle all i could throw at it as far as CFS3 and IL-2 '46 is concerned . Here it is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y9J1PT...olid=11MFEKRAGT2L6&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it .About the same price as yours,major ,but without the liquid cooling. Cheers , Scott
 
OK After much reading and unistalling. Like I had posted before I had ETO working but tried to fix the 5 shortcuts and messed all up. So it was running. Starting over I have just reinstalled CFS3 with the 2 updates and set up as in a previous post, but it just comes up to a black screen like it will load but then quits.
Any suggestions..
Thanks
JT


Just wondering how do I know where the 2 updates went. Will they find the correct program????
 
hairyspin said:
Much tweaking and experimentation later, here's the lowdown on CFS3 in Windows 10. My thanks again to Tim (hypercide) for his discovering this.
applause.gif

  1. Install CFS3 from your original CDs (or DVD if you're lucky). Make life easier by not installing to the default folder, use something like C:\CFS3 and avoid UAC problems later. Don't run the sim yet!
  2. Apply the 3.1 and 3.1a patches. Don't run the sim yet!
  3. Replace cfs3.exe with the unmentionable patch but don't run the sim yet!
Now set the patch program's compatibility as shown :–
z10IVKG.jpg
Yes, the program is being set to run in 640x480 display mode and reduced colour. Don't panic! Now run CFS3 and once the sim starts (in ghastly 1998–style graphics) you can set the display resolution and colour depth to suit your system (in my case 1680x1050 and 32-bit colour.) CFS3 will run happily but to exit the program use Control-Shift-Q.With this done you can now use cfs3config.exe (run in XP SP3 compatibility) to set your preferences: disable intro movie, switch off dual-pass render, switch on high resolution z-buffer, the usual suspects. But one thing you must not do is switch on anti-aliasing. If you do there's a crash to desktop every time. If your experience differs, let us know!
Click to expand...
Just noticed your compatablity screen is different than mine. don'y have a disable display scaling
 
Well thought I would try on another PC. This is a new Laptop with just a few programs,. Did all the install stuff and Compatabilty and got the same results no joy. I think its time to just forget it wasted almost 2 days .
 
Well I kept messing and found the program on another drive. It has ETO 1.40 and I can get it to run as it did before I tried to bring back those 5 shortcuts on desktop.
Now the question is how do I reinstall the ETO from scratch. I tried once to copy this install on another drive but that didn't work.

Any help or suggestions????
Thanks,
JT
 
Easy Flier said:
Well I kept messing and found the program on another drive. It has ETO 1.40 and I can get it to run as it did before I tried to bring back those 5 shortcuts on desktop.
Now the question is how do I reinstall the ETO from scratch. I tried once to copy this install on another drive but that didn't work.

Any help or suggestions????
Thanks,
JT
Click to expand...

My suggestion is to copy the install to another drive, then run multicfs3.exe to set up the App Data pathway properly. IIRC that wee program is in the root of the ETO install.

As an interim, to get you flying why don't you take a stock copy of CFS3 and install my upgrade kit? http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforu...grade-package-Version-2?p=1208226#post1208226

Note there is a new link at the bottom of the thread. The upgrade kit has the multicfs3.exe program in it if all else fails!
 
Update found your link in another post and got it to download.
Now the question is when I copy over to the original CFS3 it just move the whole folder makin a new CFS# in the other one not overwriting just duplicating....Getting more cornfused as I go:pop4:
 
After 3 years!

After three years of no CFS3 I have now got it up and running again!

With a new laptop and following Hairyspins advice.

Great to be back!
 
CSF3 vs Win10 in 2020

hairyspin said:
Much tweaking and experimentation later, here's the lowdown on CFS3 in Windows 10. My thanks again to Tim (hypercide) for his discovering this. :applause:


  1. Install CFS3 from your original CDs (or DVD if you're lucky). Make life easier by not installing to the default folder, use something like C:\CFS3 and avoid UAC problems later. Don't run the sim yet!
  2. Apply the 3.1 and 3.1a patches. Don't run the sim yet!
  3. Replace cfs3.exe with the unmentionable patch but don't run the sim yet!



Now set the patch program's compatibility as shown :–


z10IVKG.jpg




Yes, the program is being set to run in 640x480 display mode and reduced colour. Don't panic!

Now run CFS3 and once the sim starts (in ghastly 1998–style graphics) you can set the display resolution and colour depth to suit your system (in my case 1680x1050 and 32-bit colour.) CFS3 will run happily but to exit the program use Control-Shift-Q.

With this done you can now use cfs3config.exe (run in XP SP3 compatibility) to set your preferences: disable intro movie, switch off dual-pass render, switch on high resolution z-buffer, the usual suspects. But one thing you must not do is switch on anti-aliasing. If you do there's a crash to desktop every time.

If your experience differs, let us know!
Click to expand...

Tom/Hairyspin,
I have an HP Pavilion 550-126 desktop system running Windows 10 Home version 10.0.18363 build 18363. I have installed a 2-CD version of MS CombatFlightSimulator3 with files predominantly dated 2/3/03 and csf3.exe version 3.1.030203.01. The CSF3 product runs fine on my older system running Windows XP Pro svcPak 3, but program startup on my Win10 system goes immediately to full black screen for about a second, then exits (no splash screen, no exit message). Presence/absence of CD in drive has no impact. I initially thought that my copy of CSF3 might simply be Win10-incompatible, so went looking (in vain) for a later version. I then searched online for variations on 'csf3 vs win10', where most hits led eventually to SimOutHouse. I have followed most recommendations in this forum thread (install from CDs as admin, install in non-default location, install v3.1 patch, install v3.1a patch, set compatibility WinXP SP2, set 16-bit color, set 640 x 480 resolution, & run as admin). I have been unable to find a copy of the unnamed-but-oft-mentioned other patch. Perhaps I have overlooked something in my reading of the forum thread, or perhaps Windows10 has been updated further (I have accepted numerous updates since installation in Feb 2020) so as to present a new variant of the problem. I would be grateful for any advice/insight.
Thanks,
John
 
Win 10 did away with the service that allows the program to check the CD for a valid license. The program gets to that point in the loading process, can't trigger access to the CD, and closes. The work around is to have a copy of the DVD version that does not require the CD check.
 
CSF3 NoCD Patch

MajorMagee said:
Win 10 did away with the service that allows the program to check the CD for a valid license. The program gets to that point in the loading process, can't trigger access to the CD, and closes. The work around is to have a copy of the DVD version that does not require the CD check.
Click to expand...
Major,
In response to my post, I received a PM from Priller with a link to a site from which to download the noCD patch (a replacement cfs3.exe file, perhaps snipped from a DVD CSF3 installation). I installed the new file, and my CSF3 instance now runs problem-free on my Windows10 system.
Thanks for responding,
John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top