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Old 14-12-20, 05:00   #1
jcdbm
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Default Installing and Modding Tomb Raider on Windows XP 32-bit

Hi, I've been trying to get a fully working version of Tomb Raider 1 on my old Windows XP laptop, specifically the TombATI version. It works perfectly fine on my more modern Windows 10 computer but I get an initialization error when running the exact same files on the Windows XP laptop. I wanted to check here to see if TombATI was 64-bit or Windows Vista and later.

I also wanted to know how I would be able to apply mods to either the DOS version, or if it is possible. The DOS version seems to read the DATA folder from the CD because I have to mount it on DOSBox, and I don't see a DATA folder (where I would normally put modded level files) in the Tomb Raider installation directory.

As a side note, I've tried installing using the the older version of XP that requires VDM Sound. I'm not a fan of having to install VDMSound, I'd prefer to stick with a version where the files are on my drive and I can apply various mods.

(Wasn't sure if this belonged in Technical Support or Tomb Raider)

Last edited by jcdbm; 21-12-20 at 03:52.
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Old 14-12-20, 13:24   #2
gidierre
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replying to question #2 how I would be able to apply mods to either the DOS version, sure it can be done before mounting the cue/bin image, be it manually or using my installer
see these screenshots taken after applying a couple of mods, first of a balloon-carrying Lara (or of a Lara-carrying balloon) and then one sporting the intervention of the deferent TRII butler

https://postimg.cc/K1MzxBJ3
https://postimg.cc/3WTbBTPs
https://postimg.cc/vDb3nvnM

it inevitably takes some work to rebuild the proper image unless you prefer to burn each time a cd-rw with the modded stuff
as briefy hinted at here
https://www.tombraiderforums.com/sho...postcount=1031
https://www.tombraiderforums.com/sho...postcount=1034
https://www.tombraiderforums.com/sho...postcount=1036


as for the sidenote, that installer, by Bokkie iirc, will surely require either VDMSound,
or else SoundFx (which is now freeware & open source too):
http://www.softsystem.co.uk/products/soundfx.htm
for soundblaster emulation to work.
Nothing to worry about that.

Last edited by gidierre; 14-12-20 at 17:19.
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Old 14-12-20, 18:35   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jcdbm View Post
Hi, I've been trying to get a fully working version of Tomb Raider 1 on my old Windows XP laptop, specifically the TombATI version. It works perfectly fine on my more modern Windows 10 computer but I get an initialization error when running the exact same files on the Windows XP laptop. I wanted to check here to see if TombATI was 64-bit or Windows Vista and later.

I also wanted to know how I would be able to apply mods to either the DOS version, or if it is possible. The DOS version seems to read the DATA folder from the CD because I have to mount it on DOSBox, and I don't see a DATA folder (where I would normally put modded level files) in the Tomb Raider installation directory.

As a side note, I've tried installing using the the older version of XP that requires VDM Sound. I'm not a fan of having to install VDMSound, I'd prefer to stick with a version where the files are on my drive and I can apply various mods.

(Wasn't sure if this belonged in Technical Support or Tomb Raider)
Hi,

the idea behind TombATI was, to get it to run on modern systems. Windows XP doesn't necessarily count as that, I'm afraid.

The binary is a 32-bit executable (and the magic happens in a 32-bit dll), but the DLL is compiled using the Windows 7 SDK (as per https://github.com/Glidos/glrage), and is therefore not compatible with Windows XP. If you need Windows XP support, you can try to build it yourself, but I'm not sure if that's even possible.
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Old 15-12-20, 21:18   #4
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Originally Posted by ANoDE View Post
Hi,

the idea behind TombATI was, to get it to run on modern systems. Windows XP doesn't necessarily count as that, I'm afraid.

The binary is a 32-bit executable (and the magic happens in a 32-bit dll), but the DLL is compiled using the Windows 7 SDK (as per https://github.com/Glidos/glrage), and is therefore not compatible with Windows XP. If you need Windows XP support, you can try to build it yourself, but I'm not sure if that's even possible.
What a shame. The TombATI version would be my first choice, but it seems I won't be able to run it on my Windows XP machine.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gidierre View Post
replying to question #2 how I would be able to apply mods to either the DOS version, sure it can be done before mounting the cue/bin image, be it manually or using my installer
see these screenshots taken after applying a couple of mods, first of a balloon-carrying Lara (or of a Lara-carrying balloon) and then one sporting the intervention of the deferent TRII butler

https://postimg.cc/K1MzxBJ3
https://postimg.cc/3WTbBTPs
https://postimg.cc/vDb3nvnM

it inevitably takes some work to rebuild the proper image unless you prefer to burn each time a cd-rw with the modded stuff
as briefy hinted at here
https://www.tombraiderforums.com/sho...postcount=1031
https://www.tombraiderforums.com/sho...postcount=1034
https://www.tombraiderforums.com/sho...postcount=1036

as for the sidenote, that installer, by Bokkie iirc, will surely require either VDMSound,
or else SoundFx (which is now freeware & open source too):
http://www.softsystem.co.uk/products/soundfx.htm
for soundblaster emulation to work.
Nothing to worry about that.
I don't think I would mind looking into creating my own .BIN and .CUE files with desired mods and settling on the DOSBox 3dfx version of Tomb Raider as a last choice.

My desire to not use the VDMSound install of Tomb Raider is from that I am trying to create a "portable" copy of Tomb Raider, i.e. ran in a desired directory without having to run installer executables and process, and having the game as "independent" as possible (I'm going to reformat my computer and want to simply drag and drop my previous game onto it). Also, I'm trying to have the files on my local drive if I am running a Windows version of Tomb Raider.

Currently I'm messing around between a Tomb Raider DOS 3dfx patch I found online and the GOG DOSBox version of Tomb Raider. The first just replaces the TOMB.EXE but for some reason does not ask for a glide2x.ovl or .dll, so I cannot apply a corrected gamma fix. With the second one, I'm trying to figure out the file structure to see how I replace the DOSBox packaged from GOG with my own DOSBox ECE version and glide2x.dll with corrected gamma.

Is there no other version of Tomb Raider (other than the VDMSound and Advanced Installer version) than can run on Windows XP as a Windows application? If so, I will have to figure it out with DOSBox.

Last edited by jcdbm; 15-12-20 at 21:37.
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Old 15-12-20, 23:07   #5
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Originally Posted by jcdbm View Post
..specifically the TombATI version. It works perfectly fine on my more modern Windows 10 computer but I get an initialization error when running the exact same files on the Windows XP laptop.
I suppose you already tried out Compatibility mode to no avail
have you already poked your way around in the thick forest of nVida modded inf/driver trees and branches? Over the years they sometimes made wonders for me, sometimes... not quite.
I can't tell about TombATI, I'm not so sure it should be so hopelessly incompatible with XP and Vista, 32bit and 64bit, it ought to be fully tested.

Quote:
I don't think I would mind looking into creating my own .BIN and .CUE files with desired mods and settling on the DOSBox 3dfx version of Tomb Raider as a last choice.
right
last, and first?
the examples I made iirc only needed playing with a few modded *.phd files

Quote:
My desire to not use the VDMSound install of Tomb Raider is from that I am trying to create a "portable" copy of Tomb Raider, i.e. ran in a desired directory ..., and having the game as "independent" as possible (.... want to simply drag and drop my previous game onto it). Also, I'm trying to have the files on my local drive if I am running a Windows version of Tomb Raider.
I hear you, check everything
about the same reasons/features I made my installer for in the first place

you don't need to mind my advice, but
the hardest way I can think of though is to go frankenstein and mess with gog packages, dosbox branches, etc. quod Deus avertat
I am still convinced I was right in having my own relatively straightforward arrangement, before Gog TRI or ECE ever existed and also before considering concocting whatever installer tool.

Quote:
Is there no other version of Tomb Raider (other than the VDMSound and Advanced Installer version) than can run on Windows XP as a Windows application?
well, I see you're still talking about Bokkie's Advanced Installer
(w/VDMSound & dgVoodoo v1.x, unfortunately and sadly deprecated for years now as of Windows Vista and later & 64bit) having little to do with my own one which
can and hopefully will run on Windows XP as a Win32 application, both x86 and x64 versions.

Last edited by gidierre; 16-12-20 at 00:19.
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Old 16-12-20, 06:09   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gidierre View Post
I suppose you already tried out Compatibility mode to no avail
have you already poked your way around in the thick forest of nVida modded inf/driver trees and branches? Over the years they sometimes made wonders for me, sometimes... not quite.
I can't tell about TombATI, I'm not so sure it should be so hopelessly incompatible with XP and Vista, 32bit and 64bit, it ought to be fully tested.
I am not opposed to perusing through the nVidia drivers but I wouldn't really know where to start. I was actually using Windows XP x64 Professional until I realized that my laptop was not supported with 64-bit XP and things such as sound wouldn't work. So my current Windows XP exists as a result of meeting a lot of dead ends and giving in to what works easiest.

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Originally Posted by gidierre View Post
right
last, and first?
the examples I made iirc only needed playing with a few modded *.phd files
Yes, I'm planning to install a mod that adds Lara's braids, replaces PC Uzi sound with PSX Uzi sound, and some music fixes. I haven't looked into it yet but I think what I'd end up doing is to extract the CD image, replace the files with the modded ones, and then build a new .BIN/.CUE from that, and try running it.. this is if I end up using the DOSBox approach.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gidierre View Post
you don't need to mind my advice, but
the hardest way I can think of though is to go frankenstein and mess with gog packages, dosbox branches, etc. quod Deus avertat
I am in agreement with you here, except that for many other games (such as RollerCoaster Tycoon, Rayman, etc.) I have done precisely this! It has allowed me to find and match rare versions and no CD patches for various games... so I am altogether very used to it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gidierre View Post
I am still convinced I was right in having my own relatively straightforward arrangement, before Gog TRI or ECE ever existed and also before considering concocting whatever installer tool.

well, I see you're still talking about Bokkie's Advanced Installer
(w/VDMSound & dgVoodoo v1.x, unfortunately and sadly deprecated for years now as of Windows Vista and later & 64bit) having little to do with my own one which
can and hopefully will run on Windows XP as a Win32 application, both x86 and x64 versions.
My apologies: I feel stupid because I have just realized I have equated/confused your installer with Bokkie's Advanced Installer. When I have time to work on my Tomb Raider install, I will have to find and try your installer firstly.

Last edited by jcdbm; 16-12-20 at 06:12.
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Old 16-12-20, 12:27   #7
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Originally Posted by jcdbm View Post
I am not opposed to perusing through the nVidia drivers but I wouldn't really know where to start. I was actually using Windows XP x64 Professional...
ouch
WinXP + Pro + 64bit is far from the best combo as far as gaming is concerned, I'm sorry to remark, 32bit/Home would do for games
otherwise it's a bit like repeating the WinNT vs. Win9x pattern
especially about the gfx driver paraphernalia
for the record I wasn't referring to "regular" nVidia drivers, anyway, all this ought to searched on those sites dedicated to modded nVidia inf's which obv. nVidia wouldn't support, even if most are dependable enough and could be rolled back if needed, the thing is it's a long trial and error process, and fruitless most of the times

and btw your other thread here, the one about TRII, seems quite alike, gfx driver issues to meddle with and hope...
unfortunately it's always something to deal with on a case-by-case basis

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Originally Posted by jcdbm View Post
Yes, I'm planning to install a mod ... I think what I'd end up doing is to extract the CD image, replace the files with the modded ones, and then build a new .BIN/.CUE from that
exactly
keep the bin/cue format or creating an iso will have you lose the sound tracks

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcdbm View Post
I am in agreement with you here, except that for many other games (such as RollerCoaster Tycoon, Rayman, etc.) I have done precisely this! It has allowed me to find and match rare versions and no CD patches for various games
sure, when it's about different games, other than this TRI, then such a tortured path is the most practical way


Quote:
Originally Posted by jcdbm View Post
My apologies: I feel stupid because I have just realized I have equated/confused your installer with Bokkie's Advanced Installer
nothing to be apologizing about
in case this is the latest link to it:
https://www.tombraiderforums.com/sho...d.php?t=166520

it should fit in with all Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, 10^2 (?)
and x86/x64 versions
let me know if you try it.

Last edited by gidierre; 16-12-20 at 20:48.
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Old 20-12-20, 03:48   #8
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I used your installer and now am able to run Tomb Raider via DOSBox. Strangely, when I try to use the provided Play .exe's, the command prompt initializes then shuts off because says that no valid Tomb Raider install was detected on the computer. Otherwise it runs great. I am able to "uninstall" it from the Control Panel Programs list and have a "portable" directory working as intended. I choose the nGlide installation option and copy-paste glide2x.dll from C:\Windows\System32 into the game's directory.

Now onto creating a modded .BIN and .CUE: If I try to edit the existing .BIN and .CUE file by replacing DATA files with modded ones, the tool I am using (AnyBurn) is unable to create. If I build new image from extracted files, I am able to build a new .BIN file but it seems the .CUE file is not being created properly and sound becomes distorted if I mount using imgmount .cue -t cdrom. The new .BIN seems to work without any music when I use imgmount .cue -t iso. I took a brief look online and had trouble finding an exact solution, do you have any advice?

Edit: I found one issue with my Tomb Raider installation -- every time I alt-tab out of my Tomb Raider DOSBox, the DOSBox crashes instantly. I decided to try making a Frankenstein Tomb Raider directory using the files from the installation, DOSBox ECE files replacing DOSBox files, and GOG Tomb Raider install's glide2x.dll and .ovl. It works perfectly well except that I see a black screen with graphical glitches on the very top when I view the inventory from both Caves and Lara's Home levels. Do you have any idea what may be causing this graphic glitch? I'm not too knowledge on the particular modified version of DOSBox that the installation provided, but if I could get that crashing to fix, I wouldn't need to use ECE as a workaround.

Last edited by jcdbm; 20-12-20 at 06:46.
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Old 20-12-20, 15:53   #9
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Originally Posted by jcdbm View Post
Strangely, when I try to use the provided Play .exe's, the command prompt initializes then shuts off because says that no valid Tomb Raider install was detected on the computer
not quite strange: the no valid install detected msg generally pops up if you don't have at the time the TRI cdrom physically present in the drive (if it's the cdrom version you're using, if it's a different edition, the issue and solution may be different).
This check of course is only implemented the very first time you install, after which you can extract the cdrom and it won't ever search for it again.

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Originally Posted by jcdbm View Post
I choose the nGlide installation option and copy-paste glide2x.dll from C:\Windows\System32 into the game's directory.
actually that's a bit of overkill
after nGlide has been set up it knows where to find its dll, there's no use in moving the dll
expanding on it a bit, iirc it's about one WinXP 64bit architecture you have there right?, so the C:\Windows\System32 path is still there, but automatically superseded by the SysWOW64 folder arrangement
https://www.howtogeek.com/326509/wha...rs-in-windows/
so minding "old" x86 System32 parallel folder is a moot point there
at any rate nothing wrong happened with that operation, just a useless duplication, 90% of the times unconsequential (sometimes conflicts may arise )

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcdbm View Post
Now onto creating a modded .BIN and .CUE: If I try to edit the existing .BIN and .CUE file by replacing DATA files with modded ones, the tool I am using (AnyBurn) is unable to create. If I build new image from extracted files, I am able to build a new .BIN file but it seems the .CUE file is not being created properly and sound becomes distorted if I mount using imgmount .cue -t cdrom. The new .BIN seems to work without any music when I use imgmount .cue -t iso.
trouble with iso format is it will fail to retain the info that cue/bin have on sound tracks
now TRI disc is mixed-mode (data + cd-audio) so to have music you need a mixed-mode disc (its proper image being in cue/bin format). In Windows generally a cue/bin image shows no trace of audio tracks, still they're there (if the cue sheet has been done right by the burning software, or manually by the user )

Now creating a correct image from this cdrom type afaict doesn't require a particular tool to make it right, the reverse (from extracted or modded files & folders to the right cue/bin image and/or eventual right burned disc) is a different matter and surely not all cd/dvd burning applications can do the trick flawlessy
I forget if last time I'd been using Nero or maybe ImgBurn, but I guess it was one of these that I made the image with. AnyBurn I'm not sure about, but probably will only get you an iso.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcdbm View Post
one issue with my Tomb Raider installation -- every time I alt-tab out of my Tomb Raider DOSBox, the DOSBox crashes instantly. I decided to try making a Frankenstein Tomb Raider directory using the files from the installation, DOSBox ECE files replacing DOSBox files, and GOG Tomb Raider install's glide2x.dll and .ovl. ... graphical glitches on the very top when I view the inventory from both Caves and Lara's Home levels..... Do you have any idea what may be causing this graphic glitch? I'm not too knowledge on the particular modified version of DOSBox that the installation provided, but if I could get that crashing to fix, I wouldn't need to use ECE as a workaround.
Now wait a minute
thou shalt not alt+tab out of a TRI dosbox session scot-free, ever

if you want to exit quick to do it right (aside from ingame menus of course) you'll just Ctrl+F9 out if it, period
if you're after freezing game & getting back to it later, you don't!
You save, exit and then reload

also, I wouldn't bother to mix any file as nondescript as can be from different versions of the same program, be it ECE or vanilla 0.72 or 0.73 or 0.74, whatever, just don't
a host of gfx glitches is absolutely easy to foresee in these cases, and I don't even see any good reason to do that anyway

Last edited by gidierre; 20-12-20 at 16:30.
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Old 21-12-20, 03:50   #10
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Originally Posted by gidierre View Post
actually that's a bit of overkill
after nGlide has been set up it knows where to find its dll, there's no use in moving the dll
expanding on it a bit, iirc it's about one WinXP 64bit architecture you have there right?, so the C:\Windows\System32 path is still there, but automatically superseded by the SysWOW64 folder arrangement
https://www.howtogeek.com/326509/wha...rs-in-windows/
so minding "old" x86 System32 parallel folder is a moot point there
at any rate nothing wrong happened with that operation, just a useless duplication, 90% of the times unconsequential (sometimes conflicts may arise )
I should have clarified, it is for personal reason: this is because I am trying to create a "portable" installation so that I can simply copy my current Tomb Raider folder once I reformat my XP 32-bit computer. I am also using nGlide for Rayman 2 and I don't want it to conflict with Tomb Raider's .dll, so this is why I am moving it to the installation directory (which I also have moved to C:\Documents and Settings\User\My Documents\My Games\Tomb Raider after installing it in C:\Tombraider).

Quote:
Originally Posted by gidierre View Post
trouble with iso format is it will fail to retain the info that cue/bin have on sound tracks
now TRI disc is mixed-mode (data + cd-audio) so to have music you need a mixed-mode disc (its proper image being in cue/bin format). In Windows generally a cue/bin image shows no trace of audio tracks, still they're there (if the cue sheet has been done right by the burning software, or manually by the user )

Now creating a correct image from this cdrom type afaict doesn't require a particular tool to make it right, the reverse (from extracted or modded files & folders to the right cue/bin image and/or eventual right burned disc) is a different matter and surely not all cd/dvd burning applications can do the trick flawlessy
I forget if last time I'd been using Nero or maybe ImgBurn, but I guess it was one of these that I made the image with. AnyBurn I'm not sure about, but probably will only get you an iso.
Yes, I am finding it difficult to try to either 1. expand an existing Mixed Mode CD's data (by replacing DATA files with modded ones) or 2. rip the audio from the Mixed Mode CD, extract the files from .BIN, replace the DATA files with modded ones, and then rebuild a Mixed Mode CD with the new files + extracted audio. I downloaded ImgBurn but it doesn't seem to support the functionality, and it seems Nero is pay-only. I thought this would be the easier part of the process.. I was mistaken.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gidierre View Post
Now wait a minute
thou shalt not alt+tab out of a TRI dosbox session scot-free, ever

if you want to exit quick to do it right (aside from ingame menus of course) you'll just Ctrl+F9 out if it, period
if you're after freezing game & getting back to it later, you don't!
You save, exit and then reload

also, I wouldn't bother to mix any file as nondescript as can be from different versions of the same program, be it ECE or vanilla 0.72 or 0.73 or 0.74, whatever, just don't
a host of gfx glitches is absolutely easy to foresee in these cases, and I don't even see any good reason to do that anyway
I agree, I just wanted to try to make it work out of stubbornness. I was using DOSBox ECE for all of my games but Tomb Raider, and have switched back to using the official releases. I do think it's incredible that I got it to work smoothly minus that screen glitch, but in the end I am staying with the DOSBox from your installer (which now I believe is the most stable and straightforward for Tomb Raider on XP). I am now planning to see if I can replace DOSBox ECE for Grand Theft Auto and its London expansions with the DOSBox Glide Patch (I really like to have same/similar version of DOSBox across my games, and like to have separate versions running per game instead of using one directory of DOSBox. Not entirely logical, I know).

P.S. Somehow my DOSBox alt-tab crashing issue fixed itself. I didn't do much besides organizing the .conf file to make it more human-legible. And all my other instances of DOSBox do not freeze when I alt-tab, so I find Thou shalt not alt-tab to be a completely new concept!

Last edited by jcdbm; 21-12-20 at 03:55.
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