Original RA2/YR CDs vs. Windows 10

[Plok 323]

Some of you who have the original 2000/2001 discs of Red Alert 2 and Yuri's Revenge may have noticed that the setup executable refuses to run on Windows 10 (at least the 64-bit version).

 

I have attempted to go around it, which involves some registry file fiddling and manual file extraction, and it seems to work as far as installation goes, but I still can't get the games to work.

 

Please note that the registry files have my own directory set because I didn't have the time to seek out and test how to do the CurrentFolder method. The procedure does tell you how to change that.

 

With that said, here's a copy of my post from CnC-Comm:

 

You will need these registry files (will explain in the installation process): http://www.mediafire.com/download/muay17saabwan3b/PW_RA2YR_regadd.zip

 

PART 1: RED ALERT 2 (VANILLA)

1) Insert either the Allied or the Soviet RA2 disc.

2) Go to the INSTALL folder and copy its content to a folder that will be your RA2 directory.

3) In the INSTALL folder, open Game1.cab with WinRAR and extract its content in your RA2 directory.

4) In my registry file ZIP, place one file inside your RA2 directory:

 

-- if you have a 32-bit system, use PW_RA2_regadd32.reg

-- if you have a 64-bit system, use PW_RA2_regadd64.reg

---- Do NOT run them yet.

 

5) Open your file (whichever it is) with Notepad.

6) Wherever you see "InstallPath", place your RA2 directory path, which is different from mine.

-- IMPORTANT NOTE: When you want to make a \ mark to indicate moving from one folder to another, make two \\ 's. Do not forget to do so.

 

7) In the one entry that says "Serial", replace "INSERT SERIAL" with your serial number from your RA2 box without the dashes.

8 ) Save the registry file and run it. Click OK.

9) Patch RA2 to 1.006. Here's the link to all languages: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/80c7bs0qtycs7/Red_Alert_2_patches

 

You have now installed Red Alert 2. I haven't been able to get it to run, so you're kinda on your own there.

 

 

PART 2: YURI'S REVENGE

 

1) Insert the YR disc.

2) Go to the INSTALL folder and copy its content to your RA2 directory.

3) In the INSTALL folder, open Game1.cab (you don't need the others, the first one will extract files from all of them despite the error messages) with WinRAR and extract its content in your RA2 directory.

4) In my registry file ZIP, place one file inside your RA2 directory:

 

-- if you have a 32-bit system, use PW_YR_regadd32.reg

-- if you have a 64-bit system, use PW_YR_regadd64.reg

 

5) Open your file (whichever it is) with Notepad.

6) Wherever you see "InstallPath", place your RA2 directory path, which is different from mine.

-- IMPORTANT NOTE: When you want to make a \ mark to indicate moving from one folder to another, make two \\ 's. Do not forget to do so.

 

7) In the one entry that says "Serial", replace "INSERT SERIAL" with your serial number from your YR box without the dashes.

8 ) Save the registry file and run it. Click OK.

9) Patch YR to 1.001. Here's the link to all languages: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/ai5r75v8eo6yl/Yuri's_Revenge_patches

 

You have now installed Yuri's Revenge. I haven't gotten far with it either.

 

Please tell me where things are going wrong and how to set up the games themselves. A hint may lie in this link, but it may not work for you: http://cnc-comm.com/community/index.php?topic=4296.msg31975#msg31975

Edited August 31, 2015 by Plokite_Wolf

[Elearen 0]

When you say the games don't work, how do you mean?

 

This is what I get: The process starts up but does not generate a window and just hangs. Note the massive CPU usage but negligible RAM usage.

 

 

I've discovered that this is due to Microsoft - the copy protection driver that RA2 / YR uses, present in 98 all the way to 8.1, was removed in Windows 10.

 

Of the three versions of RA2/YR (original / TFD / ultimate), only the original game is stuck with this issue. The community TFD patch installs a NoCD bypassing the protection, and the ultimate edition has a new launcher through Origin. People trying to use mods based on syringe / ARES and the original exes (eg C&C Reloaded) also seem to have this issue (me!).

 

Looking for a fix

[Plok 323]

Well, pretty much the existing-in-Task-Manager-but-doing-nothing for YR and appearing-in-Task-Manager-then-inexplicably-vanishing for RA2.

 

I also have TFD, but I would really like to invest time and effort to save the original discs, as some people don't have the luxury of re-purchasing the games through TFD or TUC. And because I prefer the discs

 

As I've said on CnC-Comm, before I decided to reinstall the games, I could somehow run YR by combining the C&C Graphics Patcher, ddwrapper and a manual aqrit.cfg editing according to user RedSigma, but it was pretty choppy.

[Plok 323]

Progress has been made by installing XWIS' multiplayer-only clients and placing the SP maps and movie files for both RA2 and YR.

 

Also discovered driver re-enabling methods here (make sure you actually have secdrv.sys in system32): https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3086255

[Nyerguds 100]

Apparently you can copy it over from earlier Windows versions.

[Plok 323]

Some ****s filed a DMCA against my registry-adding files on Mediafire and the file is now suspended.

[tak21 0]

@Plokite_Wolf: can you please make the reg files available again? I am mooving an old w7 PC to my new w10 laptop and would really like to play RA2 again. I only own the original CD set.

[Plok 323]

I'm considering some alternatives to upload the file to. Will get back to you.

[Doctor Destiny 41]

I can host them if you want me to. Just send them over and I'll drop them on my webserver and give you the links.

[Plok 323]

Okay, I've managed to fully bypass the issue.

 

 

1) Get XWIS' Red Alert 2 multiplayer distribution: http://xwis.net/downloads/Red-Alert-2-Multiplayer.exe

2) Get XWIS' Yuri's Revenge multiplayer distribution: http://xwis.net/downloads/Yuris-Revenge-Multiplayer.exe

3) Install both.

4) From your RA2 Allied disc, copy multi.mix, theme.mix, maps01.mix and movies01.mix to your RA2 directory.

5) From your RA2 Soviet disc, copy maps02.mix and movies02.mix to your RA2 directory.

6) From your YR disc, copy multimd.mix, thememd.mix, maps03md.mix and mov03md.mix to your RA2 directory.

7) Download and apply the XWIS RA2 Windows 8/10 fix. You may use the WinXP SP3 compatibility mode instead of the Win7 one: http://xwis.net/forums/index.php/topic/182360-cc-red-alert-2-windows-8-windows-10-fix/

8) Download and apply the XWIS YR Windows 8/10 fix. You may use the WinXP SP3 compatibility mode instead of the Win7 one: http://xwis.net/forums/index.php/topic/182482-cc-yuris-revenge-windows-8-windows-10-fix/

9) Configure your resolution in ra2.ini and ra2md.ini for RA2 and YR respectively.

10) Launch the games from game.exe and gamemd.exe. No disc required.

 

 

Makes the discs mostly useless except for a few files for now, but it works.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Plokite_Wolf

[Doctor Destiny 41]

This all seems like too much work. I guess I'll just run the **** in virtualbox....

[Plok 323]

Less work than you actually think. Beats my original solution any time.

 

Besides, TFD and TUC users should have less trouble installing.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Plokite_Wolf

[Plok 323]

Further testing....

 

 

With SafeDisc possibly disabled, the setup executables for Tiberian Sun, Firestorm and Yuri's Revenge work from the discs. Why Red Alert 2 doesn't, I can't figure out...

[Chico008 0]

Hi, links to download the files seems to be down

where can i get these again ?

[Plok 323]

Use these guides instead.

https://cncnz.com/features/technical-support-help-guides/installing-command-conquer-red-alert-2/

https://cncnz.com/features/technical-support-help-guides/installing-command-conquer-red-alert-2-yuris-revenge/