(Re-)Installation Of SH3's basis: V1.4b2020...SH3 has turned 15 years old and still people are posting utter nonsense on the
SuSi-whiners-club and elsewhere, so let us get some things straight ahead:
[1.] Silent Hunter III functions on
all known Windows-versions from XP on. Read that word 'all' as 'any'. Period! It does not matter which sub-version of Windows (home, pro, whatever, 32 or 64 bit), so stop asking! You must only follow our instructions, correct a few settings and use our tools.
[2.] It does NOT matter where you get your SH3-installation files from: from Steam, from an old DVD, from a new DVD, etc. All of them function! You must only follow our instructions, correct a few settings and use our tools.
[3.] All you need is a clean, unmodded (e.g. unchanged) original stock version, the basis: V1.4b. A clean and unmodded stock install (also called "plain vanilla") is the basis for ALL mega-mods for SH3 and here is how to make that, will you just read and follow it please, it is NOT difficult! Really not!
[4.] A word about Ubisoft's Starforce-crap: The first victim of UBI's user-rights-nonsense and DRM was and is the user himself. We have seen their "support" on dealing with Starforce and the issues that came with it. Starforce is NOT compatible with Vista, nor with succeeding Windows-versions, and will not be. It
must be removed. Period. Do not discuss. Do as you are told!
[5.] More and more I got to come to the conclusion that FIEDLER has written much better instructions than my own. I have just read what
he wrote @UBISOFT recently. I have therefore removed my instructions and link to his!
FIEDLER, THANK YOU A LOT!Specific STEAM-instructions:RECOMMENDATION: FIEDLER'S STEAM INSTRUCTIONS ARE @STEAM-FORUMS:
How to run STEAM-SH3-V1.6b-GWX-WIDESCREEN on Win10If you buy it on STEAM the Steam-Launcher installs it for you automatically.
Spoiler: "Take this extra step if you have modified SH3 in any form" show Open your Steam app
In the Steam app, go to your Steam Library, find "Silent Hunter III" in your list of Steam games, right-click on it and choose "Delete Local Content..." This will un-install SH3.
Close the Steam app.
Go ahead and re-install the Steam version of SH3 in the normal/default location:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Silent Hunter 3
Run
SFSF and select to run the STEAM-FiX. It will also apply the 4GBT and make your SH3 run in compatibility!
Enjoy!
From now on you do NOT anylonger use the Steam-Launcher to run SH3, only run it directly - or use
S3F as a better alternative
From now on you can mod AND PATCH the game, for example install GWX, then S3C, then the GWX-supplement-files into S3C.
There is NOTHING difficult with that if you only switch on and use your brain!
Other online/download-versions: Do the exact same. Apply the STEAM-Fix. Even if it is the UPLAY version (!).
DVD-versions: RECOMMENDATION: FIEDLER'S STARFORCE INSTRUCTIONS ARE @UBISOFT-FORUMS:
You can make any DVD work on Windows 10 !!!!!It does NOT matter what kind or brand of DVD you have got. All of them function! You must only use our tools and follow our instructions! The misinformation continously spread by incompetent village idiots on SuSi (THEDONATIONBERBESTER & co) and several LSH3-blockheads (URMELchen and his brainless lemmings) and many more can safely be ignored: They have no clue, we have proved them wrong numerous times! There might be different opinions, but our approach actually works! With our approach you can run ANY mod, ANY mega-mod, you will be able to enjoy the unterwater-world of SH3 in ANY version of Windows, you will be able to play without the DVD in the drive and you will never have to care about the Starforce-nonsense again!
It cannot be so very difficult really, can it?!
Installed your game from DVD? | Apply the Starforce-Fix |
Bought your game on Steam? | Apply the Steam-Fix |
Downloaded your game, e.g. from Ubisoft? | Apply the Steam-Fix |
Here is which steps to take and again: Please follow CLOSELY and TO THE LETTER (NO JOKE!).Only if you had installed SH3 before: show - Copy your careers and data by securing the ...\data\cfg folder to anywhere you like.
=> That way you do not lose your careers, settings, missions which are stored in %USERPROFILE%\Documents (Windows-handle). - Uninstall SH3.
=> Needed. Otherwise it is not going to work. - Run SFRemove, which is the removal-tool of your/our choice.
=> Needed to get the uninstall clean. - Reboot.
=> Needed by Window-cleanup-routine because you have just done a driver-uninstall.
- Begin installation of SH3 as normal, BUT:
=> Change the installation-path so you do NOT install to the default path "Program Files (x86)".
Always guide the installer to a custom path that is NOT controlled by Windows/UAC, for example C:\SH3-stock or D:\games\SH3\stock or alike.
Just never use default installation-paths (although even GWX has it as default!) and pick one on your own choice!
The reason for installing games outside of the default programs folder was, is, to avoid the UAC and not having to remember to play as admin. The UAC might prevent the game from writing and saving files. - When you get to Game Shadow: ***CANCEL*** that install.
- When you get to finish screen DO NOT press "Finish"!
- Execute the patch-to-1.4b with settings "Run As Admin" and XP service pack 2, for my version this file is called "sh3_dvd_1.4b_emea.exe"
- ONLY after that has completed, THEN hit finish. WAIT! BE PATIENT!
If you get "This program cannot update the installed version of Silent Hunter III because of the following reason: ...Stuka.cfg: unknown.version."
then all is good, only that error message is wrong. It tells you that your SH3-version does not need to be patched further.
All is good. Exit the updater. => This might look weird, and yes it is. But DO NOT otherwise cancel that install earlier. THIS IS VERY CRUCIAL!! - Then the launcher screen runs to check system specs and a reboot message appears. DO NOT reboot!
- Exit the specs-check screen. DO NOT click Launch. THIS IS VERY CRUCIAL!
- Run SFSF , select to run the Fix that corresponds to where you got your SH3 from as explained above.
It will also apply the 4GBT and make your SH3 run in compatibility
(by the way: which service-pack does not matter, any works!).
If you like also apply the automatic H.Sie-patch (using S3F)
Only from now on RUN the game. I strongly recommend to make a .zip of your installation NOW - you will need it. Promised. You may now also copy back your previously backupped files like career-data etc.
ENJOY!
What if you have already started the game: show What if you have already started the game - contrary to our instructions by the way? First off:
So in the VERY RARE case you ignored instructions and mistakenly activated the Starforce-Protection, and that is done by starting the game, you run
[SFSF-MODULE] - The New Solution for "Steam" & "Starforce" Issues, select STARFORCE-FIX and your install will be repaired.
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