Author Topic: W2K  (Read 2603 times)

Offline -lynx-

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W2K
« on: January 03, 2001, 10:55:00 AM »
I'm upgrading to W2K Pro (I have to, OK? I've heard all the jokes etc - thank you ).

Would be grateful to get some advice regarding "do this - don't do that" from folk who already run AH on W2K.

Especially if they use Saitex X36 combo with CH Pro Pedals...

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Offline Lephturn

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W2K
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2001, 01:53:00 PM »
Win2k rules.  Aside from pure gaming, it's the best OS going by far.  There are still a few issues with gaming, but overall it's a far more stable and well-designed OS than anything else I've used.

You should be fine with that setup with a couple of exceptions.

First, I would de-clock that badboy before installing Win2k.  It may not be as tolerant of your OC job as 9x was.  After you have everything running smoothly, you can try turning it back up slowly.  This will avoid pooching the install if there are stability issues.

Second, don't plan on using any USB connected control devices in Win2k.  Many USB devices have problems with Win2k, and I know folks have not been able to get USB controllers working in AH on Win2k.

Oh, and one more thing.  Please, please, don't do an upgrade.  Sure, it may work "ok", but it's just bad.  The last thing you want is to keep all the old toejam that a Win9x upgrade would leave around.  Do yourself a huge favour and blow that thing away and install Win2k on a clean NTFS partition.

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You'll never go wrong with a pig!" -- Thomas Pynchon, "Gravity's Rainbow"

Offline JimBear

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W2K
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2001, 02:14:00 PM »
Listen to Lephturn the man knows of what he speaks  

BTW, I know of no one that has been able to get the Saitek X36 USB combo to function in AH under W2K.  Good luck to you and if YOU can get them to work please share that info.

JimBear
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Offline jihad

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W2K
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2001, 03:57:00 PM »
 Download the W2K Service Pack and install it!

 I had no luck with USB stick support with W2K and AH,it worked fine with my analog game port and my old Logicrap stick.

 Beware of overclocking your video card with W2K-it caused a lot of problems for my V770 TNT2.

Offline -lynx-

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W2K
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2001, 07:01:00 AM »
Hmmm... One of the reasons to go with W2K was in(allegedly)built USB support? X36 USB refused to work under Win98 and I cant lay my hands on a Win98SE disk even for 20 minutes  ... Nor am I going to buy the stupid thing - I paid for the first one... I installed all service packs and it's a no-go.


As for upgrade vs clean install - surely it will upgrade from my Win 3.1 floppies onto a freshly re-formatted HD - 95 did, so did 98? C'mon Microsoft, you're still a bunch of dummies, right?  

Offline AKDejaVu

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W2K
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2001, 08:57:00 AM »
The USB joystick problem under Win2k seems to be more AH specific.  The USB joystick works fine with other flight sims under Win2k.

Ironically, I could never get my Gameport joystick to work with Win98.

AKDejaVu

Offline -lynx-

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W2K
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2001, 03:11:00 AM »
OK, tried to install the beast (W2K Update) on a freshly formatted HD - all it asked for was a copy of Win95/98 or WinNT CD. People, don't waste money on full versions!

Now I have a daft problem - every time I shut the computer down it goes through the stupid NT-like routine and then says "It is now safe to turn your computer off" and sits there waiting for it to be turned off... I don't even have a "turn-off" switch. Both 95 and 98 were just switching it off all by themselves. Is there a box somewhere I need to tick?  

Offline Boroda

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W2K
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2001, 10:15:00 AM »
Lynx, here is a link to a solution of a shutdown problem:
 http://www.3dnews.ru/reviews/software/win2000_faq/index07.htm#63

It's in Russian, but I hope you'll understand it  

The Win2000 FAQ start page is:
 http://www.3dnews.ru/reviews/software/win2000_faq/

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Offline Sancho

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W2K
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2001, 11:03:00 AM »

Offline qts

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W2K
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2001, 04:37:00 PM »
First off, don't hesitate to install W2k if you've got 256 MB. The stability is exceptional compared to W9x and NT.

Second. Forget about getting your X36 USB to work - it won't work properly for now. I use a Cyborg 3D

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qts

Offline Dux

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W2K
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2001, 05:04:00 PM »
I'm looking into new hardware options, so I need a clarification on a couple of related things...

a) are the USB troubles in Win2K only for the Saitek X36 (which I have & love) or is it all USB controllers?

b) is WinME the same as Win2K?

sorry if this is a hijack... it seems relevant to me.
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Offline Sancho

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W2K
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2001, 12:37:00 AM »
 
Quote
Originally posted by Dux:
are the USB troubles in Win2K only for the Saitek X36 (which I have & love) or is it all USB controllers?

AFAIK, the issues with Aces High and USB controllers were resolved as of the latest patch.  I am able to fly AH with a USB gamepad now... before latest patch, AH wouldn't recognize any control inputs from this USB controller.  Someone else posted that his Saitek USB works now in AH and Win2k.

Offline -lynx-

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W2K
« Reply #12 on: January 30, 2001, 02:52:00 AM »
Thank you all - shutdown is working now (ACPI was disabled in BIOS - duh!) .

Don't have time to do much right now but HT said they'd resolved the AH/X36 in USB problems - I guess I'll just have to try and see?

Dux - WinME and W2K are different things. WinME is a development of Win95/98 line while W2K comes from WinNT lineage. As far as I know Win98SE is the best of the first lot. WinME contains cosmetic changes and surely MS couldn't pass on the once in a thousand years opportunity   to sell yet more copies of Windows re-packaging them under ME guise.

I like most of what I've seen so far (which isn't much!) under W2K: installation of a HP950C USB printer comprised plugging it in... It blinked once and that was it - printer installed - no CDs or reboots...

Didn't like that it never asked me what I wanted/didn't want to install - I don't need/want "accessibility options". Or maybe I missed "typical/custom" option during the installation - was cooking dinner at the same time .

Offline Dux

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W2K
« Reply #13 on: January 30, 2001, 06:33:00 PM »
Thanks Lynx. I'll give it a try soon enough.
Rogue Squadron, CO
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Offline DrSoya

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W2K
« Reply #14 on: January 31, 2001, 06:47:00 PM »
I just went back to a dual boot Win98/Win2k sytem after 4 months of Win98-only. I too have a X36 USB combo and CH Pro Pedals USB, and I'm still going to use Win98 for Aces High (exclusively!), because of those factors:

  • The latest version of the Saitek Gaming Extensions, 2.3, does not work under Win2k
  • AH only recognizes 16 DirectX buttons while the X36 has 23
  • Of those 16 DirectX buttons that are recognized by AH, only 11 of my X36 buttons actually work in AH
  • My voice recognition software, GameCommander2, does not support voice chat software (i.e. RogerWilco) under Win2k; either GameCommander works, or RogerWilco, but not both at the same time  (I programmed almost every possible command for voice recognition, like "Gear", "Dive Flaps", "Bombsight", "B17 top gunner" etc.   )
Note that the X36 now works fine under Win2k, at least on my computer, but the problem is that AH only correctly recognizes DirectX buttons 1 to 11. What seems to work is:

  • on the X36F joystick: the trigger, buttons A, B, C, Launch and the pinkie switch (DirectX buttons 1, 2, 3, 7, 4, 8), and the hat switch
  • on the X35T throttle: the throttle, the rudder rocker, buttons D and "mouse" (DirectX buttons 5 and 6) and the mode selector (the 3 positions are represented by DirectX buttons 9 to 11)

That leaves out:

  • the second hat switch on the X36F
  • both hat switches on the X35T
  • both rotary dials on the X35T
  • the auxiliary switch

That's a lot. Besides, I don't see how I could program the mode selector with DirectX buttons in AH (I use it to switch between Fighter/Bomber/Vehicle-Boat modes), and I really need the rotary dials and both hat switches on the throttle.

We really need SGE.

I won't hold my breath for a Win2k-compatible version of SGE. Saitek has said in an e-mail to a customer that it will take a few months. For now I'll have to reboot under Win98 to play AH.

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DrSoya
308 (Polish) Squadron "City of Cracow" RAF
Part of the Northolt Wing (First Polish Fighter Wing)

[This message has been edited by DrSoya (edited 01-31-2001).]