Reinstalling FoG (RoR) on Windows 7 PC

cothyso · Post by **cothyso** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 6:34 pm

you need to scan your registry for FoG entries and delete them

I've searched through mine (Windows 7 64 bits), and there are two FoG related entries: one is the uninstall entry, the other is FoG's main registry entry:

a) uninstall entry:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Field of Glory1.01]

b) main FoG entry:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Slitherine]

By completely removing them from registry, FoG installer should see now no FoG was ever installed on your computer, and you can procede with a new fresh install of everything right from the beginning.

PS: careful though, the main FoG entry contains all your FoG games serial numbers, in clear (tsk, tsk Slitherine, that's not the way to do it). you probably have them stored somewhere any way, or registered them on Slitherine's site, but just in case..

Morbio · Post by **Morbio** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:29 am

Cothyso, thanks for the suggestions, I'll have a look at this and assess if I really want to do this. The registry is not somewhere that I really want to start messing with.

To be honest, I don't think I should have to delve into the depths of the PC to get the game to work. I don't want to be too critical of the techies at Slitherine, but a download and install solution should be idiot proof (feel free to suggest what this makes me

) and at present, IMHO, it isn't

I'll try to do more when I get home.

Post by **pipfromslitherine** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:00 pm

There seems to be a variety of very strange things going on. The default directory should definitely be there - and I'm at a loss to see why it would not be. Are you definitely running the installer as an admin?

It also not having an uninstall is very strange too. That kind of makes it seem like it didn't install correctly in the first place.

Cheers

Pip

Morbio · Post by **Morbio** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 8:32 pm

I agree it seems that it hasn't installed correctly - which is probably why it isn't working.

I've tried installing normally (i.e. just running - my account is administrator) and right clicking and "Run as administrator", both give the same results.

Now to delve into the registry.....

EDIT (2 mins later): What ever happened to "Run"? Now to Google to find the new equivalent of Regedit!

EDIT: OK, New search bar - seems simple enough....

Morbio · Post by **Morbio** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:08 pm

I have found the following Field of Glory related references in the Registry....

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Compatibility Assistant\Persisted
In the right hand panel there are 2 DWORD entries in the sequence listed below (note user name is edited)...
C:\Users\<Username>\Desktop\rise_of_rome_1.1.0.exe
C:\Users\<Username>\Downloads\field_of_glory_fullpatch_1.3.3.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Matrix Games\Field of Glory
In the right hand panel there are 2 REG_SZ entries in the sequence listed below...
(default)
version (note this is lower case)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Slitherine\ROR
In the right hand panel there are 2 REG_SZ entries in the sequence listed below...
(default)
VERSION (note this is upper case)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Slitherine\FOG
In the right hand panel there are 2 REG_SZ entries in the sequence listed below...
(Default)
key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Slitherine Ltd\Field of Glory
In the right hand panel there are 2 REG_SZ entries in the sequence listed below...
(Default)
version (note this is lower case)

Please note: There is a possibility that something may be mistyped here because everytime my post goes over a page then it scrolls back to the 1st page once I press a key and then I have to scroll back down again to type the next letter. It really is frustrating! I don’t know what is causing this, whether it is a Windows 7 feature or some incompatibility between this forum and Windows 7 machines... aaaaargh!

I await further suggestions before I start changing anything.

cothyso · Post by **cothyso** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:29 pm

the first entry is Windows OS internal, there's no problem with that.

delete all the other entries (ie the WHOLE branches HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Matrix Games\, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Slitherine\ and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Slitherine_Ltd\, of course IF you don't have any other games from Matrix/Slitherine currently installed; IF you do, then only delete the FoG related sub-branches from both the above Slitherine, Slitherine_Ltd and Matrix Games branches, and also check the above Slitherine, Slitherine_Ltd and Matrix branches for FoG related root entries and delete them), and you're good to go for a clean re-install.

maybe this is caused by having mixed FoG vendors with different registry entries (like in FoG bought from Matrix and the addons from Slitherine) and the installer not knowing to cope with that?!!

cheers mate!

Morbio · Post by **Morbio** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:23 pm

OK, I deleted all the entries you suggested. I then reinstalled v1.3.3 and no default folder was suggested so I created a FoG folder in Programs Files (x86). I then tried to run it and it failed.

I then deleted all the previous install from the User folder and it still failed.

I then reinstalled again, just to be sure, and it failed.

I then reinstalled to a new FoG folder in Program Files and it is still corrupt.

I now have 2 entries in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Matrix Games\Field of Glory

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Slitherine\FOG

Any more suggestions?

Do I need to install FoG v1? RoR? Or just this 1.3.3?

Are there any utilities that Slitehrine can provide to chek for valid installs and correct registry entries?

cothyso · Post by **cothyso** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:02 pm

why are you keep insisting in installing it on the C drive?!!

that is a VERY BAD habit for indie developed programs, which don't have the resources to tackle all the new Windows Vista/7 M$ security approaches. Many programs still request writing rights in their install folder, a thing they are taking for granted and which is forbidden and does not work in Vista/7.

also, the error message you're talking about (install/program is corrupt).. when it appears?!! at the beginning of the install (corrupt install executable/registry entries), during the install (corrupt registry entries, hardware failure), after the install when trying to start the game (hardware failure, bad install of software pieces from different vendors Slitherine/Matrix)?!!

an exact step by step description of what you are doing (including the full name of the install executables you are trying to run, the paths chosen/detected, the messages, the error messages) would be helpful in order to track the problem.

Post by **pipfromslitherine** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:14 pm

All our modern games specifically don't use the install directory for storing data any more, for the reasons you describe. They are all tested and working under all modern versions of windows.

Something a little more odd and subtle is going on here I think. We're looking in to it at our end too.

Cheers

Pip

cothyso · Post by **cothyso** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:54 pm

Unfortunately, what you're saying is just theory. The truth is a little bit different, as always.

I'm sorry, but I do believe you're wrong. For example, I've just checked my FoG install folder, and I've found this error.log file with the 5th October 2010 date containing the KERNEL MEMORY CHECKING IS **OFF** string, string (KERNEL MEMORY CHECKING IS) which is contained into the FoG.exe file.

So, actually, FoG IS writing something in its install folder.

I have it installed on D drive, in a D:\games\fog folder, and never had problems with it. Even more, if I remember right, it was not even installed in there, but copied from the other laptop I've installed it first.

Giving it a try on any other drive than C would be the first advisable thing to do when encountering erratic behaviours like the one Morbio describes.

Post by **pipfromslitherine** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:00 pm

Some debug files get written to the install folders, but the code doesn't care whether they make it or not.

It's also not an issue when installing an application, as installers always run with elevated priviliges and so can write what they like.

It's certainly worth trying to install to another drive, but he stated that he tried installing to his user directory, which he most definitely has the correct access to, and it didn't work.

I'm more confused by the installer not even attempting to give a default folder.

Cheers

Pip

cothyso · Post by **cothyso** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:12 pm

that shouldn't be confusing at all, as it should be crystal clear: the installer checks some registry entry to see if it exists, and if it does, it uses is as the install path. if not, it uses a default stored path.

now, as the default stored path doesn't seems to appear in Morbio's case, it seems the installer does find a valid registry path, but the install path it tries to take from there it has a problem. does the code check to see if the stored registry instal path is is still a valid path? does it checks that the path still exists before trying to actually put something in it? my guess is that it seems to not to..

also, for some reason Morbio's registry has a problem, either because he didn't managed to clean it completely (as he doesn't seems to be a computer specialist), or it gets corrupted in some way (hardware failure, viruses, etc).

another possible and likely reason might be caused by the mixed install. it seems Morbio has a mixed FoG game (FoG from matrix, RoR+IF from Slitherine). does the installer knows to look for all possible registry paths? also, does the game know when checks for registry entries, to combine information from different stored registry paths? again, my wild bet would be it doesn't..

Post by **pipfromslitherine** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:18 pm

Looks like that was in a pathalogical case anyway, where it already thought it was installed. So I shall expunge that from my mind.

1.3.3 is a full, shared installer as far as I know, so it shouldn't care about versions etc.

I recommend deleting entirely the two registry entries that are there. The fact that there isn't any uninstall info on the system makes it smell like something went wrong on the initial install, as the uninstall info should get planted there automatically by the installer.

Cheers

Pip

Post by **IainMcNeil** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:12 am

This is all very strange and not something we've seen before. We'll have to investigate and see if we can work it out

When you look at the program files folder do you see the Slitherine\Field of Glory folder? If so what files are in it?

Apologies for the inconvenience.

Morbio · Post by **Morbio** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 11:49 am

cothyso wrote:....as he doesn't seems to be a computer specialist

I wonder if I should mention that I work in the IT department of a large multinational?

But you are correct, I was a programmer in the time before PCs, and now am a project manager that specialises in major ERP package implementations and acquisition integration, so I don't have the detailed knowledge of how PCs and the software that runs on them works, although I would describe myself as better than average (which doesn't say much)

I'm at work at the moment, so I'll answer the specifics about the Field of Glory folder and files when I get home.

In the meantime I thought it may help if I summarised what's happened so far (as far as I can remember - I'll check these details when I get home).

* Bought the new PC
* Installed Windows updates, AVG Free anti-virus, Adobe updates (not sure if I did Adobe or not?)
* Copied FoG (or was it RoR or both?) v1.0 and 1.28 update from my old PC
* Run RoR installer (serial number from e-mail from Slitherine) – couldn’t find FoG serial
* Run 1.2.8 full update (couldn’t find 1.3.3 update to download) – with serial number from “My Page” – corrupted
* Run 1.3.3 full update - corrupted
* Probably tried FoG v1.0 at some point and then re-run 1.2.8 and 1.3.3 – corrupted
* Deleted registry entries and files (manually). Reinstalled - corrupted

cothyso · Post by **cothyso** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 1:57 pm

the install order should always be FoG, then RoR, then other addons (SoA, IF)

Morbio · Post by **Morbio** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:08 pm

iainmcneil wrote:This is all very strange and not something we've seen before. We'll have to investigate and see if we can work it out

When you look at the program files folder do you see the Slitherine\Field of Glory folder? If so what files are in it?

Apologies for the inconvenience.

Just for the record, the manual successfully displays the on-line help

cothyso · Post by **cothyso** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 8:18 pm

Morbio, the install path, ie the FoG folder, should be somwhere in your Program Files (x86) folder, usually. The screenshot you posted is just the content of your Start Menu (the user content part of which can be found in c:\Users\<user_name>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ folder.

That is not the program's install path.. don't tell me you've actually installed it in there.. (actually you haven't, I've just checked mine and it displays both FoG and Slitherine/FoG entries.. which is weird and fooled me to thinnk you might actually have installed it in there.

Post by **IainMcNeil** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 8:31 am

Moribo - you say you copied the games to your new PC. I assume you mean you installed them? Copy never works - you must install on the PC you want to play on.

cothyso · Post by **cothyso** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 9:28 am

actually, copying it works, but only if you know what you're doing

But from what I've understood from Morbio, he did installed them, not copied them..

there's one way to solve this fast and simple, but it would assume a leap of faith, ie giving a Remote Desktop Connection access to someone you trust to help you make FoG work..