Links 2003 will not run

[Mootz]

I cannot get Links 2003 to run on my new Asus ExpertCenter PC (Windows 11 Pro, intel I7 processor, 1tb storage, 16gb ram & Intel UHD 770 graphics on the motherboard). I have installed an nvidia Geforce GT 730 GPU card on the Asus PC and using that card for now. I always get a pop-up screen the says ‘Restart Links, Troubleshoot, Exit’. I have installed the most current Links 2003 download installer, the patch 107, nvidia program patch software and players file.

Also, I have Links 2003 running on an older Levovo PC running Windows 10 using the same nvidia graphics card. Links 2003 runs fine on this PC Any suggestions/thoughts as to how to get Links to run on the new PC before switching to Windows 11?

[dwg]

If you want to run Links on a Windows system using an Intel GPU you will need to use the wrapper.

It is discussed in the thread:

viewtopic.php?t=788

Otherwise using a low end Nvidia HBA is a good solution. These days that comes down to something like your GT730 or a GT1030.

[gu444]

I have been running Links 2003 on a 12 year old dell xps with windows 11 and nvidia gt 1030 for the last 2 years with no problems.
Graphics more than acceptable with the gt 1030! Good low priced card.

[dwg]

From all reports the GT1030 with DDR4 memory should be avoided, the one with GDDR5 is the one to go for, bit of a case a buyer beware.

My GT1030 seems to work well, it is in a Gen 13 i5 small form factor machine.

[jahmanson]

I recently acquired a Lenovo Touchbook with a Ryzen 5500U processor and AMD Radeon graphics and Windows 10 Pro. I was expecting Links 2003 to be very challenging or impossible to get running but it installed and, with the usual upgrades, works really well with graphics resolution up to 1920 x 1080. I've not needed to use dgVoodoo or even to edit the VideoCard.txt file. Rather a pleasant surprise

Only issue is that the game seems to crash after loading 3 or 4 courses in succession, but I can live with that by simply re-starting Links 2003.

[Adelade]

Only issue is that the game seems to crash after loading 3 or 4 courses in succession, but I can live with that by simply re-starting Links 2003.

This might be because you have a large amount of sky files in your Links 2003\skies folder and use the random skies option. The more sky files, the less course loads before the sky "stops working" and turns bland mono-colour and the game soon after crashes within a few renderings.

Personally, I have 167 skies and the sky messes up on the 3rd load, which is fine by me, I simply restart the game between rounds.

[jahmanson]

I've just checked and I have 148 files in the "sky" folder so that may well be the cause. Not a big issue though - as you say, a re-start takes just a few seconds.Glad to be playing Links 2003 again though

[dwg]

I have a file where I have jotted down installing and setting up Links on Windows based around my own experiences with Intel and Nvidia GPUs - all with Intel CPUs.

I have added a note about your experience with the software on Radeon, thanks for posting about it.

What I am really lacking is any info about systems with resolutions above 1920 x 1200, I expect that could take some wrangling.

Des

[jahmanson]

I'm glad my info is some use

I'll ditch some of the "sky" files I think.

My next dilemma is whether to try and use ReShade to further improve things. I need to understand a little more about how that works with Links 2003 before I commit though !

[dwg]

Links uses a quite old version of DirectX, Reshade support looks like it starts at DirectX 9.