Is there a thread to learn the steps to follow to install Links 2003 on a new Windows 11 computer?

[MrT]

I am currently playing LInks 2003 on a Windows 10 machine.

A friend of mine has seen me playing LInks and would like to play it as well. Problem is that he has a new laptop that runs Windows 11 Professional and has a very powerful recent RTX 5080 GPU.

I suggested to him to make an attempt with the Trial Version. So we tried but it does not work. Esssentially, many screens pop up and die and then nothing happens. I am not sure that I remember all the steps and the order of the process to even install it again on my Windows 10 machine.

So, I would like to ask if someone could point me to a thread in this Forum or provide a list with the sequence of steps to follow to install it (from which files to download from Links Corner,(one file is clear but then I believe the latests patch, 1.07 is needed, and how it should be run). I cannot recall what is the sequence of actions to follow. Since I installed it a few years back I must have been able to follow something, but right now I cannot really find the steps anymore.

In addition, are there special steps for WIndows 11 and/or for the fact that he would like to run the program on a very new machine with powerful and very recent components? He has a QHD display and not HD... and I know that Links 2003 only supports more or less up to HD.

I think that this would be good for me as well since I think that I am not too far from needing a new laptop too ....

Thank you.

[Adelade]

I'll give it a try. At least what I imagine I would do. Others can maybe fill in.

1. Get the download version > on linkscorner.org hopepage there is a link to the download version. I have not used this one myself, since I tend to do the CD version, but I think that is where people get it from. Run the correct .exe file as Admin to install, do create a custom location rather than using the default one.

2. I think people have said the above includes the 1.07 patch, I cannot confirm this myself. If it seems like it does not include patch 1.07, get it from here: viewtopic.php?t=10 . Move the patch .exe file into your Links 2003 folder (same location as LinksMMIII.exe) and run it.

3. Get the Nvidia patch from the above link. Move the patch .exe file into your Links 2003 folder (same location as LinksMMIII.exe) and run it.

4. Try launching Links as Admin through both LinksMMIII and LinksLauncher, to see if it works. If it does, review the Options > Graphics settings.

5. If 4 did not work, try Compatibility settings for LinksMMIII with Run as Win 7.

6. Whether or not 4/5 worked, you will probably want to do the Registry Edit: viewtopic.php?t=478 I would probably try Mode 14 with QHD. Try different modes if one doesnt work. Try both full screen and windowed mode (Windowed = 0/1) if your preferred one doesnt work.

7. If Links doesnt start, Try Compatibility settings for High DPI Scaling. Also investigate whether any of your USB devices might be interfering with Links (in particular, try unplugging USB headsets)-

8. If you cant get Links to start, look into the first post in this thread: viewtopic.php?t=788 Most laptops with integrated graphics tend to need this.

9. If Links starts but things look weird after loading into a course, make sure you are on 32-bit display mode (Depth should be 1 in the registry), also look into #8 above.

10. If you tried all the above without success, report back to us.

Optional, if/after you get Links running:

-If you plan on using Career Mode, get the Career Mode fix at https://www.linkscountryclub.com/links-2003-v107

-If you plan on playing online on LSPN, get the LSPN crash fix at http://www.lspn.net/downloads/LSPN_CRASH_FIX.exe [this links seems to be broken, cant find another right now, ask around for it] , and the server setup at http://lspn.net/server_switch/LSPN_MAIN_L2K3.exe

[MrT]

Thank you Adelade... When I see my friend the next time (soon), we will give it a try....

[gator]

One thing I would add to Adelade's comprehensive list for you to consider is DirectPlay. I can't remember why, because it has been a few years since my current install, but I checked it and I still have it turned on now. There are different versions of DirectPlay and older ones are turned off by default, at least on Win10 systems. They are listed as Legacy components and can be turned back on, again at least on Win10 systems. It may or may not help with your friend's install, but we are trying to play a near 25-year-old game on newer systems.

Here is a 7-year-old post from LSPN describing how to enable Legacy DirectPlay, followed by how I enabled on it my current computer:

DirectPlay Legacy Components - origin.jpg (112.37 KiB) Viewed 170 times

DirectPlay Legacy Components - step 1.jpg (101.25 KiB) Viewed 170 times

DirectPlay Legacy Components.jpg (95.22 KiB) Viewed 170 times

[dwg]

On Windows 11 my installations prompted to download and install Direct Play. It is for playing Links across a network.

[MrT]

Reporting back.

So we make the attempt.
I checked all the right boxes after reading the posts in this thread.

Outcome was not successful.

The game does start, I can hear the music, but seeing the game that is something that is not happening.

I tried to start it in compatibility mode (Windows 7) as well as suggested by Adelade, but the outcome was not any different. In every attempt, we had to kill the game via Task Manager as it was not possible to see anything using the game window.

We tried launching it as administrator and not. Same outcome.


I have a feeling that my friend is not going to play Links 2003 in the future. And I have better keep my old laptop for I am confident that my outcome with a new W11 laptop will be the same as my friends. We both like super powerful machines with all the most recent gadgets.

Thank you for helping, but at this point there is really no way (or I am not experienced enough) to find out what feature(s) in the laptop is(are) causing the big issue.

[Adelade]

Could also try adding the video card to the VideoCard.txt file, different video card drivers, and experiment with settings in the Nvidia Control Panel

[dwg]

There does seem to be an underlying thread of problems using Links on systems with resolutions higher than 1920 x 1200.

I suspect someone with such a system is going to have to sit down and go through various configs to see if any works reliably, or at least record exactly what they have tried and didn't work. At best I think it is going to be a process of elimination, unless someone gets real lucky.

At a guess I think Links modes 14 or 5 are the ones most likely to work in some way.

Des

[MrT]

There does seem to be an underlying thread of problems using Links on systems with resolutions higher than 1920 x 1200.

I suspect someone with such a system is going to have to sit down and go through various configs to see if any works reliably, or at least record exactly what they have tried and didn't work. At best I think it is going to be a process of elimination, unless someone gets real lucky.

At a guess I think Links modes 14 or 5 are the ones most likely to work in some way.

Des

Only thing I can think of, considering that no matter what I do the 1920x1200 is the most resolution I could get.. I could set the resolution for my monitor to that. instead of the current one.... I mean the game started and I could hear the sounds, it was the image that was missing. Maybe it works, maybe it does not. When I see my friend again, we will make an attempt.

[GoBucks]

You could try going in to Links Graphics and set it for Window instead of full screen.

I was under the impression that the highest resolution that Links recognized was 1920x1080, but I've been wrong before.