A chess game that is somewhat forgotten due to the fact that it cannot be run on new systems. First you have to copy files from both discs to the C:\chess location (necessarily this one!), But then the game displays an error when starting it and does not start, additionally leaving its process in the Task Manager to close manually. I see error 216 in the logs (the application is not intended for this version of Windows). If you believe the description of this game on old-games.ru, this game only works on Windows 9x (Windows 95, Windows 98), but maybe there is a way to run it on Windows 10. Link to the game - https://www.old-games.ru/game/download/7740.html
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I checked the 'HITMAN.EXE' (because the log in PCHESS.EXE' mentioned this file) and noticed 'WriteFile' errors. At first I thought "Fix buffered I/O after Windows 98" would do the trick but it didn't. I also checked the next two options after in but to no avail.
Meanwhile I am using Windows 11
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The website you provided had an informationa added that the game uses Win95, Win3.1 and DOS components. Even if the game can bypass this, I have no idea how to handle the DOS stuffs, or at least the 16-bit Win3.1. The game folder has other executables and they may be required to run to play this game
The game didn't give this error on XP but stopped at a Couldn't start chess engine error. Maybe this was the error you received.
Last edit: BEEN_Nath_58 2021-11-08
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The King.Exe and Queen.Exe, they may be a core part of the game. They don't work in 64-bit OS. Either they are DOS based or 16-bit, both of which aren't supported in Windows x64.
I went through the WinXP registry, and didn't find anything that would be useful to bypass the insert PLAY CD issue.
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If you want to bypass the "Insert CD" message, that comes from a sierra.ini file that the game searches in the C:\Windows folder. To avoid messing with system files, better use the "I/O / Remap system folders" option, create a Windows folder in the game folder and copy there the sierra.ini file that is here in attach. Beware: in the CDPath and CD2Path strings you'll have to replace X:\ with the CD drive letter where you mounted the game CDs.
Of course, this let the game go somewhere ahead, but not enough that could resemble a chess match, the game will keep dying a little further.
P.s. I couldn't run the setup program, so I just copied the first CD content to the game folder. The current result is nowhere to be finished, if I will ever have some news I'll post them here.
I have my CD2 of the game mounted in Drive I:\, so I edited the CDPath and CD2Path with "I:\". I put the file in the Windows folder in the PCHESS folder where I have my files, the folder is besides the executables like PCHESS.EXE and HITMAN.EXE.
I also changed the InstallPath to D:\PCHESS where I have my files. Still the game gives the error.
Why does it occur?
Last edit: BEEN_Nath_58 2021-11-08
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It's hard to tell, also because I get a dialog message telling that HITMAN.EXE didn't start, but both processes are up and running (in background). Maybe some synchronization between the two was lost?
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I tried the game yesterday in my VirtualXP. These queen.exe and king.exe files are very strange (and their headers are weird too).
Virustotal (in details file) does not know what type of file it is. If I run the files in cmd in my VirtualXP, I get a message that the program will not not fit into memory.
I'm not sure the order, but I think first pchess.exe will run RUN386.EXE with the parameter "queen.exe"
and then hitman.exe with the parameters "Afx:400000:8:10011:0:650439" and "e0".
Running RUN386.EXE QUEEN.EXE at a command prompt works and output is
this:
In PCHESS.EXE I see next parameters "run386 queen.exe -h100000" and "run386 queen.exe -h0". Next door I see the error "Creating pipes for Queen engine failed" so if this is related and this command creates pipes for the game, it probably can never happen in
newer systems.
Hitman.exe is 32-bit and probably also creates pipes, I don't understand much, but I think this is the craziest
win32 + dos connection, which I saw even though I take into account some previous games from MrPepka.
@BEEN_Nath_58
After rewriting the paths in sierra.ini, the game does not require a CD for me (in Win7), but that is the only thing that works. One path is also in SIERRA.INF, but I didn't have to rewrite it. However, I haven't tried it with DxWnd yet, I have the sierra.ini file in C:\Windows\ I would try this attempt first. If it doesn't work, it can't work in DxWnd either.
Last edit: huh 2021-11-09
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Running RUN386.EXE QUEEN.EXE at a command prompt works and output is
this:
Which OS's command prompt?
RUN386.EXE was probably something that used to link the DOS kernel or the Win16 something, I know it's a 16-bit or a DOS file. I am not sure if OTVDM uses the entire native Windows library, but it was able to execute KING.EXE, QUEEN.EXE but nothing running in the end.
For some reason the remap system folders didn't function properly, or I misconfigured something. Putting sierra.ini in Windows, the game gives that error message.
If there was a way to implement OTVDM in DxWnd for outputting exceptions and using the entire Windows library, could that help? I am quite sure RUN386.EXE with today's OS and hardware would give lot of exception errors.
Last edit: BEEN_Nath_58 2021-11-10
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I think it may work in Win7 32bit, but I only talking about the
RUN386.EXE QUEEN.EXE command via command line, not the game itself.
I can try it today if someone attaches these two files, I can't download the whole game at the moment.
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In my opinion, it is not possible to link a dos application running in dosbox with a win32 application running outside dosbox. Yes it could work if you run Win95 in dosbox. I tried the game with win3.1 with dosbox, but after copy the required libraries, one library did not have the features that the game required.
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I asked on the dosbox forum if they have ny way that Win32 applicarion redirect to DOS application will work, still waiting for a response. However the confidence is still low from me
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No, I don't think that's possible, these Paintbrawl games didn't have such crazy connections dos -> win32 and didn't run in parallel, either game (dos) or menu (win32) started, if I remember correctly.
This is a completely different and (perhaps hopeless) case, part of the game (dos) creates connections for win32 (pipes or some other stuff), I don't know accurate technical details, but it's different and worse.
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A chess game that is somewhat forgotten due to the fact that it cannot be run on new systems. First you have to copy files from both discs to the C:\chess location (necessarily this one!), But then the game displays an error when starting it and does not start, additionally leaving its process in the Task Manager to close manually. I see error 216 in the logs (the application is not intended for this version of Windows). If you believe the description of this game on old-games.ru, this game only works on Windows 9x (Windows 95, Windows 98), but maybe there is a way to run it on Windows 10. Link to the game - https://www.old-games.ru/game/download/7740.html
I checked the 'HITMAN.EXE' (because the log in PCHESS.EXE' mentioned this file) and noticed 'WriteFile' errors. At first I thought "Fix buffered I/O after Windows 98" would do the trick but it didn't. I also checked the next two options after in but to no avail.
Meanwhile I am using Windows 11
I also checked the version marked as Power Chess 98 and it does not work either, but nothing happens here when starting the game - https://www.old-games.ru/game/download/8452.html
Any update on this topic?
Game has diifficulties on Win98 itself. Lets see what I can do.
Game asks for CD. Can't proceed from there :(
Best I could help from here is this, required files for playing the game (game doesn't install):
Last edit: BEEN_Nath_58 2021-11-08
The website you provided had an informationa added that the game uses Win95, Win3.1 and DOS components. Even if the game can bypass this, I have no idea how to handle the DOS stuffs, or at least the 16-bit Win3.1. The game folder has other executables and they may be required to run to play this game
The game didn't give this error on XP but stopped at a Couldn't start chess engine error. Maybe this was the error you received.
Last edit: BEEN_Nath_58 2021-11-08
But this game is purely Windows 32 bit, it's just written that only Win 95/98 works.
The King.Exe and Queen.Exe, they may be a core part of the game. They don't work in 64-bit OS. Either they are DOS based or 16-bit, both of which aren't supported in Windows x64.
I went through the WinXP registry, and didn't find anything that would be useful to bypass the insert PLAY CD issue.
If you want to bypass the "Insert CD" message, that comes from a sierra.ini file that the game searches in the C:\Windows folder. To avoid messing with system files, better use the "I/O / Remap system folders" option, create a Windows folder in the game folder and copy there the sierra.ini file that is here in attach. Beware: in the CDPath and CD2Path strings you'll have to replace X:\ with the CD drive letter where you mounted the game CDs.
Of course, this let the game go somewhere ahead, but not enough that could resemble a chess match, the game will keep dying a little further.
P.s. I couldn't run the setup program, so I just copied the first CD content to the game folder. The current result is nowhere to be finished, if I will ever have some news I'll post them here.
I have my CD2 of the game mounted in Drive I:\, so I edited the CDPath and CD2Path with "I:\". I put the file in the Windows folder in the PCHESS folder where I have my files, the folder is besides the executables like PCHESS.EXE and HITMAN.EXE.
I also changed the InstallPath to D:\PCHESS where I have my files. Still the game gives the error.
Why does it occur?
Last edit: BEEN_Nath_58 2021-11-08
It's hard to tell, also because I get a dialog message telling that HITMAN.EXE didn't start, but both processes are up and running (in background). Maybe some synchronization between the two was lost?
I tried the game yesterday in my VirtualXP. These queen.exe and king.exe files are very strange (and their headers are weird too).
Virustotal (in details file) does not know what type of file it is. If I run the files in cmd in my VirtualXP, I get a message that the program will not not fit into memory.
I'm not sure the order, but I think first pchess.exe will run RUN386.EXE with the parameter "queen.exe"
and then hitman.exe with the parameters "Afx:400000:8:10011:0:650439" and "e0".
Running RUN386.EXE QUEEN.EXE at a command prompt works and output is
this:
In PCHESS.EXE I see next parameters "run386 queen.exe -h100000" and "run386 queen.exe -h0". Next door I see the error "Creating pipes for Queen engine failed" so if this is related and this command creates pipes for the game, it probably can never happen in
newer systems.
Hitman.exe is 32-bit and probably also creates pipes, I don't understand much, but I think this is the craziest
win32 + dos connection, which I saw even though I take into account some previous games from MrPepka.
@BEEN_Nath_58
After rewriting the paths in sierra.ini, the game does not require a CD for me (in Win7), but that is the only thing that works. One path is also in SIERRA.INF, but I didn't have to rewrite it. However, I haven't tried it with DxWnd yet, I have the sierra.ini file in C:\Windows\ I would try this attempt first. If it doesn't work, it can't work in DxWnd either.
Last edit: huh 2021-11-09
If I remember correctly, a RUN386.EXE file was in the old DOS file systems.... not a good sign.
Which OS's command prompt?
RUN386.EXE was probably something that used to link the DOS kernel or the Win16 something, I know it's a 16-bit or a DOS file. I am not sure if OTVDM uses the entire native Windows library, but it was able to execute KING.EXE, QUEEN.EXE but nothing running in the end.
@huh2 @ghotik
For some reason the remap system folders didn't function properly, or I misconfigured something. Putting sierra.ini in Windows, the game gives that error message.
If there was a way to implement OTVDM in DxWnd for outputting exceptions and using the entire Windows library, could that help? I am quite sure RUN386.EXE with today's OS and hardware would give lot of exception errors.
Last edit: BEEN_Nath_58 2021-11-10
It was a command line in my VirtualXP. It will no longer work on newer systems (x64).
What about 32-bit Windows 7? Does it work there?
I will be unavailable for 2 weeks on some heavy work from tomorrow so I can't work further.
I think it may work in Win7 32bit, but I only talking about the
RUN386.EXE QUEEN.EXE command via command line, not the game itself.
I can try it today if someone attaches these two files, I can't download the whole game at the moment.
I will not be surprised if DxWnd may go forward to implement DOSBox for this game.
Log:
With DxWnd, the last line is this.
Also the executables:
Update: RUN386.EXE, KING.EXE, QUEEN.EXE requires DOS. Moment of truth! I am asking on the DOSBox forums now.
Last edit: BEEN_Nath_58 2021-11-10
In my opinion, it is not possible to link a dos application running in dosbox with a win32 application running outside dosbox. Yes it could work if you run Win95 in dosbox. I tried the game with win3.1 with dosbox, but after copy the required libraries, one library did not have the features that the game required.
I asked on the dosbox forum if they have ny way that Win32 applicarion redirect to DOS application will work, still waiting for a response. However the confidence is still low from me
this may be some interesting information, have a look
https: //www.v ogons. org/viewtopic.php?p=1016941#p1016941
Hmm, but wait a minute. Once I remember we tried to run Extreme Paintbrawl and Extreme Watersports games under DxWnd (these two games have a menu under Windows, and the game under DOS) and somehow managed to run them. So this game can also be run somehow
ABOUT! I even dug into my notes
https://sourceforge.net/p/dxwnd/discussion/general/thread/bbf316330f/?page=0
https://sourceforge.net/p/dxwnd/discussion/general/thread/a9a4269714/?limit=25
Interesting
I see @huh2 was involved and he developed a lot of .BATs to launch the game from DOSBox. Maybe he can help here, since I will be inactive for 2 weeks.
This gives me hope, RUN386, which I had suspected to not run at all, ran under DOSBox. So if these .BAT techniques work, the game would run.
No, I don't think that's possible, these Paintbrawl games didn't have such crazy connections dos -> win32 and didn't run in parallel, either game (dos) or menu (win32) started, if I remember correctly.
This is a completely different and (perhaps hopeless) case, part of the game (dos) creates connections for win32 (pipes or some other stuff), I don't know accurate technical details, but it's different and worse.
I was saying the same thing in Vogons. The DOS to Win32 is a problem, and what I understand is DOS code can't be retained/released on Win32.