Doom 3 for Windows 98 & ME - Here's how to run it.

[E_J]

Since RincewindThePissard unnecessarily closed the previous thread (Alas, poor Empire I knew thee well.) where this was being discussed (http://www.fileforums.com/showthread.php?t=63357) , here is a new one on the subject.

It appears that I was right about changing that API call to get Doom 3 to run under Windows 98 & ME. I found this information while researching the issue. I was looking into writing a hook DLL, but this is much simpler since the unprotected Doom3.exe is available.

Open up Doom3.exe with a hex editor. Do a search for 'GlobalMemoryStatusEx'. Change the '45 78' corresponding to 'Ex' with '00 00'. Save and then run the game.

I have not tested this, but it makes sense, and the guy who posted this says he did and it works.

[g8crapachino]

Why are people still wasting their time with Windows 98 or ME?

There's a really good reason why ID-software chose not to support Windows 9x....it's unstable, inefficient, and slow. Not to mention Windows 9x doesn't support anything about 512megs meaning anyone running it will never be able to fully appreciate Doom3 at it's maximum visual settings.

[E_J]

<snip>
Random Windows bashing, member bashing, trolling
</snip>

A truly heartwarming speech, but as you mentioned in it, this thread isn't for trolling and debating the best OS. So let's leave it on topic please.

[Karthik 2.0]

Hey it works!!! WOHO!
Anyway, EJ are still planning on writing the Hook dll?!

[E_J]

Originally Posted by Karthik 2.0

Hey it works!!! WOHO!
Anyway, EJ are still planning on writing the Hook dll?!

I am looking into it for some other programs which won't run. It would be a more universal solution. I am actually a little surprised that this works since GlobalMemoryStatusEx requires a return value whereas GlobalMemoryStatus does not. But, ID must have used it in such a way where if its not a bool it doesn't matter.

[RincewindTheWiz]

Originally Posted by E_J

Since RincewindThePissard unnecessarily closed the previous thread (Alas, poor Empire I knew thee well.)

E_J seemingly thinks he can do whatever he damn well pleases. He is wrong. Banned for three weeks for insulting me without the slightest reason. And no, a moderator does not have to accept this kind of childlike behavior. The thread you referred to was closed because the thread starter openly broke the rules. Nothing more, nothing less. In my carreer here I've seen a lot of shortfused, ignorant people take potshots at me for doing my job, but since it's a pretty hot summer over here I'm going to be lenient and keep it to a temp ban, just so you can cool down a bit.

[Joe Forster/STA]

Hi guys,

E_J's idea definitely works. It was a very lame idea from iD Software to "protect" (?!) DOOM 3 from being run under Windows 98/ME this way!

Actually, I noticed that the game runs better under Windows 98 than Windows XP. But, perhaps, this is only an optical illusion, attributed to my deep affection to Windows 98... Still, reloading a quicksave is _incomparably_ faster in Windows 98 than Windows XP!

As E_J mentioned, GlobalMemoryStatusEx and GlobalMemoryStatus are quite different. But not only their return value is, but also the data structure that they fill in with information! For this reason, I made a patch that "forwards" GlobalMemoryStatusEx to GlobalMemoryStatus and grabs memory status information from the record fields as laid out in GlobalMemoryStatus's data structure. [...] EDIT: The patch is meant to be applied to Reloaded's no-CD executable!

Not that this made any difference on my machine... Also, note that there are gonna be severe problems on machines with memory more than 4 Gigabytes as that is the reason why GlobalMemoryStatusEx was created...

I wrote up a little article on the tools I used, see http://fileforums.com/showthread.php?t=63465 . Happy gaming and hacking,

Joe

[fazr001]

Originally Posted by Joe Forster/STA

...I made a patch that "forwards" GlobalMemoryStatusEx to GlobalMemoryStatus and grabs memory status information from the record fields as laid out in GlobalMemoryStatus's data structure ...

Where can I find this patch, please?

Thanx, Fazrik

[Joe Forster/STA]

Hi Fazrik,

Grab it from GameCopyWorld, it has already been uploaded.

It is important to mention that this Windows 98/ME compatibility patch works ONLY with Reloaded's no-CD executable...!

Joe

[Sprint45]

Downloaded Joe's 98SE patch i received an Doom3.MSI file. but to load it it requires a setup.exe file...can someone please help me with installing this patch????

[putasmileonit1]

can any one tell me what a hex program is please

[Joe Forster/STA]

Uhm, why don't you use the small patch that I built instead of trying to find out how to hexedit binary code?

Joe

[putasmileonit1]

just found out that my pc is not fast enough, it is only a 1ghz, i need at least 1.5ghz

[JoyBoy]

Originally Posted by putasmileonit1

just found out that my pc is not fast enough, it is only a 1ghz, i need at least 1.5ghz

Pish Posh. I'm playing DOOM 3 on a 850mhz Athlon Beast and a GF3Ti200. Of course, the Video Settings are set to Low Quality, but all the Advanced Settings, besides VSync, are On. Frames only drop drastically when there are like 3-4 enemies. From what I have read, thats all the DOOM engine will support anyway.

Average Game. Starts off good, gets boring, then picks up, then gets boring again. Reminds me so much of Alien vs Predator 2. (Never played the first one). Blantent Engine demo in my opinion. Nice of id Software to already abandon it and move onto their next engine

[Joe Forster/STA]

Hey BountyWarrior,

While it is quite off-topic now, I _really_ recommend you to play Alien vs Predator (the first one). It scared the **** out of me, it has an extremely creepy atmosphere. (Just like Alien Trilogy but that's for DOS and pretty unstable at that...)

Joe