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First post, by DosFreak

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Once this guide is finished it will be submitted to the guide forum

Okay, I decided to write my own Dosbox + Mechwarrior 2 guide. I have not looked at anyone else's work. I did look over some hex editing guides from 1997-1998 and some info on CD access (Dropship menus) but that's it. No information from any other source has been included. With that said:

Mechwarrior 2 (DOS) with DosBox v0.63
These directions assume you are using a Windows system.

1. Insert Mech2 CD in CD drive.
2. Create MECH2 directory on hard drive.
2. Go to command prompt.
3. Go to CD drive where your Mech2 CD is located.
4. Run xcopy *.* /E /H X:\MECH2 directory from the CD. (Where X is location of MECH2 directory on hard drive)
5. Run the install program from the CD and install into the MECH2 directory on your hard drive. DO A MINIMUM INSTALL.
6. Upon running the INSTALL program in Windows you may receive the error message: "An application has attempted to directly access the hard disk". CLICK IGNORE.
7. You may also receive the message: "Not ready reading drive F Abort, Retry Fail?", Hit F.
8. Open Mech2.exe into a hex editor and replace the following line: B901000000E8 with this one B900000000E8.
I found one occurence of this in my version.
9. Open MW2.EXE into a hex editor and replace the following line: B901000000E8 with this one B900000000E8.
I found 5 occurences of this in my version.
** I recommend HackMan or Hexworkshop for editing the files.
10. Copy the cracked MW2.EXE and MECH2.EXE into the Mechwarrior 2 directory and play!.
11. If you wish to install patch v1.1. Then install it but YOU MUST re-crack MW2.EXE since it has been updated!
12. If you do install patch v1.1, you MUST surf to your MECH2 CD, select ALL files in the GIDDI folder and then copy and past them to the GIDDI folder on your hard drive. DO NOT OVERWRITE ANY FILES! HIT NO!. (The v1.1 patch erases the files that that step #13 uses. If you do not copy the files again then you cannot edit your keyboard preferences and you will not be able to enter missions if you perform step #13)
13. If you wish dropship menus and the trainer's voice then you MUST use mount d X:\gamedir -t cdrom or IMGMOUNT to the .ISO of your MECH2 CD!
14. Play the game!

NOTES
* Obviously there will be no CD audio since DosBox does not support this. It would slow down emulation anyway if it did. I suggest just playing the music from your host system CD player, stereo, or ripping it to your audio file of choice.
** For those of you thinking about using just one mount command. For instance: Mount c X:\mech2 -t cdrom. It does work. Unfortunately the command seems to emulate the cdrom so well that you cannot save changes. Perhaps this could be an option for Dosbox? CDRW for -t cdrom option in mount command? (By CDRW I simply mean the ability to change files)

Last edited by DosFreak on 2005-01-16, 15:11. Edited 1 time in total.

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Reply 2 of 9, by mirekluza

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I do not think it should go to the DOSBOX Guides. There should be only some general things, not instructions for individual games (this is just my opinon - perhaps other mods have different opinion).
What is that attached file? I hope it is not a cracked executable or something like that (I mean a copyrighted file). If yes, then it should be removed.

Mirek

Reply 3 of 9, by darkgamorck

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Got a better crack guide for the game in my old post here:

MechWarrior 2 Version 1.1 now works in DOSBox.

Also I had no problems running the game with CD Audio (as long as I used the actual CD and mounted it correctly in dosbox). I believe CD Audio even worked fine with the cracked version when I had the CD inserted into the drive.

Crack instructions:

To crack Mechwarrior 2 for DOS Version 1.1: […]
Show full quote

To crack Mechwarrior 2 for DOS Version 1.1:

1) Open MECH2.EXE in a HEX EDITOR
2) Find the data: B9 01 00 00 00 E8 0D FF FF FF 83 C0
3) Change it to: B9 00 00 00 00 E8 0D FF FF FF 83 C0
4) Save the new MECH2.EXE

5) Open MW2.EXE in an HEX EDITOR
6) Find the data: B9 01 00 00 00 E8 62 9A 04 00 89 C3
7) Change it to: B9 00 00 00 00 E8 62 9A 04 00 89 C3
Cool Save the new MW2.EXE

If you have version 1.0 of the game you can obtain the patch from:

http://www.boonic.com/parches/index.php?download=pres&cat=m

If you want precracked executables you can get them from my site:

http://www.jaylittle.com/jaylittle/downloads/ … 2_1.1_crack.zip

Cheers,

Jay

Reply 4 of 9, by DosFreak

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Yeah, I'll pore over yours and write a complete guide or you can if you want.

Your guide doesn't mention mounting the NOCD directory as a CD so that the dropship screens pop up.

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Reply 5 of 9, by darkgamorck

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If you perform a maximum install you don't need a nocd directory.

Reply 6 of 9, by DosFreak

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Sigh. Just try it. Even if you use full install the game still needs to access the CD for the dropship screens, also something to do with the trainer too. I think it's the voice but I haven't verified that yet.

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Reply 7 of 9, by lordlupin

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Hi,

i am trying to get mw2 mercs to work in dos box and need to crack it so it doesn't need to have the cd to work. how do i go about doing that using a hex editor as described above? is it exactly the same or are there differences?

cheers

Reply 8 of 9, by DosFreak

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The above is for Mech 2...not MERCS. I have no info on how to crack the DOS ver of Mech2:Mercs. I have cracked the Win95 ver of Mercs but that's hardly useful since you can only play it on 9x.

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Reply 9 of 9, by ChaosFish

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I think instead of posting it as a thread in the guides forum (which, I've been told, is not for game specific guides), you should post it as a post in the sticky DOSBox Game Guides thread.