VOGONS


Wing Commander 1 installation problem.

Topic actions

First post, by badmojo

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I bought this copy of Wing Commander recently for a couple of bucks, but I get the following message when trying to install it:

"Please insert your original MV in drive A:"

This appears after selecting the destination drive and directory, then selecting the sound option, then confirming my selection. I've checked the disks and they're fine, and I've tried selecting a sound card or selecting 'no sound'. Same thing; it won't continue.

Anyone have any ideas? Am I missing a disk or something? Google obviously was no help.

I'm trying to install it on a 486DX33 running Dos 6.22. I know this machine is too fast to play the game on, I just wanted to make sure the disks are OK before busting out the 386.

IMG_3004.jpg

Reply 1 of 24, by Mau1wurf1977

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Regarding speed, just disable L1 (and L2 if you have to) Cache and you will be golden, even on your DX2.

Regarding the floppy discs, sorry I can't help you 🙁

I bought my version on GOG.com.

My website with reviews, demos, drivers, tutorials and more...
My YouTube channel

Reply 2 of 24, by badmojo

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Still no luck and I just can't imagine what the problem is. The disks are definately ok, and a bit of research suggests that they're authentic, but it's as if the installer just wont accept disk 1 - i.e. the disk it's being called from - as a valid installation disk. My only thought is that a file is missing, or someone has changed the volume name of the disk for whatever reason. That's pretty unlikely I guess, the disks were still set to readonly.

Anyway, if anyone has the original Wing Commander floppy version (6 disks), would you be so kind as to have a quick peek at the first disk and tell me what the volume label is, if any? A file count would be great too if possible.

Thanks for any help.

Life? Don't talk to me about life.

Reply 3 of 24, by Jorpho

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Does it work in DOSBox if you make images of the disks? (You can use RawWrite to make images.)

Of course I understand you want to run it on your 486, but this might be useful for debugging purposes.

Reply 4 of 24, by dougdahl

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

My apologies if you've already tried this, but are you including "-t floppy" when you mount the floppy?
In the past I have had trouble with some games not acting right when failing to use -t cdrom to mount cdroms, and it is likely that the same could be true for floppies.

Reply 5 of 24, by Jorpho

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
dougdahl wrote:

My apologies if you've already tried this, but are you including "-t floppy" when you mount the floppy?

Psst: he's using original hardware, not DOSBox. Nothing requires mounting.

Reply 6 of 24, by Dominus

User metadata
Rank DOSBox Moderator
Rank
DOSBox Moderator

Doug: read the first post more closely. He's trying to install it on a real machine. Jorpho just suggested trying Dosbox as well in the post before yours 😉

Windows 3.1x guide for DOSBox
60 seconds guide to DOSBox
DOSBox SVN snapshot for macOS (10.4-11.x ppc/intel 32/64bit) notarized for gatekeeper

Reply 7 of 24, by dougdahl

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Sorry.

Reply 9 of 24, by badmojo

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I've never used dosbox but will give it a shot if all else fails. And no the other disks didn't have any volume labels either, so that's probably a dead end.

I like the 'copying the disk' idea though and will give it a shot.

In the mean time I've tried installing it on a different, slower machine. It made no difference.

Life? Don't talk to me about life.

Reply 10 of 24, by megatron-uk

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

HI, I've done a listing of the volume headers and contents of my Wing Commander disks - this is the original Origin release, rather than a budget one (check the images, the disks and box are different to yours), so, your mileage may vary!

Hope this helps!

 Volume in drive A is PCT7U_02-07
Volume Serial Number is 10E3-2C62
Directory for A:/

DISK 001 48 1991-09-27 10:00
WC EXE 304976 1991-09-27 9:40
INSTALL EXE 55056 1991-09-19 15:01
INSTALL DAT 976 1991-09-27 9:37
GAME PAL 1120 1990-03-29 16:48
ARROW VGA 299 1990-09-06 17:07
FONTS FNT 7664 1990-09-07 15:30
CONVERT PAL 256 1990-11-21 14:28
PCSHIP V00 79186 1990-09-15 18:59
SAVEGAME WLD 6624 1990-11-26 12:57
MODULE 000 22085 1990-09-17 8:25
PLANETS VGA 10548 1990-08-28 20:02
OBJECTS VGA 74985 1990-08-24 0:10
STRAX DRV 4869 1990-09-17 8:36
WINGLDR TIM 5596 1990-09-18 15:54
COCKPIT VGA 28434 1990-09-07 15:31
SHIP V17 87302 1990-09-07 15:26
PCSHIP V04 16108 1990-09-07 15:21
INTRO DAT 630 1990-09-13 17:20
19 files 706 762 bytes
13 312 bytes fre

==============================

Volume in drive A is PCT7U_03-07
Volume Serial Number is 10E7-3B64
Directory for A:/

DISK 002 48 1991-09-27 10:02
PCSHIP V01 89328 1990-09-13 13:02
PCSHIP V02 71847 1990-09-07 15:20
PCSHIP V03 86409 1990-09-07 15:21
PILOTANM VGA 88377 1990-08-07 15:49
SHIP V18 94854 1990-09-12 6:23
SHIP V21 47855 1990-09-12 6:24
SHIPTYPE V00 43254 1990-09-07 15:28
SHIPTYPE V01 50639 1990-09-07 15:28
SHIPTYPE V02 40923 1990-09-07 15:28
SHIPTYPE V03 47874 1990-09-07 15:29
SHIPTYPE V29 8799 1990-08-20 16:01
COMMUNIC DAT 12320 1990-09-16 16:55
WINGMEN VGA 29963 1990-08-07 15:56
14 files 712 490 bytes
9 216 bytes free

============================

Volume in drive A is PCT7U_04-07
Volume Serial Number is 10EB-0E20
Directory for A:/

DISK 003 48 1991-09-27 10:03
CAMP 000 651 1990-09-16 19:22
BRIEFING 000 222366 1990-09-20 23:43
RECROOM VGA 151583 1990-09-18 12:56
BRIEFING VGA 290931 1990-09-06 2:01
Show last 51 lines
        5 files             665 579 bytes
60 416 bytes free

==============================

Volume in drive A is PCT7U_05-07
Volume Serial Number is 10F0-2043
Directory for A:/

DISK 004 48 1991-09-27 10:05
TALKING VGA 137800 1990-09-13 8:48
SHIPTYPE V09 45287 1990-09-07 15:29
SHIPTYPE V10 49511 1990-09-15 13:20
SHIPTYPE V12 50607 1990-09-07 15:30
SHIPTYPE V13 45517 1990-09-07 15:30
SHIP V06 92859 1990-09-07 15:22
SHIP V07 90532 1990-09-07 15:23
SHIP V08 102872 1990-09-07 15:24
SHIP V15 99824 1990-09-12 6:22
10 files 714 857 bytes
9 216 bytes free

=================================

Volume in drive A is PCT7U_06-07
Volume Serial Number is 10F5-2E49
Directory for A:/

DISK 005 48 1991-09-27 10:06
SCRAMBLE VGA 165009 1990-08-29 16:34
MUSIC MID 139707 1990-09-12 6:51
SHIPTYPE V11 53016 1990-09-07 15:30
4 files 357 780 bytes
369 664 bytes free

==================================

Volume in drive A is PCT7U_WINA
Volume Serial Number is 10FC-4037
Directory for A:/

DISK 006 48 1991-09-27 10:07
TITLE VGA 150008 1990-09-17 12:48
MIDGAME V00 64561 1990-09-13 7:59
MIDGAME V01 51885 1990-09-13 7:59
MIDGAME V02 62986 1990-09-13 7:58
MIDGAME V03 37231 1990-09-13 7:59
SUPERTM DRV 65281 1990-11-20 14:35
TM DRV 29779 1990-11-20 14:35
8 files 461 779 bytes
263 168 bytes free

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 11 of 24, by badmojo

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Oh wow thanks for going to all that trouble, excellent work!

Unfortunately though I'm still stuck. My disk 1 has exactly the same files as yours so I tried changing the volume label to PCT7U_02-07, but I still get the same message. I notice that your disks have a serial number too - can that be changed? But even if it can, surely the copy protection is not that strong on a 20 year old floppy disk game??

I just can't imagine what the problem could be, it's like I'm missing another product or or validation disk, but this isn't an add-on, it's the full game. I tried copying disk 1 to another disk and get the same message, so I'm convinced the disk itself is physically OK.

Oh well it only cost me 2 bucks, I should probably just move on with my life. Frustrating though, it should work!

Life? Don't talk to me about life.

Reply 12 of 24, by Great Hierophant

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

My Wing Commander disk images (6x720KB) have no difficulty installing in DOSBox. They have no disk labels. I have never heard of WC using disk-based copy protection, which usually comes into play when you are trying to run the game, not install it. Perhaps the disks were already damaged before you tried installing it.

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/ - Nerdly Pleasures - My Retro Gaming, Computing & Tech Blog

Reply 13 of 24, by mr_bigmouth_502

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Dumb idea, but maybe you could try copying all of the install files to a directory and running the install from there? Just a thought. 🤣 If it's really insistent on running from drive A:, you could probably use SUBST to fool the system into thinking that that directory is drive A:.

Reply 14 of 24, by badmojo

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Right I've had a bit of a poke around with my trusty hex editor and have decided that my "install.dat" file is corrupted. This file is supposed to be a list of the files on each disk, but most of mine is rubbish.

I've since bought the GOG version in the hope of getting a valid copy of that file, but unfortunately they sell the 3 disk copy of the game, and mine is the 6 disk version, so obviously the files have different content.

Would someone with the 6 disk copy be so kind as to upload their version of the "install.dat" file somewhere please? It's on the first disk.

I know its a bit of work to do that, and is possibly illegal? So I'll understand if not!

Thanks either way!

Life? Don't talk to me about life.

Reply 15 of 24, by megatron-uk

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Here's my INSTALL.DAT file.

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 16 of 24, by badmojo

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Nice one megatron, that did the trick! Thanks very much for your help mate, a 20+ year old piece of computer history lives on!

It was just that one file on the first disk that had been corrupted - the rest of the disks installed no problems.

Now I have the game running, but it hangs just after the fireworks... my next challenge!

Life? Don't talk to me about life.

Reply 18 of 24, by megatron-uk

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
badmofo wrote:

Nice one megatron, that did the trick! Thanks very much for your help mate, a 20+ year old piece of computer history lives on!

It was just that one file on the first disk that had been corrupted - the rest of the disks installed no problems.

Now I have the game running, but it hangs just after the fireworks... my next challenge!

Hmm, wonder if there aren't some more files out of that entire set that are corrupted?

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 19 of 24, by badmojo

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
megatron-uk wrote:

Hmm, wonder if there aren't some more files out of that entire set that are corrupted?

That's true, just because it installed doesn't mean some files still ain't broke.

It only hangs if I'm using the MT-32 sound option - with Sound Blaster selected it makes it through the opening credits at least. I haven't actually tried to play the game yet.

I know my MT-32 setup works in games that require intelligent mode, so I guess I should discount a hardware issue for now and look more closely at the files.

I'll try the GOG version first and if that works, then I'll track down the other dodgy file(s).

Thanks again for your help!