Run the setup program and set digital audio to SB16/AWE32?

That would be the easiest and most obvious answer. Unfortunately I'm running off a disc image, and setup refuses to run unless I have a physical disc. Burn a physical disc, you might suggest. Tried that, it still didn't work for some reason. Hence the need to enter the info manually. I don't know if these IDs are unique to each PC, or if they are based on the type of sound card. I'm hoping someone else with an Awe 64 running Descent 2 might be able to let me know.

Try:
DigiDeviceID8=0xe016
DigiDeviceID16=0xe018

Excellent, those worked perfectly. Thanks dr_st!

Note for in the future, questions involving old hardware should be asked in Marvin. Marvin, the Paranoid Android

Ah, well that makes sense. Will remember for next time.

Moved.

CrimsonMachete wrote:

That would be the easiest and most obvious answer. Unfortunately I'm running off a disc image, and setup refuses to run unless I have a physical disc. Burn a physical disc, you might suggest. Tried that, it still didn't work for some reason.

Yes, this has been bothering me for quite some time. I have a long time ago found and documented no-CD cracks for the game executable, but not for the setup program. With most games, the developers don't bother to copy protect the setup program, but in Descent II they obviously did.

Not sure why it did not work for you with a physical CD, because it always worked for me when I was using my 'Definitive Collection' Descent II CD. It also works with a CD image mounted inside DOSBox.

Anyways, I finally decided to crack down on it, and after spending several long hours with the DOSBox debugger (could have been faster if I had been more experienced with x86 Assembly!) cracked the setup program, so now it will run without any CD. But if you have the CD, you can still test CD music.

In the end it only requires two offsets changed in the EXE, using any good hex editor. The details have been documented here:
https://cloakedthargoid.wordpress.com/no-cd-descent2/

I will probably add a small write-up about the process (which taught me a few tricks) at a future point.

Since when does the Windows version of Descent 2 relies on the config file of the DOS version? The Windows version has it's own config file (descentw.cfg) with no infos about sound cards at all. It uses Windows to play audio. If you have set your AWE64 as the default MIDI device in Windows, the game will just use that.

ps: please remove that link. We do not allow linking to cracks here.

That link shows instructions (hex values) for patching only, I believe.
Anyway, the Windows version uses another config file as the DOS version.

dr_st wrote on 2018-05-05, 10:17:

https://cloakedthargoid.wordpress.com/no-cd-descent2/

Many thanks for this. Could you add to the post the instructions for SETUP.EXE v1.2 from here?: https://cloakedthargoid.wordpress.com/hacking … osbox-debugger/

Regarding SETUP.EXE, if there is no DESCENT.CFG, SETUP will try to play <Descent 2 CD-ROM>\D2DATA\BEN-H.MVE, it will fail and it will exit. If there is a DESCENT.CFG file (even an empty one) SETUP allows to change options but it's not possible to change Movie resolution because it will try to play BEN-H.MVE. It's possible to fix this?

ntalaec wrote on 2025-10-10, 18:49:

Many thanks for this. Could you add to the post the instructions for SETUP.EXE v1.2 from here?:

Hi. Not quite sure I understand you. I am not familiar with SETUP v1.2 - only v1.0 and v1.1. Which instructions are missing?

ntalaec wrote on 2025-10-10, 18:49:

Regarding SETUP.EXE, if there is no DESCENT.CFG, SETUP will try to play <Descent 2 CD-ROM>\D2DATA\BEN-H.MVE, it will fail and it will exit. If there is a DESCENT.CFG file (even an empty one) SETUP allows to change options but it's not possible to change Movie resolution because it will try to play BEN-H.MVE. It's possible to fix this?

Good point about DESCENT.CFG, thank you for sharing. 😀

Indeed it seems my hack is sensitive to this specific situation. I specifically wanted SETUP.EXE to work even if there is no CD drive mounted; however, the change that requires breaks the CD drive detection when it is present, so anything that requires movie playing (within the setup program) will fail.

My suggestion, therefore, is to install the game from the CD / CD image and only later apply the no-CD patches to the main game / setup program.

To change movie resolution even without the CD, you can enter the "Change Installation Level" menu, then find at the bottom the option 'Change movie detail to low' or 'Change movie detail to high'. For whatever reason, this doesn't try to play any movies, and just modifies the value of MovieHires in the DESCENT.CFG.

dr_st wrote on 2025-10-13, 12:21:

Hi. Not quite sure I understand you. I am not familiar with SETUP v1.2 - only v1.0 and v1.1. Which instructions are missing?

I mean that you already have crack instructions for SETUP v1.2 here: https://cloakedthargoid.wordpress.com/hacking … osbox-debugger/
SETUP.EXE v1.2
size 800,083 bytes
Error: Cannot find a CD-ROM drive.
offset 0x42667
change 75->EB
Error: Descent II CD must be present to run SETUP.
offset 0x41989
change 75->EB

I have done the same for the Windows 95 executable:
Descent II Win95.exe v1.2
size 940,032 bytes
Error: Sorry, the Descent 2 CD must be present to run.
offset 0x7B95E
change 75->EB

dr_st wrote on 2025-10-13, 12:21:

To change movie resolution even without the CD, you can enter the "Change Installation Level" menu, then find at the bottom the option 'Change movie detail to low' or 'Change movie detail to high'.

It's not possible to do this. After changing the option, SETUP ask for reinstall or abort. If you choose abort, no changes are made and if you choose reinstall, SETUP can't find the files in the CD-ROM and aborts without changing the option. But it's possible to manually edit DESCENT.CFG, of course.

Also, the Windows 95 executable has frame limit (60 fps) in 320x200 resolution. The other resolutions (640x480 -cockpit-, 640x400 and 800x600 -no cockpit- ; there is no -superhires parameter for the Windows 95 executable) have uncapped framerate so, gameplay it's broken.

Do you know if there is any way to edit Descent II Win95.exe to apply framerate limit to the other resolutions?

ntalaec wrote on 2025-10-13, 15:25:

I mean that you already have crack instructions for SETUP v1.2 here: https://cloakedthargoid.wordpress.com/hacking … osbox-debug […]
Show full quote

I mean that you already have crack instructions for SETUP v1.2 here: https://cloakedthargoid.wordpress.com/hacking … osbox-debugger/
SETUP.EXE v1.2
size 800,083 bytes
Error: Cannot find a CD-ROM drive.
offset 0x42667
change 75->EB
Error: Descent II CD must be present to run SETUP.
offset 0x41989
change 75->EB

Is it Setup 1.0 or 1.2? Here I have the same offset for 1.0:
https://cloakedthargoid.wordpress.com/no-cd/no-cd-descent2/
Which version is this SETUP.EXE present in?

ntalaec wrote on 2025-10-13, 15:25:

I have done the same for the Windows 95 executable: Descent II Win95.exe v1.2 size 940,032 bytes Error: Sorry, the Descent 2 CD […]
Show full quote

I have done the same for the Windows 95 executable:
Descent II Win95.exe v1.2
size 940,032 bytes
Error: Sorry, the Descent 2 CD must be present to run.
offset 0x7B95E
change 75->EB

Thanks! I will add this to the post.

ntalaec wrote on 2025-10-13, 15:25:

dr_st wrote on 2025-10-13, 12:21:

To change movie resolution even without the CD, you can enter the "Change Installation Level" menu, then find at the bottom the option 'Change movie detail to low' or 'Change movie detail to high'.

It's not possible to do this. After changing the option, SETUP ask for reinstall or abort. If you choose abort, no changes are made and if you choose reinstall, SETUP can't find the files in the CD-ROM and aborts without changing the option. But it's possible to manually edit DESCENT.CFG, of course.

It works for me, I just tried it before posting. It didn't ask for anything after changing the option. Maybe it is because I originally installed the game with 'maximum' install level which puts all the movie files on the hard drive? (edit: doesn't seem related)

ntalaec wrote on 2025-10-13, 15:25:

Do you know if there is any way to edit Descent II Win95.exe to apply framerate limit to the other resolutions?

I must say I have never investigated the Win95 version as I always played the original under DOS. For modern Windows I would use a source port nowadays, and I no longer have a functioning Win9x system to test things on...

dr_st wrote on 2025-10-13, 17:49:

Is it Setup 1.0 or 1.2? Here I have the same offset for 1.0:
https://cloakedthargoid.wordpress.com/no-cd/no-cd-descent2/
Which version is this SETUP.EXE present in?

It's SETUP.EXE from v1.2 update.
Offset 0x41989 it's for v1.0 and 1.2.
Offset 0x42667 it's only for v1.2.

dr_st wrote on 2025-10-13, 12:21:

To change movie resolution even without the CD, you can enter the "Change Installation Level" menu, then find at the bottom the option 'Change movie detail to low' or 'Change movie detail to high'.

I've tested again and it works. When you abort Change installation level, Movie resolution does not change on screen but, internally it does and if you leave SETUP and save the changes, it changes the value.

dr_st wrote on 2025-10-13, 17:49:

I must say I have never investigated the Win95 version as I always played the original under DOS. For modern Windows I would use a source port nowadays, and I no longer have a functioning Win9x system to test things on...

What a shame. Could you at least give me any tip about where to look for this resolutions using IDA?

ntalaec wrote on 2025-10-13, 20:48:

It's SETUP.EXE from v1.2 update.
Offset 0x41989 it's for v1.0 and 1.2.
Offset 0x42667 it's only for v1.2.

And both files are 800,083 bytes long, with some offsets matching and some not? Weird. But then again, I have never seen any SETUP.EXE either than v1.1. Can you share the file or let me know where I can get it?

ntalaec wrote on 2025-10-13, 20:48:

What a shame. Could you at least give me any tip about where to look for this resolutions using IDA?

Is this frame cap in 320x200 always on or is there a setting to control it, which does not apply to other resolutions? I don't know whether Descent II uses the same renderer for all resolutions, or different ones (then it might be more complicated). Also I wonder if there is a way to limit framerate globally in GPU drivers of that era.

P.S. We are straying further off topic the original thread, which was dormant for 7 years. Perhaps an admin/mod can split off the new posts...

dr_st wrote on Yesterday, 08:10:

And both files are 800,083 bytes long, with some offsets matching and some not? Weird. But then again, I have never seen any SETUP.EXE either than v1.1. Can you share the file or let me know where I can get it?

Sorry, I was using an image from my own CD (v1.0 Europe) and updated to v1.2 using patch. The patch does not update SETUP.EXE so it's v1.0. In this version offset 0x42667 works.
Update v1.1 and v1.2 only updates four files: DESCENT2.EXE, DESCENT2.HAM, DESCENT2.HOG and README.TXT. There are no changes for DESCENT2.HAM even if the updater tells the opposite.

dr_st wrote on Yesterday, 08:10:

Is this frame cap in 320x200 always on or is there a setting to control it, which does not apply to other resolutions? I don't know whether Descent II uses the same renderer for all resolutions, or different ones (then it might be more complicated). Also I wonder if there is a way to limit framerate globally in GPU drivers of that era.

The frame cap it's always activated, it's only for this resolution and there is no option to deactivate it. I'm testing the game in a Netbook with Intel Atom N280, 1 GB RAM, Intel Graphics 945 and Windows XP. Control panel for Intel Graphics has no option to limit frame rate. This resolution does not work in modern hardware so I can't try with other computers. Seems to me that the frame cap it's in the game code, but I don't know where to look with IDA.

ntalaec wrote on Yesterday, 16:21:

Sorry, I was using an image from my own CD (v1.0 Europe) and updated to v1.2 using patch. The patch does not update SETUP.EXE so it's v1.0. In this version offset 0x42667 works.

Ah, yes. This makes sense now. The first check (presence of CD drive) in SETUP.EXE can be defeated by one of two single-byte changes. So I think 41947 and 42667 can be used interchangeably.

ntalaec wrote on Yesterday, 16:21:

The frame cap it's always activated, it's only for this resolution and there is no option to deactivate it. I'm testing the game in a Netbook with Intel Atom N280, 1 GB RAM, Intel Graphics 945 and Windows XP. Control panel for Intel Graphics has no option to limit frame rate. This resolution does not work in modern hardware so I can't try with other computers. Seems to me that the frame cap it's in the game code, but I don't know where to look with IDA.

I have done some testing on my WinXP system (C2D T7200 and ATI X1400). There are lots of graphical glitches, but the good news is that DxWnd seems to work for limiting the frame rate. DxWnd has a frame limiting setting in its advanced menu (Timing tab), but I don't even need to have that enabled. Simply running Descent II Win95.exe through DxWnd (launching DxWnd then dragging the game application into its window) seems to get the job done, and the game runs at normal speed in high resolutions. You may want to disable 'Run in Window' in the DxWnd main tab when configuring the game. Try it.

dr_st wrote on Yesterday, 18:38:

I have done some testing on my WinXP system (C2D T7200 and ATI X1400). There are lots of graphical glitches, but the good news is that DxWnd seems to work for limiting the frame rate. DxWnd has a frame limiting setting in its advanced menu (Timing tab), but I don't even need to have that enabled. Simply running Descent II Win95.exe through DxWnd (launching DxWnd then dragging the game application into its window) seems to get the job done, and the game runs at normal speed in high resolutions. You may want to disable 'Run in Window' in the DxWnd main tab when configuring the game. Try it.

I would like to play this game without source ports or wrappers. Besides that, in my Windows XP computer I can't get a locked 60 fps gameplay with DxWnd. To get it working I have to check the limit option in Timings tab and the Vsync in DirectX (2) tab. I get a 60 fps limit but as soon as there's enough action, framerate goes single digit. Don't know why.

To get the game fully working in my Windows XP machine I have to set compatibility to Windows 95 or 320x200 and 640x400 resolutions won't work. In your machine, besides compatibility you could try the parameter -emul or -ddemul. There is also the undocumented parameter -hw_3dacc. By the way, with the parameter -nomovies, movies aren't required if you use the no-cd crack.

These are some captures of the game running in my Windows XP computer in 320x200 resolution (with frame limit) and 640x480 resolution with full and minimum window size. Could you try this options in your computer to see if there is any frame limit? You can see the framerate if you type frametime during gameplay.