Need Help Running Stronghold 2: Deluxe Version 1.31

[Geralt of Rivia 2]

As some of you may know, there are two versions of Stronghold 2: the Standard edition and the Deluxe edition. The standard edition patches to version 1.4.1, however, the Deluxe edition patches to version 1.31; and it requires a special Deluxe patch. The good news is that this patch was included on the DVD disc itself of late releases of this game (I have a late release which includes a 1.31 patch right on the disc; alternatively, the patch can also be downloaded here: https://www.patches-scrolls.de/patch/4050/7/51651/download).

The problem is that I cannot get the game to start when applying the 1.31 patch; and I would very much like to apply the patch as it contains a large amount of bugfixes, balancing fixes, and AI improvements. Any help getting this to work would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Additional Info:

-Windows 10 Professional x64 bit edition

-Intel Core i7-8700 CPU

-NVidia Geforce GTX 1660

-64 BG RAM

-1TB SSD

Edited November 21, 2020 by Geralt of Rivia

[Lord_Chris 251]

Hi @Geralt of Rivia, welcome to Stronghold Nation!

So if I understand correctly, you have the standard edition, and are trying to download the 1.3.1 update and install it, at which point your game will no longer load? Or is it the case that you're installing the 1.3.1 straight off your disk, and it doesn't work?

Do you get any errors when you try to run the game? What happens?

[Geralt of Rivia 2]

Hi @Lord_Chris, and thank you for your reply.

No, I actually own the Mastertronic Deluxe Edition which includes the 1.31 patch right on the DVD installation disc. Whenever I try to run the game, it just hangs in the Task Manager. It never ends up actually launching. I don't get any error messages either:

https://u.cubeupload.com/Buzzed_Lightyear/Stronhold2WontStart.png

 

 

[EaglePrince 230]

Maybe you'll could try to end the task (Stronghold 2.exe), and then start over.

It happens to me that the game won't start on Windows 10, although I have Steam edition. And then I would terminate Stronghold 2 process, start over, and then the game starts as it should. Strange, but it works.

Sent from my Mi A2 Lite using Tapatalk

[Lord_Chris 251]

Do you have this problem in other games as well? The thing which instantly comes to my mind here is an update that Microsoft pushed out in, I think, 2015 (KB3086255). This update essentially disables SafeDisc and SecuROM on Windows 8 & 8.1 machines, thus breaking many older games. Microsoft then decided that it was such as great update they'd push it to Windows 10 to the point where you can't even remove it anymore.

 The following page explains how to try and start the SecuROM service on Windows 10. I don't use Windows 10 so I can't verify any of this, but hopefully if this is the problem it will fix it for you: https://appuals.com/enable-secdrv-sys/

You will need to enable SecuROM prior to trying to launch the game. You aren't the first person who has reported this issue on Windows 10, so this may well be the problem. However if this doesn't work, we will need to explore other options.

One possibility is that an anti-virus may be interfering with the game, it is also known to have happened in the past (offhand I seem to recall McAfee and one other whose name escapes me may have done this in the past). If the first solution above does not work, try disabling your anti-virus and launch it again.

[Geralt of Rivia 2]

  On 23/11/2020 at 09:40, EaglePrince said:

Maybe you'll could try to end the task (Stronghold 2.exe), and then start over.

It happens to me that the game won't start on Windows 10, although I have Steam edition. And then I would terminate Stronghold 2 process, start over, and then the game starts as it should. Strange, but it works.

Sent from my Mi A2 Lite using Tapatalk
 

Read more  

No, currently, this is the only game that has this problem. And yes, I've tried this many, many times. No matter how many times I "End Task" in the Task Manager and attempt to restart the game, it keeps on hanging in the task manager.

  On 23/11/2020 at 15:16, Lord_Chris said:

Do you have this problem in other games as well? The thing which instantly comes to my mind here is an update that Microsoft pushed out in, I think, 2015 (KB3086255). This update essentially disables SafeDisc and SecuROM on Windows 8 & 8.1 machines, thus breaking many older games. Microsoft then decided that it was such as great update they'd push it to Windows 10 to the point where you can't even remove it anymore.

 The following page explains how to try and start the SecuROM service on Windows 10. I don't use Windows 10 so I can't verify any of this, but hopefully if this is the problem it will fix it for you: https://appuals.com/enable-secdrv-sys/

You will need to enable SecuROM prior to trying to launch the game. You aren't the first person who has reported this issue on Windows 10, so this may well be the problem. However if this doesn't work, we will need to explore other options.

One possibility is that an anti-virus may be interfering with the game, it is also known to have happened in the past (offhand I seem to recall McAfee and one other whose name escapes me may have done this in the past). If the first solution above does not work, try disabling your anti-virus and launch it again.

Read more  

It's not SecuROM that's causing the issue. I know this due to two things: #1. I can run other SecuROM games that use the same version of SecuROM (to be specific SecuROM 7) such as Sid Meier's Pirates. #2. I'm running this using Alcohol 120% using Extra Emulation (specifically Sub-Channel Data Fixed and Emulation) with the image created using high DPS precision measurement, so the disc is a completely 1-for-1 mirror of the original disc. Besides, even if it WAS a SecuROM issue, then we would get the famous "Failed to Authenticate" screen. It wouldn't hang there doing nothing. No my anti-virus isn't blocking anything. It's Bitdefender Internet Security.

 

Crazy thing is I came across another post very much like mine while researching this issue on this very site no less! Here's the post: 

Small world, am I right?

[EaglePrince 230]

Could you try to see what happens when inserting the original disk itself? Maybe Alcohol 120% isn't causing the issue, but just a guess.

Also, I think this could be done by enabling some stuff in the emulation settings, but I wouldn't want to go into "piracy waters". I do believe that you made a copy of your own disk (to prevent damage of your original disk), but if you shared this image with others - then it would be piracy for sure.

If I remember correctly, 1.3 is just easier to run in the way you described than 1.3.1. And I think it's the same with 1.4 compared to 1.4.1.

Also, yes, that issue which Matthew has does look the same as yours. Wondering how he managed to fix it. If he did make it at all.

Sent from my Mi A2 Lite using Tapatalk

[Geralt of Rivia 2]

  On 24/11/2020 at 07:42, EaglePrince said:

Could you try to see what happens when inserting the original disk itself? Maybe Alcohol 120% isn't causing the issue, but just a guess.

Also, I think this could be done by enabling some stuff in the emulation settings, but I wouldn't want to go into "piracy waters". I do believe that you made a copy of your own disk (to prevent damage of your original disk), but if you shared this image with others - then it would be piracy for sure.

If I remember correctly, 1.3 is just easier to run in the way you described than 1.3.1. And I think it's the same with 1.4 compared to 1.4.1.

Also, yes, that issue which Matthew has does look the same as yours. Wondering how he managed to fix it. If he did make it at all.

Sent from my Mi A2 Lite using Tapatalk


 

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I know that Alcohol 120% isn't causing the issue because I used to run this same image on Windows 7. I only started having this issue within the last week when I decided to run this game for the first time in years on my new Windows 10 PC. However, after doing even more research, I discovered that Standard patch 1.4 included all of the extra features added in the Deluxe edition as well as all of the bugfixes that I wanted in the 1.31 patch Deluxe. Fortunately, I actually have a cousin who owns the Standard edition. What I'll end up doing is borrowing his copy, making Alcohol images, and patching the game to version 1.4 (technically legal given that I'll end up with the same game that includes the exact same amount of content as the version I currently own). Not the solution I wanted, but at least I'll end up with a working copy.

 

Also, I might not be running patch 1.4.1 given that in my research, I discovered that patch 1.4.1 patches some very delicious "cheese" that I might want to exploit in the single player campaign. 😉

[Lord_Chris 251]

Now Alcohol 120% is known in the past to trigger SecuROM which has prevented the game from running although it runs in Task Manager. Any of the following programs can trigger this:

• Alcohol 120%
• BlindWrite
• Daemon Tools
• Game-Jack
• CloneCD
• Game Jackal
• Xoom Game Clone
• CDSpace
• Virtual CD
• Fantom CD
• Anti-Blaxx
• GetRight
• Virtual Drives
• Speaking Clock
• Nero ImageDrive

Usually in the past, this has typically resulted in an error by SecuROM, but on Windows 10 you never know as this is a very modern OS on a game that was built way before its time. And like I said, Microsoft pushed out that update which disabled SecurROM, so you may not even get an error anymore. I'm not using Windows 10 so I can't really comment on that.

I would strongly recommend using the original installation media. I do have to caution you though that we're heading into precarious territory while talking about making copies of the game, which is contrary to the site rules.

[EaglePrince 230]

Yup, a lot of that used to work before Windows 10, or before certain version of Windows 10. For example, I used to use some older version of Daemon Tools for some stuff, and in this version I was enabling some settings. By now Daemon Tools have removed those settings from the free version, and the old installation of Daemon Tools which I have on a DVD just doesn't work.

Mostly it's all fine, but here and there you see something that doesn't work, and yes, if it's about a game I grew up with, that can hurt. I even noticed that I cannot play Empire Earth on my laptop because the game doesn't support integrated GPU. Luckily, Steam offers fixes for a lot of stuff which came with Windows 10.

And yes, although one might feel that making a copy for themselves of a DVD which they bought is fine, I'm pretty sure that it says somewhere on the CD box of Stronghold 2 something like "do not copy". The same way making a copy of a movie (DVD rip) is not legal.

Edited November 24, 2020 by EaglePrince

[Geralt of Rivia 2]

  On 24/11/2020 at 17:25, Lord_Chris said:

Now Alcohol 120% is known in the past to trigger SecuROM which has prevented the game from running although it runs in Task Manager. Any of the following programs can trigger this:

• Alcohol 120%
• BlindWrite
• Daemon Tools
• Game-Jack
• CloneCD
• Game Jackal
• Xoom Game Clone
• CDSpace
• Virtual CD
• Fantom CD
• Anti-Blaxx
• GetRight
• Virtual Drives
• Speaking Clock
• Nero ImageDrive

Usually in the past, this has typically resulted in an error by SecuROM, but on Windows 10 you never know as this is a very modern OS on a game that was built way before its time. And like I said, Microsoft pushed out that update which disabled SecurROM, so you may not even get an error anymore. I'm not using Windows 10 so I can't really comment on that.

I would strongly recommend using the original installation media. I do have to caution you though that we're heading into precarious territory while talking about making copies of the game, which is contrary to the site rules.

Read more  

Yes, I've tried running the game from the original installation media. It still doesn't work. Also, here's proof that I do indeed own a physical copy of the game. As you can see, it is indeed the Mastertronic Deluxe edition:

 

 

Anyways, I got my cousin's Standard edition today. Will be installing it later tonight. If it works, then we can conclude that it's an issue exclusive to the Mastertronic Deluxe edition.

 

  On 24/11/2020 at 21:56, EaglePrince said:

Yup, a lot of that used to work before Windows 10, or before certain version of Windows 10. For example, I used to use some older version of Daemon Tools for some stuff, and in this version I was enabling some settings. By now Daemon Tools have removed those settings from the free version, and the old installation of Daemon Tools which I have on a DVD just doesn't work.

Mostly it's all fine, but here and there you see something that doesn't work, and yes, if it's about a game I grew up with, that can hurt. I even noticed that I cannot play Empire Earth on my laptop because the game doesn't support integrated GPU. Luckily, Steam offers fixes for a lot of stuff which came with Windows 10.

And yes, although one might feel that making a copy for themselves of a DVD which they bought is fine, I'm pretty sure that it says somewhere on the CD box of Stronghold 2 something like "do not copy". The same way making a copy of a movie (DVD rip) is not legal.

Read more  

Not if you live in the United States. Being able to make a copy of a DVD/CD or other physical media (such as cassette tape or floppy disc) for the purpose of personal backup/protecting the original discs is literally written into the United States copyright law. This applies to all copyrighted media including (but not limited to) movies, music, and video games. 

[EaglePrince 230]

Well in that case... USA, USA, USA!

I hope you're going to make it with your cousin's disk.

Sent from my Mi A2 Lite using Tapatalk

[Lord_Chris 251]

  On 26/11/2020 at 02:24, Geralt of Rivia said:

Yes, I've tried running the game from the original installation media. It still doesn't work. Also, here's proof that I do indeed own a physical copy of the game. As you can see, it is indeed the Mastertronic Deluxe edition:

Read more  

Thanks for the clarification. I never doubted you owned a physical copy of the game, I was just cautious about discussion around copying the game onto other discs because it could lead on to other discussion in that area which would be contrary to the site rules (hence why I said it was precarious territory).

I would be interested to know thought whether the issue is related to your own disk or not when you get a chance to install your Cousin's later on. My instinct seems to tell me though that it's something to do with your machine.

Do you have another computer your could try your own disk on? Perhaps you could try to play it via your Cousin's computer since he already has Stronghold 2 installed. If you can get that working on there, we can be confident that it's your computer at fault and focus our efforts on trying to get a resolution on that for you.

[Geralt of Rivia 2]

Sorry for the delay in reply. Here in the United States, we have just finished celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. Despite being a holiday, you're incredibly busy trying to get everything ready, attending social gatherings, etc. I rarely had any free time to play video games, let alone Stronghold. Anyways, onto the post. So yeah, I got my cousin's standard edition last week:

 

https://u.cubeupload.com/Buzzed_Lightyear/IMG20201203145657.jpeg

 

After fully uninstalling the Deluxe edition, I made two Alcohol images of the original disks and mounted them in the virtual drive and installed the new standard edition:

 

 

After patching the game to version 1.4 (and then later 1.4.1), I was greeted with this upon trying to play the game:

 

 

In other words, it works perfectly. So what can we conclude from all of this? That my suspicions were correct: that this issue is specific to the Deluxe Edition of the game, and specifically the 1.3.1 Deluxe Edition Patch. So word to the wise: avoid the Deluxe Edition of Stronghold 2. There's something wrong with that version for whatever reason.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Lord_Chris
Removed unnecessary quote of previous post

[Lord_Chris 251]

Now that's quite interesting actually. 1.4 includes all the improvements from 1.1 through to 1.3.1, but unfortunately no real official list of changes seems to exist on exactly what has been done. There is a known list released by Firefly of changes in 1.4.1 though, which is available on our downloads page for that patch here: https://www.stronghold-nation.com/downloads/file/12-patch-141-update/

Perhaps Firefly made some update in the 1.4 patch which allowed this process to work. Though it's good to know the issue seems to be solved on 1.4.1, at least.

Thanks for sharing!

[Geralt of Rivia 2]

It should be noted that patch 1.3.1 and patch 1.3.1 Deluxe are two distinctly different patches. Patch 1.3.1 is not compatible with the Deluxe edition of the game (I get an error message if I try to install that patch), and patch 1.3.1 Deluxe is not compatible with the Standard edition of the game. The Deluxe edition patches weren't made by FireFly Studios; they were made by Sold Out Software themselves. In fact, the Deluxe edition content was originally made by Sold Out Software, and then later licensed by FireFly Studios to be included in the 1.3.1 Standard Patch for North American retail copies of the game (the Deluxe edition was never formally released in North America; only in Europe).

It should also be noted that Patch 1.4 and Patch 1.4.1 are not compatible with the Deluxe edition of the game. If you try to install either of these patches, you'll get error messages stating as much.

Edited December 5, 2020 by Lord_Chris
Removed unnecessary quote of previous post

[EaglePrince 230]

That is quite interesting. And an important information if somebody is about to buy the Deluxe version. One wouldn't expect to be stuck at that version from the disk.

Thanks for sharing!

Sent from my Mi A2 Lite using Tapatalk

[Geralt of Rivia 2]

Fortunately, buying the Deluxe edition is becoming increasingly more difficult as Mastertronic went bankrupt in 2015. No new copies are being made, so the only copies that are left are whatever is dwindling in the Amazon and Ebay marketplaces. 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Lord_Chris
Removed unnecessary quote of previous post