Getting FS98 to run on Windows 7

[Scott Miller 12]

I'm having problems getting FS98 to run on a new Windows 7 (64 bit) system.  It installed without any major problems and when I tried to run it after installing it on the new system, it seemed to start up without any problems (the default Meigs flight screen appeared just as it should.  When I switched to one of my saved flights though, the scenery outside the cockpit went black.  Using the S key to switch to external views only produced totally black screens.  Switching back to the Meigs default flight didn't fix the problem.  I tried using the compatibility mode to run it under both Windows XP and Windows 98 modes.  At first it seemed like this was going to work as I could load other flights ok but, again, as soon as I switched views the screen went black on me again.  A forum post I came across while trying to google information on getting FS98 to work on Windows 7 claimed that a program called "3D Analyzer" would fix the problem.  Have you heard of it and does it work?  If so, where I can find a clean copy, one that doesn't come in a file that won't load a bunch of other junk on my system.  I looked at several sites offering a free copy of it but in every case it came in a downloader that did just that.  I made the mistake of downloading one and it took me a while to uninstall all the unwanted junk it put on my system (I was lucky I was able to do so and not get stuck with a virus for my troubles)!

 

A related problem I'm also experiencing with the order Windows 7 lists my game controllers (CH USB Yoke, 568 Combatstick USB and CH Pro Pedals USB.  Windows 7 always lists the Pro Pedals first.  This isn't a problem with CF2/3, FS2004 or FSX.  Older sims like FS98, Falcon 4.0 SP, IL-2 1946, IL-2 FB, and Pacific Fighters, even if they support ruddler pedals, need to have the flight controller first.  With my CH Pro Pedals being listed first in the Devices and Printers>Game Controllers Settings>Game Controllers window, older sims like these think the Pro Pedals are the flight controller, even if they support ruddler pedals.  There was a way in 98 and XP to change the order game controllers were listed.  Its been so long snce I've had to deal with this problem I can't remember how to do it.

 

Any help with getting FS98 to run on Windows 7 (if this isn't simply a case of FS98 being too old to run on Windows 7) or with changing the order Windows lists game controllers would be appreciated!

 

Scott Miller

 

Windows 7 64-bit

Asrock X87 Extreme 4 M/B

Intel I5-4670 3.4GHz

8 GB DDR3-1600

EVGA GTX 650 1GB Super Clock GDDR DVI

2 WD 1TB Hard Drives (one dedicated to Fltsims only)

[Jude Bradley 659]

Black screen sounds to me like a directx problem.

Did you try reinstall dx9, and check you're running as adminstrator by default?

I just saw on airliners.net that you need to run in 16 colors - not nice.

[Scott Miller 12]

Hi, Jude.  Sorry for the delayed replay.  Was gone on vacation...

 

No, I hadn't thought of reinstalling Dx9.  Might be worth a try.  Might also solve a problem I'm having getting FS2002's Dreamfleet's 737-400's 2D panel to work in Windows 7 (FS2002 crashes everytime I switch to the 2D panel on the Dreamfleet 737-400).  I read somewhere about having to run FS98 in 16 colors.  Tried it but didn't work.  Just as well. Your right, it wouldn't be nice!!!

[Bob Scott 7,720]

FS98 was written for DirectX 5.2...DX9 didn't appear until around 5 years later. 16-bit software was the order of the day then.

 

Given that 64-bit OSs will not run 16-bit software, I wonder if that is the source of your problems...and if what you're doing is even possible. Might work on a 32-bit version of Win7, as it is capable of running 16-bit programs.

 

Regards

[Scott Miller 12]

You could very well be right, Bob! I didn't know there was a 32-bit version of Windows 7. Just assumed that it was strictly 64-bit. FS98 runs fine on my 32-bit XP Pro system. I'll have to give some serious thought about scrapping my 64-bit Windows 7 and going with the 32-bit version as I'm having also a bit of trouble getting FS2002 to run on the 64-bit Windows 7. Actually, the only problem I seem to be having running FS2002 on the 64-bit verison of Win7 involves Dreamfleet's 737-400. Everytime I try to switch to the 2D panel FS2002 crashes. Unless I can figure out (either on my own or with help) how to resolve this problem my options are to either switch to a 32-bit copy of Win7, switch back to my XP system to run FS2002 (and FS98), or see if the merged version of the DF737 will run in FS2004 on the 64-bit Win7 system. The only reason I still had FS2002 on my XP system was to fly the DF737 as most of the rest of the aircraft I have installed on FS2002 either run on FS2004 or there are FS2004 versions available. If DF had ported the 737 over to FS2004 I'd have dumped FS2002 a long time ago (the merge for the DF737 always looked too complicated to bother with as long as FS2002 ran on whatever new version of Windows that came out and/or new system I got).

 

I'd *really* rather not switch to the 32 bit version of Windows 7 since that would mean having to start all over reinstalling everything a second time, something I'd rather not have to do!! However, if I have any problems with FS2004 running on my 64-bit Windows 7 system that would be the last straw and I'll have no choice but to either switch to the 32 bit version of Windows 7 (with no garrantee that this would fix the problem with either FS98 or FS2002) or simply keep my XP system around to run FS98 and FS2002 on....The latter, at least, wouldn't cost me more money and I'd also be able to run several combat sims like Falcon SP/AF, IL-2, the Op Barbarossa addon for IL-2, and the ACE expansion pack for IL-2 FB which either won't run or install correctly on my 64-bit Win7 system...it'd be a pain to swap systems to run FS98/2002 and the combat sims that won't run under Win7 but it would be the simpliest and cheapest option!