Stronghold 2 Deluxe v. 1.3.1 No CD: Tips and Tricks for Playing the Game Without a Disc Drive

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?

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

stronghold 2 deluxe v. 1.3.1 no cd

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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

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.

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: -nation.com/downloads/file/12-patch-141-update/

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).

Now its my time to wine some.Bought the game today. Inserted the cd in cd-player and get an error message. Manage to install the game when using setup in the "disc 1" folder. When the installation is done and i press the "finish"-button the same "autorun" error-message pops up. When i close that message and try to start the game a new message pops up, and it says "Original disc could not be found or authenticated". So......................what to do? AuthorReplies: PCDania Archer (id: PCD) posted 08-02-06 17:08 EST (US) 1 / 19 Try uninstall the game again and restart the computer. Before you try again installing the game make sure your antivirus software and other programs running in the background are disabled or shut down. If you disable your firewall make sure to first disconnect from the internet. After doing this load the CD in the drive while holding the Left Shift key, this will block autorun from trying to install the game. When the light on the drive stops lighting/blinking install the game again using Setup on the disc.It is recommended to install patch 1.3.1 which you can download from here: =support_patchesMake sure to download the patch that fits your version of Stronghold 2. The European patches can be found at the bottom of the page."Cats are the only animals that are both uber, pwns and 1337 at the same time." -King EuricBy reading this fine print your soul is now the exclusive property of HeavenGames. Emetic Archer posted 08-02-06 19:29 EST (US) 2 / 19 The problem is still there. After i press the finish"button" the autorun.exe error appears. After i try to start the game and the error "original disc could not be found or authenticated", appears again.Note that i had every singel backround program closed before installation.[This message has been edited by Emetic (edited 08-02-2006 @ 08:00 PM).] PCDania Archer (id: PCD) posted 08-03-06 05:08 EST (US) 3 / 19 What I suspect is that for some reason your computer starts your CD twice.First check your computer for virus by manually running your freshly updated antivirus program set to check all files.After that check your computer for Spyware using a antispyware program like Spybot Search&Destroy or Windows Defender. Remember to update the programs before you start checking for spyware.I would like you to uninstall the game again and then manually check that the game really is deleted by checking in Windows Explorer that the games folder (I think it can be found in C:\Programs\Firefly Studios) including contents is deleted. At the same time delete the contents of all Temp folders. I would also like you to check in the registry and deleting everything you find related to Stronghold 2.When you delete something in the registry it is gone forever so I like you to first make a Restore Point. You do that by going go to: Startbutton --> Programs --> Accessories --> Systemtools --> System recovery and use the wizard for making a Restore Point. (names might be a little different as I'm translating from Danish).After that is done go to Startbutton --> Run, type in Regedit and hit Enter.What you see looks like Windows Explorer with folders on the left side and what looks like folder and files on the right side. What looks like files are called Keys.In regedit you use F3 for searching and F5 for refreshing. For starting a search press F3 and the searchtool pops up. Search for Stronghold2 and whenever a folder or key called Stronghold2 shows up, delete it.When ever you have deleted a key press first F5 (refreshes the window) and then F3 for continuing the search. When you are told no more entries can be found close Regedit and restart your computer.When your computer is up and running again, disable all programs running in the background and load the CD in the drive while holding the Left Shift like before. Now again try start installing the game using Startbutton --> Run and run Setup from the disc. When the very first window shows up wait a couble minutes without doing anyting, then press Ctrl+Left Shift+ESC (brings up Task Manager) at once and check on the Programs pane if there's more then one instance of Stronghold 2 Setup running. If there is, mark and shut them down by clicking End Task at the bottom so you only have one instance running. Now close Task Manager and continue the installation of the game.Remember to patch the game before you start playing.If above doesn't work please tell the specification for your computer:What CPU do you have?How much Memory do you have?How much free space on your harddisk?What graphics card do you have?What Version graphics driver do you have?You can get above info by going to Startbutton --> Run, type in Dxdiag and hit Enter. The info can be found on the System pane and the Display pane. For free space on the harddisk open My Computer, rightclick your C: drive and click Properties."Cats are the only animals that are both uber, pwns and 1337 at the same time." -King EuricBy reading this fine print your soul is now the exclusive property of HeavenGames.[This message has been edited by PCDania (edited 08-03-2006 @ 05:18 AM).] j_rich14 Archer posted 08-03-06 09:18 EST (US) 4 / 19 i actually figured it out. I just needed to update my drivers for my video card. Thanks for the replies tho, its always good to know that people are here to offer help. Tarbo Archer posted 08-03-06 11:22 EST (US) 5 / 19 Quoted from j_rich14:

Had me worried, though, that graphics drivers could interfere with CD authentication."She displayed amazing skill in squeezing epic mistakes in tiny opportunities.""You haven't had enough coffee until you can sneeze with your eyes open.""Education should be treated like an expensive watch: never struck out just to show you have one.""Always be wary of any helpful item that weighs less than its operating manual." PCDania Archer (id: PCD) posted 08-03-06 14:02 EST (US) 6 / 19 I can't move posts only threads but I've put a note in j_rich14's thread how he solved the problem.You made me a bit confused at first Tarbo, as I've the posts upside down showing newest post first and the post above yours was the header post "Cats are the only animals that are both uber, pwns and 1337 at the same time." -King EuricBy reading this fine print your soul is now the exclusive property of HeavenGames.[This message has been edited by PCDania (edited 08-03-2006 @ 02:02 PM).] Emetic Archer posted 08-04-06 21:39 EST (US) 7 / 19 It didnt work so........ Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3200+, MMX, 3DNow, 2.2GHzMemory: 768MB RAMFree space: 6.43 gigCard name: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700Driver Name: nv4_disp.dllDriver Version: 6.14.0010.8421 (English) PCDania Archer (id: PCD) posted 08-05-06 05:49 EST (US) 8 / 19 Have you installed patch 1.3.1 which you can get here: =support_patches.Remember to download the patch that fits your version of the game. The European patches are at the bottom of the page.Please confirm if you have installed patch 1.3.1 and if it works or not. If it doesn't work please tell what happens and eventual error messages you get.I also wonder if you bought the game in a shop or on eBay? The first release of the game in late April/early May last year was on a CD set of which some had the autorun error you get. A few month later a updated version of Stronghold 2 was re-released as Stronghold 2 Deluxe on a DVD. The DVD does not have that autorun error."Cats are the only animals that are both uber, pwns and 1337 at the same time." -King EuricBy reading this fine print your soul is now the exclusive property of HeavenGames. Emetic Archer posted 08-05-06 08:54 EST (US) 9 / 19 Well the game was bought from an online shop here in Sweden. I installed a patch but wasnt sure wich patch to install since there was 2 patches for Stronghold 2 (deluxe)at 3D-gamers site , so i just picked the biggest one(70mg) and maybe that was not the right patch. But hard to tell when you got 2 european patches for the same game.One that is 13mb or so (Deluxe Ed. retail v1.3.1 patch) , and one that is 70mb (European retail v1.3.1 patch (Deluxe Ed.)).How ever im now going to try the link you sent. Tarbo Archer posted 08-05-06 09:18 EST (US) 10 / 19 There are two versions of the game: normal (regular) and Deluxe.The smaller patch is for the Deluxe version of the game. It patches v1.2 Deluxe to v1.3.1 Deluxe.The larger patch is for the regular version. It patches v1.2 regular to v1.3.1 Deluxe. Yes, that's Deluxe, not regular.So both patches eventually land you with v1.3.1 Deluxe, but they start from different versions. Note that Deluxe, to the extent of my knowledge, comes prepatched to v1.2."She displayed amazing skill in squeezing epic mistakes in tiny opportunities.""You haven't had enough coffee until you can sneeze with your eyes open.""Education should be treated like an expensive watch: never struck out just to show you have one.""Always be wary of any helpful item that weighs less than its operating manual." Emetic Archer posted 08-05-06 09:24 EST (US) 11 / 19 So what version is the game when first installed?I tried to reinstall everything once again and used the patch PCdania suggested. Still the same problems. Maybe its something wrong with my DVD-player[This message has been edited by Emetic (edited 08-05-2006 @ 09:26 AM).] Tarbo Archer posted 08-05-06 10:29 EST (US) 12 / 19 Quoted from Emetic:

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