Multiple installs of CFS2

[kevib1]

S! one and all,

So that I could play the excellent new Korean campaign form Fox Four I installed a 2nd copy of CFS2 to a new directory. Initially a good idea, I thought, as the settings required a little tweaking for idea game play.

Both installs work fine.

Online I play mostly 1% planes which are all in my original install which is still in the default named directory.

Last night I tried to play online at the Zone.
On launch the Korean game loads, ie the last installed version.
This happened whether I went direct to the zone or via the multiplayer link with the game that I wanted to return to.

I searched without success for a 'config' file for MSNzone to alter.
I tried deleting the CFS2 folder from MSNzone directory and then the entire MSNzone folder.  Both times the folders were recreated yet still only the 2nd install would lauch from the game room.

Lastly I renamed the 2nd install.
On openening the zone game room an error is returned that no install of CFS2 was found. Alas, it did not then offer me the chance to browse to the location of my install!

Does anyone know how, or if, it is possible to point the zone back to my original install.

If not I shall rename my 1st install then install the game again to the default directory. Then overwrite this install with the files from me 1st install. That should resolve the problem as it would appear that the last install codes something into the zone set-up

Thanks for any help

[Hagar]

I think this is easily fixed. I think the Zone will recognise the one in the directory named Combat Flight Simulator 2. Try swapping the folder names & tell me if that fixed it. (You will have to rename the Combat Flight Simulator 2 folder first)

[kevib1]

If only it were that simple!

The one I am trying to use is in the folder called 'combat flight simulator two' as per the default install directory.

The second install was to a folder called 'combat flight simulator two Korea'. This is the one that is loading in multiplayer.
It would appear that at installation this file location is written/ stored somewhere in the file system / registry / wherever M$ hides such information!

If I rename my first install directory 'combat flight simulator two Korea' it would work.

Most annoying.

Thanks for helping as always Hagar.

[Hagar]

Ah well, it was worth suggesting. I don't play online so this problem has never really bothered me.

From what you're saying I think it does prove my theory. I guess you might have been a tad too clever. If you had renamed the original install to something like Combat Flight Simulator 2 OLD, then installed the new one under the default name (Combat Flight Simulator 2) I think swapping them would have worked. You could rename the new Combat Flight Simulator 2 to anything you wish before returning the old one to its original name.

The MB works in exactly the same way. It recognises the latest (default) directory. I'm sure I've used the renaming method myself to use it in different versions of CFS2. I'm currently running 3 versions of CFS2 & about to install another for testing purposes.

PS. You can also use the same method for reinstalling a particular version. To uninstall any but the current version, simply delete the complete folder.

[Fang V^V]

I'm going to take a flyer here seeing as how I have never played on the Zone myself, but I suspect that the setting you're looking to modify is actually the CFS2 executable path registry entry. It seems that in the case of duplicate inststallations, the key is updated to indicate the path of the latest installation. When playing on the Zone, the software uses this key to know where the CFS2.exe file is. Thus, if your duplicate installation is on the same drive and in the same folder tree (i.e. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\...) then simply renaming the directories will work. If, however, you have installed the second version on a different drive or a different folder tree on the hard drive, then renaming the directories will not help.

[kevib1]

Thank you all for you efforts/ suggestions.

I have now resolved the issue and can set any install to start in multiplayer (should anyone want to try the sabre's out on-line!)

Fang, I had suspected this and thanks to your encouragement I searched the registry.

For anyone having this problem in the future the fix is as follows. (Hagar, you may also add this to your notes on multi installs if you wish)

Open the file 'regedit.exe'. Located in 'c:\windows' on XP (I'm sure it is the same on other windows versions).

navigate to 'hkey_local_machine/software/microsoft/directplay/applications/Combat flight simulator 2' (or which ever flight sim you wish to change).

The main window now shows the options for this area.
as a check you are in the correct area, the 'commandline' data should be '/zonelaunch'.
There are two sections that show a path to the last install of cfs2 you did, 'currentDirectory' and 'path'.

Double click the first of these and change the data section to the path to the install you wish to use. Be careful to get this right!
Now do the same for the second line.

Close regedit and all done!

The install you listed will now be used next time you go to the zone.


Have fun all.

[Fang V^V]

Glad to hear you've got it sorted. I guess I should hook onto the zone sometime myself