Windows 7 and FFXI: Info

[Savanah]

Windows 7 is now working with Windower, Aikar just posted a new beta version of Windower that is compatible with Windows 7. The official Windower forums thread can be found here, or you can go to the thread Aikar posted here.

Info for 64 bit users:

If you crash going from POL to FFXI launch, try loading Internet Explorer 8 32 bit in the background (doesn't even need to have a webpage loaded with it). It somehow allows FFXI to launch with Windower for most people.

[The Stig]

Thanks for the info, and you're a lurker, not a troll. =)

[Savanah]

ah my bad English isn't my first language so I still mess it up on occasion

[SephYuyX]

Handy info as Windows 7 will be more mainstream soon enough.
Isnt there a Vista-ized Windower? Look over at their forum to see about getting Windower to work with Vista (try x64 just to see), and that may work.

Windows 7 has been to unstable for me on my test box, so im not even gonna bother installing XI on it lol.

[Savanah]

I've already run through the Vista walkthroughs step-by-step to try to get windower running, but it appears to be some inner workings of the OS. I'm not sure as I'm not a programmer. The odd thing is that POL viewer *looks* like windower will work because it has that whole "Windower Enabled" thing in the title bar, and when you launch FFXI the Windower Mandragora mascot icon thing appears in the taskbar icon, BUT the game just goes to fullscreen with no console or like windower was even used. When you use SE windower option with the Windower launcher, same thing.

I'll give the x64 instructions a shot and let everyone know how it goes, but at this point I'm not holding my breath.

[Sonomaa]

worthy of a sticky

[sekaran]

Great info. Was considering taking the plunge to Windows 7.

[Calina]

Handy info as Windows 7 will be more mainstream soon enough.
Isnt there a Vista-ized Windower? Look over at their forum to see about getting Windower to work with Vista (try x64 just to see), and that may work.

Windows 7 has been to unstable for me on my test box, so im not even gonna bother installing XI on it lol.

ive been using windower on vista x64 for a while always worked fine. Kinda surprised theres problems with it and windows 7. From what ive read anything that works on vista works on windows 7. Windows 7 is just vista with some improvments thats the way i first heard it described.

[Savanah]

Updated op with 64 bit OS testing. Sadly the same thing happened. I'm sure once more folks here start doing some fiddling with the OS they'll find a way around it.

[The Stig]

What's your test box specification Savanah? Would be helpful to know that as well so we have a general idea.

[Savanah]

Sure, here's some general info:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version 6.1.7000 Build 7000
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name Tania-Win7
System Manufacturer System manufacturer
System Model System Product Name
System Type X86-based PC
Processor AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+, 1799 Mhz, 1 Core(s), 1 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 1803, 5/11/2007
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7000.0"
User Name Tania-Win7\Tania
Time Zone Tokyo Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 2.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 2.00 GB
Available Physical Memory 1.16 GB
Total Virtual Memory 4.29 GB
Available Virtual Memory 2.90 GB
Page File Space 2.29 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

and my graphics processor:

Name Radeon X1600/X1650 Series
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_71C2&SUBSYS_23421002&REV_00\4&139 C0C9B&0&0010
Adapter Type ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x71C2), ATI Technologies Inc. compatible
Adapter Description Radeon X1600/X1650 Series
Adapter RAM 512.00 MB (536,870,912 bytes)
Installed Drivers atiumdag.dll,atiumdva.cap,atitmmxx.dll
Driver Version 8.561.0.0
INF File oem8.inf (ati2mtag_RV530 section)
Color Planes Not Available
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1280 x 1024 x 85 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32

[Olo401]

Oh hmm.. If it'll run on the specs you posted then I could probably get that Win7 beta running on my old machine then.. I have a lot less memory tho on my old box (only 768MB).

[Savanah]

Updated OP with official sign-up link for the beta.

[Hellfury]

DL'ing the beta as we speak, did making a dual boot (with xp) work well for those who tried in the past?
And follow-up
Did anyone who did so, try to use a single installation of the game with just keys changed where applicable (and different version of POL of course)?

[Olo401]

DL'ing the 64-bit beta now, will get the 32-bit one later. Gonna be trying both out on my old machine:

MSI KT4-AV Mobo
AMD Athlon 2200+ CPU
1.75GB DDR-400 PC3200 SDRAM (weird # I know..)
ATI Radeon 9250 256MB (AGP 8x)
Lite-On 20x DVD-ROM
WD 40GB IDE HDD (VERY old, took it out of an '01 model HP Pavilion)

Test programs include: MS Office '03, FFXI, Warhammer Online (if I can get it to run on the old box)

[Olo401]

BTW they are now handing out unlimited beta license (they are reusing 10 beta keys over & over for everyone). If you have a test box, I highly recommend giving this a go.

[Deftscythe]

I don't have a spare computer i could test this on. I was thinking of installing it on a virtual machine but I've never worked with virtualization before and I'm not sure it's even possible. Is it? if so, which would be the best virtual pc app to use? Sorry if this is a stupid or obvious question.

[Bardicrune]

VMware is pretty much the standard in virtualization. There are free versions of it available on their website: vmware workstation evaluation (runs ontop of windows)(free for 30 days) or ESXi (Hypervisor so need to install it on a clean system but free forever). However, being a microsoft OS, you should be able to use the virtualization software built into W2k8 server if you already have a machine running it.

Edit: Just looked at the virtual appliances section on VMware's website and you don't even have to download Win7 install media. Someone has already created a Win7 Beta virtual appliance:
WIndows 7 Ultimate Beta 1 Build 7000 Virtual Appliance | Virtual Appliance Marketplace

If you decide to get the pre-built appliance, you can use the VMware player instead of the other two VMware apps I previously mentioned:
http://www.vmware.com/player

[SephYuyX]

Microsoft Virtual PC - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Stanislav]

Installed it on my laptop and I have to say it runs as well as XP on that same Laptop whereas Vista couldn't even get drivers working. It installed with all drivers installed and the ones it didn't have it downloaded from the Microsoft server over Wifi (which it connects to during installation). FFXI works flawlessly, but as stated Windower does not and it would be amazing if someone could find a solution because quite honestly I wouldn't mind switching my main PC (Vista) to this asap.