Vista Help

[Avrigoth]

I solved my problems with Vista, and it didn't involve an elaborate command-prompt driven solution.

I'm using Vista 64 bit Home edition.

Basically, I downloaded the .net frameworks, and installed them without any problems. Either vista is incredibly different depending on the computer, or other individuals are not installing properly. Install first 1.1, then install 1.1sp1. Make sure you allow it to install when Vista tells you it "has compatibility issues." The fact is, you probably won't come across too much .net framework applications anyway - so if there are compatibility problems, you probably won't notice.

MAKE SURE IT IS .NET FRAMEWORK 1.1, AND NOT 2.0. They BOTH have the same file name when downloaded from Microsoft's website.

Reboot your computer - this step may be unnecessary, but I did it.

Then, search for internet explorer from the start button and load up the version that is NOT 64-bit. The 64 bit version will not utilize 1.1 framework, period. I tested this multiple times, you can't use the 64 bit version.

You should then have no problems.

You may have to add istaria to your trusted sites, but other than that, you should be good to go. I am still downloading the 2 gig patch, but I will update when I know whether or not the game will actually run on a 64 bit machine.

[Avrigoth]

...And no dice on a 64 bit machine.

I get msvcrt.dll errors everytime the .exe tries to run. There appears to be no workaround.

I was looking at forum posts from two years ago - has the development team completely abandoned this game? It seems to me that Vista compatibility would be a priority if they want to keep technologically up-to-date users coming and putting money into their pockets.

If someone had this same error two years ago, I guess I would have just assumed by now it would have been resolved through patching.

[Hrough]

...And no dice on a 64 bit machine.

I get msvcrt.dll errors everytime the .exe tries to run. There appears to be no workaround.

I was looking at forum posts from two years ago - has the development team completely abandoned this game? It seems to me that Vista compatibility would be a priority if they want to keep technologically up-to-date users coming and putting money into their pockets.

If someone had this same error two years ago, I guess I would have just assumed by now it would have been resolved through patching.

The current owners have only been in place for a bit over a year now. They appear to be doing their best to fix the game, but they have a small dev team.

[Avrigoth]

I can understand that. I guess it's just a little frustrating to see that some Vista users have no problem while others do. It is probably (mainly) an issue with Vista itself. Who knows...maybe if SP2 ever comes out, that will solve some compatibility issues?

[Shurandel]

hi there, i tried your remedy...

no joy...

only question i wanna ask the devs as a (potentially) returning player is...

is a vista patch on the cards or will i have to "upgrade" to xp again.

i dont mind either way as i always end up getting bits and pieces, can build another computer (i dont like dual booting for 1 program - i like my hard disk space), run xp on it and it can be classified as a "family computer" - until i finish work and wanna play HZ...

i just wanna know if this is necessary or will a patch have come out by the time my machine is ready?

[Avrigoth]

Then we have to assume just about every copy of Vista is unique in the way it functions. I myself love Vista, I just can't understand why there's no consistency. Every person using Vista 64 bit Home, Business or Ultimate should be capable of doing the exact same procedures with the exact same results. It's lunacy.

[Shurandel]

The current owners have only been in place for a bit over a year now. They appear to be doing their best to fix the game, but they have a small dev team.

i agree and i disagree with you, im sure they are doing something but we dont know that they are as there is nothing from them atmo to say its being looked into.

there is a lot, however, to support the fact that they are continuing with ingame development, such as events and stuff.

All that is needed is a dev post something somewhere - anywhere - just simply stating
"the vista issue is on our cards but it is more complicated for an old game such as HZ and there have been unforeseen setbacks".

there is plenty of info on possible workarounds that might work but might not, but nothing to say that a permanent fix is being sorted as we speak/will be looked into after the current event/once the possible effects of global warming have been reversed.

Edit: regarding your recent post Avrigoth, i use 32 not 64 yet none of the options i tried worked still

[Avrigoth]

I put in a ticket regarding the msvcrt.dll error, which is what appears to be preventing me from getting the .exe to launch.

If they ignore it, I guess we'll know if they are ignoring the vista issue? I know they say Horizons is currently not supported, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be trying to work on it - a small dev team means they don't have a lot of money to spread around, and if they want more money (and a bigger dev team), they need to add support for new technology which is becoming more widespread by the day.

[Avrigoth]

Excuse me...Vista is currently not support -lol-

[C`gan]

Keep in mind, Microsoft is scrapping Vista for Windows 7. I saw an official news release on it. The Windows 7 betas are already being tested by the public, with an early 2010 release (read Jan/Feb, with possibly earlier to get it into major computer manufacturers' hands for Christmas).

So, for the next year or so, you might want to consider getting a second hard drive, setting it up with XP, and using it as your primary for running Horizons.

[Avrigoth]

They aren't exactly scrapping it...SP2 should be coming out within the next couple months.

Every couple years a new version of Windows comes out, and it's usually buggy as hell until SP1. It's just the way technology works I guess - it just sucks that Vista happens to be a lemon like ME was (although, I never had problems with ME myself.)

Lets keep our fingers crossed Vista is fixed completely by SP2 so it can be the XP to Vista equivalent when Windows 7 comes out.

[Shurandel]

also, further to that, unless windows 7 is a free upgrade there is also monetary issues.

some people cant afford to buy a new OS to replace the one that their off the shelf computer came with and i'd imagine, judging by microsofts history that their new OS will cost quite a bit more than some can afford...

off topic: anyone ever wondered how bill gates came up with the name microsoft?

micro=small

soft=bendable, comfortable, comfy, cottony, cozy, creamy, cushiony, cushy, delicate, doughy, downy, ductile, easeful, easy, elastic, feathery, fine, flabby, fleecy, fleshy, flexible, flimsy, flocculent, flowing, fluffy, fluid, formless, furry, gelatinous, impressible, limp, malleable, moldable, mushy, pappy, pithy, plastic, pliable, pulpy, quaggy, rounded, satiny, silken, silky, smooth, snug, spongy, squashy, supple, thin, velvety, yielding

random but i always wondered.....

[Raptress]

micro = microchips, something very important to computers?
soft = software, what programs are?

[Shurandel]

micro = microchips, something very important to computers?
soft = software, what programs are?

you spoiled my fun

[Shurandel]

does anyone know if vista sp2 will make any difference?

[Tcei]

no one knows for sure. Chances are it wont be known untill it hits.

I seem to recall having read on the forums somewhere that part of the reason why there's no Visuck fix yet is that there's an inconsistency in the way it fails from computer to computer.

The only guarunteed fix right now is to either dual boot with Xp or whipe the hd clean and install Xp, just be prepared to have to buy some new hardware to make your computer compatible. Thankfuly it only cost me about 40 bucks to upgrade my sound and network cards.

[KerncZerstorung]

I currently have Vista SP2 Beta (ver. 6002) installed on my PC. Microsoft stated in the White Paper, that more compatibility fixes were added and a few changes done to the UAC, so I was curious to see if Istaria would finally run on Vista. After a few reboots I was still getting the "Horizons.exe has stopped working" error. I still have yet to look in the error reports to see if it is still being erratic on the errors. As last time the errors were mostly diffrent, ususally saying that either msvcrt.dll, msvcrt32.dll, ntdll.dll, and horizons.exe were having errors. I will check to see if they are the same with SP2 or if its consistant. Best of luck to those who are still having issues.

[Shurandel]

I sent a ticket in recently to the dev team and got this reply:

Greetings,
I can assure you that we are working on a stable vista client. This client, however is still not ready to be patched out.


Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to assist you.
Thank you for playing Istaria Chronicles of the Gifted.

- Reyem
Istaria Customer Support

so looking good

[Nidhoggr]

That's great!! Cause Vista is the future even if its bloated. I don't see Windows 7 being any better.

[Greenclaw1]

That's great!! Cause Vista is the future even if its bloated. I don't see Windows 7 being any better.

With a few tweaks you can easily take the bloat out of Vista and have it Purring along nicely. I've been using Vista for just over a year now and it's been very solid with every game I've thrown at it old,new and even classics with dosbox emu. I can also play the Ultima online 2D client just fine on it with no issues. The only game to ever give me issues is Istaria. It's Good to know the Dev team are working on a client for Vista though. We've just got to have patience from here on out I guess.


Windows 7 is really just a better optimized Vista. Microsoft has taken note of Apple Mac's gains in 2007and 2008. Due in part to the bad press Vista got at its release. Now MS are trying to gain ground again by making an OS to compete with Mac's OS's in reliability and performance. There are some You Tube vids showing the bootup race between Vista and Windows 7 beta. It also seems like Windows 7 will also be geared towards the era where we use software tools like word or excel by going to a web site rather than installing the programs on your computer. It's also going to be geared towards communicating and working with all the different pocket internet gadget.