Issue with Star Trek: The Next Generation - A Final Unity

[NextGenFan]

Hi everyone,

I came across this forum while searching the web for help in getting "A Final Unity" to run in DOSBox on Windows Vista. I thought I had it all figured out, but when I try to start the game in DOSBox, I get a message that states: "Cannot open resource file". It looks like the game is about to load, too, but then that message comes up. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but I clearly screwed up somewhere. I basically tried following the instructions in this post: http://www.dosgames.com/forum/viewtopic ... highlight= but those instructions were meant for Windows XP, so maybe that's the issue? I'm sorry to ask a question that's probably been asked who knows how many times before, but I'm not sure where to go from here after looking for answers on the internet the past few days. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[MrFlibble]

"Cannot open resource file"

I am completely unfamiliar with the game but this error message suggests that the programme either cannot find a game data file or open it.

Make sure you have properly installed your game, and that all files are in place. Also make sure the files are not tagged as read-only.

[Quadko]

...not tagged as read-only.

Easiest way: Right click on some of the game files in Windows Explorer and select 'properties' from the menu that comes up.

Also, if the files are on a CD, came from a CD, or are under "special" directories like "Program Files" or "Windows", they may be read only or 'security protected'.

It sounds like you are very close to getting the game working! Hopefully we can figure it out. I don't know this game either, but do you have to run a separate setup/character creation program before running the game? Some games work that way.

[NextGenFan]

Thanks for the replies so far! Here's hoping we can figure out where I made a mess of things and get it all in working order.

"Cannot open resource file"

I am completely unfamiliar with the game but this error message suggests that the programme either cannot find a game data file or open it.

Make sure you have properly installed your game, and that all files are in place. Also make sure the files are not tagged as read-only.

I actually am trying to bypass the installer. The game's installer doesn't read the speed of modern CD-ROM drives accurately, so it gives an error message that the CD-ROM drive isn't fast enough to run the game. Thus, I have copied all the files off of the CD-ROM, unzipped the ones that needed to be unzipped, and modified the STTNG.INI file accordingly with the necessary parameters in order to essentially "bypass" the installer.

As for the files being marked as "read-only", I checked the main folder that holds all the files, and the Read-only box is checked, but when I uncheck it and apply the changes, if I then go back and check the main folder again, the Read-only box is again checked. It will not stay unchecked. Doing random spot checks of the files in the folder reveals some are read-only while others are not. There are over 3,000 files in the folder... going through and unchecking each one would take some serious time...

It sounds like you are very close to getting the game working! Hopefully we can figure it out. I don't know this game either, but do you have to run a separate setup/character creation program before running the game? Some games work that way.

There is a setup program, but I'm trying to bypass it along with the installer due to the software not detecting modern day computer hardware correctly.

It's really kind of peculiar... I first played this game back in 1995 on a Windows 95 computer in MS-DOS without a problem. Then, in 2001, it ran fine on Windows XP, under the Command Prompt application, I believe... I certainly recall having no trouble or going to any great lengths then. Now, on Windows Vista, it's being really difficult, despite it being easy on Windows XP.

[Quadko]

Windows Vista, it's being really difficult, despite it being easy on Windows XP.

Well, you're a little late to the party in 2014, but yes - that's what everyone experienced when upgrading to Vista from XP!

You are trying to install via DosBox, right, and not just the Windows Vista command prompt? There might be a dosbox setting to change how quickly the cd reads, I'm not sure.

And, just to triple check, when you say DosBox, you are using version .74 downloaded from DosBox.com's download page?

[Quadko]

And doing a little research, I see comments like

This game is notorious for being difficult to get working in DOSBox.

However, the dosbox site says the installer should work and you might have to tweak some dosbox settings:
http://www.dosbox.com/comp_list.php?sho ... 2&letter=S

[NextGenFan]

Windows Vista, it's being really difficult, despite it being easy on Windows XP.

Well, you're a little late to the party in 2014, but yes - that's what everyone experienced when upgrading to Vista from XP!

You are trying to install via DosBox, right, and not just the Windows Vista command prompt? There might be a dosbox setting to change how quickly the cd reads, I'm not sure.

And, just to triple check, when you say DosBox, you are using version .74 downloaded from DosBox.com's download page?

Yeah, I know that Vista isn't exactly a popular operating system compared to XP, but I admittedly don't do a whole lot on the computer, so for me, Vista hasn't been making me want to pull my hair out. Maybe it would if I were more active on my computer!

I've tried installing the game through DosBox, and yes, I have version 0.74, but the installer won't finish due to my computer "failing" the CD-Rom speed test. That's why I went another route, which is one I've seen posted online, which basically involves doing a manual installation by copying the files off the CD and modifying a file to properly configure the software settings which the installer would normally do itself.

I think the only obstacle I need to overcome in order to get the game to run is solving the "Cannot open resource file" error message I get in DosBox when attempting to start the game. If I could address that issue, the game should run fine, I believe. I don't know how to go about fixing that, though.

[Quadko]

I can't explain why the read-only flag won't stick. Vista introduced the security "run as admin" stuff, so it's possible you need to be admin to set that flag, but I would have hoped it would ask instead of failing.

In theory, you should be able to select all files in the directory in Windows Explorer with <CTRL>-A, then right click and clear the read-only flag.

Do you have the option to set this up on an XP computer, and copy the files over to Vista?
What is the directory the files are in?

If you are comfortable with the windows command prompt, you can also change the read-only flag using the command attrib, the "minus readonly" flag, and the "all subdirectorys" flag, for all file:

Code: Select all

attrib -r /s *.*

You'll have to <b>cd</b> to the game's directory for that to work, and you can run the command prompt as administrator if it matters. It's been a while since I've used Vista, so I'm not certain the exact steps, but in Windows 7 I search for Cmd.exe on the start menu, right click on it, and select "run as admin".

[NextGenFan]

I can't explain why the read-only flag won't stick. Vista introduced the security "run as admin" stuff, so it's possible you need to be admin to set that flag, but I would have hoped it would ask instead of failing.

In theory, you should be able to select all files in the directory in Windows Explorer with <CTRL>-A, then right click and clear the read-only flag.

I tried selecting all the files in the folder and clearing the read-only box, and while some of them stay that way, others don't. As I said too, if I right click the STTNG folder that holds all the files and go to properties, the read-only box is always checked, no matter how many times I clear it and click apply.

Do you have the option to set this up on an XP computer, and copy the files over to Vista?

I do, but the computer currently isn't hooked up, and part of the problem is the CD-ROM itself is in less than ideal condition. The CD is almost nineteen years old and unfortunately, my younger self was less careful in the handling of CDs back in 1995. This is part of the reason I copied all the files off the CD-ROM and put them on my hard drive. As far as I can tell, all the files from the CD-ROM were successfully copied over to my computer.

What is the directory the files are in?

C:\>STTNG

If you are comfortable with the windows command prompt, you can also change the read-only flag using the command attrib, the "minus readonly" flag, and the "all subdirectorys" flag, for all file:

Code: Select all

attrib -r /s *.*

You'll have to <b>cd</b> to the game's directory for that to work, and you can run the command prompt as administrator if it matters. It's been a while since I've used Vista, so I'm not certain the exact steps, but in Windows 7 I search for Cmd.exe on the start menu, right click on it, and select "run as admin".

I did as you suggested, but unfortunately it didn't seem to have an impact on getting the game to load. Every time I start up DosBox, I key in C:\> and then C:\>STTNG and what I see happen next is what happened years ago when I installed and played the game on other systems: it displays a bunch of information including the name of the game and copyright, and what should happen next is the game should load. Instead, the screen briefly flashes some colors and then I get the "Cannot open resource file" message before I'm returned to C:\>.

[Quadko]

I'm out of ideas, but I might have some time this weekend to try it out myself and see if I get anywhere. No promises, but I'll try.

The other things we haven't tried yet, just in case:
1. Post your dosbox.conf (in [ code ] tags, if possible, please!)
2. What mount commands are you using?
3. Have you tried downloading the game instead of just using the original disk? Sometimes that works better, for example, I can't get my original Daggerfall disk to work in dosbox, but there are some nice patched downloads out there for the game.

[MrFlibble]

if I right click the STTNG folder that holds all the files and go to properties, the read-only box is always checked, no matter how many times I clear it and click apply.

That's how Windows Explorer works, ignore it. It's only important that the files are not tagged read-only.

The CD is almost nineteen years old and unfortunately, my younger self was less careful in the handling of CDs back in 1995. This is part of the reason I copied all the files off the CD-ROM and put them on my hard drive. As far as I can tell, all the files from the CD-ROM were successfully copied over to my computer.

Are you sure that copying the files is enough to bypass any kind of copy protection there might be?

Also have you considered making an ISO image of your CD and then mounting that image inside DOSBox?

[NextGenFan]

Good news! I was able to get the game up and running! I appreciate all the suggestions and help, MrFlibble and Quadko! I'm really looking forward to playing through this great game again. Being a fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, this game from Spectrum Holobyte was pretty much all that I could have ever hoped for in a Star Trek game, so I'm really happy to have the opportunity to play this game again. Thanks again!

[Quadko]

Fantastic! Have fun playing.

Any tips you have for the next person who gives it a try?

[D382H]

I can install and run the game via dosbox but, once I exit and re-enter Dos Box...

Fatal error cannot find resource file. check cd path in sttng.ini file

My games are under C:\DOSGames

mount c c:\DOSGames
IMGMOUNT E C:\DOSGames\trek.iso -t iso
mount D C:\DOSGames\trek\ -t cdrom
mount A C:\DOSGames\Trek -t floppy
C:

I am running the game from an iso img so I don't have the cd rom :/

Audio=SB16
Port=0x220
IRQ=0x7
DMA=0x5
Video=HI16
DPixel=ON
Path=C:\STTNG\
CD=D:\
Sound=ON
Music=ON
Voices=ON
Movies=ON
Advice=0
Dialogs=ON
VolSound=0x7FFF
VolMusic=0x7FFF
UniVESA=OFF


that's my current .ini file after install... please help!!!!