GK2 DVD DOSBox Installer problem

[bahsura]

Dear Collector.

I´m trying to install Gabriel Knight 2 The Beast Within and I just got the newest version, but I can´t finish installing it correctly. Since for Phantasmagoria there was the same issue I wonder if you have something that fixes this for GK2.

My physical drive is E: I have 3 other emulated drives and all the program does when I run it is say "Insert Phantasmagoria disc1 in E:\ (CDROM Drive) and click OK. My only options are to click on OK or Cancel.

"My physical drive is F: I have 2 other emulated drives and all the program does when I run it is say "Insert Phantasmagoria disc1 in E:\ (CDROM Drive) and click OK. My only options are to click on OK or Cancel."

So the DOSBox Configuration wizard gets stucked here because it can´t find the disc on drive F:

It´s very annoying since it´s practically worthless like this.

Thanks.

[Collector]

Welcome to the forum. Re download it. When it ask if you want to install from the first CD, choose no. I will then ask if you want use the next drive.

[bahsura]

Thanks, but that worked the first time.

My problem is when I try the config.exe "Configure Gabriel Knight 2" (DOSBox Configuration Wizard) the progress bar stops and ask for the DVD in the drive D: and not F: like when the installation happened. There´s only OK and CANCEL.

I tried changing my DVD drive to D: but it didn´t work. Then I tried to reinstall as in F: but even then, the wizard kept asking for the DVD at the F: drive when it already was in there.

Hope this problem is not unique to me.

Awesome work Collector... you are a real Schattenjager.

[bahsura]

Maybe it has to do with the Label I put to the DVD when I burned it. I made two copies, one I labeled VOLUME_ID and the other GK2... but neither worked.

BTW, I put the insides of the GK2 folder as the root. Is that ok? Or I should try and burn another DVD starting with the SIERRA folder? With the GK2 folder, the ICO file and the Sierra Help html?

I just did it directly with the GK2 folder since the autorun.exe is in there. So I supposed that should be the root of the DVD.

Thanks.

[Collector]

I see, it is a problem with the config utility with the minimal install. Try this config utility:

[bahsura]

Thanks!

Im sorry. I came here because in the readme this was the only address where I supposed I could contact you.

I will try it and let you know.

BTW, the installation I did was FULL too.

[bahsura]

I just tried the new confing in two different computers, (one of them freshly formatted) and even now when the new utility asks if you want to install from a specific drive, (in this case D:) if you choose yes it keeps asking for the dvd in the drive.

"Insert the DOSBox Configutarion Wizard for the Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery DVD 1 in D: (CD-ROM drive) and click OK."

I think is really odd. This was both with the minimum and the full install.

Thanks Collector.

[bahsura]

Maybe it's because in the burned DVD the DOSBox utilities are in the DOS folder and not on the ROOT?

or

Should I try to burn a new DVD with the same files but overwriting the new one you just gave us?

[Collector]

Wait until I can rewrite it one more time and then replace it on the DVD and reinstall from the DVD.

[bahsura]

Sure thing.

Thanks.

[Collector]

Thanks for reporting the error. I don't get enough feedback about my installers to find all of the errors. Not all errors will reveal themselves to me by my testing them on just a couple of PCs.

I have recompiled the DOSBox installer with the changes. If you have the time I would appreciate if you could reinstall it from the CDs and make another DVD from the new installer. I have also made an improvement to the autorun, which you can enjoy if you do. This will also help me test the entire installation package.

If you can't, here is the fixed version. It consists of two files. Included in the attached ZIP at the bottom of this post are two files, "GK2.ID" and "ConfDVD.exe". Drop "GK2.ID" in the base of the DVD and "ConfDVD.exe" in the "DOS" folder of the DVD. Note, when you run the config utility, do it from the installed folder, not the one on the DVD.

[bahsura]

I made another DVD replacing the DOS folder file and the GK2.ID at the root and it worked!

Thank you so much Andrew.

I hope to have time soon to re do everything from scratch starting with the new installer as you wish. What happens is that when I´m installing it with the cd´s (and sometimes with the DVD in full installation mode) the progress bar details mark that some files ¨Failed to copy¨so then I need to recopy them manually. Sometimes the files are there so it´s a false call but sometimes they aren´t. It´s always around 4 to 6 files that "fail" to copy. That´s why it´s such a headache.

I suppose it has to do with the sheer amount of files (especially the MOVIES) that the game has. That´s why it even takes like 6-10 minutes to do a Full Installation. It´s not size but quantity of files. So sometimes the installer just can´t copy them, but it will be cool if it lets you know that some files couldn´t copy so you are aware of this. I just know because I was paying close attention to the details of the installation files, in case that this resolved issue with the DOSBox had something to do with it.

At the end, only one files of the reported six was really missing and it was a FMV one. So I just copied it manually when the installation finished and until now it seems to be ok. Anyway, the cds are really old and sometimes they get rusty.

I plan to play this game and finish it, so I plan to report how everything goes. Thank you man, for keeping the adventures alive.

[bahsura]

Reporting back Sir,

I made another GK2 DVD with the new installer you provided. The process was ok.

But then I installed it with the both methods. Minimal and Full HDD.

Results:

Minimal Installation -

When the DVD DOSBox Config appeared I selected:

Fullscreen
Autolock
Smooth
Subtitles

The process finished without errors but when I started the game there were no subtitles. But it was fullscreen, autolock worked and video was not interlaced.

Tried many times to reconfigure it with the same selections. Subtitles didn´t appear.
__________

Full HDD Installation -

The installation finished ok.

When the DVD DOSBox Config appeared I selected:

Fullscreen
Autolock
Smooth
Subtitles

The installation stopped and kept asking for DVD in drive. Same error as before:

"Insert The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery DVD in D:\ (CDROM Drive) and click OK."

I chose Cancel to be able to finish installation. Then tried to configure it through the "Configure Gabriel Knight 2" option. Same error appeared.
_______________

My next step is to try to play with the minimal installation using the Gabriel Knight II English Subtitle Patch by laffer35 if it´s possible.

Over. Peace out.

[Collector]

OK, I need to redo the full install config utility. It should not be asking for the disc with the HDD install. You need to install the Subtitle patch for the subtitle. What I will probably do is to eliminate the option and have the Subtitle patch replace the config utilities with the option.

Again, thanks for testing and reporting the results.

[bahsura]

It works at minimal installation and with the subtitle patch applied.

Thanks.

I hope when the Full Installation issue is resolved you´ll inform us.

BTW, I was thinking that maybe the subtitles not working is my fault. Because I rewrote some files that during the installation reported to have failed to copy. Most of those files were in the PATCH folder. So I guess that may have some significance with my subtitles not appearing.

Maybe the only real problem is with the Full installation DOSBox config utility.

Peace out.