Can't complete Install and others problems

[kkyz13]

I bought Tropico 2 and installed it on my computer. I was so excited until the end of the installation. It said "Insert disk0 which contains data4.cab". I tried using both CDs in case some data was left in them but it didn't work. So I went through the whole process again after restarting my computer. The outcome is the same. I Ctrl+Alt+Del the setup away and check the directory I installed the game. The exe file is there.  
I quickly double clicked it and I get this:

"A required .DLL file, BINKW32.DLL was not found."

ARUGH!

There's also other problems when installing:

Tropico 2 Disk 2 hates my DVD drive. It refuses to be read in it. So I used my slower reading CD-R drive and it worked, until the end of installation.  

Is there anyone that can help me?   I really want to play this game.

My systems spec are
Pentium 4 2.4 ghz
512 MB Ram
NVidia Geforce 4 MX 440
2 CD drives, a DVD drive and a CD-RW drive
80 Gb of Hard Disk space ( split into 2 drives )

[Stoertebecker]

Hi, can´t help you with the other problems. If however binkw32.dll is your only problem: That file is part of a lot of games, all that use binkplayer for in game videos. You might have it on your puter already or find it in another game. It´s in the Tropico 2 Beta Demo, btw. You can download an older version here:  http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dll-files.shtml?binkw32 .I´d guess, the version from the demo would be my first choice.

[kkyz13]

I downloaded the binkw32.dll and the mss32.dll file which was also needed. I ended up getting an error message something about the binkw32.dll not able to work with Tropico 2.

I guess I'll be exchanging this faulty one with a new one...  

[Stoertebecker]

binkw32.dll and the mss32.dll file

Both are in the demo! However, a clean install would be better

[VerVe]

Hi,

I got the same problem as the original poster of this thread and I found a workaround to this problem. You can copy the .dll files from the tropico 2 demo folder and the tropico2.ini file from the tropico 2 disc 1 CD. The game will run.

BUT, there STILL seems to be files missing as I can't get any music to play in the game and after a campaign mission victory, there's a blank screen which you can bypass by pressing the space bar.

Can anyone list out their folder structure of Tropico 2? I got the Campaign, Data, Maps, and Movies folder. My tropico 2 folder itself has the binkw32.dll, mss32.dll, tropico2.exe and the tropico2.ini file.

It's possible the installation could have missed out 1 or 2 files/folders. Can anyone point out them out??

[Garrat]

As I posted in my own thread - the only way I could get it to install and work on my wifes computer was to share my CD ROM drive on my own PC.

Obviously there is some massive copy protection (new SecuROM version?) problem with some CD ROM drives.

The CD ROM drive in my wifes computer is a 6 months old ACER 56X drive.

By now, this game should have had a NOCD crack released against it - but there has not been one.  This makes me really think a new version of a copy protection scheme (like SecuROM or Safteydisk) has been used that wasn't fully tested for compatablity with several CD drives.

?

[Capt Queeg]

Various different installation problems here.  In order:  (1) wouldn't recognize Disk 2, (2) recognized Disk 2 but hung at 100% and (3) installed up to 100% off Disk 1 without ever asking for Disk 2.

Removed remnant of Tropico2 folder from my hard drive and ran Regedit (there were no registry entries) after each attempt.

Finally ran System Restore (XP) to go back to an earlier setting that I knew was OK (before the last XP critical update, though I doubt that made any difference).  Ran install again and finished without a hitch.  Game runs fine so far.

So, many problems but ultimate success.  

[Garrat]

System Restore is really not good at all (horrible).

I have two drives set up like.......

10G Partition on Drive #1:  Fat32 - for Norton Ghost images
20G Partition on Drive #1:  System Partition

Full Partition on Drive #2:   All installations and storage

I start by making a fresh installation of XP - letting it make a 20G partition on the 30G system drive (10Gig left over to format for images).  I make an image as soon as it hits the desktop.  Then, I make a series of images as I set the system up.

It's a totally clean and super fast way of getting back to a fresh OS state.

The only things I have to backup are my e-mail files and IE favorites (everything else is installed/located on the second drive).

I make a text file on the "Images" partition which is really helpful if I go all the way back to an early image (so I have something like a checklist to follow on the way back up).  Looks like this:

1   [1st destop hit after installation]
      10Gig partition made
   drive letters moved around

2    Changed CD drive letter up to G
   Deleted user account
   Performance - adjust for best performance
   Deleted "account unknown" user profile from Sys Properties/Adv/user profiles
   Turned off Automatic Restart
   Turn off Memory Debug Dump
   Disabled Error Reporting
   Made a 400MG static page file
   Slected "show admin logon" and auto login from Tweakui
   Auto Login of Admin enabled
   Turn off Automatic Updates
   Turned off system restore
   SERVICE PACK 1 INSTALLED
   (files not archived for SP1 removal)

3   Trash set to 1%
   (Trash) Display delete confirmation - disalbled
   Adobe Acrobat Reader v5.05 installed
   Quick Time Version 6 installed
   Universal Plug and Play disable app run
   WinAce 2.2 installed
   Paint Shop Pro v7 installed
   Explorer view options changed to view  hidden/system files
   sysoc.inf used to unhide MS Messenger
   Start Menu Options changed (personal menus / expanding items)
   MS Messenger and MS Explorer uninstalled
   Messenger Program Files folder deleted
   TDK Nero Installed
   Nero 5599 Update installed
   dMC Power AMP version 9a


4   Use Blank - set as homepage for IE
   Office XP Installed
   Audigy Drivers Installed
   Norton System Works 2002 Installed
   PopUp Cop 2.0 installed and Registered
   VB6 Installed
   VB6 SP5 Installed
   Netgear Printer Port Installed
   Disabled IMAPI service for NERO speed
   Added Sound Icon to Taskbar


5   ATI video drivers installed
   Refresh fix used
   DIRECTX 9.0 INstalled

[VerVe]

argh, so many problems.

Someone answer my previous post above pls? There's no #$!#$^& music in my game.

[kkyz13]

Finally exchanged it. But Tropico 2 was sold out from the store, or they pulled it off the shelfs due to that CD 2 problem...

I ended up with Freelancer. It's fun, but I'm determined to get Tropico 2.

[Charlemagne]

There are two issues being blurred in this thread.

1. Install does not complete.
If your install does not complete you should uninstall and try again. If subsequent tries don't help (and there's no harm to trying multiple times) you should perhaps conclude one of your CDs is bad. It does sometimes happen.

I don't recommend copying files from the demo (or wherever) into the game by hand. it might work out but you may end up with a problematic version. Maybe the music won't work or what have you.

2. Cannot uninstall.
If this happens to you it obviously makes my uninstall solution to the above problem an issue. This seems to happen occansionally  when you had the demo installed first. There is a fix for it. (to complete the uninstall) Then you can reinstall on a totally clean system.

Here is some help from Jon Moldover, one of the Frog City programmers:

I can't say for sure without looking at your machine, but this sounds like a problem we've experienced on XP machines with old installations of Tropico 2 Beta or Tropico2 Demos.  An old registry folder confuses the installer into de-installing when it should install.  The entire folder containing the keys needs to be deleted .Please try the following to fix this:

To open "regedit"

    a) click the Windows StartMenu
    b) select "Run..."
    c) type "regedit" into the box and click OK

2) Find the old uninstaller folder
    a)  Browse the registry tree to the following folder:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Uninstall\

    b) Look through the subfolders (with long number sequences), to find one whose display name is "Tropico 2" (under the "Data" column on the right-hand side of the Regedit main window).

3) Delete the entire Folder containing the key (along with the other keys in that folder).  

That should do the trick. You should be able to install from the cd.

Thanks, Jon Moldover
Frog City Software

[Banana Baron]

WOW....even though this fix from Frog City may make your game install....EVERY publication I have ever read says "BACK UP YOUR REGISTRY FIRST!!!!

I understand the problems of making a game (or any other program for that matter) that works on the trillions of set-ups that seem to exist....but telling someone to do a manual edit of the registry is a bit much.

Many many people have either switched or have new machines running XP.  If they did use the Demo, thats a lot of folks doing manual Registry editting.

It would seem to me the easiest (and more consumer sensitive) means would be a simple patch to delete any registry entries....

It would be similar to the small patches many companies have resorted to releasing almost immediately due to the CD copy protection causing CTD.

Again, if you don't back up the registry before messing with it....you might not be able to play the game..or use the computer!

[Capt Queeg]

My installation problem had nothing to do with the demo -- I never used it.  More likely there's a bug in the copy protection scheme that Tropico2 uses.  Or maybe just a bad batch of CDs.  

My system is less than a year old and I've never had a problem installing any other game.  I finally got it to install after several attempts and nearly an hour of effort.  Perhaps a patch will fix the problem.

[Charlemagne]

Hello all,

   My name is Jon Moldover, I'm a programmer at Frog City.  Thanks to Kaz, FieryDove, and everyone here who has helped us work on these installer problems.  Hopefully this message will clarify a few things.  As Charlamagne says, there are two separate yet related problems.  

1. Install does not complete.

This can happen for a variety of reasons, and the usual solution is to uninstall and try again.  If subsequent tries don't help (and there's no harm to trying multiple times) you may have a bad CD, especially if the installation fails during file transfer, and especially if it fails at the same point each time.  Unfortunately this requires a trip to your retailer to get a new copy of the game L

2. Cannot uninstall.

Sometimes when the install fails (particularly if it "hangs" and requires a re-boot) it leaves a "broken" installation on your machine.  When you then try to un-install, the installer (the same installer program also does the un-installation) deletes all the game files, but fails to delete the Tropico 2 registry folder.  When you go to re-install, the installer detects the registry folder and thinks the game is still installed, and asks if you want to un-install it, again, and again.  The solution to this is to manually delete this registry folder as follows:

1) Open "regedit"

    a) click the Windows StartMenu
    b) select "Run..."
    c) type "regedit" into the box and click OK (without the quotes)

2) Find the old uninstaller folder by browsing the registry tree to the following folder:

Full game:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{1A2000AF-79DE-47FB-8411-BA22F981917F}

Demo:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{E7B74193-BE99-425E-93E8-F3430414A02C}

Beta Demo:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{74E99029-C07C-4B61-B72D-AF80F891E048}

3) Delete the entire Folder containing the key (along with the other keys in that folder).  

Banana Baron makes a couple good points about this.  Backing up your registry first is a good idea, especially if you are worried about making mistakes.  To put it mildly, manually editing your registry sucks.  I would never wish this upon anyone, and I really am sorry for the inconvenience this has caused, but it is one of the many bugs with Install Shield over which I have no control.  As for making a patch program to do this automatically, that is a good idea, and may indeed happen shortly.  Coconut Kid asks if using the Windows Add/Remove Software utility will be useful.  This utility is simply a shortcut to the same installer program you normally run from the CD, so it won't do anything differently.

I hope this is helpful, and everyone is able to get the game running.  Happy plundering J

 - Jon


[Edited to fix quotes.]

[Armada]

In my case, Disk 2 was unreadable by any machine I had so I went back to CompUSA where I'd purchased the game--I didn't get halfway through my explanation before they were smiling and getting me another game and, as I was going to suggest anyhow, they had their techies do a check directory run on both disks to make sure they worked. They said they've had MANY returns with the same problem, so you Frog guys must have a real quality control problem at your duplicator, FYI.

[Charlemagne]

Not that it helps anything....I just like things to be clear. Frog City has nothing to do with CD duplication and cannot do anything about it. Hopefully Take2 is looking into the problem.

[ManWolf]

Hi,

I got the same problem as the original poster of this thread and I found a workaround to this problem. You can copy the .dll files from the tropico 2 demo folder and the tropico2.ini file from the tropico 2 disc 1 CD. The game will run.

BUT, there STILL seems to be files missing as I can't get any music to play in the game and after a campaign mission victory, there's a blank screen which you can bypass by pressing the space bar.

Can anyone list out their folder structure of Tropico 2? I got the Campaign, Data, Maps, and Movies folder. My tropico 2 folder itself has the binkw32.dll, mss32.dll, tropico2.exe and the tropico2.ini file.

It's possible the installation could have missed out 1 or 2 files/folders. Can anyone point out them out??

I am posting my folder structure here for the patched version;
My directory listing:
...\Program Files\Tropico 2\
Files: binkw32.dll, DrvMgt.dll, LastMinute.rtf, Mss32.dll, mssm4e1f.rra, PatchReadMe.doc, SECDRV.SYS, T2PatchLog.txt, Tropico2.exe
Folders: Campaign, Data, Maps, Movies, Save
Campaign folder contents: empty (I just installed and patched, so that probably makes sense).
Data folder contents: 54 .{} files, so too many to list lol... but the total size of the files in this folder is 1.55gb.
Maps folder contents: 64 files, a mix of .{} and .txt files, total size 12.8mb.
Movies folder contents: 51 files, I didn't check all the names but every one I checked was a .bik file, total size 200mb.
Save folder: empty.

I am reading this again and wondering whether copying the .ini file will fix my little issue with the patch.
I'm going to post this in my own post as well because someone else in there expressed an interest in how I was dealing with my problems... who knows, maybe the post I quoted above will lead to me solving that nasty little patch problem heh...

[ManWolf]

Hang on.... I didn't read the full thread the previous time, and now I read Charlemagne's post with the registry keys...
Another thing which I didn't see on any other forums that I browsed, so it looks like I still have a few things to try...

[UnAdak]

  I have had my own problems with installing Tropico 2.  I got the game from the Tropico: Master Players Edition at GameStop.

Installation stops when it gets to 100% on the file readme.rtf or one of the read me files.  This after I got the game at Sams Club and the problems about patching the game to version 1.2.  

Anyway, back to the installation problem.  After 15 minuting of hoping it would complete, I check out this particular read-me file on my harddrive.  The read-me file refused to open but I got a pop-up box about how the read me file had locked.  It gave me a choice to ignore it and several other choices.  I clicked the ignored button and SUCCESS! The installation complete window appeared and I was finish with installing the game.

Maybe someone else had the same problem when it stops at the read-me file or maybe my problem is unique.

[who_the_fox_hat]

Hi all,

I too had a problem installation, that resulted in no sound, butI've just fixed it!!

I downloaded the dome version, thinking that the sound file must be included in there - and it is!

You need to move file mssmo3.asi from file mss in the demo game, to the tropico2 folder of your real game (so that it exists in the same folder as the tropico.exe).

Good luck y'all!

[AngelicScot]

The problem I have is a bit different. I've owned my copy of the game for over a year. The disks (by the way) are in pristine condition. However, I had originally installed the game on my system when I was running '98SE. I just upgraded to XP Home this week. Now, the game can't or won't install. It either installs 100% with disk one, not asking for disk two. Or it DOES ask for disk two, but hangs at the end of installation. OR about half-way through disk one installation, it says there is a "catastrophic error" preventing the installation process. Now here is where it gets tricky. My d/p bought his copy of the game the same time I did. He installed it on his machine, which runs XP Home. Installed the first time with no problems and still runs on his machine with no problems. I'd really like to have someone explain this issue to me and help me get the game installed. It's one of my favourites!!!! By the way, Tropico and Paradise Island installed first time like a charm. Was playing it earlier and runs like a dream.

System specs:

AMD 1700+ processor
nVidia MX4000-T128
Sound Blaster Live!
768 MB RAM
Windows XP Home (includes Service Pack 2)
56x Benq CD-ROM
Games drive: 80G, 67% free

All drivers are up to date.
DirectX is signed

[AngelicScot]

Pardon me. I upgraded my O/S. Unlike for other people that means I formatted my C: drive and installed a Full Version of Windows XP Home. Not JUST an upgrade. My games were intact on a second drive that I call the Games drive D: However, since the C: drive was swapped, a 30G for a 40G, all the registry entries no longer existed. So, while the game HAD BEEN on drive D: inserting the disk didn't, and knowledge from past experience in such matters, and wouldn't work. Although I did put it in just to check. No harm in checking.

Today, my d/p came home and REINSTALLED his copy of Pirate Cove on his system which has run XP Home since he bought the game. MY copy of the game installed perfectly on the kids' computer which runs '98SE. So, it apparently isn't anything to do with my disks. The only difference between my system and my d/p's system is that my copy of XP Home is new and includes Service Pack 2. His is older and did not. But he had downloaded and installed Service Pack 2 before trying to reinstall Pirate Cove. I've tried installing with the Compatibility Wizard, to no avail. I tried his copy, I tried my copy. I have no idea what the problem is. I've contacted Frog City, GOD Games, and Take Two with the problem. I was, however, hoping that someone else might have had a suggestion due to having the same issue.

Thanks in advance for anyone who can be of help.

Also, as far as Tropico + Paradise Island and Pirate Cove go, the game engine is the same. As for any of the other programming, I couldn't say.

[Severous]

Though it feels as if the installation hasnt completed have you tried running the game exe file anyway?

[AngelicScot]

Yes, I have. When you look in the files for the game, they are random, usually there are only two files, and both are empty. 

Sometimes the data folder and scenario folder are there. Sometimes movies and maps. But they're always completely empty. If you put the play disk in after "installation". It just pops up asking if you want to install.

[Severous]

Im no technician. Have no technical suggestion.

Try uninstalling tropico2, and maybe even uninstalling tropico1, then trying again?   Good luck.