How to get Age of Empires II to work under Windows 10

An edit to my first post: the app file I am trying to run from is EMPIRES2

to Vijay

Nothing happens when I try to run to run the game, with/without run as Admin, with/without run in XP2 compatibility mode, with Windows Features .net 3.5 and legacy modes enabled, whether I install it in XP3 compatibility mode or no compatibility mode (compatibility mode off)

I'll just remind everyone the I'm trying the run Age of Empires II under Windows 10

EdWD

16.August.2019

AOE 2 had issues even on Win7, but the first thing you need with a CD version of the game on Win10 is a  --- noCD fix\hack---.

Once you are able to launch the game using a noCD fix you should be able to find a fix for any other problems that may arise.

All disc based games that use SafeDisk copy protection (there are many) need a noCD fix due to an issue MS created on Win10.

I have more details about DRM Blocking in my post at  ---this thread---

Thanks for attention BossDweeb.  I'm sure you have provided a solution for someone there.

I haven't looked at your second link on DRM blocking yet but I took a look at your first link.

It shows many items. Which do I need to click ?  Will it show me as for a simpleton (mentioned above) exactly what I need to do ?  Without this guidance the information is useless to me, I'm afraid.  Also, I understand only English.

Sorry for being so stupid.  AoE I and AoE III and their expansion packs (all of them) worked OK.

EdWD

16.August.2019

- It's good to hear you AOE and AOE3 are running properly. A lot of people have problems with them as well.

Hopefully that means you will have no problems with AOE2 once you have the noCD's organised.

AOE has no DRM, and AOE3 uses another type, so they don't have any issue running from the CD, but I've always used

[EDIT: I overlooked the 'Collectors ed' earlier. I'm not sure the noCD's will work  with a re-release version of the game.

The patch I linked to below should not be necessary as the re-release versions of games are generally pre-patched.

The also remove the DRM in some re-released versions. More so if they come long enough after the original. ]

- You need to use a fix that suits the level you have patched the game to, and in the same language. Generally it's best to patch games

to the last available versions regardless of the noCD requirements.

Remember to delete the 'd' at the end of the .zipd download title, or the file will not extract.

I just had a look at the v2a English fix at the bottom of the list. As with most fixes, this is a simple .executable replacement file ( Empires2.exe ).

Some fixes have other new files that are placed in the same folder as the games .exe, and a few other fixes have files that

replace files other than the .exe.
I used to back up the original .exe, but that's not much use since MS introduced DRM Blocking because you can't play the game

with the disc in the drive anyway, so you can just move the fixed file into the folder the games .exe is in and overwrite the original.

I generally extract the fixes files in the folder I store the .zip file in and move the fixed .exe from there (saves having to look for the .nfo to delete).

- This site has the 2.0a patch and a forum that may be helpful.

http://aok.heavengames.com/patches/

.

Thank you, BossDweeb

I agree that having to insert the CD is awkward, and risks damaging the CD, so, yes I'd rather have the noCD versions for the games.  I'll have a look for noCD for the other AoE games I have.

I had already found http://aok.heavengames.com/patches/ patches for AoK and The Conquerors.  I was hoping that they would run AoK but when I ran the exe file and installed to the AoE II folder, I got the message you have already installed this patch !  I noted the patch was pre 2001 and I think my Collector's Edition is 2005.  I assume the fix you refer to"... look at the v2a English fix at the bottom of the list." is same v2.0a patch given in aok.heavengames.com

I found a "no CD crack" file and ran that having extracted it from the zip file, installing to the AoE II folder.  I tried running the EMPIRES2 file (compatibility mode etc on - XP2 - and it worked !  I am now in the middle of a game !  The CD is in drive, I don't know what if I removed it.

No file I have come across has the ending ".zipd"

Can you give similar tips for running The conquerors expansion pack, or doesn't require anything more than installing ?

EdWD

17.August.2019

Good to hear you got the game going. You don't need to use the disc with the fix. The only reason for using the disc is for the

DRM check. This check is what the crack circumvents. Allowing you to launch straight into the game, disc free.

The game never references the disc after that (well not until some very clever forms of DRM that did checks later in the game,

and put the game into unplayable slo-mo came along around 2008 or there about. )

You would do the same with the expansion pack, and any other game that uses SafeDisc copy protection. The only difference

would be the fixes for games that require files other than the .exe to be replaced.

"No file I have come across has the ending ".zipd""

- If you download the fix from another site there would be no d at the end of the .zip file extension. That's a peculiarity

of the site I linked to. Not sure why they add the d though. They didn't do it until... five years ago ?

Wait a minute... I just double checked one download I didn't extract the files from previously and was able to extract the files

without removing the d . I thought not being able to extract the files was the reason for deleting the d . 

Cheers - BD

->Vijay Verma: apologies accepted

EdWD

19.August.2019

->BossDweeb

I got the expansion [pack ~(The Conquerors) to run as well.  This installation put the Conquerors app. (didn't seem to be an .exe file ?) in a separate folder and called it something like Age1_2X, so I installed the 1.0c patch from HeavenGames to that directory (the readme file said it was something different - ver 1.0b released June 2001), as had been remarked on HeavenGames comments for this download -  and a download ver 1.5 as recommended here https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/914421-age-of-empires-ii-the-conquerors-expansion/74415613  -> http://userpatch.aiscripters.net/ (tabs give variousimnfo & download). Having done all this, and tried to play a couple of times (the install was done with no compatibilities and play was done under admin priv. (implicit after the first time) and with XP3 compatibility set).  But despite installing patch v1.5 above in widescreen mode the games always starts in  a 600 x 480 ? window and it's not until I start playing can I set screen size to 1366 x 768, the full screen option for my screen on the device which I currently playing on, that things work properly.  Thus far the game (The Conquerors expansion pack) will play only with the disc in the drive.

EdWD

19.August.2019