Installing DOS sierra game under XP ?

[elvin66]

Hi there guys and gals !

I have a problem...  I was cleaning up my basement when I found a box with some old dos games in it.  One of them is "The Castle of Dr.Brain"  Remember that one ?   Well, I tried installing it on my xp professional laptop so my daughter could experience the brilliance of this game as I did...only.... (sob)  Half way through the install, I get a red alert box saying "Error creating configuration file"

I can't get past that point.  I know there is many ways to tweek XP to run older dos games and have tried for days with no luck.

Can anyone tell me if it is possible ?  

Thanks heaps in advance   (unless of course you tell me it's not possible..then I say "Shiester misfarlan humanger wiezer switzel !  and Misvitzer mungul oda twatman der !)

p.s.   I've no idea what that means but it looks good lol.

p.s.s  Sorry to any germans out there for the gobbledy gook

[Alistair]

Ah good- a nice easy tech support query.
Love Castle of Dr. Brain, first Sierra game I ever played. 1992 or 3.. wow.

Anyways. Enough of my reminiscing. 'Error creating configuration file' simply means that the install program can't create the 'resource.cfg' file that Sierra games use to save your settings. It means that either:
a. You're trying to install the game to a place that is write-protected
b. Your files are read-only
c. You don't have admin rights to your laptop (I assume you do!)

Let me reassure you; this is NOTHING to do with XP, it would happen under any OS. Let me know if you resolve this, it should be very easy to. I'll be here to answer any questions you might have; feel free to contact me.

Regards,
- Alistair

[elvin66]

WEll I'll be Buggered !
Thanks heeps Alistair, the files on the disk were all set to read only lol.  I changed them and woohoo it installed just fine.  Only now I have to go to work and won't be able to try it till tonight <gr>

Anyway, thanks again buddy !

Mark

[Alistair]

Anytime, always happy to help a fellow Tasman boy, even if they are a Kiwi

Glad I could've helped, I'll be here if you have any other issues.

Regards,
- Alistair

[elvin66]

Obviously I don't have my old user manual anymore but I can't get much past the front door without it.  I mean, I can solve the first three puzzels but once I try go through the next door, there are a bunch of cybols that need decoding using the Super Top Secret Decoder found in the manual.  Hmmmm

Is there anyway to find this manual online ?  I've looked under tips but found nothing..

Thank

[Alistair]

Well, as I figured out, you DON'T actually need the manual.. the way the game works, if you have some hint coins, simply save, use a hint coin, jot down the password, and reload and use the password you now should have.

Regards,
- Alistair

[elvin66]

Yeah but Sierra were smarter than that.  It lets you use 2 hint coin s in a rown then tells you on the 3rd attempt that the coin is stuck in the slot lol.  I actually got all 3 passwords no problem but it's the decoder or cipher card I need in order to work out the strange cymbols and put them in order.  You see there is 3 entries to get right and by using hint coins, it only lets you do 2.  I tried saving after 2 and writing down the first 2 but when you come back in, the coin is still stuck !  If you start over, the cymbol order is different grrr.   Good on Sierra for making it hard.

Any other ideas Alistair ?

[Alistair]

Yes- save your game without using any hint coins before the door.

I'd forgotten exactly how to pull this off; now I remember!
Okay. Use a hint coin, get a password. Now restore and use it. Save your game again. Now use 2 hint coins to get passwords 2 and 3, and now restore and pass the door!

I actually own this game legally, one of the ones I do, but it was always a ***** to use the manual.

- Alistair

[elvin66]

I see your logic but the game beats me.  If for eg I go work out the 3 sollutions in the hallway and get 3 passwords (without using hint coins....just brains) I am left with the last option.  The door at the end of the hallway.  Click on it and another puzzel comes up with weird cymbols on it.  There are 3 lines you have to enter.  Each line the cymbols must be entered in the right combination to work (when you get one right it pops up and says "I hear a click")

All that aside, if I was to use one hint coin and enter it, the correct cymbols for line one show up.  Ok so now I save and exit.  On restore, I have to manualy enter the first line in (from what I have drawn on paper) and enter.  It tells me it's wrong lol.  I think it changes each time.  But to be sure, let me go try again.
This game will not beat a kiwi and an Auzzie !!!!!!

BTW.... I lived in Brisbane for 15 years

[Alistair]

All that aside, if I was to use one hint coin and enter it, the correct cymbols for line one show up. Ok so now I save and exit. On restore, I have to manualy enter the first line in (from what I have drawn on paper) and enter. It tells me it's wrong lol. I think it changes each time. But to be sure, let me go try again.

Okay. Solve the 3 puzzles in the room. Don't use hint coins for them, they're easy.. except the jigsaw puzzle on 'Expert' level. I hate it!

Now. Save at the door.

Use a hint coin to get the first password. Copy it down. Don't copy the symbols, right down a number. I use the left-to-right method, where they are:

1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
10

Now restore, use the password, save. Use 2 more hint coins. Right the passwords down. Now restore and you'll beat it! It DOES NOT change every time.

This game will not beat a kiwi and an Auzzie !!!!!!
BTW.... I lived in Brisbane for 15 years

Sure won't; I'm a Dr. Brain expert.

Cool! Always wanted to go to the GC myself.

Regards,
- Alistair

[elvin66]

Well I'll be buggered you were right on the money my tranz tasman buddy !  (er make that trans tasman) <G>  All is good and I thank you so much.  It's not a fair suck on the sauce bottle when you have to go to such lengths to make something of past work in the now, but having said that, two rats eating 4 rabbits is totally uncool  (unless the first rat has a Sierra game)

Cheers buddy

[Alistair]

No problem, mate!

God, I can't understand your Kiwi jargon for the life of me, though. Got a great 'Kiwi language' shirt with some phrases, but none of those..

- Alistair