LightHouse

Setup Walkthrough

Lighthouse works quite well on Xp and is one of my personal favorites. Before you install the game there are a few things that need mentioning:

 

The General Drill


First let's take a look at the "General Drill"     (printable version)

Whenever I start a new game, especially an "older one"; I have always made it a habit to make sure my system is clean. (So let's clean house) Our cleaning products?? No, I'm not talking about special Orange Sprays or Pine smelly disinfectants! I'm referring to the "3 Musketeers" of WINTEL Systems. They are: "Disk Clean Up", Check Disc (the old Scan Disc in pre XP Windows based systems) and Defrag. 

First, Let's do a Disk Clean Up (Don't know how?) GO to-->Start-->All Programs--> Accessories--> System Tools-->Disk Clean Up. Empty out what you don't need ( you'll be surprised at what you can accumulate!) Shut down all extra programs. (for those of you who know how to do this part...just skip onto the next area of the "Setup".) For those of you who don't, the easiest way to terminate your TSRs (terminated but staying resident programs, also known as 
background applications") is to right click on each of the little icons in the lower right portion of your "Tool Bar" (located near your clock), As you right click on each of them you will get the option to either "exit", "close" or "unload". Do this for each of them. Then, if you have a Screensaver go ahead and disable it. 

If you haven't done the "Ole' Scan Disk"...(in XP it's called "Check Disk") and Defragged recently here is a good time to do it. Go to-->My Computer-->Local Disc "C" ("C" is mine but your Local Disc maybe assigned another letter)-->Right Click-->Properties-->Tools-->"Check Now..." ->Make sure that both boxes are checked--> 1.)Automatically fix file system errors and 2.)Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.-->Click Start. You can follow this same path to locate your Defrag program as well or use Start-->All Programs-->Accessories-->System Tools-->Defrag Hard Drive. 

Check your system by doing a "Ctrl, Alt & Delete", this will bring up "The Task Manager", If you have closed out all Windows Programs, the field under "Applications" will be blank. 

(Leave the field marked "Processes" alone. Yep, I know there are lots of interesting files in there...but your really better off not touching anything in there unless you really know just what you are doing.)


You might want to check on your Video and Audio Acceleration at this time, make sure you set the video at the 2nd notch from the right --> and audio should be set to the 2nd notch from the right as well (I find that this is the best setting for this adventure on MY system. Yours may be different, but this is always a good place to start and you can increase or lower them as you see fit after the game is installed.) 

I know this seems like a bother, but if you take the time to make sure your system is sparkling on the inside, you'll have less headaches later. Remember a healthy XP is a happy one. 

 

 

The Set Up

 

• You'll need some patches for this game which you can download from  The Sierra FTP Site  Remember that you'll apply the patches after you install the game. 

• A.) lite2pat.exe (use if you have a version earlier than 2.0)

• B.) lite2fix.exe (updates to Version 2.0)

• C.) litepat2a.exe (updates to version 2.0a) 
  NOTE: Patch "C" is for the  Windows Version of LIGHTHOUSE 2.0 only not for the DOS Version. It will automatically extract to "C:\Siera\Lightwin"  

note:***It's important to remember that if you need these files to upgrade an earlier version of Light House to Version 2.0 you must do this in the correct order given here. Please also remember that when the time comes to install these patches, you cannot just "run" them from just anywhere. These are .exe files and you must copy each one into your game folder / adjust for compatibility/ and then run them one at a time from that location in order for them to take properly.

 

• Example I: Patches A.) is a DOS Patch and will not run unless to make certain adjustments: After copying them to your game folder Right Click --> Properties--> Follow the Examples Below

 

Now Run each of those two patches.  

 

• Example II: Patches C.) and D.) are Windows95 patches and further update you original program to Light House 2.0a. For those you will also have to make an compatibility adjustment in order for the patches to be applied correctly. Right Click --> Properties-->Compatibility and follow the examples below:

 

Now Run each of these two patches. 

 

 

 

You can also download the patches from The Patch Scrolls.de The Patch Scrolls offer: lh20_20a.zip and light20a.zip (I used the first two from Sierra and then these two patches here.)

• You must have VDMS Sound already installed (and if you're wise ...as I know all of you are) and VDMS Launchpad as well. You can get more information about these utilities on My Computer Specs Page.

• You must also have Vesa drivers enabled on your system for the game to run correctly. Some of these come with the game. Make sure that you read all of the Readme files.
  But more on that a few steps down.

• Close out of all windows applications such as email, internet browsers other games, granny's favorite recipe files...etc. You'll also need to close out of the TSR programs as well. In XP remember that the TSRs) or "Terminated but Stay Resident" programs are (believe it or not located in bottom right corner ("the toolbar" , close out or disable each icon here and don't forget to unload your keyboard). ..but I know you've done this already ... since you've taken my advice the first time and performed the General Drill. (...ahem)

• Insert Lighthouse Disc 1 into your CDROM Drive. 

• Do not use the Sierra Setup, rather go to: My Computer-> "Your CDROM Drive"-> Right Click-> Choose "Explore."

 

• You will do all of your installing of this game from here. The first thing is to install the game itself.

• Look at the files on the CD itself and locate "INST.EXE" Right Click ->Choose Properties and begin to customize the file. What we're actually going to do is change the "Pif Files" through a series of popup windows (this is a lot easier than it sounds once you get the hang of it...just time consuming).

 

• OK, here we go: When you Right click on Properties; you'll see 8 selections or Tabs; Just follow the pictures here as a guide.

compatibility

• Once you made your changes (which, by the way, you can read more about this in My Library. Look for the articles on getting games to run on XP.
  
  

•  Click Apply, Click OK.

• Follow the prompts for the install (just keep clicking enter) until the install is completed.

 

• If you don't have a Vesa Driver, you can install one from this game. Just look on the CD in the Vesa Folder (I use the generic ones) Install them they same way that you installed the game. Right Click on the .exe files and adjust all the properties the way we just did (use the pictures as your guide)

• If you already have Vesa on your system, then just skip the step above.

• Next comes the patches, Locate the folder where you downloaded these files on your computer and unzip them. Extract the files to your game folder (mine is called C:/Sierra/lightdos)

• Now it's time to make the final adjustments (Geez Louise, it's about time!)

• Go to My Computer-->Choose the CDROM which has CD1 of Light House-->Right Click -->Choose Explore--> Locate the Light House icon. it will be named "LIGHTHSE.ico" and will look like this: 

• Right Click and choose "Copy". Then Locate your game folder --> open it  and Right Click anywhere in a blank area. Choose "Paste".   

 

• While still  in your Game folder,  locate all the.exe files (By now you should know the drill) Right Click -> Properties -> ....and follow the pictures above (if you've forgotten what you need to do.) Once that's completed.....

 

• Go once again into your Game folder and Locate Lightdos.bat
  Right Click-> Choose Send to" -> Choose Desktop (this will make a Shortcut on your Desktop). Now we're going to give this shortcut a better look.
  
  

• Close out of all windows back to your Desk Top.
  
  

• Right Click on this boring little DOS icon and Choose Properties-> Change Icon-> Click Ok when the next window tells you "YOU CAN'T DO THIS"
  
   (HA! wanna bet???)
  
   Now Choose "Browse" ->Move through your files hierarchy until you find your game folder  (mine is "C:\Sierra\LIGHTDOS\ Click on it -> Choose Lighthouse Icon->Click open.-> Click OK.

 

• Your new custom icon is now located on your Desktop. Right Click one more time on this Icon and go to Properties->

• Here you'll see 8 choices note the changes in the following pictures, let them be your guide.
  

LightBat

• Click Apply, Click Ok. You're done. Give yourself either an " 'atta girl or 'atta boy", as deems appropriate and close out of all your other Windows Programs. Because you're done with the Set-Up and can finally play this Game.....Congrats! You've just installed a DOS game on Xp.    

   

• Now, remember, when you play always Right Click on your Icon and Choose Run with VDMS no Musical Note.

Note* If you don't already ready have a slow down utility for this program get one...(I use Turbo or Mo'Slo). You'll need it for a few of the puzzles

 

 

.....Inferno 

 

 

 

Back to XP Game List K-O

Back To Inferno's XP Compatibility List

This document may not be distributed without express
written permission of the author and the content may not be altered in any way.
For Questions or Comments
Please write to: INFERNO
Copyright © 2/2003 INFERNO