SafeCracker
Setup Walkthrough
by inferno
Minimum Requirements:
Windows 98/95
Pentium 100 MHz
16MB (24 MB Recommended)
SGVA 640 x 480 Display Capability
15MB free hard disk space
4X CD-ROM Drive or faster
You'll need a special "patch" for this, which really isn't a patch at all. Rather it's a "stand alone" application meant to run in conjunction with the game. Similar to the way a "trainer" or "slowdown" program works. It was created by a fellow gamer named Tom Dinger last year. What does it do? Here's a quote straight from the "readme" file:
"This game has a problem on fast machines (i.e. all recent PCs) with the
operation of the inventory scroll buttons at the bottom of the game screen.
The way they are supposed to work is that the inventory list scrolls in
the direction indicated by the button as long as the button is held down.
On a fast machine, however, the inventory scrolls so fast that it reaches
either end of the list too quickly, no matter how briefly you click on the
scrolling arrows. Once the inventory list is longer than a full window,
the "middle" positions in the list become inaccessible.
The goal of this SCFix program is to simulate a _very_ rapid press and
release of the left mouse button (a "virtual" click), in response to a
click of the _right_ mouse button on the scroll arrows in the game."
...Tom Dinger
You can download the "patch" from here.
Make sure that you download it to a place on your hard drive where you will be able to find it easily.
The General Drill
Before you take a look at the basic General Drill below, take a moment and have a look at the updated printable version, paying particular attention to the following sections:
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Decrease Virtual Memory if needed
Note** There are some legacy or older games which will need to have your system's Virtual Memory adjusted if your Virtual Memory is higher than Minimum 766/Maximum 1532. This is necessary, otherwise you will receive a very strange error message telling you that you must have at least 3Mb of virtual memory to run the game.
Okokokokok! I know we all have a lot more virtual memory than that these days... but you see the program was created with a finite capacity back for virtual memory back in 1998... The programmers never figured that we would be able to have more than 1532Mb of Maximum Virtual Memory... (.......sigh).
Bottom line for all of this nonsense... is.. SafeCracker is one of those games.
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Increasing Files
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Disable AutoPlay
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Change your display to 800X600 - 16bit- 100Hz
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Quicktime
Note** This game will still run if you are using Quicktime6.0 You don't need to uninstall this version, only earlier ones.
Do these things before you perform the General Drill, and do
them all at once and then restart your system. this way you won't have to
restart your system a gazillion times.
then perform the General Drill if you haven't recently.
Let’s take a look at the "General Drill"
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 Smelly Pine disinfectants! I'm referring to the "Three Musketeers" of WINTEL Systems. They are: "Disk Clean Up," “Check Disc” (the old Scan Disc in pre XP Windows based systems) and Defrag.
Now some people do this in "safe mode" ... and I have to admit that I am one of them...probably because I tend to be rather lazy and like the fact that I don't have to close down so many programs for these 3 utilities to work correctly. I'm also one of those wacky gamers who has a tendency to visit my "Aunties" ('cos I know they love me... Shall I introduce you??? May I present: Auntie Virus, Auntie Spyware, Auntie Adware and Auntie Hijack. Sorry, couldn't resist, but I religiously do use these wonderful programs each time I come off the internet... I DETEST BUGS & CREEPY CRAWLIES of any kind in my System!!!
First, let’s do a Disk Clean Up. Don't know how?
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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 don't know how to accomplish this read on:
The easiest way to terminate your TSRs or Terminated but Staying Resident programs which are also known as background applications, is to right click on each of the little icons in the lower right portion of your Tool Bar. These are 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. The reason behind this is so these three utilities can run unencumbered. They'll do their tasks much more efficiently if you give them this environment to work in.
If you haven't done the Ole Scan Disk in a while... In XP it's called Check Disk and Defragged recently. Here is a good time to do it.
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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.
- Automatically fix file system errors
- Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors
- Click Start. You can follow this same path to locate your program as well. Or use Start-->All Programs-->Accessories-->System Tools-->Defrag Hard Drive.
The nice thing about Windows XP is that if it isn't necessary to perform a Defrag of your Hard Drive unless you have to. Windows XP will simply tell you this if you need to...and you can skip this step if the answer is no.
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. The Audio should be set to the 2nd notch from the right as well
(I find that this is the best setting for many older adventures as a general rule for 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.)
Restart your System.
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 you’re really better off not touching anything in there unless you really know just what you are doing.)
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 fewer headaches later. Remember, a healthy XP is a happy one.
*note:
It's also helpful to either be logged in as either The Administrator, Owner or Power User make sure that your personal log in has full Administrator rights.
Make sure that you close down any extra programs such as Anti virus, anti spyware and the like.
Shut off your screen saver as well.
The Recap
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Downloaded patch scfix.zip
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Display set to 800x600 16bit color 100MHz
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Virtual Memory set no higher than Minimum 766/Maximum1532
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Disable AutoPlay
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System restarted and all extra program shut down
The Setup
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Place SafeCracker CD in default cdrom (auto play disabled)
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Start --> My Computer --> Right Click on default CDROM Drive-->Choose Explore.
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Locate file --> sc32int.exe -->Right Click --> Properties--> see table below:
| compatibility | windows95 | |
| display settings | 640x480 resolution | |
| disable visual themes | ||
| input settings | turn off advanced text services for this program |
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Click Apply. Click OK.
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Double Click on "sc32inst.exe"
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Let the game install. It will automatically install Quicktime32...let it.
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Close out of all Windows back to your desk top.
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Now locate that patch scfix.zip which you've already downloaded. Double Click to unzip. Extract all the files to C:\sc
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Close out of all Windows back to your desk top.
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Go to Start --> My Computer--> Local Disk "C"--> Double Click on "sc folder" .
Notice another .zip file in there??? NO? Look carefully... SCFIXSRC.zip
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Double Click on SCFIXSRC.zip to start your unzipping program.
and extract to the same location: C:\sc.
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Now, Locate the files--> "sc_eng.exe" and "SCFIX.exe" in the Game Folder C:\sc.
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Right Click on each of them in their turn -->Send To-->Desk Top (create shortcut).
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Close out of all Windows back to you desk top.
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Right Click--> "Shortcut to sc_eng.exe" --> Choose -->Properties-->Shortcut Tab--> Choose Run--> Maximized.
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Then Click on Change ICON --> Browse-->Choose--> sc1_icon.ico-->Click on "Open".-->
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Click OK. Click on the Compatibility Tab (and you will see that Windows 95, 640x480 resolution and the last two boxes are already checked.)
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Click Apply Click OK.
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Nothing extra need be done to SCFIX.EXE.
....You're almost ready to play
To play the game: First click on SCFIX.EXE Icon and then minimize. Try it
first at its default level you may not have to change it.
This extra application will correct inventory problems later on in the game.
Then double click on The SC Icon and
...you're living the life of a cat burglar!!
...Inferno