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LEGO Media Alternate Installers


le717
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This is a listing of alternate installers created for LEGO Media video games to replace the aging and often-incompatible ones on the disc. This will help you install the game on modern computers. In most cases, they do nothing to actually get the game running. There are other topics that detail troubleshooting each game. This list will be expanded as more installers are written.

 

Game Author Download
Island le717 GitHub
LEGOLAND le717 GitHub
LOCO le717 GitHub
Racers le717 GitHub
Racers 2 le717 GitHub
Rock Raiders le717 GitHub
Rock Raiders TheDoctor

Topic

Stunt Rally le717

GitHub

 

Information explaining why alternate installers are needed and why we can't just keep using the game's original installers.

 

Spoiler

 

"It Will Not Install!"

Ah, yes. The dreaded 4 words. Someone digs out their old copy of Rock Raiders, Racers, or some other video game, and they stick it in the computer. They click the installer, and... nothing happens. They try it again, and again, and with different compatibility settings, and nothing works. If they are a member here, they make a topic asking for help, and it becomes so common place that FAQ topics must be created to help people. But it doesn't matter how many times people ask for help, and how many times you tell them what to do, the installation will fail and people will ask how to fix it.

I've seen this happen first hand. When I got my 2001 version of LEGO Racers, I first installed it on Windows Vista x86, and the install would not load. I put it in every Windows compatibility version I could, including running as Admin, and it only ran after I left it alone for 5 minutes. When I put it in the main computer, which runs Windows 7 x64, the installer loaded right up. When I got LOCO, it was the other way around: it came right up on Vista, but took a while on 7, as it still does to this day.

This strange behavior made me very curious, and, being the analytical thinker I am, decided to find out why these installations failed on such a massive scale. Some say it's because of Vista. Others say it's the age of the game. And still others say it's because of modern computers. I will venture to say that everyone is correct. I've had installations fail on Vista and work on 7, and I agree that the age of the games and modern computers play a key role in this. But I wanted to know why it failed. What was causing the failures.

I came across this forum topic, which explained it perfectly.

 

Quote

From about 1995 to 1998 it was common practice for setup programs to launch using a Windows 3.1 16-bit loader stub. This gave installers the ability to package multiple binaries for Win16, Win32s, Win32, and Windows NT for Alpha CPUs. At the time it was a reasonable thing to do since all of these platforms could execute 16-Bit Windows 3.1 applications.

This can be the most troublesome step as setup packaging varies greatly.

First, if the setup program is inside a self extracting archive then you will need to extract it. Usually opening the EXE with an archive tool such as 7-Zip will enable you to extract the files. If that fails, you may need to run the self extractor in an environment that can run it and copy the files from the TEMP folder or location it extracted to.

* If the file _inst32i.ex_ is among the install files listed, then it is an InstallShield based setup.

 

On most LEGO Media video game discs, that file is present. As you can see from this screenshot, it is present on the 2001 re-release of LEGO Racers.

 

What does this mean, and how does the relate to the installation failures? Simple. _INST32I.EX_ is a helper file, which takes 16-bit commands and translate them to 32-bit commands for 32-bit Windows. On 64-bit Windows, 32-bit commands are handled by WoW64. So when the installer is launched, _INST32I.EX_ translates the 16-bit commands to 32-bit, WoW64 translates the 32-bit commands to 64-bit, and because of this constant translation, the installer stalls while Windows figures out what to do with it. It's like what happens when you get stuck in rush-hour traffic.

Edited by le717
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JrMasterModelBuilder

So that's what _INST32I.EX_ is! Been vaguely wondering what it was for a while.

But, if the setup.exe is just a stub for multiple binaries including Win32, why does it have to use it?

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Don't forget mine for LRR, which isn't anything close to a proper installer, but it works. I could try to make it into something that looks like a halfassed installer if someone wanted me to.

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Don't forget mine for LRR, which isn't anything close to a proper installer, but it works.

http://www.rockraide...nate-installer/

I was actually showing off my scripts and not exactly stating all the other alternate installers out there, but I'll add that to the post. I can write one for LRR, I just need to know the folder structure of the game files, the installation path, copyright and distributor (the many LRR releases may throw that one off), EXE name/icd, any registry strings/ini files, and anything else that would stop it from working with all the LRR releases. I could do it a lot easier if I actually owned a copy of LRR, then I could test it and make sure it worked correctly.

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Oh, er, sorry. It's not a very hard game to install. I didn't include the source in that jar, but if you want, I can help you make an installer via PMs/skype/whatever.

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Whoops! I just realised I forgot to package the LEGO Logo Installer Graphic in both of the downloads! I just fixed it, as well as a small change in the source. If you have already downloaded either of the scripts, please re-download them to fix the error. ;)

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  • 2 months later...

New release!

I've updated the LEGO Racers Alternate Installer. By using the ISPP, I've made it more release-netural. If LEGORacers.icd exists in the compiling path, it will add it. Else, it will not. Now you do not have to umcomment the line if you are compiling a 1999 copy.

Get it on the Topic Post!

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Big News! I've just released my new Click-And-Go Alternate Installer series! The first one is the Click-And-Go LEGO LOCO Alternate Installer! With the Click-And-Go series, you just have to insert your game disc, and install! The Unicode binary is compiled with InnoSetup 5.5.2, which means Windows 8 is officially supported (well, for the installler, at least). The ANSI binary was built with InnoSetup 5.4.3, the last release to support Windows 95/98. The source code, however, will compile with both ANSI and Unicode InnoSetup without any changes. The Click-And-Go LEGO LOCO Alternate Installer must be run as Admin, and I've set the game to run as Admin as well via the Registry to fix a crazy error where the game would run when set as Admin but not when run as a normal user. I can change this upon request. ;)

Get the Click-And-Go LEGO LOCO Alternate Installer from the Topic Post!

URGENT EDIT:

While recording a video of the Click-And-Go LEGO LOCO Alternate Installer, I discovered that I forgot to add an AppID to both the ANSI and Unicode installers, and forgot to uncomment the AppID line. I've already fixed the error, and have updated the downloads. If you have already downloaded the installer, please delete it and download the corrected version. If you haven't you have nothing to worry about. ;)

O.T.

I knew I was forgetting to do something before I released it...

EDIT 2:

I've deleted the ANSI Click-And-Go LEGO LOCO Alternate Installer. From now on, I will only create Unicode builds.

The normal (original from the disc) install will run perfectly on Windows 98, I would rather use Unicode, and people can get confused between the two versions and which one to use. If you want an ANSI build, you will need to compile it yourself.

Edited by le717
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O.T.

Wow, I work quickly on my installers...

The newest installer in my Click-And-Go Alternate Installer series has just been released, and it is the Click-And-Go LEGO Racers 2 Alternate Installer! As will all the Click-And-Go series, you simply supply your game disc, and it will install and run correctly (finally worked around the CDpath registry string!). Source code is also available, if you are one of those who would rather build your own than rely on other people. :P The installer still, and always will, need to install as Admin (it is required to HKLM), but the game has not been set to run as Admin.

Get the Click-And-Go LEGO Racers 2 Alternate Installer from the Topic Post!

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  • 3 weeks later...

The LEGO Racers 2 one worked great other than a few files missing on the disc which is probably due to different versions.

Thanks Cyrem!

About the missing files, you are probably right. Do you know exactly which files were not pulled off your disc? I'll see if I can get them to install only if they exist (I'll do it the same way I got the Build-Your-Own Racers one to install the .icd and manual. However, I was having trouble getting it to work for LR2 the first time.)

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  • 1 month later...

I've just released a new installer in the Click-And-Go series: LEGO Island! With this installer, you can bypass the old installer with a new, modern one, and have the option to install all LEGO Island files, not just the ones that make you have in insert your CD!

Get it on the Topic Post!

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  • 3 weeks later...

As I said I would do, I have uploaded V1.1 of my Click-And-Go LEGO Racers 2 Alternate Installer. I've added the ability to choose if the videos/music is installed or not, just like the original. I've also changed up the way files are installed (V1.0 was built way to much to work with just my disc). If you see that the installer skips a few files on your disc (they is not registration or such like that), let me know, and I'll update the installer with it.

Get it on the Topic Post!

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thanks for making these installers Le, this will really help people who need them.

You're welcome, Modded Lego!

And now, I release to the public the installer I wanted to create when I started making my Alternate Installers... LEGO Racers! I have fully supported both the 1999 and 2001 versions (which was not easy, let me tell you), extract DATA1.CAB, added a way to not install the videos, and a complete uninstallation routine. But isn't that how it is supposed to work? Yes, it is. However, it is a large milestone for me because 1. I had to copy the CAB from the disc and extract it (via i5comp.exe), uninstall the ICD if it exists (which was achieved by a hard-coded Python EXE), uninstall all the files except for the Save folder (done with a [uninstallDelete] section, and delete the videos if the user chose not to install them (also achieved by a hard-coded Python EXE). This was not a simple script by any means, but it does lay the groundwork for other installers of the same type.

Python EXEs were used because I could write one faster than I could find Pascal Script for Inno Setup to do the same thing.

Get the brand new Click-And-Go LEGO Racers Alternate Installer (with complete source code!) from the Topic Post!

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  • 3 months later...

I've updated the LEGO Racers Alternate Installer, with help from Xiron. His copy of Racers comes with three different games on it (a Boys Only Club disc), and after I released this, I made a special, unreleased build for that disc.

 

In this release, however, I've been able to merge the builds, allowing both that disc and standard discs to be supported. Also of note:

  • Complete removal of Python Exes used in 1.0 (although I rewrote them before they were removed); replaced with native Inno Script code, thereby reducing the Exe size from 2.15 MB to ~ 900KB
  • Updated icon for Installer and shortcuts, thanks to Olivus Prime and his icon
  • Fixed CAB extraction when installation path had spaces in it
  • Various improvements and updates
  • Source code moved from ZIP archive on Sourceforge to GitHub

You can get the updated LEGO Racers installer on the Topic Post.

 

I'll try to update my LEGO LOCO installer next, as I never completely finished it, and because I find the original LOCO installer picker about running than the Racers one. After that, I don't think I'll have any updates, as Racers 2 (and possibly Island) are already complete.

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OK, I think I finished updating my LEGO LOCO Alternate Installer.

Changes:

  • Various improvements and updates
  • Added option to create registry string to run LOCO as Admin
  • Added option to not install videos (like the original)
  • Fixed uninstallation of SAVEGAME and POSTBAG folders
  • Fixed reported installation size
  • Fixed uninstallation of Registry strings (I messed them up, and it wasn't making new strings if they already existed; a double fail)
  • And, just like the Racers installer, relocation of Source code from ZIP archive on SourceForge to GitHub (with note on SF to let you know that)

Unless I've somehow completely missed a bug or feature, and the Island or Racers 2 installers don't need a bug fix, I think I'm done with these installers for a while. An installer is not needed for Island 2 or Island Xtreme Stunts (yet :P), and since I do not own any other LEGO games, I can't make any new installers. If I owned LEGOLAND, I would be more than happy to take a whack at that thing (it is bugging me about how little info I know about it and why it will not work).

 

You can get the updated LEGO LOCO Alternate Installer on the Topic Post.

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  • 2 weeks later...

le717, I didn't come here to read your goddam auto-biography. I came here to install the game. The fact that the installers are right at the BOTTOM of the SECOND post (actually the 3rd one), and then you have to go through the damn SourceForge repository to get the right one...unbelievably annoying.

 

Thank you, but in future, just give us the damn links. I don't have enough life-time to waste it on reading all of that.

  • Like 2
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@McJobless,

 

Downloads moved to the very top of the first post. When I posted this, I was having some glitch, stopping me from making one post. That's why they are in the third post. However, I am open to feedback and user's thoughts, and I've moved them to the new location just for you. :)

 

If you'd like, I'll change them to direct links for the installer (I just updated them to go to the folder for the newest version). I usually refrain from posting direct links as I tend to update the downloads every now and then, and the links either become broken or outdated.

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  • 2 months later...

Brand new installer!

 

I've spent the afternoon working on it, and I've successfully created a LEGO LEGOLAND Alternate Installer! :D The majority of the game files (the ones we couldn't find) were located in main.z, which was an InstallShield 3.x archive, while the rest were uncompressed on the disc. I haven't recreated the entire feature set of the original installer, but I may soon. If your disc isn't detected, let me know, and I'll try to support it.

 

Also, I've cleaned up the topic post, so now there is even less text to read.

 

You can get the installer on the Topic Post, and source code is on GitHub.

 

Enjoy. :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Will there ever be a Stunt Rally alternate installer?

How did I miss this yesterday...

Most likely so. While I would like to rewrite all the classic game installers, I don't own them all, and I usually rewrite the more troublesome installers first (that's why I haven't done an Island 2 or IXS installer yet. Both are 32-bit, and don't have any issues). I haven't had any issues with the Stunt Rally installer, and since I haven't seen (m)any other people have issues, so I haven't started one.

That being said, if I feel like writing an installer soon (and don't feel like updating my LEGOLAND installer to match the original, I'll make an Stunt Rally one because you asked. :)

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(text)

 

I seem to be having some trouble with Stunt Rally on my new computer, and while I still have a few tricks up my sleeves, an alt installer would be very appreciated, especially if I can't get this to work. So thanks!

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I seem to be having some trouble with Stunt Rally on my new computer, and while I still have a few tricks up my sleeves, an alt installer would be very appreciated, especially if I can't get this to work. So thanks!

I'll see if I can write one up pretty soon then. ;)

 

EDIT: Got an installer log from the original and what version the InstallShield archive is, and created a repo, but there's no code because I haven't started it. :P I'll try to finish it in a few days or so, we'll see how school pans out.

Edited by le717
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