Windows Vista shortcut problem

:help: I have absolutely no experience at this modding stuff...I installed EB using default file locations. My shortcut doesn't work and I have a Windows Vista computer.

"Doesn't work"

I'll update the guide to account for one common Vista problem, which depends on your own PC-settings btw, so I and others won't have to explain this for the next n-times someone asks about it. In the meantime I suggest you verify two things:

1) You are admin of your PC
2) The UAC is turned off.

And of course, any error-messages etc. etc. would be very helpful.

What is the UAC?

(As I said, I have no experience at running mods.)

Yes, I am on computer administrator. My shortcut is apparently invalid. This is the exact message...

Windows is searching for RomeTW.exe. To locate the file yourself, click Browse.

P.S. Can you tell me how to find your guide?

1) UAC = User Account Control, and overrides certain specific admin rights such as the right to run programs automatically etc. etc. Basically it is a security feature which prevents programs from adding data in certain sensitive locations (such as program files); prevents programs from running programs; and often asks you for giving permission when you run a program.

Since you did not know about this, let's forget about the UAC for now - it only applies to the system as a whole; and not to the user account. (In other words, it limits your admin powers to your own account.)

2) My sig! :idea2: Or: the list of stickies in this subforum.

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I should've noticed before. :shame: This problem of yours is probably not Vista related after all, but simply a matter of "You messed up": you have most likely installed EB in some non-existing folder...

Please read my guide (it covers that issue quite extensively) and pay particular notice to the bit about where you should install EB into.

Please note that there is no default location which will always work: the reason is that EB is not a piece of software on its own, but rather more like a fan-made extension to the game (better still: modification of, aka mod). This means that its correct install location depends on where you have chosen to install RTW, and more specifically: where you have your copy of RTW 1.5 (should you have various versions of RTW on one system).

So you're saying I should delete all EB files, reinstall and this time make sure that I save the mod in an existing place?

Not any existing place. The RTW folder. Follow the instructions of the guide.

I just checked and right now the EB folder is in C:/Program Files/Activision/Rome - Total War...is that correct?

(I did not reinstall yet)

And by the way my target and start in paths are as follows:

Target:"C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\RomeTW.exe" -mod:eb -show_err

Start In: "C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\"

Only you can know whether or not it is correct for you. At this moment your primary goal is to make sure that where-ever_you_installed_RTW_1.5 = where-ever_you_installed_EB. If both paths are not equal you have not done things properly.
(And we already know that at the time you posted your problem, this was not the case for your OS informed you of the mismatch.)

Since you use Vista your second concern is laid out in Note2 of the guide.

Finally, whatever the details of the shortcut are - they do not matter now: the shortcut itself points towards RomeTW.exe (a non-existing thing) inside the folder you choose to install EB in.

--

So:

The easy-but-timeconsuming fix:
1) Uninstall EB.
2) Re-install EB, as per guide-instructions.

The laborious-not-as-foolproof-but-quick fix:
1) Manually drop the entire EB folder on top of some folder which contains a clean install of RTW 1.5 i.e. it contains the RomeTW.exe version 1.5 (the version number can be verified in-game in the options menu)
2) Manually adjust your shortcut to point -or create a new shortcut- to aforementioned RomeTW.exe with the required additional parameters -mod:eb -show_err

I reinstalled EB. It loads correctly this time but when I try to load a battle (a custom battle or a campaign) it gives me a message that says it encountered a problem and Windows is going to close the program and notify me if there's a solution available.
It DOES boot up correctly though...

Then you'll need to consult the "EB installation validation" thread.

Yes! I re-installed both EB and Rome Total War and it works perfectly! Thanks for all your help and if I run into any bugs I'll come back and ask for help.

I copied over the RTW/Eb folders to my vista computer, and so it didn't change my save game folders.

My custom battle has a completely random selection of units. I mean come on, Sweboz with Indian archers and Greek hoplites!??! I read on one of the threads you have to copy over certain files, can anyone tell me which ones exactly?

Linked in my sig. Please don't spill into others' help threads.

:furious3: Others' help threads!? This is my help thread!!!!!!!!!

That "switcher" doesn't work on my vista computer.

You may want to read the note on Vista in the guide...

"guide?" you mean the one in your sig?

Yes. And this is your thread, yes.

I know what the note on vista in the guide says. I don't know how to turn off the UAC (I now know what it is though). I'd just like to know which files to copy and switch. Is it export_descr_unit and custom_edu? Help! :lam:

(P.S. can I please not be redirected to the Edu switcher link, it's getting annoying. Just the file names please!)

For manually switching stuff:
1) Copy custom_edu (from the mp custom game edu folder) to the EB\Data\ folder.
2) Delete export_descr_units.txt from EB\Data\
3) Rename rename custom_edu into export_descr_units.txt

Try it.

To revert back:
1) Copy & paste export_descr_units.txt from the backup folder (from the sp game edu backup folder) into EB\Data\ folder, and make sure to overwrite the to-be-reverted export_descr_units.txt file.

Try that too.

It gives me an error message something like this: Script error line 134, column 26. Missing unit model 'barb peasant briton.'

By the way Tellos thanks for the info!

Oops, just a little error on my part...

It works!!!!!

Thank you everybody! you guys were such a great help

and this mod is FANTASTIC!~D

PoorModNub out.