Redux: Install Emergency!

[Axalon]

Ok, I have set up this thread for the sake of keeping ALL install issues and discussions gathered in one single place (here), because they have a tendency to disrupt the regular proceedings of everything else. It’s not that I or the other “doctors” don’t want to help potential redux players out, it’s just that everything else should not be brought to a halt just because “someone” have install problems. It has been that way before and it is not fair to everybody else. With a specific thread for such problems we can avoid all that.

I also want to make it perfectly clear to everybody who might have install problems, that it certainly does not have to be me that helps “you” out, there are a few friendly and able helpers/”doctors” around here at the redux-area and all these guys have my full confidence and so should anybody who are receiving their help have as well! These guys have been thru it all before so they do know the drill and if for some reason they don’t, they will tell “you” so up front. Also, remember to be polite to them, they have all earned that right and it is the least you can do to show your appreciation for the help you’re receiving! Also BEFORE you seek help for your install of redux be sure to read ALL the instructions available below and in other places (download area for instance). Make sure you that you have the VI-upgrade module as well if you plan to run redux upon VI/v.2.01…

Finally, it might also be interesting for “you” to know that we so far prefered to work on an ASAP-basis here, so this will usually happen as fast as “you” allow it to be, don’t forget that.


When requesting help for installs:

• Always state what version you are trying to run. Is it v.1.1 or VI/v.2.01?
• Always state how many MTW’s you might have already installed, if so how many?
• Always state the EXACT INTENDED install path you have in mind. Usually it tends to be “C:\Program\Total War\Medieval - Total War” (default) but this could vary depending on which version you got. Gold- and Era-editions might have other default install paths. What is critical is that you state your INTENDED install path!
• Always state were the redux files have ACTUALLY ended up if you know that. That info helps a lot you know!
• Always try to be explicit, precise and clear in all requested information from the “doctors”. If you fail to be that it will only take longer time to get things up and running!
• Always include the exact error messages if you get any. That will make things a lot easier for us to solve your case!
• Always assume that you are expected to report the good news of WHEN (there is no other option) you have successfully installed redux and it is up and running! That way we all know that the case is closed! When that happens, this very thread is the place to do in. (Otherwise we would never had some really good news on this thread and that would simply be unbearable).

Fast-check for successful installs:

Inside the “Redux/Medieval – Total War”-folder (whatever you named it) there is an other folder called “Quickstart” if the install is successful there will be some files that contains redux in them, like: “xx_Redux_xxxxxxxxx.cgf” or something similar. If they are there the install is successful, if they are not, then your install have failed yet again.


Here are some excerpts of interesting remarks and guides written on the subject so far:

The Achilles special guide:
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1. Decompress the redux material. (Again… That way it is certain you got all the files)
2. Within that folder you get from doing that decompression you should have two folders:

“Redux – Total War”
“Redux Bonus Material”

3. Copy the “Redux – Total War” to you desktop. And once you done that. Copy the name of this folder. Yes, “Redux – Total War”.
4. Go to Program Files… Open it. Don’t know what you got on your PC, but somewhere in there, among the various folders you should be able to find a folder named “Total War”. (This is utterly based on your posted information).
5. Locate that folder…
6. Open this folder named: “Total War”.

Now if everything is correct you should only find one single folder in there. This folder is called “Medieval - Total War” or “Medieval Total War” again this is based upon the info you posted in. The dash is really important actually.

Regardless, right click on this single folder, and check “change name”, yes as in change the name of that folder. Once the letters of that folder are marked/activated/darkened, press “Ctrl+V” on the keyboard or “paste” with the mouse. Whatever works best for you. Regardless, the result of doing this should end up in “Redux – Total War”. This is exactly the same name that the copied folder on the desk top has. And it must be!

7. Now copy the “Redux – Total War”-folder on the desktop and let it replace and overwrite the other “Redux – Total War”-folder, the one found in “Total War” (the one you changed name on). Let it overwrite and do all its stuff. Wait until it’s done.
8 Open up the newly replaced “Redux – Total War”, which is placed in the “Total War”-folder as in:

“C:/Program Files/Total War/Redux – Total War”

Go to “Quickstart” check for redux files… If any are there, the installation is successful. If you can't find any files that contains redux in them, the your installation have failed yet again. But this is the way you do it. So do it again step 1-7, exactly according to the above instructions.

Right click on the redux file that you renamed Medieval - Total War, copy it, then paste it in your Local Disk C/Program Files/Total War. Let it overwrite and it should work.

If dropping the whole "Redux Total War" enchilada doesn't do the job, I would unzip the mod file (somewhere).
1. "Select all" the files from inside the "redux Total War" file (see top "Redux - Total War" window in picture).
2. Then do "copy"
3. Then go to your MTW installation.
4. Go inside "Medieval Total War" file (see bottom "Medieval - Total War" window in picture).
5. Do "paste" and:
6. Boom!
7. There you go (hopefully).

I will just focus on the red model (the one I used). I am talking by heart, but I think I will get it right. On a side note, adding unmatched memory to your existing RAM can make unrar process unstable/unreliable. So, if you have recently partially upgraded your RAM, go back to your original configuration.

Anyway, here is the list.
• Install MTW
• Patch to 1.1 I believe
• Instal VI (optional, but you will get improved stability)
• Patch to 2.01 (of course, only if VI has been installed)
• Select your Medieval - Total War folder, copy and paste it without leaving directory/folder. There should appear a "Copy of Medieval - Total War" now. This way, you have a fresh copy and do not need to reinstall everytime you mess up. Additionally, you can have multiple mods (Remember to copy your copy before modifying it though).
• Now, rename your original Medieval - Total War, to Redux - Total War. So now you can see a Redux - Total War and a Copy of Medieval - Total War.
• Unpack Redux where ever you want. You will get a Redux - Total War folder.
• Select the unpacked Redux - Total War folder and copy it. Two options: Ctrl+C, or mouse right click and Copy.
• Go to your folder where you can see both Redux - Total War and Copy of Medieval - Total War. Paste the folder you copied in the previous step (unpacked Redux - Total War). Again, two options: Ctrl+V or mouse right click and then paste. It should tell you that there is already a folder called Redux - Total War and that pasting could damage it. Say yes, or overwrite or what ever the message is. If it does not tell you anything, you are doing something wrong.
• ***EDIT*** Do the above for both Redux 1.0 and Redux VI upgrade (OK, my memory failed me. What's up?, I am just an old man)
• You are done. Now let's start the game. Go to your Redux - Total War folder and double click on the .exe file you have there. Do NOT tell me you do not have an .exe file, it is there.
• Does Redux start fine? Yes: HURRA!!!!; No: you are SCREWED.
• Now, I am assuming it did start but you do not want to have to look for the .exe file all the time. Well, go to your desktop, mouse right click, select new and then shortcut. Browse until you get to the .exe file in your Redux - Total War folder. Name it Redux, or whatever you want. Now you can start the Redux from the desktop, or you should be able to.
• Last step for real pickies (aka nerds like myself). I do not like having the same launch icon for normal/vanilla Medieval - Total War and Redux - Total War. No problem. Download this EXCELLENT and FREE image managing program (Irfanview, from http://www.irfanview.com/), install it, and start it. Now go to the first post of the thread, right click of the first image and select copy. Go to Irfanview, Edit and then paste. The picture should be on the canvas now. Left click and hold making a box around the beautiful Medieval - Total War - Redux letters there. Select Edit and then Crop selection. Almost there. Select File - Save as. Now, as "Save in" you browse to reach your Redux - Total War folder (make sure Redux - Total War is part of the path in the "Save in" line, that is, you are saving this image inside the folder). For the "File name" field, I do not care, but something like ReduxIcon. IMPORTANT now, for "Save as type" select ICO - Windows Icon. Make sure this new file is inside Redux - Total War folder.
• Finally, go to your desktop and mouse right click on your Redux shortcut, Properties, Change Icon..., Browse... until you find your new ReduxIcon. DONE, now you have a beautiful icon for your nicely working Redux - Total War.

Red-model only possible error-scenario:
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You have not reduxed your game enough. As in you have only installed the files from MTW-Redux 1.0b and NOT the VI-upgrade 1.0 afterwards. This is a must in order for the game files to work properly. Remember, v.2.01 and v.1.1 are structurally very different and thus will not work with each other. Hence the game will not start, because if you put the folder in a wrong place you would have got a start up with plain VI.

You should have gotten this error message then:
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“COLUMN_building_faction_association

Unknown faction specified: column 20, row 8

NOVGOROD”

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If you had one of these you are doing things right, but you just are not doing it enough. So what you need to do here from that point on is to also install the VI-upgrade in very same manner as well… After you installed the files from MTW-redux 1.0b (because the VI-upgrade files must overwrite all the v.1.1 files from MTW-redux 1.0b). Then it will work.


Blue-model only possible error-scenario:
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You have not pasted the redux files in the right place and thus they have not been allowed to overwrite and replace existing original VI-files. They must be allowed to do so in order to function at all. If you paste the files in a wrong place you can only get plain VI. Hence you have pasted it somewhere else (and, if you pasted correctly but only pasted files from ”MTW-Redux 1.0b” you should have gotten the very same error message mentioned above. Once you get that message you are on the right track! Believe it or not! Once you have that message then also paste in the files from the VI-upgrade in the exactly same manner and then it will work.

Hopefully the combined info of these posts will enable “you” to solve all problems on your own. If it for some reasons it still doesn’t work out for you by all means call the emergency and post in your case here and a certified redux “install-doctor” will be on his way! Just hang in there! We’ll get it sorted, we always do…


- A