Vista/Windows 7

[Brendon Pywell]

Bobs Track Builder requires Windows XP - I do not support Vista or Windows 7.

Although some people are successfully running BTB under Vista/Win7 I do not officially support it since I have not tested BTB under either of those operating systems. This is starting to change now as I now have Win7 x64, but it's early days and I need more testing under this operating system before I can officially support it.

If you do wish to persist with Vista/Win7 then you do so at your own risk. Make sure everything is "Run as Admininstrator"; that includes the HID.exe that is used to generate your HardwareId.txt. Better still, right-click on the icon, go to Properties, select the Compatability tab and tick the "Run this program as an administrator" checkbox (at least this is what I see under Win7).

Remove all USB drives and reboot before running the HID.exe.

Some Vista/Win7 users report that their HardwareId number changes after a reboot and that only rebooting again will get the BTB license working again.

"No support" means I do not assist those with problems under Vista/Win7. These threads are your only means of support. People that email me will be directed here.

If you wish to move your license to a machine running XP you will need to wait until your license has expired, then generate and upload a new one on your XP machine.

The good news is that with the next beta version I am attempting to make sure BTB works properly under Windows 7. Fingers crossed!

 

[Eric Tozer]

What do you mean by refresh issues?

When I save my DDS file the screen goes blank & I have minimize Photoshop & Maximise it again to get my Photoshop menus & images back.
It also affects the Windows taskbar & I have to go over the bar with my mouse before the items re-appear.

 

[Bob Bieber]

You dont have enough memory, try moving your PS scratch file to another h/d
Mine loses screen while it makes the.dds but as soon as it's done it all comes back.
Been this way for years now.

 

[banger]

mine too. lol after so many ps programs out you fought they would of sorted it by now.

just brought a new widescreen 20" monitor. cute little thing at 1600x900 res

 

[Bob Bieber]

Now what

I went to dive back in and work on my track some more this morning only to see this.

Now what?
None of my hardware has been removed or changed.
How does a license just all of a sudden stop working for no reason at all?

 

[Nedo]

Hi,

i had the same problem, then i remembered i had an external
USB Harddrive conected and running while made the license. So
now i have to always connect this HD and start it before i can
start BTB *grmpf*

I run Vista btw. so no support, but at least i know ho to start it now.
It took me a while before i figured it out

R
Nedo

 

[chub_pearson]

Maybe the time you set the license to run has expired? Check on the BTB website under License once you've logged in to see the expiry date.

 

[Bob Bieber]

It was set to expire in 4 months, I dont have any usb drives.

Any other ideas?
I sent a email to the dev but he never seems to read his email.

 

[Kytt]

Only thing i know what you can do is restart your PC. May take several times

 

[Bob Bieber]

I got to thinking about it and it pissed me off more that this silly system of ant-piracy would do this.

Then after I ate breakfast it hit me.
DOH, I bet I know how to get this to work without doing what I did.

Heres the deal:

In order to get BTB to work under Win 7 you need to do this.

Download the new XP mode for Windows 7 here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

Grab the XP mode d/l first and install it, then grab the WVPC d/l and install it.
Reboot, then run it. It'll take a bit for it to setup. Once that's done run Windows update from within XP mode " NOT from 7 "
Run update again, then you should be set except for DX Websetup. Grab that here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...38-DB71-4C1B-BC6A-9B6652CD92A3&displaylang=en

Install BTB, now it will work just fine.
You will have to move over your license to this new install on the REAL Vdrive it resides at.

You also need to move over all your Xpacks and your project folder.

When I say reboot, I mean inside XP NOT 7

Man, I cant get over how much of a turd XP is. It's been a long time since I have run it.

Anyway, there you go. Permanent fix for the problem.

 

[Bob Bieber]

Here is what it looks like running this way.

 

[Fatboymart]

I have just bought a Mac book pro running Snow Leopard and was wondering if anyone had tried to use BTB when booted in XP?

This wont be my main machine for BTB, but while I'm away from home I could be updating my track while at the hotel.

Regards

Martin

 

[berglez]

Hi there,
I bought a license for the BTB software a few weeks back but I have been having trouble activating it. Sometimes the lock thing will come up. And sometimes it won’t. I have downloaded my specific license for this computer-nothing changed since pc info sent. ...

Funny enough it happened to me to now. Never had problems before but from all of the sudden "Your license expired..." I reinstalled my pc a month ago, fresh installed BTB and after trial period was over i reapplied for my license. It was working ok then until few days ago. Sometimes reset help sometimes not, and trying to run HID.exe it gives me 2 different hardware numbers, regarding the fact that didn't touched my hardware. And looks like i'm stuck until this license will expire.

I think Piddy will have to resolve this issue, hiding behind "I do not support Vista, Win 7..) will lead to nowhere. Windows XP did came out in 2001 and soon enough there are comming to end of life by MS standards.

btw I use win7 x64.

 

[Erwin Greven]

what do you want him to do? To buy Windows 7, because of you all who bought Win7? Only when you have more developers to work on a program, you can develop it for multiple platforms.

Piddy made this program to help us to build tracks for games like rFactor and GTR2 and so on. It is an easy program, not that expensive too.
I am building a 15 mile track since May this year. It is still not finished, but its progress is much faster than working with those trackbuild programs for GPL, NR2k3 and so on.

Now he decides to spend more time for his family and himself. We should respect that.

 

[berglez]

I do respect his decision. I have nothing to say about that. I'm just pointing that Windows 7 is here and XP will soon become unsuported. Or I can say like this. Better to be prepared than shocked afterwards.

Just for example: How many people do you think is out there that bought new PC in last year or two and out of the box came preinstalled with XP? I believe less than 5 %. Brand name computers came 2-3 years ago with a solution to downgrade from Vista to Xp but not anymore. And there is a lot of people that bought (upgrade) their computers also because of trackbuilding software demanding more and more power.

One more thing. M$ is giving beta and RC operating system for free also for all the people to see what it will look like, to get people prepared for what it is coming and also for developers and programers, so they can test and develop programs for that platforms.

I don't want to be offensive by that post. It is not my intention. I respect Piddy, his previous work and all the work he will devote to trackbuilding and programming.

 

[Nedo]

BTB is a niche product and not made for the mass,
i think Brendon started BTB for fun, changing software to run on
different OS its a time consuming work. Its enough work to build BTB.
WHY should he spend more time on things what you can do anyway faster?
If YOU like BTB then it should be YOUR work to get XP running beside
your other OS. This is the simpliest and fastest way, so Brendon can work
on BTB...

R
Nedo

 

[Bob Bieber]

All he needs to do to make this work for everyone is to dump the hardware checksum validation.

Instead, supply keys with each purchase. Simple and fixes the issue.
It will then run fine on XP,Vista and 7

 

[banger]

it runs on vista 64, with no problems, windows 7 is a relative new os,and piddy may not have that much of a resource to buy new os,computers,you guys should really learn to respected the one man development projected.instead of grumblings on about what your personal needs are with your own projects,there is 3dsimed you know.if you really want to learn to builded tracks, then your probably need to learn more than one program,that including 3dmodelling,photoshop
you also got to remember that btb was orignally design for xp,not vista,win7 or any other of ms latest next gen os.

i been on the projected from when piddy started this projected.and i have unlike/like some parts. the rest here needs to understand what piddy here is doing,also i have very little knowledge of 3d modelling,photoshop and i can produce a track without the sillyness what seems to be plaguing this forum.

 

[marcobost]

Hi all, I'd like to post here too... to confirm that BTB works fine under Vista 64 ITA as well as under Seven 64 ITA Home Premium!!!!!!!! So, on my side, Brendon can be really happy about the quality of his software!!!
The only issue I found is that without changing a screw of the hardware, but only the OS, the HardwareID.txt changed.
Obviously the answer to wait the natural expiration date of the license is not correct and also illegal and Brendon never gave this answer, as well as never gave a real chance to solve the issue.
BUT I'm sure that he understood where the problem is and he is working to solve it too asap... we all (and I too) must be only wait for few days also because of the 0.9 is coming soon!

 

[Bob Bieber]

Yes it works fine under every O/S.
The problem is the hardware i.d checks for Vista and 7
One day you will fire up your pc and BTB will no longer work because of it.

If just the way he license BTB would change then it would work fine forever no matter what O/S you use.

It's not like anyone is asking Brendon to make the earth move.

He did mention a change in the way the Hardware I.D works in the next build. I'm hoping that fixes the issue.

He doesn't need to say he officially supports Vista/7 There is no need to because BTB works perfectly on them. It's the license issue that makes it fail.

Why cant anyone understand this is beyond me.

 

[clova4]

running 7... when i start the HID it says the file is created but then isnt there... any ideas