# [SOLVED] Registry problem with old DOS/Win95 Game



## BingoMorris (Feb 19, 2008)

I was digging around through my old games when I came across and old favorite called Fable from 1996. I'd love to play it again but once it's installed and I try to run it an error message appears saying "Can't find registry, please reinstall". I found this explination on another site which seems to offer a solution but the person who wrote it hasn't worded it very clearly. Here's the explination...

*"Game regularly works under Windows XP. A problem that at installation on XP game does not register itself in the register. Therefore in a folder with the established game it is necessary to create a text file and to register there following lines:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\DirectDraw\MostRecentApplication]
"Name"="FABLE.EXE"
"ID"=dword:3242b732

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Telstar]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Telstar\Fable]
"Path"="?:\\Games\\Telstar\\Fable"
"Installed"=dword:00000001

Then in this code it is necessary to change in line "Path" a way to game (register the), but DO NOT FORGET to put double slach, as shown in an example. After that keep a file and change its expansion on *.reg. Then start a file, a question answer "Yes"."*

:4-dontkno

I have followed the instructions as best I could, I created a new notepad doccument in the Fable directory and changed the "Path" to C:\\ but I cant for the life of me figure out what he means by... 

*"After that keep a file and change its expansion on *.reg. Then start a file, a question answer "Yes"."*

Does this mean I have to make the text doccument a registry key? I haven't delved much into editing registry keys as I know you can cause damage to the system. Does anybody have any idea as to either what this guy means or how to create the needed registry to run the game?

Any help is greatly appreciated.


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## BingoMorris (Feb 19, 2008)

*Re: Registry problem with old DOS/Win95 Game*

Surley out of the thousands of members one person knows a little bit about registry keys or Creating registry values ect? 

Please somone, anyone lol.


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

*Re: Registry problem with old DOS/Win95 Game*

I don't know why he's telling you to use C:\\. You only need one \. Look at all your other registry entries that use Path to see if there are any with the double slash. I can't find any in mine.

Copy the text below and paste it into Notepad, then change the game path to the correct one.

Note: \Software\Telstar\Fable assumes that you've installed to the default folder. You may need to alter this if you've installed the game elsewhere.



> REGEDIT4
> 
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\DirectDraw\MostRecentApplication]
> "Name"="FABLE.EXE"
> ...


Go to *File > Save As* and change the Save As Type from 'Text Files' to 'All Files', then type *fable.reg* in the File Name box and click the Save button. Close down Notepad, go to the saved file's location and click it to run. If you've saved it correctly as .reg instead of the default .txt this will add the entry to your registry. There will be a confirmation box telling you the registry has been edited. Reboot to complete.

If you still can't get the game to work, try running it in DOSBox. (*info* , *download* links)


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## BingoMorris (Feb 19, 2008)

*Re: Registry problem with old DOS/Win95 Game*

Thanks for the reply.

Dosbox is a great tool, I'll have that for the future. I had managed to add the registry through Regedit but tried your way too and it works a lot quicker without half the hastle.

Fantastic, thanks a lot. I'm gonna submerge myself in some nostalgic gaming now.


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## popman294 (Dec 10, 2009)

Ive tried what you sayed it worked for the other guy but i cant get it to work i saved it in C:\Software\Telstar\Fable any help would be nice and i tryed using dos box but it keeps saying its a windows 95 executable so any help would be nice
and i do know this is like a year old but i desperately need help


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## BingoMorris (Feb 19, 2008)

Sorry for the late reply, haven't checked here in a while. Nice to see someone with a taste for classic games :grin:

You should probably uninstall the game and the registry values before you try again just to make sure nothing is conflicting. You can download something like CCleaner to clean up the registry for you.... 

http://www.ccleaner.com/ 

To clarify, you are not only saving the notepad document into the C:\Software\Telstar\Fable directory, you have add the information to the registry. Once you have reinstalled Fable follow these steps...

*1)* Create a new notepad document in the Fable directory. Open notepad, copy the above code and paste.

*2)* Go to File > Save As and change the Save As Type from 'Text Files' to 'All Files', then type *fable.reg* in the File Name box and click the Save button.

*3)* Right click the fable.reg you created select "*Merge*". It should ask you if you want this information to be added to the registry, select yes.

*4)* Right click Fable.exe > properties and set the compatibility mode for win95. Run the game and it should work, chances are the cut scenes won't though.

Let me know if that helps.


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## popman294 (Dec 10, 2009)

ok thanks ill try that


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## BingoMorris (Feb 19, 2008)

I'll guess it worked then xD


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