Hi,
it would help if you specify any crashlog or your systemspecs (-> read forumguidlines for posting)

Here`s an articel I got from a board some time ago. I don't have the link, but I copied and pasted it back.

Follow this post and SS should run on your system pretty soon:

How to Run System Shock 1 on Windows 2000/XP FAQ v 1.0

---------------------------------------------
As promised, sorry about not getting this out yesterday but better late than never I wanted to add in links to places to get the little programs that make it work in the FAQ.
---------------------------------------------

How to Run System Shock 1
on Windows 2000/XP FAQ
v. 1.0

FAQ written by XenivouS

****************************
INTRODUCTION
****************************

I'm just writing this somewhat simplified FAQ on how to make System Shock 1
run on a Windows 2000 or Windows XP system. I'm not guarenteeing that it will work for
you but if it happens to work for you then your life will be TONS more simple.
If not however you can use what I did as some guidelines and help run this
fantastic game on your system. This FAQ is written to run the game with all
sounds (The Enhanced CD version of SS1), running at a resolution of 640x480
with Max Details, mouse speed that works correctly in 640x480, and hopefully
crash minimally if not at all.

I'm not taking all the credit on all that I did because alot of the info
I gathered was through trolling the TTLG.com and Vorgon's Forums. I thank
all those that have put forth the time to throw out all the bits and pieces
of info that ultimately got me to figure out how to run SS1 on my system.

I have compiled all the bits and pieces of info that helped me get the game to
run right and i am writing this FAQ to make it alot easier for less computer
knowledgeable people and new fans of the System Shock series to run the game
without having to troll all over the place and spend obsene amounts of time
trying to get SS1 to work. Anyway, if I get something wrong or If you have some-
thing to add feel free to email me and I will either add or correct something.
My email address will be at the bottom of this FAQ. Hope this helps someone!

***************************
Contents
***************************

1. What you Need
2. Places to get what you need on the Internet
3. Making System Shock 1 work for you
4. Disclaimer
5. Contacts

***************************
1. What you Need
***************************

Obviously to get the game work correctly you need a copy of the game. I have
the System Shock 1 enhanced CD version of the game, but I'm assuming the same
steps would work if you have the disk version of the game. But as stated earlier
this FAQ's main focus is to run the game with full everything.

A. Copy of System Shock

B. Programs - NOLFB.exe
MOUSE2KV.exe
Dos4gw.exe (1_97)
VDMSound
VDMSound 2.0.4 Update 2
VDMS Launch Pad 1.0.1.1
Mok's modified System Shock XP patch

C. The ability to read and follow directions and a tad bit of patience.

**********************************************
2. Places to get what you Need on the Internet
**********************************************

Here is a list of of links to get what programs you need to make System Shock work.
Over time im sure the links would die out so if your going to do this download and
save all the stuff you need so incase you need a retro fix again you can have the
stuff you need =)

A. Copy of System Shock - go find it on the net or buy it, I reccomend you buy it,
it may be a dated game but a great one. Ebay typically has them all the time for
under $10 US.

B. Programs - NOLFB.exe ----> http://www.advsys.net/ken/build.htm

Mouse2KV.exe--> showthr...p?threadid=1059
<> The program can be downloaded here just scroll and click the attachment file.

Dos4gw.exe---->showthr...97&pagenumber=3
<> The program can be downloaded here just scroll and click the attachment file.

VDMSound & Update 2 & Launchpad---> http://ntvdm.cjb.net/

Mok's Modified SS1 XP patch-------> showthread.php?threadid=726
<> The program can be downloaded here just scroll and click the attachment file.
Can also be got from sshock2.com here

Also, here are two good places to find stuff on the different programs and such just use the "SEARCH" function on the forums.

http://www.ttlg.com
index.php

*******************************************
Making System Shock 1 work for you
*******************************************

In this section I will try to symplify how to get SS to work and go into detail.

STEP 1: Take it for what its worth but....breath...calmdown (if your frustrated from trying
to get SS1 to work on your own).

STEP 2: Install VDMSound, the update, and VDMS launchpad.

STEP 3: Install the game, I myself have the enhanced CD version.
MY COMPUTER---->SYSTEM SHOCK CD--->INST--->Right Click on INITIAL
and RUN WITH VDMS

STEP 4: A new window will open and from this menu you can select where you want
to install the game to and setup your sound system. I myself am using
Midi sound and for the digital sound using Soundblaster.

STEP 5: After you install the game to your desired directory folder and drive,
place the extracted nolfb.exe, mouse2kv.exe, mok's xp patch in the main
SSHOCK directory.

STEP 6: When you extract the Dos4gw application you downloaded you will see all
different versions of Dos4gw, the that I personally used was the one
that said 1_97. So, for the time being cut and paste 1_97 to your
desktop and rename it dos4gw.exe, then cut and paste the newly renamed
file to your SSHOCK main directory, the same directory you put the other
programs to. (NOTE: you can if you want play around with the different versions
of Dos4gw by simply renaming them to dos4gw.exe and placing them in you SSHOCK
main directory)

STEP 7: In your Main SSHOCK directory (the place you installed the game to where ever
that may be) Open the CDSHOCK.bat file in note pad and it should look something like this:

*******************************************************************************************
@echo off
E:\Games\sshock\nolfb.exe
E:\Games\sshock\MOUSE2KV.EXE 640 480 8 8 E:\Games\SSHOCK\dos4gw.exe cdshock.exe
*******************************************************************************************

Your .bat file should look something like this the only exception is the Drive letter and
where you installed the game to, everything else should look like the above with out the asteriks
above and below.

STEP 8: Here is where it gets somewhat complicated just remember to read and take your time.
Right click on CDSHOCK.bat and in the pop-out menu you should see "RUNS VDMS" and
"RUN VDMS - but with a musical note graphic infront of it". Click on the one that
has the musical note infront of it.

- Now a window that says VDMSound Configuration wizard should pop up. Select
SETUP A CUSTOM CONFIGURATION and click NEXT.

- Then CREATE A NEW CONFIGURATION FROM SCRATCH, then click NEXT

- Click NEXT again.

- If you like there is a box that says create a desktop shortcut, otherwise click NEXT.

- IT will most likely startup the game but exit because you arent done quite yet =P

STEP 9: Right-Click on the new Shortcut that was created in you SSHOCK main directory and click
Properties. The properties window will open up now and do the following:

- COMPATABILITY: make sure there is a "check" in all three boxes

- MIDI EMULATION: make sure this is "checked" and leave it on General MIDI (GM) or GS.

- Joystick Emulation: "uncheck" this box.

- "check" the box that says "close DOS window on exit", now click on "Advanced"

- In PROGRAM tab:

Program information:---> Program: E:\Games\SSHOCK\CDSHOCK.BAT (your directory maybe different.)
Arguments: (leave Blank)
Run in: E:\Games\SSHOCK (your directory maybe different)

- In Compatability tab:
Change the Expanded Memory (EMS) total to 16384 via the dropdown box.

- Click Apply then OK, then Click Apply then OK again.

STEP 10: Right-click on the CDSHOCK.exe (moks xp patch, the one you put in here earlier) and select
PROPERTIES

- Click on the Memory Tab and make sure you have the following set:

Conventional Memory:
Total: AUTO with protected "checked"
Initial Enviroment: 4086

Expanded (EMS) memory:
Total: 16384

Extended (XMS) memory:
Total: 16384 with USES HMA "checked"

MS-DOS protected-mode (DPMI) memory:
Total: 16384

- Click Apply then OK

STEP 11: Play the GAME!!!! To play the game just click on the CDSHOCK VDMSound shortcut
you created earlier. (The shortcut thats you do lots of configuring to in step 9)

ENJoY!!!!

**************************************************
DISCLAIMER
**************************************************

Just giving props to Through the Looking Glass and Origins for making System Shock,
all copywrites etc blah blah are blah blah.

Thanks for all the people for making this game work and putting thier solutions on TTLG.com
and Vorgons forums, im just writing what worked for me and sort of a compilation of
posts and threads to solve this problem.

**************************************************
Contacts
**************************************************

If you feel something is wrong with my FAQ or want to add something, email me at zeroblaze@hotmail.com

Appendix how to install vdmsound:

3. install vdmsound from http://ntvdm.cjb.net/
1) Download and install VDMSound 2.0.4
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/vdmsound/V … -WinNT-i386.msi?
download
- Double-click on VDMSound-2.0.4-WinNT-i386.msi to install
2) Download and install VDMSound 2.0.4 "Update 2"
http://vdmsound.sourceforge.net/files/VDMSoun … 0.4.update2.zip
- Unzip directly over the VDMSound 2.0.4 files, typically residing
in C:\Program Files\VDMSound; answer "yes" when prompted to overwrite
3) Download and install LaunchPad 1.0.1
http://vdmsound.sourceforge.net/files/VDMSLau … ad.v1.0.1.1.zip
- run uninstall.bat to uninstall any previous verions of LaunchPad
- log off or reboot, then log on again (as Administrator)
- run install.bat

Get VDMSound 2.1.0 here:

VDMSound 2.1.0 PUBLIC BETA

2.1.0 includes the LaunchPad.

Here's the link: http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69578

There You'll find help. The blacknek's guide is also from there.

Piter

btw: I had the same problem on win 98. But I removed some RAM (and staysed with 64) and it works normally now 😀

Piter

Is there a way to make the game look better 🤣 i managed to get it to play but damn those graphics are just horrible to play in.... i wish someone would do a patch like SS 2 Rebirth patch.

Yeah, Go play Ultima 0, then play SS, that should solve the prob.

Gourry24: Got a link to that patch?

Dammit you lazy sod HunterZ, do an I'm Feeling Lucky search for "System Shock 2 Rebirth"

Lol that mgiht be a good idea about playing a worse off grapgic game then playing SS1... but is there anyone working on a upgrade of SS1?

Snover: Now why would I want to go and do a thing like that?

EDIT: Kind of lame that they only enhanced the models and not the world textures.

Yeah - rebirth only upgrades models. But there's a mod Called Shtup - System Shock Texture Upgrade Project - and this make the game look much better. Go to http://www.sshock2.com and download it 😀

There's also a lot of Fan Missions on the net 😀

As for ss1 - well - there a work in progress:
SSHHP - System Shock Hack Project - They are changing resolution of textures, but I don't think they will ever finish it.

Citadel Conversion Project - They are using Dark Engine to make SS1 levels. Think it may take them a while, but the game will looke excellent when they will finish it.

More info at www.ttlg.com/forums

You can download most existing mods here: http://shock.musicexplosion.net/index.php
or here: http://www.strangebedfellows.schwarzsilber.de … x.php/index.php
or here: http://freylia.net/

have fun! 🤣

Piter

hope that'll help 😁

That sshock2.com site has a crappy layout. I can't find this SHTUP mod that you mentioned.

Thanks for the links though...

EDIT: Found this though: http://shtup.home.att.net/

INTERESTING... Interesting indeed... 😎

btw. I'm ina team working on unofficial ss3. "The Shock Project" - it's a massive mod with levels, new music, logs, new weapons, items, bojects, textures etc. Visit our webpage: http://www.freewebs.com/tspr

I'll post here if the mod will be finished (no to soon though). There's also a lot of usefull staff for System Shock 2 on the sites I posted before. Shtup is really great looking, but I like original monster more then the Rebirth ones.

Piter

If I only can get my Crusader running... 😢

Sounds like there are no mods to the world textures, as they'd have to go in and change all the game maps to avoid alignment issues to would result from using higher-resolution textures.

You can't have everything you know...
But they did a lot of work for the shtup...

I did everything on the intructions but the game crashes immediately saying "cannot open com2 requested by the program" or something like that. What is that about? I am using a DOS4GW.EXE but don't know it is really the same as the 1_97.exe which I could not find in the links.

Here is a follow-up. First, I definitetly have 1_97.exe and renamed it DOS4GW.EXE. Second, if I choose "ignore" com2 error the game does run, but it is not playable because, I cannot bring up the SAVE GAME or OPTIONS menu. If I hit escape it quits the game. Also, I can no longer get out of FULL SCREEN mode and am missing some of my icons at the edges of the screen. What is going on?

I got SS1 working in DOSBox and played it about a year ago. I don't recall doing anything specific, just my usual setup with D-Fend.

I tried the Windows fix for it and was unable to control the character because the slightest movement of the mouse sent the cursor flying to the other side of the screen. I couldn't interact with or shoot anything unless I was standing sideways from it.