Patch installation 101

Okay, it seems like problems are cropping up faster than we can give advice about how to solve them. So here is a little help, gathered in one thread.

First off the bat - a bit of forum culture. If you have a problem, don't crash into the first you see and post. Look for a similar thread. And if there is not one a similar thread, post a new one. But do try and keep it tidy. If you want help, make it easy for those that want to help, to find your question. And have a bit of patience. The patch has been out for a day and a half.

These 6 hints should take care of most of the problems we have seen during the last 36 hours. Use them, and lets make a bit of room for those that installed the patch correctly, and still have serious problems.

Thank you.


Now, back to business.

1) From the readme.txt:

Unzip the file named "GP4_patch v9.6.zip" [to a temp folder] and run "Setup.exe. "Setup.exe" will install the patch over the game."

That means that if you copied the files into your GP4 folder, then you are gonna have problems. Make sure that you installed the patch correctly!

2) Also From the readme.txt:

If you already got the old patch V4.0 on your computer, you need to uninstall the game and reinstall it to be able to install this new patch.

That means that if you got the crappy withdrawn patch, then they are incompatible. Repeat patch 4.0 and 9.6 don't work with each other!

3) If you have a modded game, then chances are that the patch will give you problems. Mods are 3rd party files. That means that IG, Geoff and Simergy have no connection to these mods, and that they take no responsability for them. That also means that they have no obligation to make sure that a patch will work with these files. If you decide to install the patch on a modded game, then YOU decided to take the gamble that it would work. If it doesn't work after the patch, then it is YOUR fault.

4) If you are getting the "No Error" problem, then GP4 is trying to use files from the old file format. As far as we know, the new patch introduces new file formats for f1graphics.cfg, controller files, save games and setups (not confirmed yet though). Please take notes on what you wish to keep from these files, and redo them manually when the patch has been applied.

5) Your controller doesn't support split axis anymore. Well, my controller uses split axis with no problems at all. My guess is that ppl have forgot how to set up the split controller axis in GP4, and/or using controller files with the old file format. The GP4 FAQ on the official homepage [can be found in the popup] has a step by step guide with screenshots on how to set it up properly. It took me 5 minutes to redo my controller file. Try it. It might actually work.

6) The best way to install the patch is to completely uninstall GP4, and then to reinstall it, and apply the patch. If you are having trouble, please try this [take backups!]. And make sure that the old folder and the all registry keys are deleted.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

kewl..

point no. 5 is me :D.. yeah i know how to set up the controler.. iv'e done it for stacks of other games.. gp4 orig, gp3, gp3 2k.. etc .. somefin weird.
i'l try again later.. maybe i missed somefin.



Chris C
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GPTC & GPVWC Manager o' CVRT
HawkEyE '01WC' Driver o' CVRT
http://cvrt.tk

Please do. It should work right. And I am certainly will to help if it still poses problems.

Also to point no. 1: If you get weird gfx distortions and black arcade overlays, then you copied the patch files, instead of installing the patch properly.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

News:

Setups from v1.0 DO load and work properly in the v9.6 patched game.

Also, you can easily check if you installed the patch wrongly. Click on the credits in the game. If it says V1.0, then the patch is not properly.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

Hi Morbid,
have downloaded patch, but I won't install on highly moded game. There is a way to cheat the game installer, so that I can install the game twice, ie. keep the moded version and make a new clean install. I did this with GP3 once, but I can't remember how. I got advice from this forum then. Any ideas?



Larry
AMD 3000+,Epox EP-8RDA,Ram 1536mb 333 DDr, Rad 9800 pro omega 2.4.96, dx9b, Audigy, MOMO FF,winxp

Yes there is. Rename your your installation folder, for instance from D:\games\GP4\ to D:\games\GP4 mod verision\. Then reinstall the game in folder you want, like D:\games\GP4\

Then you would have two installations, one in D:\games\GP4\ and one in D:\games\GP4 mod verision\

Repeat as many times as you like.

Thats how it was done with GP3. The game didn't actaully USE the registry settings for anything. So it didn't matter that the installation with the renamed folder didn't have any registry settings. Of course this will confuse the uninstaller, but manually deleting an installation and clearing out the registry is easier than installing a new set performance file.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

Installed the patch and all seems to work oke (PO improved a lot on for instance Australia finish straight, to name just one). I see version 1.02 in the credits screen( hope this is the wright one). I have all settings to High except for pitcrew, the only obvious thing i'm missing with the patch is the shinning on the cars, it's no longer there anymore, they also seem darker to me then before. And yes i modified the f1graphics file correctly all is set to use 32bit mode and alpha yuck is at 8. Anyone else had this happen to his patched GP4?



Peter Visscher
Driver Team Racebase

If you got Version 1.02 in the credits, then you have installed the patch correctly.

The shiny cars will return if you turn Advanced Lighting to On and set Enviromental mapping to Static. The cars have not grown darker, its just because of the lack of shine.

I think that Larrys theory in the other thread is correct. V1.0 of the game left some settings turned ON even though they were turned OFF. The patch corrected this, and hence the new settings if you want shiny cars.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

Which is the key-word you used to cleanup the registry?

"Infogrames" is risky because other's games file can be deleted,maybe you tried " GP4 " or anything more?

Thanks

Boomy

search for infogrames, but dont delete the folder, look in it, otherwise it might effect other games like boomy said.

GP4 Grand Prix 4 Infogrames




Racing Is Life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting
Jesus may be able to heal the sick and bring the dead back to life, but he can't do shît for low fps

This is the entry you want.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Infogrames

Delete that entry, and you should be all set to go. But BE CAREFUL. Make sure that you delete only that entry.

And make a backup with XP roll back, or registry checker in WinME.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

Read this top thread carefully before posting : " it doesn't work " .

Only an unistall with several reboot during operations leads to a succesfull patch.

Do not forget before installing to update every drivers and maybe a second lap of directx 8.1b can be usefull.

Boomy

yeah.. i just can't get my wheel to work with the pedals on seperate axis nemore :s

The Wheel?
------------------
Guillemot Force Feedback Racing Wheel

What happens?
-----------------------
When i go in to set up the wheel.. i click on steering.. and get to the screen to choose which axis its on.. which is X as when i move the wheel.. the X axis shows movement.
I now go to the accelerator, and get to the axis choosing screen.. pressing the brake moves the Y axis.. so i select the Y axis.
Then going to the brake and axis screen, i press the brake.. and the Y axis is moving.. not the Z axis like b4 i installed the patch. Both the accel and brake move the Y axis, whether i have the "operate pedals seperately" box checked in game controllers or not :@.

What should happen...
------------------------------
Steering the wheel moves X
Accelerating moves Y
.. but braking should move Z

How to fix?
--------------
No idea.. do u know?? does ne1 else have this steergin wheel? how did u get it to work?

thanx



Chris C
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GPTC & GPVWC Manager o' CVRT
HawkEyE '01WC' Driver o' CVRT
http://cvrt.tk

Finally some sanity on how to do it right Thanks Madrid, oops Morbid

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[www.mediafire.com] Some say you should click it, you know you want to. [www.gp4central.com] <----GP4 Central

For everyone is still cooking his bacon and eggs on his GP4 please follow Morbid procedure and remember to perform several reboot and update to superlatest drivers whatever you have,for instance it's necessary to update to latest ones even your milkshaker.

It helps

Boomy

BTW Remove also GP4 fossils from the registry !

such a way with words what about the fossils in the forum?

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[www.mediafire.com] Some say you should click it, you know you want to. [www.gp4central.com] <----GP4 Central

I'm certainly a cercopitecus pterodaptilus hence I had to remove my similiars from windows registry.

Key word = GP4 after REGEDIT from run from start into desktop

Boomy

got the super latest wheel drivers :p
and yes.. i've checked out teh FAQ section about seting up wheel at gp4 website icnase u were goin to say that

oh well.. i guess theres no fix



Chris C
--------------------------------------
GPTC &amp; GPVWC Manager o' CVRT
HawkEyE '01WC' Driver o' CVRT
http://cvrt.tk

Yesterday I tried shortly for the first time the new patch,and I took 15-20 minutes to undestand how to set my MS Side Winder no FF wheel,then it worked pretty fine,using also it's own software.

I suppose you tried a lot,so ....have you tried to set it up temporally like an analog joystick? Just to see if it works and then you can try again with pre-defined wheel or new wheel as well.

Let us know

Boomy

If you got the axis set to seperate mode (controller software outside GP4), then you need to put the brakes on the IRZ-axis. Putting them both on Y will only serve to activate both your throttle and your brakes when you use that pedal. You should only select Y as the axis for BOTH throttle and brakes, when the pedals are set to combined mode.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.