I have been having several problems with installing/playing red alert on my computer running windows XP SP2. Firstly, no matter how hard I try I cannot get the normal win95 setup.exe, even running in compatibility mode. If i run it from the Allied disk it will give a "this is not a valid win32 app" error, and when running from the soviet disk it will say "unable to locate nessisary files". I can install using the DOS installer, however when I try to play the game itself, it wont load. It doesnt give me any errors at all, it just loads a black screen and i have to end the program through task manager. I have installed the 1.08 and 3.03 patches as well as the updated THIPX32.dll, and it still gives me this problem.

If it helps im running a GeForce 6600GT w/ the forceWare 77.72 Driver

note: I havent installed ANY of the expansion packs, and I would try to run the game after I installed each patch

Weird....Okay


For the DOS ver:
I gave up on playing DOS games with Windows XP because it's a pain so for quite awhile I have been using the DosBox emulator:
Read this page and download the latest version: http://vogons.zetafleet.com/viewtopic.php?t=9306

Be sure to read the documentation!


As for the Windows versions:
For single-player all I've ever had to do was install the game and use the updated IPX dll.

If I want to play multiplayer supposedly there are ways to accomplish this to run the game natively in Windows XP but I haven't bothered to hack together a solution. I simply use either Microsoft Virtual PC or Qemu. The latest version of Qemu runs C&C and C&C Red Alert quite well so I have moved from VPC to a completely free and cross-platform Qemu. (So I can play C&C in any OS supported by Qemu now).

Some things to try

1.) Use NTVDM's Dos sound emulator. It has not been updated in AGES, but it works for almost all DOS games that I have tried under XP.
2.) You may have to call it quits when it comes to playing the windows version. The windows version was coded in such a way that it tries to directly access hardware resources. Something which the NT architecture (XP is an NT-based OS) will not "allow".
3.) Westwood is going to release ALL the C&C / Red Alert / Generals games that they have created so far in one megapack. Obviously they are NOT going to do this knowing that the older games will not run on XP, so I expect they might bundle some sort of solution along with it. Perhaps you might want to look into that?
4.) Look at some community spots that sport old strategy games like C&C / Red Alert. I can gurantee you someone else is having the same problem as you do, and has discussed it in such community areas. They might even have some sort of "patch" or "loader" that can start the game under XP?
5.) Read the NTCompatible.com Compatiblity profile for this game (Red Alert 1). You might look into the comments that users left. Someone may have already figured this out?
This says tested under NT4, but you never know. It may work under XP --> Works Under NT4

This is a guide to getting it to work under Windows 2000. Since XP was built from 2000, I would not be surprised if you cna get this to work for you --> Works under 2k

this is a painful solution but might work for you --> Install under Win9x/Me first

I hope this helps

ive tried installing red alert 1 using compatability mode under 95 and i still get setup.exe is not a valid win32 application. i cant even install it in dos mode, i get the same error message. and the command prompt doesnt work either.

Have you tried this:

"Originally posted by Wilhelmus:
Here is how I installed it.

First put the RA CD on first CD/DVD drive.
1) On RA CD, there are folder named SETUP and there are dos version of the installer, install.exe. Launch it.
2) It'll start and then ask for sound card, I selected none.
3) Then it asks where to install. C:\WESTWOOD\RA
4) Files copied....
5) After install go to where you installed it.

6)
Download 1.08 patch. http://www.sharoma.com/ral/files/ra108usp.exe. Copy the file to RA folder, doubleclick it. Then use extracted PATCH.EXE to patch it.

7) Copy the patch file ("ra108usp.exe") to your RA folder ("c:\westwood\redalert").
8) Doubleclick the patch file to start file extracting.
9) Now, on the folder there should be file named "patch.exe". Doubleclick it.
10) Wait while it patches RA. Dos screen will appear for while. Let it finish.
11) Now you have patched the game, create shortcut for file named "RA95.exe". Rightclick the shortcut and select Properties. Click Compatiblity tab. Apply following compatiblity settings to shortcut: Windows 95, 256 colors, 640x480, Disable themes and turn off advanced text services.
12) Done, launch the game by using this shortcut.
"

if you look, i did say i tried the dos mode and it still gives me the same error

ive done all of the above but the problem with mine is it says something missing from the kernel32.dll library or something.

i found that is anything didnt work then go to system32\repair\ get autoexec.nt and the other one, copy them to the file with your game and change all the *systemstart* <something like that> to the location you made your game in and go to programs advanced on your game and change that to the autoexec location, and it works but for some reason the programs tab is missing of some programs.