You've probably noticed while a lot of old late 90s/early 2000s games are in fact 32-bit...
...when you try to run the installer, you'll find it is a 16-bit application and refuse to start on modern 64-bit versions of Windows.
"This app can't run on your PC" etc
So the overwhelming majority of these were using a piece of software called InstallShield.
You can tell right away if a _INST32I.EX_ file is present or if you right click and check the properties.
The technical reason centers of why the main SETUP.EXE was a small 16-bit stub loader program, is to detect the host system's architecture (e.g., x86, PowerPC, Alpha, or MIPS).
Once it detects it, it would extract the real installer to C:\Windows\TEMP and run the native installer.
Since non-x86 versions of Windows like PowerPC, Alpha, and MIPS could also run 16-bit software with built-in x86 emulation (NTVDM.EXE for example).
It made sense at the time, but now it's made things a freaking mess.
Ever since 64-bit Windows hit the scene, it has never been backwards compatible with 16-bit software, only 32-bit software.
And 32-bit Windows is the only version backwards compatible with 16-bit software.
OTVDM can get you far with a lot of apps, but I had trouble with the InstallShield installers specifically.
WINE on linux supports 16-bit software too which is surprising, although I haven't had luck with the InstallShield installers either.
Fortunately! If you can fix the installer, by using a 32-bit XP machine and copying the extracted temporary files out of it, and placing it with the originals.
But if you don't have that, no problem!!!
Here's a thread where I've done the hard work for various versions. Just check your own setup.exe properties, and find a version close enough.
Just extract to the same directory as the Setup.exe file, but run the new Setup32.exe instead.
Troubleshooting:
For some games, I noticed it'll be running the Setup32.exe process but no window is visible.
A workaround I found is to open task manager, and kill explorer.exe and suddenly the installer window will appear.
...No idea why that is.
Anyhow!
InstallShield 32 Bit Binaries
32-bit InstallShield 5.14.157.0
CDN Download
32-bit InstallShield 5.10.151.0
CDN Download
32-bit InstallShield 5.10.146.0
CDN Download
32-bit InstallShield 3.0.96.0
CDN Download
...when you try to run the installer, you'll find it is a 16-bit application and refuse to start on modern 64-bit versions of Windows.
"This app can't run on your PC" etc
So the overwhelming majority of these were using a piece of software called InstallShield.
You can tell right away if a _INST32I.EX_ file is present or if you right click and check the properties.
The technical reason centers of why the main SETUP.EXE was a small 16-bit stub loader program, is to detect the host system's architecture (e.g., x86, PowerPC, Alpha, or MIPS).
Once it detects it, it would extract the real installer to C:\Windows\TEMP and run the native installer.
Since non-x86 versions of Windows like PowerPC, Alpha, and MIPS could also run 16-bit software with built-in x86 emulation (NTVDM.EXE for example).
It made sense at the time, but now it's made things a freaking mess.
Ever since 64-bit Windows hit the scene, it has never been backwards compatible with 16-bit software, only 32-bit software.
And 32-bit Windows is the only version backwards compatible with 16-bit software.
OTVDM can get you far with a lot of apps, but I had trouble with the InstallShield installers specifically.
WINE on linux supports 16-bit software too which is surprising, although I haven't had luck with the InstallShield installers either.
Fortunately! If you can fix the installer, by using a 32-bit XP machine and copying the extracted temporary files out of it, and placing it with the originals.
But if you don't have that, no problem!!!
Here's a thread where I've done the hard work for various versions. Just check your own setup.exe properties, and find a version close enough.
Just extract to the same directory as the Setup.exe file, but run the new Setup32.exe instead.
Troubleshooting:
For some games, I noticed it'll be running the Setup32.exe process but no window is visible.
A workaround I found is to open task manager, and kill explorer.exe and suddenly the installer window will appear.
...No idea why that is.
Anyhow!
InstallShield 32 Bit Binaries
32-bit InstallShield 5.14.157.0
CDN Download
32-bit InstallShield 5.10.151.0
CDN Download
32-bit InstallShield 5.10.146.0
CDN Download
32-bit InstallShield 3.0.96.0
CDN Download
Last edited: