Half-Life requires SP3 or above in Windows 2000?

[MrHanso]

I just bought a new system with Windows 2000 Professional. When I tried to install half-life, a message box stating "Half Life requires Service Pack 3 or above" pops up. I do have Win2k service pack 2 installed, and I've never heard of a SP3. I check the Sierra Technical Support page, and they only had one vague article describing the situation. They said to uninstall SP1, (which I never installed), and install SP2. I've since re-installed SP2, with no improvement.

Has anyone had this happen to them before?

 

[jamnjk]

I think you need to install and run in Windows 'compatibility' mode

Check out Microsoft knowledge base article Q279792 here

Hope this helps

 

[bevancoleman]

H-L can't tell the diff between NT 4 and 2000, so it thinks you are running NT sp2 (NT is upto sp6). compatibility mode might be able to trick the install program into thinking it's running and sp6.

I beleive there may be a patch/faq on the support site.

 

[MrHanso]

Thanks for the heads up guys ... I checked all over the web and couldn't find any solutions. I guess I should have checked here first. I check compatibility mode to "Windows NT4 SP5 Compatibility Layer" and it works pretty good. The only thing that doesn't seem to work is the text. I see a text box, but there are no letters in it. Is there a patch I can download to fix the text?

Once again ... thanks.

 

[bevancoleman]

Once installed you should be able to install the latest patch, then you can turn off compatibility mode and it may fix the text problems as well (two birds with one stone!!)

 

[LoneWolf1]

Did you try Sierra's website?

Half-Life Needs Service Pack 3 or Higher

 

[Skibby9]

I am running Windows 2000 sp2 here, and just installed the Counterstrike and other Half-Life variants that came with my new Radeon 8500. The only real issue I had was learning that HL doesn't like running in a higher resolution than the desktop. (Actually it runs fine, except you won't have a HUD). Maybe my HL disk has a more recent version...?

Anyways, I was really disappointed in CS after playing Operation Flashpoint.

 

[NicColt]

bevancoleman is right, the original HL thinks that you have NT and it requires the SP3 or higher for NT. If your using Win2K just install SP2 and you'll be fine. Once you install HL just go straight to 1008 update of HL. if your using an ATI card get the OpenGL fix for ATI from Sierra.

 

[NOX]

<< Has anyone had this happen to them before? >>

No.
From Win98SE to Win2k, I?ve never had this happen. I ran HL/TFC/CS/OpFor/BS all with SP1 (now SP2). I?m even running DOD, and it?s running great.

The only thing I can suggest it that you update to the latest version, which I believe is version 1.1.0.8.

<< The only real issue I had was learning that HL doesn't like running in a higher resolution than the desktop. >>

That could have something to do with your drivers. I can run HL at 1600x1200 without any issues, just like I was running it at 1024x768.

 

[bunker]

Go to Windows Update. There are a few compatibility updates to d/l.

 

[Pakaderm]

I run HL/CS/DoD under Win2000 with only SP2 and some of the recommended patches.