Legacy games running BootCamp on a MacBook Pro (or any dual core processor) can sometimes crash, because they don't support multiprocessing. Two that I know of -
- System Shock 2
- Deus Ex 2
Neither of those games are getting multiprocessor updates anytime soon.
Deus Ex 2, for example, will sputter and sound-loop on the title screen. I've seen some crappy workarounds, but here's one that works.
1) Get a copy of imagecfg.exe . This tool lives in one of the Windows resource kits. There are places you can get it on its own, Google away.
2) Make a backup of your main game executable. I.e. I made a copy of DX2Main.exe that was called DX2Main.exe.backup
3) run imagecfg -u c:\Your game path\your game.exe
This sets the executable to have an 'affinity' with CPU 0, that is, it will run on one core.
And that's it, your game will run without you having to alt-tab, view processes, and set the CPU affinity every time the game runs (it was getting very old on DX2), or any other mullarkey.
Hope this helps any fellow retrogamers out there.
Now as for getting Shock 2 running on XP at all.. lets say there's a FAQ. A long one over at http://www.ttlg.com/forums/.
21.6.06
MacBook Pro Observations
Ok. Here's a bunch of MacBook Pro observations, in no particular order.
-- The MBP has a DVD drive that is very picky about Region codes. My iBook would play any DVD with VLC, my MBP will not. The DVD will just fail to play in VLC without a warning. Region 4 DVDs will play without a hitch (I'm in Australia).
Region 1 DVDs (I tested it with 'Primer') will play fine in an external drive.
-- Speedit v0.5 (http://www.increw.com/products/speedit/screen_shots.html) makes my Mac seize up periodically. The previous version works fine though for getting CPU temps.
-- Shutting off the keyboard backlight conserves battery.
-- On batteries, the calibration process is very different to previous Macs, read your manual.
-- If you install BootCamp, check your System Preferences for what your 'Startup Drive' is set to. If it hasn't got a default setting, your machine boots *Windows* by default. Yes, really.
-- If the above applies, or your machine is set to boot Windows, Safe Sleep *will not work for you*. You'll just find yourself back in Windows when you boot up after replacing your battery.
-- I discovered the above when I tested Safe Sleep after installing Boot Camp. Don't kid yourselves, Boot Camp is still Beta.
-- When idling, my machine will do about 30C to 40C above ambient. It will ratchet to 90C under full load, then fall back to the low to mid 80s as the fans kick in. This is warm, but it looks like the thermal system actually does work. I think it needs to be more aggressive though. a PrefPane setting ('Louder + cooler' vs 'quieter and hotter') would be nice.
-- I'm tempted to try to address the above issue with a 6 pack of beer, a tube of Arctic Silver 5, and an Apple Certified Tech.
-- I'll probably just wait for a firmware update though.
-- And I hope its out before Summer.
-- The MBP doesn't get too hot for lap use, but then again it is sitting on a foofbag normally. WoW is quite good even on powersaving settings.
-- The MBP has a DVD drive that is very picky about Region codes. My iBook would play any DVD with VLC, my MBP will not. The DVD will just fail to play in VLC without a warning. Region 4 DVDs will play without a hitch (I'm in Australia).
Region 1 DVDs (I tested it with 'Primer') will play fine in an external drive.
-- Speedit v0.5 (http://www.increw.com/products/speedit/screen_shots.html) makes my Mac seize up periodically. The previous version works fine though for getting CPU temps.
-- Shutting off the keyboard backlight conserves battery.
-- On batteries, the calibration process is very different to previous Macs, read your manual.
-- If you install BootCamp, check your System Preferences for what your 'Startup Drive' is set to. If it hasn't got a default setting, your machine boots *Windows* by default. Yes, really.
-- If the above applies, or your machine is set to boot Windows, Safe Sleep *will not work for you*. You'll just find yourself back in Windows when you boot up after replacing your battery.
-- I discovered the above when I tested Safe Sleep after installing Boot Camp. Don't kid yourselves, Boot Camp is still Beta.
-- When idling, my machine will do about 30C to 40C above ambient. It will ratchet to 90C under full load, then fall back to the low to mid 80s as the fans kick in. This is warm, but it looks like the thermal system actually does work. I think it needs to be more aggressive though. a PrefPane setting ('Louder + cooler' vs 'quieter and hotter') would be nice.
-- I'm tempted to try to address the above issue with a 6 pack of beer, a tube of Arctic Silver 5, and an Apple Certified Tech.
-- I'll probably just wait for a firmware update though.
-- And I hope its out before Summer.
-- The MBP doesn't get too hot for lap use, but then again it is sitting on a foofbag normally. WoW is quite good even on powersaving settings.
14.6.06
Fruit Fly
7pm - Checked Startrack. No change
9pm - 7pm - Checked Startrack. No change
10pm - Refreshed Stratrack page. No change
11pm - My foofpod will be here tomorrow, but no change on Startrack.
Yeah I know. My MBP will *get* here when it *gets* here. Like tomorrow.
12am - Going home to clean house for inspection this week. Startrack still says 'Scanned in transit'
9pm - 7pm - Checked Startrack. No change
10pm - Refreshed Stratrack page. No change
11pm - My foofpod will be here tomorrow, but no change on Startrack.
Yeah I know. My MBP will *get* here when it *gets* here. Like tomorrow.
12am - Going home to clean house for inspection this week. Startrack still says 'Scanned in transit'
Downhill slide
I got the funds together for a long-awaited, discounted, Shinybook Pro.
The bank, however, had other ideas, and for my own protection decided not to clear the funds today.
The Shinybooks have of course, sold out.
I think this is going to be one of those weeks where I just get kicked in the head, repeatedly.
If I had the option I don't think I'd leave the house.
Update : the machines I was referring to are new old-stock MacBook Pros, at a fairly ridiculous price. Those sold out very quickly, of course. There were still refurbs of the same spec on the website today when my funds cleared, so I went for one of those.
I'm optimistic this will be fine.
It cost the same as my iBook G4 when new.
The bank, however, had other ideas, and for my own protection decided not to clear the funds today.
The Shinybooks have of course, sold out.
I think this is going to be one of those weeks where I just get kicked in the head, repeatedly.
If I had the option I don't think I'd leave the house.
Update : the machines I was referring to are new old-stock MacBook Pros, at a fairly ridiculous price. Those sold out very quickly, of course. There were still refurbs of the same spec on the website today when my funds cleared, so I went for one of those.
I'm optimistic this will be fine.
It cost the same as my iBook G4 when new.
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