NHL Series (98, 99, 2000, 2001, 2002)

[Matt]

Starsfreak, if you happen to see this, I just saw your message-- sorry! I must have accidentally left out the installer for the NHL 99 compatibility patch.

I've reuploaded the file here - unzip to any folder and run PatchInstall.bat.

app.box.com/s/m6m76z1c463lbwrjjoy6y31m5pts1ucc

Justin Mercer, if you were on Windows 10, I think I figured out why NHL 2000 wouldn't launch for you. There's a new write up on it.

Apologies to both of you for such a delayed response -- I sorta forgot this place existed for a while.

[Stu Grimson]

Hi Matt,

I've been trying to install NHL99 on a 64-bit version of Windows 10 Pro. I've copied the files as you've instructed, applied the registry fix (with corrections to where I've copied the files), and created the database with the compatibility fixes you've provided. After installing the database, if I try to run NHL99.exe from the copied over folder I will get a message saying, "The game is not properly installed on the hard drive". If I try to install from Autorun it says, "the operating system denied access to the specified file". If I try to run SETUP.exe from the subfolders on the CD I get the usual, "This App can't run on your PC."

Perhaps the game itself would run fine with the fixes you've provided, the problem appears to be that I either cannot install the game or if the process is designed to trick Windows or the game into thinking that it is installed, that trick is not working. Also, I do not have any compatibility settings selected in the properties of NHL99.exe, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Do you have any idea what I might be doing wrong? Any assistance with this would be appreciated. This is my favourite of the NHL series. New graphics be damned, the fight mechanics in this version have never been matched.

[Matt]

Hi Stu (great name btw, the reaper!)

I've gotten that "The game is not properly installed" error before with the EA hockey games - that is definitely registry related in some way. I can duplicate the same error right now if I make a change to the "Game Directory" entry.

Could you paste the contents of your registry file here for me? I might be able to pick out what's wrong.

I'm going to erase 99 off my hard drive right now and reinstall to make sure it works the same way on Windows 10. Unfortunately I wrote most of these articles when I was on Windows 8.1, and the process isn't always the same on 10.

[Stu Grimson]

I did import your reg keys and edited the applicable paths to the disc drive and the install directory where the files were copied to. I wasn't sure what O/S you had used originally but I figured it was my best shot given that you accomplished this on a 64-bit version.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\EA SPORTS\NHL 99]
"DisplayName"="NHL 99"
"Language"="english"
"CD Drive"="F:\\"
"Install Dir"="D:\\Program Files\\EA Sports\\NHL99"
"GUI"=dword:00000000
"PHOTOS"=dword:00000000
"FEFLUFF"=dword:00000000
"VIDEO"=dword:00000000
"GAMEDATA"=dword:00000001
"UGI"=dword:00000001
"FEAUDIO"=dword:00000001
"FESPEECH"=dword:00000001
"DITTIES"=dword:00000001
"RINKSPCH"=dword:00000001
"PBP"=dword:00000001
"3D Device Description"="3Dfx Voodoo"
"3D Card"="3Dfx Voodoo"
"Thrash Driver"="voodooa"
"Group"="3Dfx"
"D3D Device"=dword:00000000
"Triple Buffer"=dword:00000000
"Hardware Acceleration"=dword:00000001
"Version"=dword:00000003
"Install Type"=dword:00000001
"Language ID"=dword:00000000
"Current Mode"=dword:00000008
"Current League"=dword:00000000
"CD Directory"="F:\\NHL99\\"
"Game Directory"="D:\\Program Files\\EA Sports\\NHL99"
"DX Sound"=dword:00000001
"Dolby On/Off"=dword:00000001
"Audio Quality"=dword:00000002
"Music On/Off"=dword:00000001
"Music Volume"=dword:00000064
"Sound On/Off"=dword:00000001
"Sound Volume"=dword:00000064
"Rink Speech Volume"=dword:00000064
"Frontend Speech Volume"=dword:00000064
"Crowd Volume"=dword:00000064
"PBP Volume"=dword:00000064
"Organ Volume"=dword:00000064
"Colour"=dword:00000001
"PBP Seed"=dword:00002e4d
"GFX Mode"=dword:00000000
"16Bit Rendering"=dword:00000000
"Window Size"=dword:00000003
"Reflections Enable"=dword:00000001
"Ice Texture"=dword:00000001
"Names"=dword:00000001
"Clock"=dword:00000001
"Puck Shadow"=dword:00000001
"Shot Meter"=dword:00000001
"Offplay Arena"=dword:000000fe
"Offplay Player"=dword:000000fe
"Onplay Arena"=dword:000000fe
"Onplay Player"=dword:000000fc
"Lighting Enable"=dword:00000001
"Camera"=dword:00000004
"Reverse Cam"=dword:00000000
"Chat Name"="NHL 99"
"Controller Setup"=dword:00000001
"Help Text"=dword:00000001
"IP dest"=""
"Phone"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\EA SPORTS\NHL 99\1.0]
"DisplayName"="NHL 99"
"Language"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\EA SPORTS\NHL 99\Matchmaker]
"Server IP"="206.251.23.215"
"Server Port"="8521"

[Matt]

OK - have you tried installing it a in folder outside of Program Files? I think that might be the problem. I just tried moving my 99 game folder to Program Files\EA Sports\NHL 99, and even after correcting the registry key I get the same error as you. Windows 8 and 10 do all kinds of weird stuff with the Program Files folder - I don't like putting any games in there if I can help it.

If you haven't already, try moving the NHL99 folder elsewhere - like, make a D:\Games folder and tuck it in there. Of course you'll have to change the registry key again.

I love these old EA hockey games too - but dang if they aren't the biggest pains to get working. lol

[Stu Grimson]

I scrapped everything at started over in D:\Games\NHL99, re-entered the registry keys with new location, re-created the database of fixes and installed it. Unfortunately I'm still getting the "not properly installed" error. Did you manage to get it working on 10?

[Stu Grimson]

I took all the variables out of the equation and duplicated your directories and I've got hockey! Actually looks slightly better than on my 2005 laptop...which I should be able to get rid of thanks to you. What a great start to 2016. I appreciate your guide and responses. Thank you!

[Matt]

Awesome!!! I was discouraged I wasn't going to be able to help after your last post. Had a thought that maybe it wouldn't run off a drive other than C:\. Still not sure why it wouldn't run out of D:\Games - it should have. But like you said, you have hockey and that's what matters.

I was actually just making a video of me playing it just to encourage you that it COULD work. lol

Appreciate you visiting, Stu. As you might imagine, I don't get many people here. Haha.

Let me know if you run into any other issues.

[jpjordan357]

The reason you can't use Program Files directory is because in a 64-bit environment, Windows assumes everything in there is 64-bit, and attempts to run it as so. Moreover, the game MIGHT have worked in the C:\Program Files (x86) folder, since that's for 32-bit apps. I got it working great using the same directory scheme as in the example. Game works AWESOME, which brings me to the real reason for my post.

Matt - THANK YOU FOR FIGURING THIS OUT FOR NHL99 and NHL98. I've been trying for years and years to get this to work to no avail. I like both games, but i seem to recall that I would wear my thumb out pretty quick on NHL98 because the speed burst was a tap, not a hold action.

Next thing, found any way to run it without the CD Image? All of the no-CD cracks won't run in Win 10 at all. If you don't have any solutions, maybe I could spin up a virtual machine in Win 98, install, and then crack the EXE and copy the EXE over.

[Matt]

Hi JP -- I hadn't tried a no-CD crack with 99 or 98 before, but I have a Win98 VM set up and thought your idea sounded good enough to steal. Seems to work fine, at least for NHL 99. I'll look into 98 tomorrow.

The crack I found is for the 1.1 version, so you have to install the NHL 99 patch if you haven't already. You may get a "Windows SmartScreen" popup, but if you click "More Info" you can hit Run Anyway and the patch will execute.

NHL 99 patch download

Then download this zip file. It contains the cracked .exe file and a small registry edit you have to install first. Should back up your current nhl99.exe too just in case this one doesn't work for whatever reason.

NHL 99 NO CD

[jpjordan357]

The crack works PERFECTLY. Great Job. Would be good additions to your site

[jpjordan357]

Matt, would you be able to no-cd crack NHL98 as well?

[jpjordan357]

I managed to get NHL98 going (not with a no-cd crack), but my sound just gives me loud, loud static through the speakers. Any ideas, matt?

[Matt]

Blah, I've been trying for years to fix the sound in 98. Mine isn't quite as bad as yours from the sound of it - I just get really bad 'skipping'. Enough to ruin Hughson's commentary. I had another guy write me whose issue sounded almost exactly like yours, though. All he had was static coming through.

What operating system are you using? If it's Win7 you might be able to help it by lowering the hardware sound acceleration.

www.thewindowsclub.com/hardware-acceleration-windows-7

I wish I could try that on Win 10 but I can't find a way to do it.

As for the 98 no CD, I tried the only cracks that are available off of Google (the RAV-CRISP ones) and I couldn't get them to work. I even tried it in Windows 98 and 95 virtual machines and they still didn't work. Just gives a runtime error.

[jpjordan357]

Yeah I'm in 10 x64 on all systems.