The Orion Nebula

I actually just posted this in the Strange Colors topic then thought it might be better as its own topic.

Here's what I said:

When I start Orion95.exe on my Windows 7 Home Premium system, I get :
"Orion95.exe - System Error
The program can't start because DPLAY.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix the problem."

I did not install DirectX 2.0 because Win7 is way beyond that. Does anyone know the fix for this?

If anyone's interested, I tried copying the DirectX 2.0 that came with MOO2 directly into the Microprose\Orion2 folder. It no longer complained about a missing DPLAY.dll but then complained of a missing fonts.lbx file even though it was there.

Does anyone have a clue why MOO2 won't run on Win7?

We use dos version of Moo and dosbox. It's convenient and easy to set up.
Check the dosbox guide http://masteroforion2.blogspot.com/2006 ... guide.html
Windows version is unplayable in MP.

Update:
I found on-line that if you copy \program files\system32\dloadx.dll to dload.dll in the same system32 folder, MOO2 will run.
That brought me to the freaking colors problem that so many others have mentioned. I tried creating values in the registry as mentioned in another thread -- no change. I tried playing with compatibility mode -- no change. I was about to consider the DosBox approach that many others have said is the only way when I decided to try one thing that shouldn't make any difference. My system still has a separate disk with with WinXP and a working version of M002v1.31 on it. I don't know why but decided to clear my Orion2 folder and [i]copy[/i] all of the files including the TEN sub-folder over to the one on my Win7 disk. Abbra-cadabra it works!!! Once again, I don't know why -- it shouldn't have made any difference but it is now working. YAY!

We use dos version of Moo and dosbox. It's convenient and easy to set up.
Check the dosbox guide http://masteroforion2.blogspot.com/2006 ... guide.html
Windows version is unplayable in MP.

I have my original Moo2 CD, but it doesn't contain the DOS files. I went through the unconventional method of installing it, but the rkernel.zip file location throws up a 404.

Is there an alternative DL for this file?

Here's what I said:

When I start Orion95.exe on my Windows 7 Home Premium system, I get :
"Orion95.exe - System Error
The program can't start because DPLAY.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix the problem."
Does anyone know the fix for this?

http://www.fix-all-dll-errors.com/dplay.dll/

To solve it just go to the link given above and click the button "Fix dll errors now" and it will fix the issue.

Sometimes it happens due to missing DLL files. When some of the DLL file gets deleted or corrupt then system fails to start some application and prompts blue screen of death error message appears. To stop this error use DLL repair tool. http://www.fixstoperror.com

Sometimes it happens due to missing DLL files. When some of the DLL file gets deleted or corrupt then system fails to start some application and prompts blue screen of death error message appears. To stop this error use DLL repair tool. http://www.fixstoperror.com

Please don't do as they say...

I have tried solutions to this problem but can't seem to get game to run. Do I need to get a game patch?

I have tried solutions to this problem but can't seem to get game to run. Do I need to get a game patch?

Could you be more specific as to which solutions you have tried? I would definitely recommend trying the DOS version of MOO2 using DOSBox.
This might help you: http://masteroforion2.blogspot.com/2006 ... guide.html

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:01 pm Post subject: Re: Dll error; game doesn't run.

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>>Could you be more specific as to which solutions you have tried? I would definitely recommend trying the DOS version of MOO2 using DOSBox. <<

When I double clink on the CD file install.exe, it just asks me what program i want to use to open the file; no DOS installer appears.

Arg; I went and looked back. I don't even see a file installMOO2.exe on my game disk; I was looking at a file with .ex at the end.

Also, two folks here recommended sites that appear to offer sale of some sort of clean up or corrective program; they say their programs fix dll issues, but I am uncertain if these would provide the answer. Anyone know?

I am not very knowledgeable with this sort of thing. Also recommended was copying the entire game disk to my hard drive. Would this help? And if so, how do I do this?

I purchased another copy of MOO2 from a different supplier; this one came in a plastic sleeve, not cardboard, so I was optimistic. Alas, the same thing happened. No DPLAY.dll file, and no install.exe file on the disk. The only thing resembling this is a file entitled -instal31.ex, which does nothing when I double click on it. I am getting very frustrated. I loved playing MOO2 years ago. Having no luck figuring out how to get DOS version running.

Someone said that the _instal31.ex file was a compredded file and needed to be expanded?

Saw this in cursory google search:
http://www.overclock.net/t/654004/dplay ... -win-7-x64
Seems like it might fix the dplay.dll problem.
As for not having install.exe, someone already mentioned http://masteroforion2.blogspot.com/2006 ... guide.html... see step 1.B for how you copy the entire CD to your machine, the 1.31 patch will replace the exe anyway so all you need is rkernel.com. That download seems to be nonexistent, but I do know that you can install the moo2 demo and it has rkernel.com. Then you can copy your own files over it, and install the 1.31 patch. The middle step may or may not just be for piece of mind.