need for speed 2 hot pursuit

[AlBQuirky]

Need for Speed 2: Hot Pursuit (2002 edition)

Windows 7x64

Program will not even start. No errors. No blackscreen. No terrible FPS rating. I click on the ".exe" file and... nothing. I click on the "automenu.exe" file and get the screen with "patch" and other choices. I click on "autorun" and get the title menu, "play, install", etc. I click play and.... nothing.

This is NOT it runs and quits. This is NOT it launches and errors happen. This is NOT bought through Steam, but the original CD. This IS a no run problem. No processes in task manager running. No NFS2HP applications running. NOTHING.

I did have Origins installed, but after it went and grabbed my game, listed some other need for speed game, I uninstalled Origins. This may be the problem and if it is, NFS2:HP (2002) is yet another OLD EA game I will never play again, thanks to Origin. Wasted money...

[Se7enEle7en · Accepted solution]

Are you trying to install the game or play it?

If you are trying to play it, your computer may have an update that prevents it from playing or any old game from the 2000s. Go to Control Panel and into System and Security, and under Windows Update click View installed updates. In the search box in the upper corner, type: KB3086255.

If this Update pops up in the results, it means that it may be preventing the game from running at all. The reason for the update is to fix vulnerabilities to Windows 7 and prevent malware and viruses and such, although you are better off with your antivirus protecting you from that.

With the search result window still open, uninstall it. The uninstall of the update may require or restart your PC, once your computer boots back up, head back into Control Panel and into System and Security. Under Windows Update, click Check for Updates. After it is done searching for updates, click on view Important Updates. You should see the update you uninstalled under KB3086255, right-click and the option hide update should appear, click it. This will prevent the update from installing in future updates, now you can close all windows and you should be able to play Need For Speed without any problems.

Hope this helps.

[EA_Barry]

@AlBQuirky

That is such an old game that you should try running using the Windows Compatibility mode options that are available.

Check the following link for info on that, thanks: https://support.microsoft.com/en-ie/help/15078/windows-make-older-programs-compatible

[AlBQuirky]

Thanks. I guess I forgot to mention that is already set up for Windows XP Service Pack 3.

The weird thing is I get nothing. No errors, no incompatibility errors, no flash of a splash screen, no "mouse turns into a working circle" ... nothing.

Thanks, again.

[Se7enEle7en · Accepted solution]

Are you trying to install the game or play it?

If you are trying to play it, your computer may have an update that prevents it from playing or any old game from the 2000s. Go to Control Panel and into System and Security, and under Windows Update click View installed updates. In the search box in the upper corner, type: KB3086255.

If this Update pops up in the results, it means that it may be preventing the game from running at all. The reason for the update is to fix vulnerabilities to Windows 7 and prevent malware and viruses and such, although you are better off with your antivirus protecting you from that.

With the search result window still open, uninstall it. The uninstall of the update may require or restart your PC, once your computer boots back up, head back into Control Panel and into System and Security. Under Windows Update, click Check for Updates. After it is done searching for updates, click on view Important Updates. You should see the update you uninstalled under KB3086255, right-click and the option hide update should appear, click it. This will prevent the update from installing in future updates, now you can close all windows and you should be able to play Need For Speed without any problems.

Hope this helps.

[AlBQuirky]

Thank you very much! I'd have never thought to even look at updates causing the problem!

I followed your instructions and rebooted. When I went play Need for Speed 2: Hot Pursuit, it first told me to put the CD in the drive, which it never had before! After doing that, I was "in like Flynne!" Thanks again.

Now I'm tempted to look at couple of other older games that I had troubles with

[EA_Barry]

@Se7enEle7en

Excellent, thank you so much!!

[rcgldr]

It might help to explain that the issue is related to cd/dvd based protection schemes like SafeDisk or SecureRom, which install and run drivers as part of the cd/dvd validation schemes. KB3086255 prevents these type of drivers from being installed or run. Fortunately, in the case of Windows 7 and Windows 8, you can fix this by removing the update. In the case of Windows 10, I'm not aware of any method that would allow a protection scheme driver to be installed or run. 

[EA_Barry]

@rcgldr

Thanks for posting additional info.

[AlBQuirky]

Thanks for that explanation. Now it makes sense as to the "Why" that worked

[VirtuaIceMan]

Or get a no-CD exe.