Just bought the DVD.
So, I have every game right up to Pacific Fighters v4.04m installed in my 'Programs' folder.
I'm running on a WinXP OS.
Do I install 1946 in the programs folder.....or like I've read, on the [C:] drive.
Or is that 'issue' just for Win7 OS users?

I may have a problem with space on my HDD.
I only have a 40GB HDD.
Should/Can I just, delete all my old installs, IL2, FB, PF, AEP, Pacific Fighters.
Then just install IL2 1946.
And have a complete installation.
Then patch it to 4.10.1
Would that be possible?
If so...would I install it on my C: drive, or would WinXP take it in my Program Files after deletion of the entire IL2 installs I already have?
I'd just like to try IL2 1946.

Thanks.

Uninstall all Oleg's games (PF, etc) because you will be ablo to find all of them and very much else in 1946. You will save a lot of HDD space.

Later install Il-2 1946 in whatever folder (I suggest you "c:\games") because the issue with Programs Folder is for Vista/W7 users.

With 40Gb you have got enough for a new installation, but I don't see the point fo stay with that old versions in your PC. Moreover, later you will install HSFX 6.01 or whatever megapack mod, losing more space. Same with skins, other mods or addons...

The location issue is Windows7 specific, but you could always install to a different location, like C:\Games\Flight\.

1946 is all previous versions rolled into one, so you can uninstall FB,PF & AEP. If you had a campaign going, they'll probably will not work anymore. If you want to keep them, you might want to back them up somewhere.

Installation guide:
http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=Knowledge_Base&op=show&kid=584

Thanks guys, just in time.
I was about to install 1946 right along with my old version of Olegs game.
I would have maxed out my HDD space.

Thanks for the link JAMF, I am registered over there, but couldn't find the guide.
I'm still waiting for a USB keyboard to boot my new system, I can't stand it anymore, gotta try this new sim.

I'll just delete all the old versions and install a fresh 1946, to be safe, in C: [new folder] \'Games 1946'.

Keyboard not coming until Tuesday now, per UPS.....my old one doesn't have the USB plug, still the old round one!
Does that tell you I'm ready for a new box....lol.....

Do I rename the .exe???
It won't run after installing the game and applying mega patch.
il2fb.exe is the file in the game.
I clicked on it and...nothing.

When I first installed the vanilla game, booted, clicked on the icon, it gave me the BSOD.

So I installed the mega patch, now it won't run, just nothing.

I installed it on my C: drive.

???

Edit;
After installing the patches all the way up to 4.11.1 with the hotfix...it still won't run.
But it does say it's looking for the rts.dll
I installed that from a save...from my old game...still wouldn't run.
At least no BSOD....

I really think I should have installed it on my program files...with WinXP.
Or maybe ran the game when it first installed, before reboot.

Maybe I need to change the .exe or rename it, dunno.

I'll wait for further info.
My wife is dragging me to the store.....hope this runs better on my new system.
My old game, Pacific Fighters 4.04m, is.....gone.

I don't know which version your game is but the current version is 4.11.1 so you need to first patch your game to current standard then you can add HSFX 6.1 (I really can't recommend any of the other mod packs) If for instance your DVD is 4.09 you will need to add all incremental patches to 4.11.1 (I've heard of the Mega Patch but it could be problematic might actually be better to do them one at a time) You must run your game as 4.11.1 or the Mod pack will not work and you will get errors or in your case nothing. Here is a guide you can refer to that is pretty up to date:
http://www.fallenangelssquadron.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=2555
and here:
http://allaircraftsimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=22314
hope that gives you some useful info...

Bong -
I wiped off all my old IL2/FB/AEP/Pacific Fighters (up to version 4.04m) off my HDD.
It ran perfect for the last 6 years.

Re-boot.

I had nothing on my HDD when I did the vanilla 1946 install.

I installed the IL2 1946 disc onto my C: /games flight' a folder I just made up.
Did not install it in programs file.
I'm using WinXP.
It gave me the opening screen, I exited.

I booted the OS, hit the icon on my desktop it created, began to load the game, got to an intro, and got the BSOD.
So I installed the patch....mega patch.

Re-booted.

Then I hit the .exe in the game file, and.....nothing.

So I installed the next patch to 4.11.1 with the hot fix.

Booted the OS.

Hit the icon in the game files....it said I needed the rts.dll
Wouldn't run.

So I put an old rts.dll from my old game saves in there...still nothing.
Game won't run, just....nothing.

So what's wrong?

System:

Lian-Li PC65b blk Alumn Case
Corsair 550w PSU
ASUS P4P800 Deluxe MOBO - 865PE Chipset
PIV - 3.0 GHz/oc 3.4 GHz - 800FSB Hyperthreading
2GB of 'matched' Patriot SDRAM 3200LL DDR 400
NVIDIA XFX 7900GS DDR3 AGP 4X/8X
Santa Cruz - Turtle Beach sound card
40 GB Ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive (7200 RPM)

(I have 15GB's left, on my 40GB HDD)

-------------------------------

Tuesday I'll boot my new system for the first time, I bought it to run this game.
New system:

ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
CASE Cooler Master HAF 932 RC-932-KKN5-GP R
PSU CORSAIR HX750 750W RT
Intel CPU i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) 77W Quad-Core HD Graphics
MEM CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
EVGA GeForce GTX 670 FTW 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP SLI Support
2 - Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s
LITE-ON Black 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 12X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM SATA 12X Blu-ray Burner with Blu Ray 3D Feature
ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Black SATA Model
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO Cooler
MNTR SMSNG LED 23.6" 2MS HDMI
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit - OEM
MSSWFF2 stick
Pro Throttle
Pro Pedals

I spent a lot of $ to run this game.....hope I didn't waste it....
Gotta be something I missed.

Maybe run the game 'before' booting, the first time it installs?
Something silly.
I hope.

Just read all the links Bong provided.
Found this;
Caution: The Mega Patch or the Ultra Patch revealed in this post, though they seem convenient, are more difficult to ensure that the files are not corrupt. The average user may give it a go but a modder demanding clean files for mod work would typically do only a hash count of patches to be certain of clean files.

Then this;

If you feel that you are ready for it, you may try the following "IL-2 MegaPatch 4.10.1m_EN" published by MaXMhZ, instead of patching one by one.
(Note that you might need the dll fix with it, which is why I do not recommend this for beginners because of handling and saving your own dll files...)

I'm thinking that it's one of the two.
But what is the 'dll fix'?

I read about that problem earlier...and copied my old rts.dll before I deleted my old game.
I put it in the folder....then it just didn't run...but at least stopped giving me the 'can't find the dll file' error.

I think my only hope is to uninstall everything, and start over.

I believe the mega patch I downloaded, is corrupt.
Got it from M4T.
I think I'll try the patches right here at SimHqs....and patch it one at a time.

BTW...I will repeat this....I have a new copy of 1946' version 4.6, bought the disk.
Installed it on a virgin WinXP system. On the C: drive, not in the programs folder.
After I uninstalled all of the old IL2/FB/AEP/PF games.
Patched the game with the mega patch.

Before all this I defraged, and re-booted.

No reason for a BSOD....far as I can see.

'46 should give you a version 4.07 by default.

From what you have written, all you have done, was correct.

BSOD sounds a bit cruel. Usually IL-2 crashes in different ways, if something is wrong with the install.
Sure, you hardware is all ok?

Yes, I just installed the game again, after 'uninstall'.
And ran it vanilla.
It ran great.

Then I started patching it.
The individual patches.

But.
The first one asked me if I wanted to;
1)Replace the files
2)Update the files
3)Fresh existing files only

So I picked 1)
Replace the files.

The '.exe' finished....and I realized it was, infact, and .exe
And I should have just opened it...and pointed it in the right direction.

The next patches I just opened and pointed them to the right folder.

Now, I just rebooted the game.
And I'm going to try to start it......
Let's see how that worked...lol...:

Starting;

Says version 4.11.1.m
And it's running...lol...

Amazing how sometimes you don't do anything wrong and it doesn't work...
This time I screwed up and it works.

I believe it was a corrupt file in the 'mega' patch.

And what's "No Fog Of War Icons"....

Love this....a new game, after 8 years of Pacific Fighters 4.04m!

I'm in frickin' Heaven.....

Gotta go....

....BTW...Thank you all for the help...I really appreciate it.
Maybe when the new box is fired up, I'll see you in the skys.

Hey...is there a "Murphy" flying online already?
Cuz I'm coming for ya.....lol.....

Edit;
Hey...my P-51 in 1945 still doesn't have rockets available on the wings.....
What happened there?
Hope it fly's more realistic than it's loaded.
Cause they 'did' have rockets in 1945.
Something I was looking forward to.