Installing GP2 + gp2lap with DosBox and D-Fend Reloaded using Vista

Author: AAS, Translation: AD,
Thanks to Alessandro for the feedback (Sony Vaio)

Computer used:
Prozessor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9300 @ 2.50GHz, 2499 MHz, 4 Cores, 4 logic Processors
Memory (RAM) 4,00 GB
NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT
SB Audigy
Vista Home Premium (Service Pack 2)

and

Notebook: Sony Vaio VGN-N38Z/W.
Intel (R) Core (TM) 2 Duo Processor T5500, Supports Enhanced Intel SpeedStep(R) Technology, 1.66Ghz
Memory (RAM) 3,00 GB
Graphics Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 950
OS Windows Vista(TM) Home Premium

All instructions and settings described here have been tested on two computers.
Thus, I can't promise whether or how well this works on other computers/configurations.

There are some settings in D-Fend Reloaded I haven't tried yet.
If you find any better settings, please let me know.

- Copy the folder "GP2" from the GP2 CD to the hard drive.

- Remove the GP2 CD from the drive

- Delete the file "TRACKDAT.BIN" in the "CIRCUITS" folder.

-Unpack the contents of the following .zip files into the GP2 folder
--Dos4gw.zip
--f1system_dat.zip   (Original F1SYSTEM.DAT will be overwritten.)
--gp2nocd.zip
--setup_nocd.zip
--gp2lp115.zip             http://www.xs4all.nl/~rsdi/download.html#gp2lap

-Create a new subfolder of the GP2 folder called "GPSAVES"

-This is what the contents of the GP2 folder look like now:

-Start GP2NOCD.EXE by clicking twice. A black window will open and
--- disappear immediately. However, GP2NOCD.EXE has done its job.

-Download "D-Fend Reloaded" (Homepage: http://dfendreloaded.sourceforge.net/ )
----Get the "Default package" - "D-Fend Reloaded 0.9.0 installer" http://dfendreloaded.sourceforge.net/Download.html?lang=en
--- and install "D-Fend Reloaded"

-The "D-Fend Reloaded" main window.

-Click -Extras -Open games folder.
     The game folder ".....D-Fend Reloaded\VirtualHD" will be opened.

-Move the complete GP2 folder into this folder.

-Click -Profile -Add DOSBox profile... to "D-Fend Reloaded" main window.

-The profile editor will be opened,

-Click the Button "Choose file"

-Enter the path to GP2.exe and Setup.exe and specify a profile name.

-Settings in other windows of the profile editor

-Leave the profile editor by clicking "OK".

-In the "D-Fend Reloaded" main window, right-click on the GP2 profile and click "Run Setup"

-The GP2 Sound Setup will open in a Dosbox window.

-I choose "Auto detect" and accept the settings determined.

-Back in the "D-Fend Reloaded" main window, start the game now.

-Creating another game profile - this time, with gp2lap
    Right click on the GP2 profile in the "D-Fend Reloaded" main window and click "Copy..."

-Call the new profile "GP2lap"

-Edit the new profile "GP2lap".

-Choose the path to GP2LAP.EXE.

-Leave the profile editor by clicking "OK".

-Start the game with the new profile "GP2lap".

-On my computer, GP2 runs with gp2lap and full details quickly enough.
     At the start of the race or during situations with lots of smoke, dust or fire, processor occupancy will temporarily rise higher than 100%.
     It stays reasonably playable, though.
    The original Monaco and many new tracks, however, only run acceptably when I switch off the sky texture
    and/or partially deactivate graphical details in the mirrors.

-Further hints:
Changing between windowed and full-screen mode is possible with "AltGr" and "Enter"
On my computer, if I quit a race after running in full screen mode
(both when using Escape or at the regular end of a race), loading
the next menu takes too much time. Therefore, I switch to windowed
mode with "AltGr" and "Enter" before leaving the track. In that case,
the menus load at the usual speed.
To leave the DOS window (and have access to Vista's surface) press Strg+F10.

-My settings for the USB Joystick in the game:


- Copy the folder "GP2" from the GP2 CD to the hard drive.

- Remove the GP2 CD from the drive

- Delete the file "TRACKDAT.BIN" in the "CIRCUITS" folder.

-Unpack the contents of the following .zip files into the GP2 folder --Dos4gw.zip --f1system_dat.zip (Original F1SYSTEM.DAT will be overwritten.) --gp2nocd.zip --setup_nocd.zip --gp2lp115.zip http://www.xs4all.nl/~rsdi/download.html#gp2lap

-Create a new subfolder of the GP2 folder called "GPSAVES"

-This is what the contents of the GP2 folder look like now:

-Start GP2NOCD.EXE by clicking twice. A black window will open and --- disappear immediately. However, GP2NOCD.EXE has done its job.

-Download "D-Fend Reloaded" (Homepage: http://dfendreloaded.sourceforge.net/ ) ----Get the "Default package" - "D-Fend Reloaded 0.9.0 installer" http://dfendreloaded.sourceforge.net/Download.html?lang=en --- and install "D-Fend Reloaded"

-The "D-Fend Reloaded" main window.

-Click -Extras -Open games folder. The game folder ".....D-Fend Reloaded\VirtualHD" will be opened.

-Move the complete GP2 folder into this folder.

-Click -Profile -Add DOSBox profile... to "D-Fend Reloaded" main window.

-The profile editor will be opened,

-Click the Button "Choose file"

-Enter the path to GP2.exe and Setup.exe and specify a profile name.

-Settings in other windows of the profile editor

-Leave the profile editor by clicking "OK".

-In the "D-Fend Reloaded" main window, right-click on the GP2 profile and click "Run Setup"

-The GP2 Sound Setup will open in a Dosbox window.

-I choose "Auto detect" and accept the settings determined.

-Back in the "D-Fend Reloaded" main window, start the game now.


-Creating another game profile - this time, with gp2lap Right click on the GP2 profile in the "D-Fend Reloaded" main window and click "Copy..."

-Call the new profile "GP2lap"

-Edit the new profile "GP2lap".

-Choose the path to GP2LAP.EXE.

-Leave the profile editor by clicking "OK".

-Start the game with the new profile "GP2lap".

-On my computer, GP2 runs with gp2lap and full details quickly enough. At the start of the race or during situations with lots of smoke, dust or fire, processor occupancy will temporarily rise higher than 100%. It stays reasonably playable, though. The original Monaco and many new tracks, however, only run acceptably when I switch off the sky texture and/or partially deactivate graphical details in the mirrors.

-Further hints: Changing between windowed and full-screen mode is possible with "AltGr" and "Enter" On my computer, if I quit a race after running in full screen mode (both when using Escape or at the regular end of a race), loading the next menu takes too much time. Therefore, I switch to windowed mode with "AltGr" and "Enter" before leaving the track. In that case, the menus load at the usual speed. To leave the DOS window (and have access to Vista's surface) press Strg+F10.

-My settings for the USB Joystick in the game: