Fahrenheit on Windows 7 (32bit & 64bit)

It´s definetly one of the greatest games Atari ever did, but when you try to install it under Windows 7 the installation will fail. The installer will suddenly abort the installation without actually installing the game.

You have to do the following steps to fix this :

1.) Copy the entire content of the Fahrenheit CD into a folder on your hard disk

2.) Download the modified installer (fahrenheit.msi) from here

3.) Replace the original installer with the one from step 2

4.) Install Fahrenheit using setup.exe from the folder on your hard disk

5.) Start the game and enjoy playing !

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Thx to several installation instructions :

http://www.winfuture-forum.de/index.php?showtopic=112968

http://forum.computerbild.de/computer-bild-spiele-heft-dvd/fahrenheit-installation-abgebrochen_60121.html

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Update :

Some people reported that the instructions above won´t work. I did some investigation and found out that all these instructions only work with Fahrenheit Version 1.1. Luckily there is a patch available updating your Fahrenheit Version from 1.0 to 1.1. Unfortunetaly it´s very hard to find out what version of Fahrenheit you actually own. But you can check out the following :

  • you bought the game before 2008 => then you probably have Version 1.0, download the patch (Fahrenheit_Patch1_1.rar) here
  • you bought the game after 2008 => then you probably have Version 1.1, you should be able to play straight
  • you don´t remember when you bought the game and it won´t work anyway => continue reading…

Tom reported the following in the comments for this article :

tom says:

Thanks for the good instructions. Maybe this helps:
It did not work for me straight away (windows 7). The process hung in the task manager as Rashad said. I had to do two additional steps:

– patch to 1.1 with the offical game patch
– install a patch from gamescopyworld: Fahrenheit v1.1 [EURO] Fixed EXE
(i own the original).

The patch from gamescopyworld is actually a crack and therefore it´s not legal to use it if you don´t own the game (originally). Furthermore you should own a good and up-to-date antivirus software before downloading or trying the crack. Nevertheless the patch makes the game running, so in case you´re unlucky with all the above steps give it a try.

Update 2 – playing Fahrenheit in fullscreen or window mode :

I had some problems with the ingame resolution (1600×1200) on my new 16:9 TFT so I looked for a possibility to play it in a window mode.

To change from fullscreen to window mode or back do the following steps :

  1. Locate the Fahrenheit.ini file in the installation folder of the game on your hard disk (in my case D:\Games\Fahrenheit)
  2. Open the Fahrenheit.ini file with notepad or a (text)editor of your choice
  3. Change line 3 “Fullscreen=1” to “Fullscreen=0” for window mode
  4. OR change line 3 “Fullscreen=0” to “Fullscreen=1” for fullscreen mode
  5. Save the file and exit your editor
  6. Enjoy playing !

Update 3 – Error when using the Installer from the HDD

Bob reported the following when trying to use the Installer from the HDD.

Bob says:

After copying the files to the HD and replacing the installer with the one linked to in the article, I had to create an ISO from the files and mount it before the installer would finish. Running the installer directly from the HD would cause it to error and rollback the installation after creating the desktop shortcut.

Thanks again for the instructions.

51 thoughts on “Fahrenheit on Windows 7 (32bit & 64bit)”

  4. I always play this game around Xmas and since I discovered it wouldn’t run on Windows 7 natively, I was gutted. So glad I found your blog. Thank you 🙂

  12. windows 7 home premium 64bit

    i did all steps as above

    when i run the game no window opens but i can see fahrenheit process in task manager

    thanks for help

  13. I have the same Problem & the same windows 7 home premium 64bit

    The process appears in the task manager only

  16. Thanks for the good instructions. Maybe this helps:
    It did not work for me straight away (windows 7). The process hung in the task manager as Rashad said. I had to do two additional steps:

    – patch to 1.1 with the offical game patch
    – install a patch from gamescopyworld: Fahrenheit v1.1 [EURO] Fixed EXE
    (i own the original).

  19. Hi,

    sorry for the late answer. There are a dozen possible settings where this error could occur. The most common solutions are these :

    1.) http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290301 – Windows Installer CleanUp Tool from Microsoft – download, install and run
    2.) http://www.techsupportforum.com/microsoft-support/windows-xp-support/60633-resolved-java-install-error-1721-a.html – Deregistering and Registering the Windows Installer Service

    Are you using Vista ? All reports about this error I found refer to Windows Vista and if so, my advise is : delete it and install Windows 7. Saves you much precious time and nerves.

  20. hi, i can’t install the game. i tryied with the modified installer but it didn’t installs..

  21. You said to install Fahrenheit using setup.exe from the folder on your hard disk
    But i needed to run the game with the msc file downloaded from this site, lol, a little difference
    thank you very much for the guide ^_^

  23. Hi. I have the same problem as tom. I managed to install the game, but it doesn’t run… it does run, but only in task manager 🙂 what do i do? i tried to find this Fahrenheit v1.1 [EURO] Fixed.EXE, but can not find it. Any suggestions? 🙂

  25. Do I replace the the Fahrenheit v1.1 [EURO] Fixed.EXE with the Fahrenheit.exe in programs files within the copy I have made on my hardrive? Ive been trying differnt things all week and nothing seems to be working I have windows 7, the game wantas to laod but nothing happens, just in the task manager :S Its driving me insane, Im desperete to play this game!

  26. Hey,

    yes, you have to replace the Fahrenheit.exe in Program Files with the fixed one. And be sure to check if you have the correct version of Fahrenheit installed, otherwise download and install the update.

  27. After copying the files to the HD and replacing the installer with the one linked to in the article, I had to create an ISO from the files and mount it before the installer would finish. Running the installer directly from the HD would cause it to error and rollback the installation after creating the desktop shortcut.

    Thanks again for the instructions.

  29. I’ve done everything exactly right and the game starts but then crashes everytime after the login screen, any advice? I really want to play it! Thanks

  30. Hey Jake,

    well hmmm…to be honest I have absolutely no idea. You might check your Direct X version and reinstall it. And you might uninstall everything and try again. Another way to play the game is to create a virtual pc with Windows XP as operating system. You can use f.e. Virtual Box http://www.virtualbox.org/ – it´s free. But you´ll need a rather fast PC to get the game well running.

    Regards
    Pac

  31. After managing to install the game and finished it (Very good game, I had a great time), I have now decided to delete it as I don’t want to replay it straight away and I need the space. When I run the installer from ‘Programs and Features’ (Win7) I get the following error message (Presumably related to the non existent copy protection drivers)

    Internal Error 2715. drvsetup.exe

    I’ve also tried running the setup from the mounted image to see if that could uninstall it that way with out any luck.

    Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this error so I can perform a clean uninstall?

    Thanks

    Rant – I actually bought this game from Sold Out software last year and although its a great game, its a real shame they did not provide a copy with an updated installer for 64 bit systems and pre patched to v1.1. I really think they missed a trick there as there will be a lot of people who just give up and return it.

  32. Hey Bob,

    thanks for your comment. I´ve never tried to uninstall it, so I can´t give any good solution to you. But you may check if there´s an install log file. Sometimes you only have to modify the paths in it.

    And about the 1.1 version…I´m not sure if there is at least a retail version available that is prepatched to 1.1 – it´s an old game and I think they just try to squeeze the last bit money out of it.

    Take care !

  33. Hi Pac

    I have finally figured out how to uninstall this game cleanly. My guess is that whoever kindly provided us with the fixed Fahrenheit installer did not remove the Tages copy protection uninstaller reference from the Fahrenheit uninstaller.

    To fix the uninstaller:

    1. Install Super Orca MSI Database Editor (Free) from http://www.pantaray.com/msi_super_orca.html
    2. Run Super Orca and goto File -> Open and open the Fahrenheit uninstaller. Mine was called 3cdf7.msi and was located in %systemroot%\install. Yours may be called something different but using the registry editor (regedit) and searching for the word Fahrenheit you will eventually find a string called ‘LocalPackage’ that contains the file name you need along with loads of other strings containing data about the game. (Run the file if you are unsure if its the correct file or not)
    3. Goto the ‘CustomAction’ section in the right hand table and select it. From the left hand select the RemoveDrv row, right click on it and select ‘Drop Row’
    4. Next goto Tools -> Rebuild MSI file. Note the filename given.
    5. From %systemroot%\install run the file created in 4 above. Mine was called __3cdf7.exe and follow the onscreen prompts to remove the game.

    Hopefully GOG (www.gog.com) will pick up this game and release it fully compatible for 64-bit systems so we don’t have all of this messing around!

    Thanks again for this site Pac, its a great resource.

  34. When I called Atari to see how could I play this game on windows 7 they couldn’t give me a solution, but now thanks to you, i am able to play it again. I love this game so much.

  37. Hey,

    are you sure that you have followed the instructions as written above ? Windows 7 Ultimate doesn´t make any difference to Professional. If you have an old Windows XP copy left, you can install Virtual Box (https://www.virtualbox.org/) and use Windows XP as a virtual machine and play it there. Works fine.

    Greetings
    Pac

  38. Hi,
    I’ve done the steps given and have installed the game. However after I launch it, I get to see the clip for the Atari and Nvidia, after I select the language the screen just goes black and nothing happens. when i start the task manager, i see an error window sayng this:

    Impossible to create this Savegame: ‘C:\Users\user\Music\from music library\??????\My Files\Other\Documents\atari\Fahrenheit Profile\FAHRENHEIT_FIRST_BOOT.idx’

    That is not the location of the installed game, I dont even have a folder called Atari in that location….Any ideas? please (Win7 64-bit)

  41. Hey i installed the game but every time i press play the launcher closes and nothinng happens. taskmanager tells me there is still a progress what schould i do?

  45. Hey guys, got the same problem as Bob, but I also deleted Fahrenheit uninstaller from %systemroot%\install (silly me), so now it wants the path to it. I have deleted all files, I don’t have it anymore. Is there any way in registry or somewhere, where I can delete the “uninstaller” from ‘Programs and Features’? (Win7)

  46. For the people who don’t worked out the game with the instructions given then you should try to partition your god drive and install in one partition whatever version of windows 7 in 32 bits and in the other partition one of 64 bits. I don’t try it yet the above instructions but sometimes really makes a surrender the architecture of windows you are using. Hope this could help a little bit for work things out.

  49. It does install and works even on windows 11, but it doesn’t install Italian language despite having an Italian copy of the game, maybe because windows 11 language is set in English?

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