NOLF will not start Windows 11

[dudalb]

I had been playing NOLF 1 the revival versions on my Windows 11 computer  a few months ago. I decided today to start plyaing again but it would not launch. I got the launch screen but when I pushed the launch button I got a small black screen I had to go into task master to close. I tried running it in XP 3 compatiblity mode as adminstrator, same thing happened. What drives me nuts is it played fine on this computer a couple of months ago. 

It did have one quirk; sometimes it would not start if you has launched the game previously and you had to restart thge computer to get it to run again. I posted a thread on it here. Now it will not start, period. 

I have seen a number of solutions, but some of them, turning off all my HID devices, seem pretty extreme. Can anybody help me here?

 

I wonder if one of the recent Windows updates killed the game.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

 

[FortranDragon]

If you haven't tried it, DGVoodoo2 (in the downloads section) might work for you. It creates a virtual display driver for NOLF 1 and lets it run under Windows 11.

The small black screen you're seeing is when the game launches and is trying to setup the game window on your monitor.

[dudalb]

I actually got it to  run again by an reinstall, but It;s unrelaible, sometimes it starts and most often it does not.

Could you please give me detailes instructions on how to Use DGvoodoo 2 with NOFL. I have used it with other games but it seemslike every game has a diffrent way to set up DGvoodoo 2.

I also found out I still have my CD for the GOTY edition. Maybe install that, install the modernization patches,  and it will work reliably. Problem could be specifically with the revival iedtiion.

[dudalb]

Now it will not start at all, and DG voodoo 2 does not seem to work.

And I cannot try a installation from my old GOTY cd because it reads a previously installed version of the game, and I cannot uninstall the Revival verion.

I am a bout ready to just give up.

[dudalb]

I  did still another installation of the downloaded Unity version, it ran fine first time I tried. But would not run again.

REstarted  my computer and will not run despite repeated tries.

So we have a pattern: it runs OK first time after installation, but then will not start.

And I have checked for lithtech still running after game closed but fournd nothing.

Does anybody know what the hell is causing this?

And I see I am not the only one with the runs after installation first time but then refuses to start.

Until this is solved, no more Cate Archer for me.

[dudalb]

I might give Voodoo 2 another try, maybe I did not install is conrrectly before.

Could somebody give me sinply clear insturctions on how to apply voodoo 2 to NOFL.

[FortranDragon]

If someone else doesn't help you in the interim, I'll list out what you need to do when I'm home from work this evening (my time).

[FortranDragon]

How I install dgVoodoo2. 

1) I unzip the contents of the zip file to my \Apps\dgVoodoo2 folder. (This can be any folder, but this is the one I happen to use.)

2) Copy the four files in the \Apps\dgVoodoo2\MS\x86 folder (DDraw.dll, D3DImm.dll, D3D9.dll, and D3D8.dll) to your Nolf folder. On my computer that folder is \Program Files\Fox\No One Lives Forever. (Again, adjust if you have installed Nolf to a different folder.) You'll want to make sure the four dll files are in the same folder as your NOLF.exe file.

3) Go back to your \Apps\dgVoodoo2 folder and run dgVoodooCpl. This will let you adjust the settings for games. In my case, on the DirectX tab I set VRAM to 4096 MB and make sure all the boxes in the Miscellaneous section at the bottom are unchecked. Click Apply or OK to save the changes and then close the control panel.

At this point try the game and see how it works.

[dudalb]

I tried vooodoo 2, but it still did not solve the relialbity problem; sometimes it starts, other times is does not.

Restart computer seems to help, but still I get about one sucessful game launch per restart.

Does anybody know what the hell is casuing this sometimes it starts, most of the time it does not problem?

 

[Eliteone]

Are you running it in compatibility mode? 

[dudalb]

Yes, I hsve tried several compatibity modes.That was the first thing I tried.

I am thinking about another installation, but there seem to be now way to uninstall the revival download version.  Can somebody help me with this?

The uninstall procedure in another thread in this forum does not work with the download versions.

[Eliteone]

I would assume you could uninstall their version using Windows Program and feature in control panel.

[dudalb]

Nope, not even listed in my installed apps list.

NOLF 2 is listed but the uninstall fearue in the installed apps program is grayed out.I

I am beginning to think that the revival versions need a overhaul for Windows 10 and above.

Frankly, I think the first thing is to figure out what is causing the program to crash. at startup.

Once in a great while, it will start,  but it is totally unreliable.

The DGVoodoo did not help, btw.

If it helps, when I try to start NOLF from the desktop Icon, I get a black box which I don;r get when I click the exe in the game folder, though it sitll refuses to start.

Edited March 5 by dudalb

[dudalb]

1 hour ago, dudalb said:

Nope, not even listed in my installed apps list.

NOLF 2 is listed but the uninstall fearue in the installed apps program is grayed out.I

I am beginning to think that the revival versions need a overhaul for Windows 10 and above.

Frankly, I think the first thing is to figure out what is causing the program to crash. at startup.

Once in a great while, it will start,  but it is totally unreliable.

The DGVoodoo did not help, btw.

If it helps, when I try to start NOLF from the desktop Icon, I get a black box which I don;r get when I click the exe in the game folder, though it sitll refuses to start.

I am really getting desperate. I have tried all the listed solutions and nothing seems t help. It keeps crashing after I hit the launch button. Mayve I shoyuld sre farewell to Cate Archer.

Frankly, I think the only hope is for somebody to try to help me figure out WHY it is crashing. That seems to me to be the rfirst step.

What is frustrating is that at one time it worked pretty well at this computer, then it just stopped. Once ina great while it will launch,but not enough to make i playable.

Edited March 5 by dudalb

[dudalb]

As a last restored I tried to install my GOTY disc edition, but setup said it detected an older version of the game and it must be uninstalled before installation can begin.\I think I ma just screwed as far as NOLF goes. The inability to unistall the revival version is killing me, I think.

I guess my only hope if for somebody to tell me how to go into registry and delete the NOLD files.

[Eliteone]

If you are unable to uninstall it from control panel - Programs and Features, you might try this uninstaller. 

I've used it in the past with success. 

Revo Uninstaller Freeware

 

[dudalb]

On 3/17/2026 at 10:09 PM, Eliteone said:

If you are unable to uninstall it from control panel - Programs and Features, you might try this uninstaller. 

I've used it in the past with success. 

Revo Uninstaller Freeware

 

Installed it, does not detect NOLF installation.

I think it is hopeless.

 

Farewellm Cate Arcger,

 

I really need to find out what is causing the blocking. Until that it is hopeless.

[Eliteone]

14 hours ago, dudalb said:

Installed it, does not detect NOLF installation.

I think it is hopeless.

 

Farewellm Cate Arcger,

 

I really need to find out what is causing the blocking. Until that it is hopeless.

It should have installed to a C:\games folder.  

Check for it and delete.  

You can search the registry by typing regedit in your windows search and remove any No One Lives Forever listings as well. 

[orion98]

On 3/20/2026 at 2:49 PM, dudalb said:

I really need to find out what is causing the blocking. Until that it is hopeless.

Nolf: errors and solutions
----------------------------

1. The message "Catastrophic Failure" is the result of the wrong installation/uninstalling of the game.
With such an error, it is impossible to uninstall the game through the control panel.
Solution: Delete the game manually with the cleaning of the registry.

In the future, to install the game, use the setup.exe file, not autorun.exe and correctly delete the game.

If the "Catastrophic failure" error repeats, try the following:
- Install the latest version of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable
  https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170
- Launch the game as a file setup.exe
- In the file properties setup.exe install "Run from Administrator" and "Run in Windows XP SP2 Compatibility mode"
- Remove the spaces in the path to the game: create a folder Game_Nolf in the root of the disk and install the game in this folder
- The path to the game must contain only Latin characters.

2. The message "An Older Version No One Lives Forever Found .... This Version must be unistalled ..." (i.e., the installer found a old version of the game, so the installation of the game was stopped).
An error is the result of reinstalling the game after incomplete deletion of the old version (information remained in the register).
Solution: see p.1.
After reinstalling the game, in the "Properties" of the Nolf label, delete all the marks on the "Compatibility" tab.

3. The message "Nolf Error: COULDNIT SET D3D EMULATION MODE" or constant black screen.
Such an error on Windows 7 is the result of starting the game with the installed modernizer mod.
Solution 1 (Windows 7): Install the Microsoft Visual C ++ 2015 (for 2015), or Microsoft Visual C ++ 2015-2019 (for 2020)

On Windows 10/11, such an error is the result of installing additional antivirus.
Solution 2 (Windows 10/11): In the antivirus settings, allow the transition of the game to the full-screen mode (disable control over the "game mode"), disable control for SDL2.dll, Nolf.exe and Lithtech.exe files in the game folder.

4. The message "Error in Cinterfacemgr ... COULD Not Initialize InterFaceresmgr."
This error usually appears with incorrect launching modernizer mod.
Solution: First, run the game without modernizer mod:
NOLF NOLF Label -> Launch -> Advanced -> Custom -> Modernizer - Disable - OK - OK - "Start the game"
Then turn on the modernizer mod:
Label of the game Nolf -> Launch -> Advanced -> Custom -> Modernizer - Add - Ok- OK - "Start the game"

Additionally: in the starting menu, on the Advanced tab, in the "command line" window there is no record: -rez universal_gui.rez

5. The game interface returns to English when starting the modernizer mod, although before installing the mods interface was Russian (German, French ..).
   Additionally: in the starting menu, on the "Advanced" tab, in the "command line" window there is no record: -rez universal_gui.rez
Solution 1: Launch the game from the NOLF label from the Administrator, or in the properties of the label, write down the launch from the Administrator.
   If this does not help, then:
Solution 2: Right click on the label "Nolf" -> Properties -> Compatibility -> Delete all marks -> Apply -> OK
Then the reset of all mods: start "nolf_mods.exe" (in the Nolf_voice folder) -> On the menu, select "Restore to Default"
Then the reset of voice acting and the interface: start "nolf_voice_acting_gui.exe" in the Nolf_voice folder -> select "Restore to Default"
Then reinstall the voice acting, interface and mods.

6. If you see geometric distortions, restore the default settings:
Nolf labeling -> "Advanced" -> "Restore default settings" -> OK.

7. When the monitor resolution changes, the mouse pointer moves in the limited area of the screen (it is "bug" Modernizer), Press the ESC or ALT-F4 on the keyboard and, using the buttons with the arrow, restart the game. After the restart, Modernizer will work fine.

8. If problems when playing subtitles and dialogs, turn on the Vertical Clock (vertical synchr-impulse) for Lithtech.exe
Through the NVIDIA control panel - 3D settings - software settings - Add - Open the Nolf game folder - select "Lithtech.exe" - turn on.

9. Windows 7: If the game does not start or "slows down" .
Solving the problem of starting old games on Windows 7 see here:
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/novye-problemy-s-ustanovkoj-staryx-igr-na-windows-7-ili-ocherednoj-chumnoj-poceluj-ot-microsoft.85969/

10. Modernizer mod normally works on Windows 7/10/11, but after leaving the game, an error message may appear.

11. For the correct launch of old games on Windows 7/10/11, it is advisable to turn off the DEP:
With the right button on the label "this computer" - open the location of the folder - with the right button "this computer" - properties - additional parameters of the system -> Additionally - performance - parameters - preventing data - here to note "turn on the DEP only for the main Windows programs"

https://itch.io/post/10276813

Edited March 26 by Eliteone
Removed link to unknown file from free mediafire file site (against forum rules to post links to unknown files)