- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
I feel that this thread needs to be resurrected. There are too many people once again asking the same dumb questions. Just come to this thread for help to try to eliminate repetitive and dumb threads!! If at all possible, would a mod please sticky this?
Ultra-Update - Added my own review of Halo 2 Vista (go to bottom)
Mega-Update - Added huge list of explanations
Before reading on and posting dumb questions that can easily be answered here on this thread, or here (support ended though) , it is important to use your brain. This whole thing involves simple numbers. Is my HDD more or less then the required, does my processor have more or less ghz...please read before posting. Thank you :)
Basically everyone just start posting their computer specs in this thread and forum members will hlep you out and let you know (if they are nice enough) if your computer will run Halo 2 Vista. About half of the threads on the Halo 1 and 2 pc forum are "Will my pc run this? Will my pc be able to do such and such?" You get the picture...let's try to help others out and get together as a community and create one uniform thread rather than random threads all over the place asking the same thing...its also in the stickies whether your comp can play the game or not...i'd like a second opinion :p
Heres my setup, im pretty sure i can run Halo 2 Vista.
2.8ghz Pentium 4
250gig HDD
2gigs ddr2 ram
EVGA e-Geforce 8600 (is an amazing card!)
*Note: These are my specs not yours...yes someone went there...
P.s.- I have bought Windows Vista Home Premium from here and have installed it-
Windows Vista Home Premium Academic Upgrade
I already have it from Circuit City, but you can get it off of Amazon.com for cheaper -
Halo 2 Vista (10% off if you would like to know :p
For any major pc upgrades I recommend...
Geeks.com - Fast delivery and huge assortment of components for really cheap !
Let's take a look at the Minimum Requirements for a minute, shall we? Please note these are the minimum requirements to run Halo 2 Vista...not Vista itself.
OS: Windows Vista
Processor: 2 Ghz Pentium 4 class processor (or x64)
RAM: 1 GB
Hard Drive: 7 GB
Video Card: DX9 graphics card: WDDM driver, PS 2.0/32BPP, At least nVidia 6000 or ATI x700 or above
Online Multi-player: Internet connection for Games for Windows – LIVE
Drive: DVD-ROM drive
The Minimum Requirements for Windows Vista itself are as follows...
800MHz Processor
512MB System Memory
20GB HDD with at least 15GB free
Support for Super VGA graphics
CD-ROM drive (must special order cd's through Microsoft after buying DVD version)
If you only meet the minimum requirements for Windows Vista itself, or are slightly above the minimum you definitely can not run Halo 2 Vista as you will barely be able to run Vista. Now onto the very nice "How to Find Out Guide..." i made for you guys...
HOW TO CHECK PROCESSOR SPEED, AMOUNT OF RAM, AND GRAPHICS CARD
Windows XP: by clicking start --> Control Panel --> System
To view your graphics/video card stats in the same system window click the hardware tab --> Device Manager --> Display Apapters...This will only give you your graphics/video card name, so you will probably have to search the intertrons (internet for the noobs) or intel/amds site for integrated graphics controllers.
It should say something along the lines of... 2.8Ghz 2.79Ghz Intel Pentium 4 Processor, (underneath that), 2 Gigs ddr2 pc-4200 ram
*Note: These are my computer specs, you will not see this unless you have the exact same stuff as me!!.
Windows Vista (any version): You can check this by clicking the Vista Orb --> Type System in the Search bar --> Click System Information...
After you click system information a window should pop-up. Give it some time to load your pcs specs. Please note that Vista goes into detail about your PC specs. Look for your processor and total physical memory in the window that first pops up. Then click components --> Display and look at Adapter Type (ex. GeForce 6600), Adapter Description (ex. NVIDIA GeForce 6600), and Adapter Ram(ex. 256.00MB) .
HOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH HDD SPACE YOU HAVE LEFT
Windows XP: Click Start --> My Computer then hover over your C:\ drive, or what ever your main HDD is. It should say Disk Capacity is such and such, and Remaining space is such and such. If you have less then 7gigs remaining space in xp then 1) You won't be able to upgrade install Vista, and 2) You won't have enough space for Halo 2 Vista...which needs Vista.
Windows Vista: Click the Vista Orb --> Computer, then under Hard Drives your Local Disc C:\ (or what ever your choosen letter is) will let you know how much is left.
HOW TO FIGURE OUT YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM
See, for some people this is a difficult question. Constantly people will ask if Halo 2 Vista will run in XP and Vista becuase they are the same...or are made by the same company...or are operating systems...the answer is simple...
If your computer starts up and says "MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP" then you can not...i repeat can not...i repeat can not run Halo 2 Vista unless you buy an upgrade or full install of Windows Vista.
If your computer starts up and has that little scrolling green bar then yes...you might be able to run halo 2 Vista, as long as the minimum requirements are still met.
HOW TO FIGURE OUT IF YOU HAVE A DVD-DRIVE
One was it to put a dvd movie/disc into the drive, if its unreadable then its either a cd-rom drive, or the drive is dead, or you don't have the right codecs...
Windows XP: Another way is to click Start --> My Computer and if a drive pops up with a letter and says DVD Drive then guess what...
Windows Vista: This is a little silly since you need a DVD Drive to install it in the first place, or you ordered Vista on CD, therefore you should know...
If I should post anything else in here to help point out the obvious let me know :)
My Review of Halo 2 Vista
Now before playing any of this I would like to note that you really do need an add-in graphics card that is way above the minimum requirements, or what the box says. I had an e-Geforce 6600 GT. I could play the game with minimal lag with 1024X768, medium graphics, and no anti-aliasing. By game I specifically mean multiplayer. Campaign does require a little more then multiplayer does, only because of the huge open places. Yesterday, I went out and purchased an EVGA e-Geforce 8600 GT for $139. They price matched their online store; it had a $20 instant rebate and a $10 manufacturers rebate. Anyhow, that card rocks and I can play the game on full everything now. If you don't have a good graphics card you are really missing out. Its Halo 2 like never before.
Installation
Installation is very smooth. Some people I have talked to online have said that the "Tray and Play" Feature did not work for them. I installed it as "Install and Play Later" because I had to go to the bathroom :p So I was fine anyway. When you boot up the disc it will give you some options on what you want to install. You have to install the Map Editor, full game, and dedicated server files one at a time. That didn't bother me because each one only takes about 3-5 minutes to install.
Campaign
Campaign mode feels slightly different this time around. The marines seem very responsive to situations. It's like they have brains this time around. If you go up to them they say witty comments, and when your being attacked and still have marines left, they will actually help you. Explosions from far away look so damn amazing, like when the Covenant blow up the Malta. Huge scenic areas like the huge lake and mountains in Regret look so awesome and real. Small tiny textures like moss on rocks look so, so good. If you don't have a good graphcis card, then campaign isn't for you:p
Multiplayer
Multiplayer mode does have a new feel to it. The graphics on multiplayer maps do look amazing. If you have an amazing graphics card, roaming around the multiplayer maps (as well as Campaign) is so smooth that it doesn't feel like Halo 2. Instead it feels like a completely re-vamped version of some game i've never played. Currently there is like no body online since the game had been recalled. There is enough in the online mode that I have played in 16 person games. I am definitely liking the new multiplayer set-up. You can either browse for a game in "Game Browse" mode, you can search for a specific map/gametype and get exactly what you want, or you can get matched up like on Xbox Live. There is no ranking system this time around, and you guys can see that as either good or bad..I take that as good because I plan on playing custom games/maps the entire time anyway :p
[Edited on 07.11.2007 8:24 PM PDT]