Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an Operating System for the PC by Microsoft. It was published in 2007 and is no longer supported with updates since 2017.
Contents
Improvements
Although Windows Vista was one of the less liked systems, prompting many users to stay with the older Windows XP for reasons such as speed and memory footprint as well as compatibility issues, it nonetheless incorporated some major improvements. For example it is the first Windows to clearly differentiate between a mode for every day use and a higher privileged administrative mode. As soon as a programme needs higher privileges Windows displays a message to the user, asking for permission. Malicious software can often be thwarted by this. On the other hand many people unaccustomed to the frequent and repeated requests were put off by this and just started to grant every request without understanding the consequences, which in turn meant a reduction of security to the levels of XP.
Furthermore many features that were announced during the long development time of Vista never materialized.
Compatibility with Tomb Raider Games is quite good, although some games need Patches and the Compatibility Mode.
Tomb Raider Games for Windows
Using Third Party Software
The following games will work best with Windows 2000 and newer by using Glidos, DosBox, or similar techniques:
- Windows NT and newer systems based on it do not support real mode DOS.
- On 32-bit machines Tomb Raider can by played in the command shell, although many limitations do apply, like problems with sound and only low resolution graphics without hardware acceleration.
- On 64-bit versions of Windows it is technically impossible to run 16-bit applications like the original Tomb Raider in the command shell. You will have to use Glidos or DosBox.
Using Compatibility Mode and/or (Third Party) Patches
The following games will work with Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10 by either using the compatibility mode and/or an unofficial third party Patch:
- Tomb Raider II through Chronicles will for the most part run at once or with the "Windows 98/ME" compatibility mode enabled that has been available since Windows XP.
- From Vista on Microsoft has removed the Direct3D interface used by EAX. Owners of a Sound Blaster X-Fi sound card manufactured by Creative can avoid this problem by using the program ALchemy. You might also try the Multi Patch listed at tombraiderchronicles.com.
Out-of-the-Box
The following games will work without problems in Windows XP and newer:
64-bit System Required
The following games will only run on a 64-bit system:
- Officially supported only on Windows 7 and newer. Needs at least DirectX 11.
Lara Croft Games
- Windows Vista and newer.
- Windows Vista and newer.
