Buying or replacing MSTS Software

[steamnut44]

One of my original 8 year old MSTS discs has a few bad scratches on it, so as a back up, I have been looking around for another copy of MSTS which are becoming rather scarce. I found a new Explosive version on Amazon for £20 and on the same site, a second hand Explosive version for £14.99 plus £1.99 postage for any of these copies.

I then went on Ebay and found 1 new copy for sale but it didn't state whether it was an original MSTS copy or an Explosive copy, as there was no photograph. It was for auction starting at £4.99 with no bids, or Buy Now at £8.99. So I contacted the seller to see what version it was and got an instant reply to say it was an original Microsoft Version Brand new and unopened. So I replied straight away and asked if she would (yes a female) accept £6 for it, she replied back, offer me £7 and you can have it. So I thought being as a brand new unopened original copy was very rare, I snapped it up. There are not many brand new Explosive copies about now, so dropping on a Microsoft original was very lucky indeed.
As I have no intentions of giving up with MSTS, by replacing my copy, will stand me in good stead for probably another eight years, should I ever need to reinstall again, as my original discs are looking a bit worse for ware. For anyone who like me, plans staying with MSTS, its worth looking around for another copy, whilst there are still some around, because they seem to be getting pretty hard to find now, especially brand new copies. Worth getting as a back up, just in case your originals get scratched or damaged.

Geoff

[rufuskins]

Quite right too!

I managed to obtain a second copy some time ago, and it's carefully stored away.

Alec

[mickrik]

Hi Gents,

What is the difference with the explosive version?


Mick

[slipperman12]

Hi Mick,

What is the difference with the explosive version?

I have both the original Microsoft and the newer Xplosiv versions, and as far as I can tell, there is absolutely no difference; files have same dates and sizes and even the Volume serial numbers are the same!

It's unfortunate but due to protection, it is not possible top back-up MSTS disks to the hard-drive/other CDs!

Cheers.
Ged

[mickrik]

Hi Ged,

Cheers for that,

I have a sealed up version of Explosive as a backup just in case. Like Geoff, I have no intention of swapping over for the forseeable future. I have too many things to build and do.

Mick

[chrisiveson]

Hi Mick,

It's unfortunate but due to protection, it is not possible top back-up MSTS disks to the hard-drive/other CDs!

Cheers.
Ged

Oh yes it is, with the right software.

Chris.

[Tonysmedley]

I have just copied the two CDs of my second (Explosiv) version of Train Simulator and the copies load the program with no problems. I find that it is a matter of luck as to whether you need to load the update to get rid of the "Need Disk" message.
I do not think that the discs are protected to the extent that they cannot be copied.
My advice - just try and make copies and keep them or the originals somewhere safe.
Tony

[welshdave]

Hi,

I've found the likes of charity shops (picked up a disk in very good condition for 99p from the British Heart Foundation shop in Wrexham) a good place to look, as they usually have the disks in the box, unlike CeX, so you can check for scratches, etc.

That said, CeX can throw up a copy of MSTS for about £2.50, but it's pot luck what condition it's in. They guarantee all the stuff they sell for 12 months anyway, so if it doesn't work, you can take it back

Regards

Dave Randles

[slipperman12]

Hi Chris,

Oh yes it is, with the right software.

I appreciate that, and I have done it myself, BUT I didn't want to contravene any Forum rules regarding illegal copying. The software I used is American where, I believe, taking personal backups of games CDs is considered legal, whereas here in the UK conditions are (or were) stricter. The MSTS disks have Safedisk v2.70.30 protection which my burning program (Ashampoo Burning Studio 6.5) won't let me copy, or record as an iso to hard drive. Having written that, I realise that, maybe, a later version of Burning Studio may let me do it - must try!

Cheers,
Ged

[chrisiveson]

Hi Chris,
I realise that, maybe, a later version of Burning Studio may let me do it - must try!

Cheers,
Ged

Can't remember which version I had, but it was payware, and ran on Vista.
That PC's stripped down ATM awaiting a total re-build.

Chris.

[paulco]

Hi,

I've found the likes of charity shops (picked up a disk in very good condition for 99p from the British Heart Foundation shop in Wrexham) a good place to look, as they usually have the disks in the box, unlike CeX, so you can check for scratches, etc.

That said, CeX can throw up a copy of MSTS for about £2.50, but it's pot luck what condition it's in. They guarantee all the stuff they sell for 12 months anyway, so if it doesn't work, you can take it back

Regards

Dave Randles

Hi Dave, guess I'm lucky have 3, one Microsoft with Flying Scotsman on front with yellow logo advertising "Now with 2 new locomotives and 7 new Rolling Stock and more", Guess it's not not the Original. and 2 Explosive versions.

Also live in Wrexham, up in Brymbo and guess what? "It's Snowing like the clappers up here.

[gswindale]

Hi Chris,

Oh yes it is, with the right software.

I appreciate that, and I have done it myself, BUT I didn't want to contravene any Forum rules regarding illegal copying. The software I used is American where, I believe, taking personal backups of games CDs is considered legal, whereas here in the UK conditions are (or were) stricter. The MSTS disks have Safedisk v2.70.30 protection which my burning program (Ashampoo Burning Studio 6.5) won't let me copy, or record as an iso to hard drive. Having written that, I realise that, maybe, a later version of Burning Studio may let me do it - must try!

Cheers,
Ged

The other option is to perform a clean install and back that up, along with exporting the registry settings - slightly more complicated, but does work.

[mickrik]

H i there,

Just a note to this. I run my pc with two hard drives, the one being a back up of the other.

I have my mauin installation on drive C . I copied and pasted the whole default msts file tree into Drive E so if I do corrupt anything I can replace any default files which I may be having a problem with.

So far no problem with the current install which is 3 years old now.

Mick

[paulco]

H i there,

Just a note to this. I run my pc with two hard drives, the one being a back up of the other.

I have my mauin installation on drive C . I copied and pasted the whole default msts file tree into Drive E so if I do corrupt anything I can replace any default files which I may be having a problem with.

So far no problem with the current install which is 3 years old now.

Mick

Hi Mick, thanks for reply.

Keep my Back-up on my External Hard Drive. Also anything that I Know is working correctly goes on my Laptop

[steam4me]

I have both the original Microsoft and the newer Xplosiv versions, and as far as I can tell, there is absolutely no difference; files have same dates and sizes and even the Volume serial numbers are the same!

In which case, you don't have the original MSTS: this was supplied in a box with either the F/Scotsman or the Dash 9 on the cover.

The original version 1.0 train.exe was dated June 2001, v1.4 was dated Dec 2001.

There were only ever two versions:
1. MS ver 1.0 in a box;
2. MS ver 1.4 in DVD case (MS distribution). Atari distribution initially in DVD case then jewel case, , Ubisoft distribution (DVD case), Xplosiv distribution (DVD case) are all the same version - ver 1.4 (I think I've seen and scanned just about every (English-language cover) version around (see http://msts.steam4me.net/MSTS_Updates/index.html).

Web-update is identical ver 1.4 to disk-supplied ver 1.4, but removes need for disk in drive. The web-update is also the version required for MSTS-Bin.

"gamewholesaleltd", a UK-based ebay store has been racking up the price of Xplosiv MSTS over the past 18 months from &8.95 to a current &18.95, plus postage has risen from &2 each to &4 each - I suspect they're aware that they have the last new Xplosiv MSTS items in stock. When I last purchased 60 copies from them, they had 250 left: I don't know their current stock levels.