For those of you coming back into Asheron's Call, setting up Decal (and thus ACTool Companion) can be problematic on Windows 7.

I've copied this procedure from the VN Boards, the original author is yaroz_vn. This should work for anyone still running Vista as well.

link: http://vnboards.ign.com/ac_utilities/b5432/113031404/p1/?48

Note you can skip items 1 and 2 obviously if you are already running Windows 7.

1. New install of Windows 7 - 64bit
2. Download and install all updates for Win7
3. Download and install the Asheron's Call client from http://ac.turbine.com and click on "Client Download"
3a. While installing, be sure to change the install path from "C:\Program Files (x86)..." to "C:\Games" This is VERY IMPORTANT
If you have copies of the current client_cell_1.dat, client_highres.dat, client_local_English.dat, and client_portal.dat, copy them to the directory that you installed to.
4. Launch AC, log in and update to ensure that you have successfully installed AC. Answer "Allow Access" to any firewall messages that pop up.
5. Install DirectX 9.0c
6. Install Decal
6a. Again, it is VERY IMPORTANT to change the install path during the install. Change it from "C:\Program Files (x86)" to something like "C:\Games"
7. Find Decal running in your system tray. Right click, and select close.
8. Right click on Decal on your desktop, and select "Run as administrator"
9. Right click on Decal in your system tray, and select "Configure".
10. When prompted stating that "One or more of your XML files were not found!", click on the OK button
11. Click on "Update" and wait for the window to refresh with black checks instead of red x's.
12. Again, load Asheron's Call to ensure that you have no problems logging onto the server. This time, you should actually enter the game to ensure that Decal is loading properly. You should see the decal bar with the DHS icon in the upper left corner.

The gist of this is to install AC and Decal NOT in their default Program Files locations but in a folder located at C:\*.

This works for most people. Note that when I followed this, the AC Launcher would crash if Decal was running. This problem affects a certain percentage of players. The workaround is to next install Drakier's AC Dual Client and launch AC (and Decal) through the ACDC interface. I have traditionally used ACDC to launch AC so this is nothing out of the ordinary for me (and a lot of AC folks).

Link: http://acdualclient.drakier.com/

For the record I set up the following folders:

C:\AC (Asheron's Call install)
C:\AC\decal (Decal install)
C:\AC\plugins (all plugins each in a separate subfolder such as C:\AC\plugins\SortIt!)

Hope this helps, enjoy!

 

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OK, even though the above works, having to go through all this has been bugging me, and so I have uninstalled/reinstalled AC, Decal, etc in different locations and configurations.

Bottom line: If you have UAC turned OFF (set to Never Notify) you CAN install everything to default locations and it all works fine. I turned off UAC the day I installed Win7 and never looked back. I never bought Vista so I can't speak to that.

The only caveats are:

a) You must manually edit the path to the AC client in the registry for Decal. This is located at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Decal\Agent\PortalPath.

b) Even after this registry edit, Decal will popup a window asking for the path to the AC client. Browse to it and you're golden.

 

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This is actually incorrect.


Decal and AC work fine installed to the default directory. If you have UAC on, whenever you update Decal's memlocs it will require an elevation prompt. Otherwise there is no difference where you install Decal.


It's actually the plugins that must be installed outside of Program Files -- as they generally store settings in their own folders. Obviously, Win7 has declared Program Files to be a protected directory and only users with administrative privileges can write directly to Program Files.

 

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If you turn off UAC none of this is an issue.

 

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Sure, but the fact remains -- only plugins need to be installed to a folder that outside of the Program Files folder. Not Decal or AC. Everyone posts conflicting information on this point and I am obligated to provide correct information.


Also, "Turn off UAC" is never going to be a recommended solution to this issue, as it directly reduces the security of all users who do so. Turning it off is really only for people who know what they are doing. I'm not saying you aren't one of those users, but it is not something we could ever recommend as a "fix". I hope you understand.

 

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I do understand, and thank you for posting this clarification Haz.

 

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Not sure I'm editing my registry correctly. I found the portal path file, when i double click it i get an empty box that i put the location of asheron's call in. Decal still doesnt find AC though.