Windows 10 Installation
We have successfully tested from game #6 on up on Windows 7, 8, and 10 (we also have had success installing games 3-5 when running in compatibility mode; and games 1-2 using the special instructions on our website and running in compatibility mode) and have found that installing the game when logged in as administrator and with anti-virus software temporarily disabled has been successful.
If you have already installed one of our games on a Windows 10 system and are having issues; please try doing a clean install using the following instructions, otherwise skip down to the instructions under “Reinstall” for installation on a Windows 10 system.
Completely uninstall your game.
Uninstall:
1. Go to the folder where your saved games are located. The default locations are:
Windows Vista and Windows 7/8/10: C:\Users\Username\Documents\[Game Title]
Make a note of the location of your saved game folder.
2. In the saved game folder, delete any configuration files (.config extension).
3. Go to Start Menu > Start Search or Search Bar. Search for all files and folders by Game Title (e.g. The Captive Curse).
4. Delete all results EXCEPT for the saved game folder and the setup.exe file. Empty the Recycle Bin.
NEXT Update your PC. Update any drivers that need it and general windows configurations.
Restart your computer.
Reinstall:
Make sure you’re logged on as an Administrator for your computer, temporarily disable your anti-virus protection (make sure to re-enable your anti-virus protection after the game download is complete), and manually install by taking the following steps:
1. Go to your Documents folder and create a new folder. Name the folder with the title of the game.
2. If installing from disc, insert game Disc 1 in your disc drive. Go to Start Menu > Computer *Note* if installing from digital download skip steps 2 and 3.
3. Right-click your CD-Rom/DVD drive and choose Open.
4. Look for the Setup file (this file will display as Setup Application, Setup.exe, or Setup Launcher Installshield). Double-click this file to start the installation process.
5. Move through the install process until you reach Choose Destination Location. Click the Browse button or Change button.
6. Navigate to the game folder you created by double-clicking in the Directories box. Select C: drive > Users > User name > Documents > the game folder you created. When you have the correct Path,
choose OK.
7. Continue forward with the installation process. When asked if you want to install DirectX, check “No, I will install myself.”
8. Upon completion, click finish and exit setup.
You may also need to (specifically for games 1-5):
1. Right-click the game icon that is now on your desktop, select ‘Properties’.
2. Under ‘Properties’, click on the ‘Compatibility’ tab.
3. Check the ‘Run in Compatibility Mode’ box and then select ‘Windows XP Service Pack 3’ or ‘Windows 98/Me’ from the drop-down menu.
This did not work. Trying to get White Wolf of Icicle Creek, but after reinstall and all the steps above it didn’t work. I then tried all the compatibility settings and none of them worked.
Hello Trey, would you please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com, remind them of the operating system you are on, and let them know where you bought the game. We can help you further! Thanks!
I have the exact same problem. Why does it take me longer to install the games than to play it.
Hi Michelle, would you also please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com and let us know which game you are trying to install? That way we can help you out further. Thank you!
Did you ever get a response and fix for this?
Did you ever get a fix for this?
Hi ,
My Nancy drew game is coming up in a tiny window in the middle of the screen when i launch the game.
I am using windows 10 on a windows surface computer.
I have tried deleting the INI files with no luck and changing the screen resolution.
Hello Josie! Have you tried adjusting the in-game settings to “full screen” mode? Feel free to email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com so we can help you further.
I have a surface pro with windows 10…can I download Danger on Deception Island and other games on here that are older, made for windows 98/me/xp? I love the Nancy Drew games and got these as a gift. Thank you for your help.
Hello Karissa! Yes, you can totally download and install the older games on a Windows 10 machine. Just be sure to follow the extra installation directions here, and if you need help, please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com.
i am having a problem with white wolf of icicle creek. I have downloaded and installed but when i double click the icon it starts to load but justs goes away. I am running windows 10
Hello Tina, would you please email techsupport@herinteractive.com with this issue? Thank you!
ME TOO!!!! HOW DO I GET IT TO WORK
I am also having this same problem. I e-mailed tech support, but did they get back to you. 0
I emailed them about it but never got a response. Mine does the same thing. All of the games install just fine but when I go to play it the icon pops up at the bottom of the screen briefly before going away. I’ve actually emailed them a couple of times now with no response. I tried all of the install instructions and the reinstall instructions and the same thing happens. I don’t have trouble installing it, just getting it to load so I can play.
Hello Gianina! We tried looking for your emails but do not see any. Perhaps they were lost in cyber space…? Would you please email us again at techsupport@herinteractive.com? Thank you!
Gianina, did you ever find a solution to this problem? I am having the exact same issue with my game. I’ve been communicating with tech support, but so far we’ve had no luck getting it to run. Just wondered if you ever got yours to work?
Yes, I’ve been struggling with this issue too! I’m going to email tech support anyway, but I also wanted to ask here if any of you were able to resolve it? I miss being able to play Nancy Drew!
I have the same problem! How is there not an easy fix/ easy way to get help for it
Hello Michelle, if these options are not working for you, we can help walk you through the steps for running our old games on newer operating systems. Please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com and let us know which game(s) you are having trouble installing, thank you!
I am having this same issue!! Did you ever find a solution?
Hi Jaselyn! If you are still having trouble with your game installation, please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com and let us know which game it is. Thanks!
bonjour jai windows 10 et je narive pas a installer ” Nancy drew la malediction perdu ” pourrizer vous maider sil vous plait merci davance
I can’t install The Haunting of Castle Malloy. It says its installed, but it does not let me play afterwards.
Hi Jenna! Would you please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com with this issue? Thank you!
I have an RCA Cambio Tablet, and the OS is Windows 10. Can I download any of the ND games onto this tablet? I am tech dumb, especially when it comes to these tablets. Thanks in advanced
Hello Katy! What a great question! If I were you, I would check the specs of the tablet (size, space, speed/RAM, etc.) and see it it is compatible with the game specs. We have never tried it on that tablet, so I cannot promise it will work.
I am trying to install Sea of Darkness on my windows 10. I keep getting a cyclical redundancy error. I’ve tried to the method of making your own folder destination (which has been successful in the past) but I haven’t had any luck.
Hello Sarah! Would you please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com with this issue? Thank you!
Hi! I cant download the game… I bought it from the webpage, its a digital version and when i click on download a “403 Forbidden” page comes up.
Hello Sofia! That shouldn’t happen, would you please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com and let us know which game you are trying to install? Thanks!
I’m having a hard time installing Blue Moon Canyon. I’ve done everything you said but when I go to insert the second disk and click OK I keep getting an error message that says “Setup could not find a file on the specified path or disk” Why is this happening? I am making sure the correct folder I created is up.
Hi Jackie – Please contact our Tech Support team and they will be able to help you with this issue. They can be reached at techsupport@herinteractive.com. Thanks for supporting HeR Interactive and Nancy Drew Games!
I’m having the same problem. What do you do to fix it?
Hello I’m running Windows 10. I’ve downloaded and installed stay tuned for danger but have no desktop icon and when I try to play the game from the documents file it comes up with an error message about incorrect INI path. What do I do?
Hello Tobi! Please check out our installation video on this page here. If you still have trouble, please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com.
I followed these instructions, but am never asked if I want to install Direct X. It just finishes and I get a message that Direct X didn’t install and I should uninstall and reinstall.
Hi Rachel! Would you please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com so we can help you out further? Thank you!
I’ve been trying to get danger on deception island to run for 2 days but I keep getting this error,
Unable to open CAL or CIF TREE file: C:\Program Files\Nancy Drew danger on deception island wont run\CIFTREE.DAT
Check the path in your .ini file.
I click OK then get another error
Error: Access violation at 0x0041437A (treied to read from 0x0000000), program terminated.
I ran as an Administrator and changed setting to run as windows vista and windows 6, I tried reinstalling it and restarting my laptop, I also tired downloading from a disk and BigFishGames and nothing works
Hello Heather! Have you tried installing it to a new folder on your desktop, instead of letting it install in the Program Files folders? Check out this post here for additional details: https://www.herinteractive.com/2014/04/ini-error-or-calciftree-error/ if this doesn’t help, please contact us at techsupport@herinteractive.com. Thank you!
Hi!
I have been trying to download secret of the Old CLock on a windows 10 computer and I keep getting the CIF Tree error. Please help! I followed the instructions above.
Hello Ashley! If those instructions didn’t help, try these instructions. If those don’t help, feel free to contact us at techsupport@herinteractive.com, thanks!
Perfect! I’ll try that. Any tips on how to follow these instructions where there is two CDs?
I’ve been trying to run Secret of the Scarlet Hand on my Windows 10 desktop, but I always get an “ERROR – incorrect path to INI file – C:\NANCYD~1\SECRET~1\Game.INI” message. Is there a way for me to fix this issue? I’ve been wanting to play this game for a long time.
Hello Lazar! Try these instructions here. If these do not work, let us know at techsupport@herinteractive.com. Thanks!
I tried Tiffany’s suggestion, but thanks anyway! Her suggestion went something like this: “This didn’t help for my ‘Nancy Drew’ games, but… I found something that did!
Just follow these steps:
1. Disable any antivirus you have on your computer.
2. Make sure you are signed in as administrator of your computer.
3. Make a new file and put the game name. Example: ‘Message in a Haunted Mansion’
4. Put in the game and then click on your computer icon.
5. Go to the CD/DVD Drive and open it.
6. Click on the setup icon and run it.
7. Click next until you get to the game destination. This is the most important part; type this in except put a change in the title to whatever ‘Nancy Drew’ game you’re trying to install.
Example:‘C:\program files\Nancy Drew\Message in a Haunted Mansion\’. Make sure the file is put in ‘program files’ as this is what stops the INI error and lets you play.
This works with every game that I have tried that has the INI error.
Hope this helped!” By the way, how do I change my profile picture for this website?
Itryed everything and it don’t work on windows 10. I turn off my antivirus and I am the administrator of my computer and everything and it just don’t work. the game is odyssey Nancy drew. can someone pls help me??!
Hi Veca! Would you please let our techsupport@herinteractive.com know, so we can help you out further? Thanks!
So Ive downloaded the games from Amazon (for example, I am currently attempting to install The Deadly Device), and I follow all these instructions here. But there is no option when I install to install DirectX myself. It automatically installs, so when I go to open the game, it says that the DirectX is not compatible with this device.
I’m definitely going to need someone to walk me through the process.
Hi Mileah! If you need some additional help, please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com – be sure to let us know which game you are trying to install, too. Thank you!
I am trying to install Warnings at Waverly Academy but it only installs to a certain point and then stops I have tried it on my windows 10 computer and my grandmas windows 7 computer and it did the same thing on both. I got the game for Christmas but I think my mom said she bought new online from your website. It game with two physical discs. I am not receiving any error messages. I have another Nancy drew game that did the same thing but I was still able to play it without downloading it. I have tried multiple things and nothing has worked so far.
Hi Kaitelyn, please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com and let us know your computer specs and specify the game, as well. Thanks!
I have also bought a Nancy Drew game (Shadow at the Water’s Edge) from Amazon and am having tremendous trouble with it. As previously stated, theres no option to not install DirectX so the error code I get is ND-12126 and says “The installation of DirectX included with this game has failed. Please uninstall and reinstall the game to fix this problem.” This is my 3rd fresh install and still no change 🙁 Please help
Hello Ashe, would you please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com and let us know the details of how you tried installing the game? And remind the team that you are on Windows 10. Then we can help you out further, thanks!
After installing the digital version of Stay Tuned for Danger, it loaded correctly, but after I exited the game and then clicked on the game again, it suddenly said I needed to insert CD 1 which is impossible because it’s a digital download. Now it won’t let me play the game unless I insert the CD that I don’t have. Did I do something wrong, or is this some kind of glitch? Would really appreciate some help!
Hi Tiara, this game needs very specific install instructions. Please take a look at our video on the web page for Stay Tuned for Danger here, and if you need additional help after that, contact us at techsupport@herinteractive.com.
I did all of the instructions multiple times on my windows 10 laptop. I bought the digital copies of The Haunting of Castle Malloy and The Phantom of Venice. Everything goes fine until the end and it never asks me to install DirectX it just says finish. When I do that then try to open the game it does nothing.
Hi Hailey – would you please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com with these details so we can help you out further? Thank you!
For those of you struggling with this, the only way I’ve ever gotten the older games to work is to move the entire folder into my DOCUMENTS folder. So weird. Absolutely doesn’t make sense, but it works.
I’ve tried this for multiple games for all the different compatibility settings (Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, etc.) and games 16-20 (i have the disks for 20) won’t work although both older and newer games work.
Hi Rae! Please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com and mention the operating system and specific games, that way our team can help you out further. Thanks!
I’ve been trying to install The Captive Curse which I bought as a digital download. The game will fully install, but when it goes to launch it comes up with the DirectX error ND-12126 saying that the installation of DirectX has failed and to try uninstalling and reinstalling. Like other people have said, there was no option for installing DirectX yourself.
Hi Kelly! Would you please email us at techsupport@herinteractive.com so we can help you out further? Thanks!
I have tried this for games 7,8,9 and 19 and it does not work. I have a new windows 10 hp all in one. Has anyone had success downloading the older games?
Heads up: If you try to install an older game but the “setup” file doesn’t seem to exist on the CD, follow steps 1-3 on the reinstall part of this guide, then copy all the files from the CD to the new folder you created.
They’re deleting comments from customers who’ve already been helped. This community is way too tight knit to leave each other hanging the way these comment threads would have you believe. Why they’re forcing everyone to go through tech support instead of allowing the community to help each other troubleshoot, the world may never know. However, they better get this mess straightened out before the Nancy Drew Centennial is 2030. The sales from that year alone could probably float HeR Interactive for another decade, but their shooting themselves in the foot by shoving complaints in the corner instead of fixing the major issues with the older games. Let’s see how long this stays up, shall we?
Hi JookiePookie,
I’m not aware of anyone deleting comments after they have had their questions answered. Sometimes commentators will delete their own comments after their issue is solved. Do you have a particular game you are needing help to install on Windows 10? -Indy
I tried the instructions listed above to install Terror in the Royal Tower after spending hours getting errors and it worked!!
i still cant get shadow at waters edge to work and i have tried everything i dont have this issue with any of my other nancy drew games
Fix for anyone having issues in September 2022:
I hope this fix will help some of you. It worked for me. You need to have a compatible DirectX version to play the older games on Windows 10 and 11. You can download the DirectX End-User Runtime (June 2010) from Microsoft to get a package of the older versions. It will not affect your current installed DirectX. After downloading, you must extract the file into a folder (create a new one and name it the same) and then, click DXSetup in the folder to install it. After that, you should be able to run the game. (I recommend running as Administrator.) Good luck!