MS Tinker: How to

To install Microsoft Tinker, carry out the following steps:

1. Create a folder under Program Files (x86) and call it Microsoft Games.
2. If you are dual-booting with Vista Ultimate, browse to the same folder there. Open this folder and copy folder inside (Tinker) to the folder you created above. Respond to any UAC prompts. If you have Vista Ultimate on a separate machine, copy this folder onto a USB memory stick and then copy it to Windows 7 as described above.
3. Goto the Microsoft Downloads and download and install DirectX (you will need to install the Genuine Advantage Tool). I recommend that you use the 32-bit browser for this.
4. Open the newly created folder and right click on the shortcut and select Send To > Desktop (create shortcut).
   
5. Right-click the newly created shortcut (on your desktop) and select Properties.
6. Select the Compatibility tab and select Windows Vista as shown below:
   

You may now run the game by clicking on the shortcut. Please note that there will be a delay before the game starts, so just be patient.

My Program Files already has a Microsoft Games folder with all the usual games in it so it doesn't need creating.

Which DirectX version does Tinker need - 9.0c?

I had it working but now since I did a System Restore it's stopped so am starting over from scratch.

Hi Peter,

The folder, Microsoft Games, needs to be created in the Program Files (x86) folder (for 64-bit versions).

Just install the latest version, currently DirectX November 2008 Update.

Understood. Is it me or is this forum acting up in IE8?

Ex_Brit said:

Understood. Is it me or is this forum acting up in IE8?

Do you mean the occassional glitches with the fonts, like the image below?

This also happens with other sites, and appears to be random. I think that there is a bug in the font rendering engine, and have sent a report to Microsoft about it.

No, it loads and just when I think I can start typing my reply it'll move up a couple of inches. I'll try clearing my cache and temp files etc. It's most likely at my end.

By the way, in your Tute above "Open the newly created folder and right click on the shortcut and select Send To > Desktop (create shortcut)." shouldn't that read right click on the .exe...?

It doesn't matter whether you create a shortcut from the shortcut that is already there or directly from the executable.

Aha, thanks. Got it working now.