by Paul Gardiner, creator of Glidos and VDos32 (with a few additions by Stella)

The following is a simple, step-by-step guide to installing Tomb Raider 1 and the Unfinished Business bonus levels on a PC running Windows Vista. Please note that this is a work in progress and there are still a few issues to be worked out. Still, this is a great start and improvements are on the way.

THE USUAL DISCLAIMERS: Glidos and VDos32 are totally reputable programs, and you shouldn't have any problems if you follow these installation instructions; however, tombraiders.net does not support any of these files and is not responsible for anything that happens to your computer as a result of downloading or installing them. If you have any questions or problems, please seek support through the links in the Troubleshooting section below.

Necessary & Recommended Files

To Set Up TR1/Unfinished Business Using Glidos & VDos32:

1. Insert your Tomb Raider or Unfinished Business CD. If your computer has more than one CD-ROM drive, be sure to use the one with the letter designation closest to A. For example, use C: rather than D:.
2. Exit the program without installing but leave the CD in the drive.
3. If you want to play the downloaded version of the Unfinished Business bonus levels, you must first download (above) and install them. Use the 3dfx version (trub3dfx.exe).
4. Download and install TrAndUbForGlidos.exe (above).
5. Download and install Glidos (above). If you already have Glidos, make sure it is version 1.37 or later to ensure compatibility with VDos32.
6. Download VDos32 and move it into the Glidos folder (which should be C:\Program Files\Glidos).
7. Unlock VDos32: Double-click the VDos32.exe icon. Click "Run" then "Unlock" and then "Unlock over the internet." When the message "done" appears in the window, click "Close" and then quit VDos32. Unlocking the program is free and you need to do it once.
8. Run Glidos and make a few changes to its configuration: To run Glidos, double-click the Glidos.exe icon or the Glidos desktop shortcut. Then click the "Adjust" button.
   
   
   1. Under the "Display" tab, change OpenGL to Direct3D.
   2. Under the "DOS" tab, check the "Use VDos32" box.
   3. If you like, you can also change things like screen resolution, windowed or full-screen mode, use of optional sound and texture packs, etc., in this setup area of Glidos.
9. Press "Start game" to run TR1. The next time you run the game, everything will already be set up. So you can just run Glidos and click "Start game".
10. If you are using Glidos and like the way it runs, visit the Glidos site and pay to unlock Glidos and remove the spinning Glidos logo from the game.

To Set Up TR1/Unfinished Business Using VDos32 Only:

1. Insert your Tomb Raider or Unfinished Business CD. If your computer has more than one CD-ROM drive, be sure to use the one with the letter designation closest to A. For example, use C: rather than D:.
2. Exit the program without installing but leave the CD in the drive.
3. If you want to play the downloaded version of the Unfinished Business bonus levels, you must first download (above) and install them. Use the software version (trubsoft.exe).
4. Download and install TrAndUbForVDos32.exe (above).
5. Download VDos32 to your desktop or anywhere else on your system.
6. Unlock VDos32: Double-click the VDos32.exe icon. Click "Run" then "Unlock" and then "Unlock over the internet." When the message "done" appears in the window, click "Close" and then quit VDos32. Unlocking the program is free and you need to do it once.
7. Run Tomb Raider or Unfinished Business by running VDos32. Then click the "Load Program" button and browse to the tomb.exe or tombub.exe program. These should be in C:\TOMBRAID. When you select tomb.exe or tombub.exe and click "Open", the game should start.
   
   The next time you run the game, repeat step 7 to play.

NOTE: Without Glidos, you can only run the game in software mode, so the graphics will be quite rough. You cannot run the game full-screen, only in windowed mode. Also, there will be no background sounds. Currently these can only be restored using Glidos and the Tomb Raider Audio Pack.

VDos32 is still in development, and there are some known issues, which will hopefully be worked out in time. Currently VDos32 only works with 32-bit (not 64-bit) Vista installations. Background sounds are not present unless you use Glidos and the optional Tomb Raider Audio Pack (above). Also, you may experience some crackling sound during gameplay and FMV sequences. However, Paul is on the case and hopes to have this sorted out soon. At this stage in its development, VDos32 is free, though later versions may require a fee to unlock.

For more information and support, visit the Glidos and VDos32 sites.

Finally, my TR1 & Windows XP/2000 Quick Installation Guide has a few tips that are also relevant to Vista users, including links to the optional Tomb Raider Xtra texture packs. See the sections on Advanced Options/Troubleshooting and Support, at the bottom of that page.

[TR1 Downloads Page | Main Page | TR1 Walkthrough]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Glidos and VDos32 were created by Paul Gardiner. His sites include additional credits for the help he received in its development. Many thanks to Paul for the tireless help he's given the gaming community.

Walkthroughs and related diagrams copyright © 2006-2008 - Stellalune (email ). Feel free to print, quote and share the information on this site, but kindly include the copyright and contact info at the bottom of each page so people can send me their corrections, comments and suggestions. Also, if you'd like to offer my walkthroughs on your own website, please read and follow the instructions here.

Stella's Tomb Raider Site: http://tombraiders.net.