Old version of SFS extractor - needs a VM but can work - Link in Post 2

[skwabie]

I'm looking to make some my own edits to the game, but apparently the SFS extractor link has long been expired. I've googled to death on the web and nothing exists.

In the meantime QuickBMS by Luigi Auriemma does work with ToW's SFS files, but without a filelist like reference, the extracted contents have only scrambled filenames and no folder structure.
There is also the extractor for IL2 sturmovik, but apparently ToW and IL2 uses different compression methods so it plain out doesn't work.

If anyone still has ToW's SFS extractor privately stored, I'd definitely appreciate a copy. TIA!!

[SVar]

Hello, here is the old version of the SFS extractor with filelist.txt https://yadi.sk/d/FQyvp74Pm1lJrw
but it's probably not complete...
If you have any information about extraction files from this game, please contact to me.

[skwabie]

Aha! While clearing out my email box, I found SFS extractor for TOW, sent by Dr. Jones himself. This is the one. Password for the .rar is 1234
mediafire dot com/file/vwi0s4pwws67ynh/SFSExtractor-Tow1_Tow2_pw_1234.rar/file

EDIT. This is NOT the one, but it can be made to work.

History: this one was sent around Apr, 2010. There were at least 2 more consecutive versions of SfSExtractor, one was made to work with later versions of TOW2, and the next one was made to be compatible with 64bit OS.
However, all of these tools were hosted on Battlefront. However now Battlefront.com has wiped EVERYTHING. So they're all gone. (The ones that say electronic storage provides longevity? Hmm..)

How to make this work: First, this version of SFSExtractor only works on 32bit OS. The solution, lest actual dual booting, one needs an .ISO or DVD with a 32bit OS on it to make a virtual machine. I happen to have a Win7 32Bit ISO so got this done with VirtualBox. (Took out my win7 DVD, but rationality prevailed towards a VM!)
Next, for SFSExtractor to run on win7, Data Execution Prevention needs to be off. The cmd line is "bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff". Needs reboot.
Third, this version works very well with TOW1, but doesn't work on TOW2. The culprit is the file rts.dll located in the game's root folder (it's there in all versions of TOW). Before launching SFSExtractor, make a backup of TOW2's rts.dll, and replace the original with the one from TOW1. It has to be swapped back before launching the game, otherwise TOW2 won't start.

In case one doesn't have TOW1, here's a copy of its rts.dll file
mediafire dot com/file/exr5nbh8xjqy4v3/rts.dll_TOW1.rar/file

[skwabie]

Procmon settings.
It's not perfect, but works!
edited: updated pic, better filters.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2499323408

[SpeedWolf]

Hi there, the download link are dead.

[skwabie]

Originally posted by SpeedWolf:

Hi there, the download link are dead.

They're not. In the name of (probably) piracy, corporate Steam censors mediafire. You have to change "dot" to " . "

[76561198350949232]

Hi. I had a lot of trouble having it work because after setting up a virtual machine (i used Virtual Box 7 with Windows XP Mode) i had to install also Dot net (i used 2.0) to have the extractor launch, but at last it is working now. Thanks !