Thirdage - "missing file kingdoms.exe"

[Jimmy0117]

I love this game and thirdage mod for it, although I don't have this game on steam, many of the issue resolves are pretty similar for the disc. This is for everyone who has had issues with "windows cannot find kingdoms.exe file", but have tried the fix (renaming the medeival2.exe). So like many people, I am all of a sudden having this issue where windows cannot find the file blah blah, I have done hours and hours of research, tried multiple fixes (always run the installer as admin) and yet it just will not work. I am looking for anyone to help me resolve this issue, as I just can't seem to find a fix on the web (btw, base game of Med 2 works fine, this is just an issue with thirdage). please someone help, I love this mod and I would love to continue playing it.

Specs: Windows 10
-Graphics card: MSI GTX 960
-about 8GB of Ram
-1TB Hard Drive, 300GB SSD
-motherboard intel DB85FL
-processor intel core i5-4670k

PLEASE HELP

[HazardHawk]

There are literally hundreds of posts here asking the same question and it is explained under several guides in several places. Even a simple google search will tell you make a duplicate of your Medieval2.exe and rename it Kingdoms.exe.

EDIT: But thank you for the specs. If it were an actual computer or game issue they would assist me in helping you.

[Gigantus]

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=859017394

[Inardesco]

Originally posted by HazardHawk:

EDIT: But thank you for the specs. If it were an actual computer or game issue they would assist me in helping you.

Slowly, but surely, it is eating away at everyone with a helping hand :P

[Gigantus]

Considering that I have my TATW install tutorial also at TWC I just dusted off my rtfm smiley....

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll264/Gigantus_pics/Emoticons/rtfm.gif

[Jimmy0117]

Thankyou all for the quick replys, but none of these solutions have worked (I have tried run the fixer which Gigantus sent and tried manually), As far as I'm aware the fix is working because there are no errors when doing it, but I still get the error message "windows cannot find kingdoms.exe"
Is it possibly windows blocking certain files?

[Inardesco]

First; Don't use the launcher t hat came with the mod.
Second; http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=290002657

[Jimmy0117]

Thankyou for the link Inardesco, but when I get to the 2nd step and put in the name Third_age_3 at the MODNAME section, it comes up with an error saying that name is not valid. What am I doing wrong?

[HazardHawk]

You are running into permissions problems and it is disallowing writing or using any changes you are making. This will also interfere with running mods off of a bat file.

I apologize I was irritable earlier in my reply.

I can explain how and why if you like, but your account likely does not have the administrative rights to change files in areas that are considered protected; namely within a subdirectory of program files and program files (x86). Depending on how deep that restriction goes, you may have to use Steam Launch Options to activate that mod rather than the bat file.

You can try several things. First, right click and copy your Medieval2.exe, go to Documents, paste it in, then rename it Kingdoms.exe (NOTE: If you do not see .exe in the file name before you make a change, do not add it in.) Once renamed, right click, select copy, go back to your medieval 2 folder and right click to pste it back in.

You can open the config launcher and change the heading so it is looking for Medieval2.exe instead of Kingdoms.exe.

Or you can use Steam Launch Options...

https://forums.totalwar.com/discussion/132407/medieval-ii-how-to-run-mods-after-22-07-2014-update

[Gigantus]

Have you checked your installation path? It's described in one of the 'Error Solving' points in my tutorial. That is the only reason as far as I am concerned as you have the kingdoms.exe in the right place.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll264/Gigantus_pics/Emoticons/rtfm.gif

Error Solving

Underneath a list of possible reasons why the short cut method will not work after creating the kingdoms application file:

The mod has been installed into the wrong folder: to check, simply right click the mod's original desktop shortcut and choose 'open file location'. Make sure the path to this folder looks similar to this: ...\Medieval II Total War\mods\MyFavoriteMod. If it is somewhere else then the easiest way is to delete the folder and it's desktop short cut and install again. More experienced users can try their hand at moving the folder into the right directory - a new desktop shortcut for the BAT file will need to created then.

[Jimmy0117]

I have now tried all of these and is all I can think is there may be a problem with how I installed medieval 2 total war, is it possible that my computer could have blocked certain files without telling me? Also couuld be I just have a version of medieval 2 which doesn't like mods, because I have had issues with Third age countless times. If I bought the game on steam would that possibly fix my issues?

Thankyou for all the quick comments and help guys.

[Gigantus]

Did you check that the link from your desktop shortcut ends up in the mods\TATW folder?
Are you the admin of the machine you are using?

Third Age is not for sale on Steam if that is what you mean - don't want to think if you meant anything else. If you have indeed one of those 'jinxed' M2TW Steam versions then this method should work. Make sure there is no entry in the default Steam Launch Option.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=858982719

[Inardesco]

Perhaps the most basic question that my fellow colleagues have forgotten to ask;

Are you sure you installed TATW into the right folder?

[Jimmy0117]

Im certain that I installed Thirdage into the right folder, and I am the admin user (although when I install the mod I still run as admin anyway just incase). When I meant buy the game on steam I meant Medeieval 2, because I have the disk version :)

[HazardHawk]

Originally posted by Jimmy0117:

Im certain that I installed Thirdage into the right folder, and I am the admin user (although when I install the mod I still run as admin anyway just incase). When I meant buy the game on steam I meant Medeieval 2, because I have the disk version :)

If you have the disk version go to top of steam, click games, click activate a product on steam, enter your Medieval 2 key and you get Medieval 2 and Kingdoms.

[Jimmy0117]

well that seemed to do it, for some reason the steam version works very easily. Thankyou all for your help and time :)