Hello all. I am seeking assistance with a problem that has me astounded. Here is the issue:

OK, I realize that SC3 is very old and that it is probably a bit late to be asking questions about it. but anyway, I found an old SC3 disc in my neighbor's trash can a few months ago. So i installed it on my Windows 7 Ultimate 64- bit operating system. I figured that it would complain about being installed on a 64 bit OS. But it didnt, which i find unusual, because I've also tried installing Command And Conquer: Red Alert from a disc that I bought at a flea market (the game was released in the mid 90s and is either 32 or 16 bit if i'm not mistaken). It complained that it isnt compatible with 64 bit. I was wondering if anyone has had that problem.

Anyway, I have played it for awhile now, just to bring back some nostalgia from the old days when I was a kid in the 90s (I'm 26 now). I recently found out about the SC3 Building Architect Tool, which i downloaded from a website that i found on google (The official EA/SimCity website, i think). It was composed of a v1.1 patch and the actual BAT installer. The 1.1 patch stated that it had installed successfully. Then it proceeded to install the BAT. Then it stated that i must install DirectX 6. i already have the most recent version of DirectX, but i clicked yes to install anyway, upon which it stated that the install completed successfully (I think it is interesting to note that when i first tried to install the patch and BAT, it said that the SC3 installation couldnt be found, but the 2nd time around, after reinstalling sc3, it didnt complain).

So i went to my start menu and clicked on the BAT link to start tool that had supposedly just installed. but then it gave a message stating that SC3BAT.exe couldnt be found. I searched my hard disk for it but couldnt locate it. i also couldnt find the BAT help files. the link in my start menu is a shortcut, which means that it is only a shortcut to the SC3BAT.exe file, which is nonexistent but is supposed to be there. I also checked my SC3 installation to make sure it is the US English version and i also made sure i downloaded the english version of the BAT and v1.1 patch.

Has anyone had this problem? could it be due to the fact that i'm running windows 7, or a 64 bit OS? or coulld it be that there is something wrong with the BAT installer?

I also have the SimCity 3000 Unlimited game installed as well. when i installed it it gave me a message that SC3U Building Architect Plus is being installed and would overwrite the old BAT for SC3 (Not unlimited). However, i checked beforehand (before installing SC3U, SC3 was the only game installed) and the SC3 BAT files werent even present on my HD!!!

i read that the BAT for SC3 isnt compatible with SC3U. but is the BAT Plus program for SC3U compatible with both SC3U AND SC3? so how could it overwrite files that were never there in the 1st place?!

And lastly, i would like to know if someone is willing to email me the SC3BAT.EXE and the help files (for the SC3 BAT program, not SC3U). it would be even more helpful if someone could email me the entire BAT installation files (not the BAT installer itself, which i already have, but the actual files that are installed as a result of running the 1.1 patch and BAT installer). if someone will send me a private message then i will disclose my email address, i dont give it out on public forums because of email spam bot harvesters that scour the Web collecting email addresses).

Well, i appreciate any help and i thank you guys for your time. I've never really been good at playing SimCity (except for the super nintendo entertainment system version), but i enjoyed it alot and wanted to experience the nostalgia again.its also interesting to note that i've never played any of the sc games released after SC3U. i havent been keeping up with it at all until now, since i've spent so many years in trouble with the law and getting a job and housing, etc.

Reply soon........................