4 GB patch for Future Pinball and BAM. A must have!

[TerryRed]

 

Future Pinball is.... OLD.

 

Future Pinball is an older 32 bit program, which means that (by default) it's only allowed to access up to 2 GB of ram to use. Windows did this with the assumption that anyone running a 32 bit program in a 32 bit version of Windows (which can only access 4 GB total) will need 2 GB of ram for Windows and anything else running in the background.

 

Much has changed since 2008! Today, most everyone is using a 64 bit version of Windows, and the RAM access limitations for 32 bit apps is no longer an issue since Windows can access far beyond 4 GB of ram. So anyone who has 6 GB or more of ram (most people today have at least 8 GB or more) can make use of up to 4 GB for any 32 bit application.

 

 

 

MORE! Gimme MORE!

 

Now everyone (with 6 GB ram or higher and 64 bit Windows) can change both Future Pinball and BAM so they can access up to 4 GB now instead of 2 GB. This will allow FP much more room to breath, and have less chances of crashing for certain tables. Newer modern BAM based tables (ok, usually my releases) are getting to the point where they are pushing that 2 GB limit with Future Pinball.

 

 

 

Hacks not needed!

 

In the past (before the days of BAM) there were previous hacked versions of the FP exe that had the ability to access more ram, including the Zed 64 bit versions. To be clear, these were never "64 bit" version of FP, but they simply allowed it to access up to 4 GB of ram. The problem was, that because these were hacked / modified exe, some of them caused other issues (such as missing light flares, light flares that passed through things, invisible drop targets, wouldn't work with other programs such as DOFLinx, etc).

 

Today, it is always recommended to only use the original FP exe, as there is no need to use a hacked version of the FP exe. BAM has included all the extra features we would ever need.

 

 

 

REQUIREMENTS

 

- 64 bit version of Windows

- 6 GB or more of ram

- original unmodified version of Future Pinball.exe

- 4 GB patch applied to FuturePinball.exe and FPLoader.exe

 

 

 

4 GB Patch for 32 bit programs

 

Since everyone should be using the original FuturePinball.exe, how do we allow it to use up to 4 GB of ram? We use this handy little app located here:

 

https://ntcore.com/?page_id=371

 

Just download it to your Future Pinball folder, run 4gb_patch.exe, and apply it to your Future Pinball.exe and FPLoader.exe (in BAM folder and BAM-OpenVR folder if using that). Don't worry it will backup the original files for you! This does not hack the FuturePinball.exe. It simply changes a flag on it that Windows will recognize to allow it to access up to 4 GB of ram.

 

That's all you need to do!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Set BAM to Windows 8 Compatibility Settings

 

Recent updates to Windows 10 and Windows 11 cause Future Pinball-BAM to crash once a table starts up for many people. You need to change FPLoader.exe (in BAM folder and BAM-OpenVR folder if using that) to Windows 8 Compatibility settings.

 

 

 

 

 

Updating BAM

 

Whenever you update BAM in the future, don't forget to reapply the 4 GB patch to the new copy of FPLoader.exe!

 

 

 

Anti-Virus / Defender

 

It's possible that this new patched file may get flagged depending on how your anti-virus / Windows Defender is setup. This is not uncommon when applying a patch / modification to a Windows program. Most people have no issue, but some have said they needed to add exceptions to the Future Pinball folder to be able to apply the 4 GB patch.

 

 

 

Seems to work fine with other apps that are used with Future Pinball

 

There was concern in the past that running a hacked version of the FuturePinball.exe would not allow other programs such as DOFLinx, FutureDMD, FP Intercept, etc to work correctly. We are not using those with this patch. We are using the original FP exe.

 

Since applying this 4 GB patch, I have had no problems getting the following to run in any mode (desktop, arcade/cabinet mode, vr, etc)

 

- DOFLinx

- DOF for PinEvent

- Pinup Player for PinEvent

- PUP DMD and PUP Stream for PinEvent

- DMDExt (for mirroring FP DMDs to real or LCD monitors)

- all BAM features

- VR

 

 

 

BIG Tables coming out in the future will need this!

 

I can tell you that I will now most likely be using more than the 2 GB limit on some of my future releases such as Silent Hill and RetroFlair 2.

 

So you may as well update Future Pinball and BAM to allow it to use 4 GB now.

 

 

Let me know if you experience any issues with using this 4 GB patch!

 

 

 

[massico88]

interesting, I made the update.

Cant wait for some future Pinballs !!

 

Thank you 🙂

 

I had to make an Exception on my Anti-Virus..

Soo All good now.

 

 

 

[richpuch]

@TerryRed  I just tried the 4GB patch and it seemed to work on the Future Pinball.exe  but on the FPLoader.exe  in the BAM folder, it creates the backup and I loose the main exe file.  I tried it twice and both times it did the same.  I even copied the 4gb_patch.exe into the BAM folder and tried it with no luck.  I've upgraded to latest BAM and same issue.  If I try it on my desktop, I have no issues.  After some tries I noticed the patched file is deleted shortly after I patch it.  I check my windows security and found that windows security is blocking the file because of Trojan:win32/Bearfoos.A!ml.  So I went ahead and restored it and I think it works.  How can you tell if the file is patched for 4GB?

 

 

Rich

 

[TerryRed]

15 hours ago, richpuch said:

@TerryRed  I just tried the 4GB patch and it seemed to work on the Future Pinball.exe  but on the FPLoader.exe  in the BAM folder, it creates the backup and I loose the main exe file.  I tried it twice and both times it did the same.  I even copied the 4gb_patch.exe into the BAM folder and tried it with no luck.  I've upgraded to latest BAM and same issue.  If I try it on my desktop, I have no issues.  After some tries I noticed the patched file is deleted shortly after I patch it.  I check my windows security and found that windows security is blocking the file because of Trojan:win32/Bearfoos.A!ml.  So I went ahead and restored it and I think it works.  How can you tell if the file is patched for 4GB?

 

 

Rich

 

 

 

Like I mentioned above...Defender doesn't like the file because it's been modified, but the file is fine. This is not uncommon for any program that get modified, as the Windows certificates may no longer be seen as valid, etc.

 

Most people just add an exception for their A/V or Defender for the entire Future Pinball folder.

 

Compare the new file with the original file. If the new file shows it was created and modified on the day you patched it, then it was patched.

 

 

[GeorgeH]

12 hours ago, TerryRed said:

...Most people just an exception for their A/V or Defender for the entire Future Pinball folder. ...

 

On Defender, I have found you can add an exception to remove stuff from the periodic scans that you perform.  However, the exception does not seem to work on the real time protection which is what usually causes trouble when you play a table.  I have not been able to figure out a way add exceptions to the real time protection.  There might be a way but I don't know how.  

Edited July 11, 2022 by GeorgeH

[TerryRed]

41 minutes ago, GeorgeH said:

 

On Defender, I have found you can add an exception to remove stuff from the periodic scans that you perform.  However, the exception does not seem to work on the real time protection which is what usually causes trouble when you play a table.  I have not been able to figure out a way add exceptions to the real time protection.  There might be a way but I don't know how.  

 

There isn't a way to disable that completely (in respect to it causing some tables to run poorly, like Polygame's tables, etc).

 

Myself, I disable Defender and all its services completely (you'd need to google how to do that, as it changes with newer updates). I'll use MalwareBytes, if needed.

 

 

[GeorgeH]

10 hours ago, TerryRed said:

Myself, I disable Defender and all its services completely (you'd need to google how to do that, as it changes with newer updates). I'll use MalwareBytes, if needed.

That works if you don't have your PC connected to the internet.  I use my PC for everything.  I think not having an antivirus program when you PC is connected to the internet is asking for trouble.  In fact, I have MalwareBytes and use it combined with Defender.  That is why I always try to remove "execute" and "eval" functions from tables I mod.  

[TerryRed]

3 hours ago, GeorgeH said:

That works if you don't have your PC connected to the internet.  I use my PC for everything.  I think not having an antivirus program when you PC is connected to the internet is asking for trouble.  In fact, I have MalwareBytes and use it combined with Defender.  That is why I always try to remove "execute" and "eval" functions from tables I mod.  

 

All my PC's are online and I use them for everything, and all of them have Defender completely disabled. I've been using the same Windows install since Win 10 has come out. Not a single virus / malware issue on any of them.

 

I also provide IT support for a living, so I know exactly what to avoid.  It's not something everyone can (or should) do.

 

The problem is, for "players", they won't be modding table scripts. Many people disable Defender on pincabs, etc because it causes problems for much more than just FP and VPX and PUP, etc. Installing another A/V app (that doesn't cause the same problem) is fine for the majority of people if needed.

[Awaymag]

@TerryRed, Hi, with the baller installer (Jan release) is the future pinball already patched for 4gb or does it still need to be done?   Is there any way to check if patched or not?

[outhere]

Take a look on the ball installer wiki page it will tell you what's installed by the installer and what's not

[TerryRed]

9 hours ago, Awaymag said:

@TerryRed, Hi, with the baller installer (Jan release) is the future pinball already patched for 4gb or does it still need to be done?   Is there any way to check if patched or not?

 

The 4 GB patch is already applied with the latest Baller Installer updates, and the FP and BAM Essentials AIO.

[Awaymag]

9 hours ago, TerryRed said:

 

The 4 GB patch is already applied with the latest Baller Installer updates, and the FP and BAM Essentials AIO.

Thanks for confirmation.   I love your tables and have Star Wars, Sonic and He-man all playing great.  I cant for the life of me get Aliens Legacy - Game Over man' to load, it starts to load gets to the end and the last message I see on screen is something like found: Shadow.......  and then the playing field goes back to windows and the backless and DMD have the aliens pictures on it.   I then have to exit the emulator and exit VP but the backglass and DMD still have the aliens pictures on them.   I have DMDext active but cant figure out why its not working?

[TerryRed]

19 hours ago, Awaymag said:

Thanks for confirmation.   I love your tables and have Star Wars, Sonic and He-man all playing great.  I cant for the life of me get Aliens Legacy - Game Over man' to load, it starts to load gets to the end and the last message I see on screen is something like found: Shadow.......  and then the playing field goes back to windows and the backless and DMD have the aliens pictures on it.   I then have to exit the emulator and exit VP but the backglass and DMD still have the aliens pictures on them.   I have DMDext active but cant figure out why its not working?

 

Try testing using one of my "Start FP" bat files to run FP outside a front-end. Those BAT files will set FP to use the correct settings.

 

Also, try testing using the "Start FP - PinEvent, dmdext" (cant recall exact name) specifically which will disable the FP Backbox 2nd screen. For some people (with AMD GPUs for example), enabling the FP 2nd screen (Backbox) can cause a crash on some tables.