oops - reply deleted - thought you were asking how to play Pinball on a Vista machine.

This may be worth a shot... Uninstall, then reinstall the Pinball.

 

(WARNING: Reinstalling Pinball *may* require your Windows XP Pro disk. I have never done this particular Add / Remove before, so I cannot say for sure.) 

 

1.) Go to Control Panel, select Add or Remove Programs.

 

2.) Choose the Add or Remove Windows components.

 

3.)  While Accessories and Utilities is highlighted, choose Details.

 

4.) Choose Games, and the Details.

 

5.) Uncheck Pinball, and click okay enough times to close out all of the windows.

 

6.) Restart your computer (not sure if this is really needed - it's just a habit for me)

 

7.) Complete the same steps above, but tbhis time place the check next to pinball to reinstall it.

(NOTE: This step *may* require your Windows XP Pro disk) 

 

Let me know if this helps.  

 

 

All is not gloom and doom....

 

Do you have any friends with a Dell Windows XP Pro Reinstall Disk? As long as your license is valid, a Dell XP Pro disk will work for this (and also for future reinstalls)..... If a friend has one, simply copy it and archive it for future use..... As long as your license is valid, that is perfectly legal.

 

As far as this goes, it very well may NOT need the disk. I just don't know. Sometimes, Adding and Removing Windows Components does require the disk, other times not.... I gave the warning just to be safe....

 

Good luck.

 

EDIT: Also, if you are the registered owner, Dell might send you out the disk - check here:

 

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&redirect=1 

 

 

Ah! Now this is just what I have been dreading. Sadly I bought this computer with Win XP Pro pre-loaded as they say and I think you will know, that it is not the most enviable situation to be in, as when you do this, you get no software on disk, non at all and this is where I find myself now. So I would not be able to re-install if the system asks for the cd (as it will if Murphy gets involved). Oh dear! So unless someone has other ideas it would look like I am well and truly up the creek. Dratt! Thanks for your interest though, I really do appreciate your kindness. Walt.

I don't think the xp disk has to be a dell. Since you are nor reinstalling windows, no activation nessacary. A lot of corp machines don't have the games option selected so adding it is no problem. If it's just the file corrupted or the dll, you could always copy that back in

If you can't get it back using Windows Components, try this:

 

Do a search on your PC for "Pinball.exe" .  On mine there are 3 copies: 1 in Program Files (which is where the Games folder points to), one in the hidden System32 dll cache, and one in C:i386.   If any of those work, you could copy it back into Program Files, or just create a new shortcut to the working pinball.exe .

Thanks everyone for all the help given. I have tried several things, including a  re-install which DID ask me for the CD which I do not have and which has left me now with no games in the games folder at all. Well you have to try I suppose and I have leaned a valuable lesson about leaving well alone. I have done a search for files related to Pinball and did find an .exe file, but this would not work, only tell me what I already know, that it will not work.

 

Now I am going to throw myself on the merciless arms of the Microsoft Corporation to see if they can help. You know that this will probably bring me nothing but an invitation to buy XP Pro from them which is an impossibility, given my present financial state. Oh boy, you have to laugh, don't you? Thanks again for being so kind to me, you are all priceless germs. Regards. Walt.

Walt:  Check Hrova's last post again - there's link to request free replacement disks from Dell.  If you're not in the US you should be able to get replacements by contacting your local Dell office.  

 

You don't know anyone with an XP disk? there being no licencing issues, you don't even need a key.  Besides the exe there is at least 1 dll that goes along with it.

Can't help with the rest of the games, but you can d/l the pinball game here:

 

http://22tech.blogspot.com/2008/01/pinball-in-vista.html

 

It's working with XP SP3. 

Brilliant! Thank you so much for all the help the members have given me. This post really sorted me out. I was able to download the files and re-install them on my computer. Thanks again for everything you have done for me. Regards to all. Walt.