Hi, I have this 2014 laptop sitting unused - Asus K46CB. One time it became a dedicated Minecraft server, but that did not last long. It came with Win 8 and as of now it has Win 10. Also definitely needs a few hardware maintenances as both batteries (internal CMOS and external) are dead, and the cooler probably as well (I did change thermal paste a couple of times along the years but that has not solved the overheating problem).

After those changes I'm thinking about downgrading the OS to play old games. It also has a CD reader and I happen to have a few CD games still that do not run on modern machines and I'd like to revisit. It does not need to go online, as other games I can always download on my desktop and transfer via USB drive, so I'm not concerned about security updates, only on compatibility.

What would be recommended: XP, 7, both? I have no experience with dual boot, if possible would like some directions here as well.

Also, if not retro gaming, what else can I use it for? I don't need a server for anything and can't think of other uses.

Core i73537U 2GHz - 2 cores 4 threads

6GB DDR3 800MHz memory - dual channel 2GB and 4GB sticks

GeForce GT 740M 2GB dedicated video memory

1TB HDD

20GB SSD (came with Win 8 pre installed here for fast boot)

Civilization Classics Collection

UPDATED TO VERSION 0.5 (25/06/2026 @ 00:00 GMT)

A few months ago I released a Windows 10/11 compatibility repack for Civilization II Multiplayer Gold Edition.

That project ended up snowballing a bit.

After a lot more testing, patching, launcher work, installer scripting, compatibility fixes, codec headaches, and far too much time spent staring at Inno Setup scripts, I've now combined everything into a single package:

Civilization Classics Collection

Included

Sid Meier's Civilization

Civilization II Multiplayer Gold Edition

• Original Version
• Enhanced Version (UI Additions + Music Support)

Civilization II: Test of Time

Features

• Single Installer
• Single Launcher
• Windows 10/11 Compatibility
• Automatic Handling of Required Legacy Codecs
• Automatic LAV Filters Detection / Installation
• Civ II Gold Original and Enhanced Launch Options
• Test of Time Compatibility Fixes
• Civilization I Compatibility Packaging
• Documentation Included

Version 0.5 Highlights

The integrated Mod Manager has received a major upgrade.

New features include:

• Multi-Mod Support
• Automatic Backup & Restore
• Civilization II MGE Mod Support
• Civilization II Test of Time Mod Support
• Civilization I Scenario Support
• ZIP, 7Z and RAR Importing
• Total Conversion Support
• Legacy Mod Archive Compatibility
• Automatic Nested Folder Detection
• Automatic Launch Routing
• Progress Tracking During Deployment

The launcher can now automatically backup original game files, deploy multiple compatible mods, launch the correct game version, and restore original files when the game is closed.

No manual file swapping, backup management, or file restoration required.

The goal wasn't to modify the games themselves, but to make them easy to install and play on a modern PC without having to spend an afternoon hunting down patches, codecs, fixes, forum posts and workarounds.

This started as a personal preservation project for my uncle who has been playing the game almost daily since the launch of Civ II. What began as a simple compatibility installer has gradually evolved into a preservation, accessibility, and mod-management project for classic Civilization releases on modern Windows systems.

IMPORTANT - SMARTSCREEN / ANTIVIRUS WARNINGS

A few people have asked about Windows SmartScreen and antivirus warnings, so I wanted to address that directly.

Civilization Classics Collection is currently distributed as an unsigned application.

Because the installer and launcher are not digitally signed, Windows SmartScreen may display an "Unknown Publisher" warning and some antivirus products may classify the installer as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program).

This is unfortunately common for independently developed software distributed outside of commercial storefronts and does not automatically indicate malware.

The collection:

• Does not install background services
• Does not install startup programs
• Does not collect user data
• Does not communicate with external servers
• Does not include advertising or bundled software

The project consists of:

• A custom launcher
• Compatibility fixes
• Legacy codec support
• Community patches
• Documentation
• An integrated mod manager

If you are unsure, please scan the installer using your preferred security software before running it.

I have also uploaded releases, legacy versions, changelogs and supporting files to Archive.org for transparency and long-term preservation.

Healthy skepticism is completely reasonable when downloading software from the internet and I would rather people ask questions than blindly trust an executable.

Download

Latest Version (v0.5)

Direct Download Link (Updated 24/06/2026 @ 00:00 GMT)

https://drive.proton.me/urls/CSBRVTVY4C#g6SnEXqOZexI

Wanna check out the official Archive.org page? Find it below:

https://archive.org/details/CivilizationClassicsCollection

• At the Archive.org page you can find the Changelog file, all Legacy builds, and dependency files e.g. the SharpCompress.dll for fixing the v0.4 release. Alternatively download the latest version.

If you wish to see my previous work and first installer/launcher, you can find it here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/4Xgaming/comments/1tde6y4/sid_meiers_civilization_ii_multiplayer_gold/

or

https://archive.org/details/sid-meiers-civilization-ii-multiplayer-gold-edition-windows-repack-by-vc.exe

Currently Working On

• Multi-language Support for Civilization II Gold
• Additional Mod Manager Improvements
• Improved Scenario Compatibility
• Save Compatibility Testing
• Additional Launcher Improvements

Hopefully some of you get a bit of nostalgia out of it.

Tested Major Features

• Civilization I Launching
• Civilization II MGE Original
• Civilization II MGE Enhanced
• Civilization II Fantastic Worlds Scenarios
• Civilization II Conflicts in Civilization Scenarios
• Civilization II Test of Time
• Graphics Mods
• Rules Mods
• Scenarios
• Total Conversions
• Multi-Mod Deployments
• Automatic Backup & Restore

Changelog

v0.1

• Initial Collection Release

v0.2

• Added Custom Launcher
• Added Launcher Artwork
• Added Manuals Access

v0.3

• Added Settings Panel
• Added Launcher Music
• Added Saves, Mods, Music and Temp Folders
• Added Collection Folder Access
• Added Settings Persistence through an .ini File

v0.4

• Added Integrated Mod Manager
• Added ZIP, 7Z and RAR Mod Importing
• Added Mod Metadata Support
• Added Mod Categories
• Added Installed Mod Browser
• Added Mod Details Panel
• Added Mod Deletion Functionality
• Added Mod Launch Functionality
• Added Mod Preview Functionality
• Added Automatic Game File Backup System
• Added Automatic Mod Deployment System
• Added Automatic File Restoration on Game Exit
• Added Civilization II Multiplayer Gold Edition Mod Support
• Added Civilization II Test of Time Mod Support
• Added Civilization I Scenario Support
• Added Mod Management Documentation
• Added Complete Collection Removal Option During Uninstall
• Improved Launcher Stability
• Improved Large Mod Compatibility

v0.4a Hotfix

• Fixed missing SharpCompress dependency in the installer
• Fixed mod importing on clean installations
• Added background mod extraction
• Added mod import progress bar
• Improved responsiveness during large mod imports
• Reduced "Not Responding" behaviour when importing large total conversion mods
• Added optional complete collection directory removal during uninstall
• Improved uninstall functionality and cleanup options
• Added additional Windows Defender and SmartScreen testing
• Added documentation regarding unsigned application warnings
• Improved release documentation
• Minor stability and quality-of-life improvements

v0.5

New Features

• Added multi-mod support.
• Added simultaneous deployment of multiple compatible mods.
• Added launch status notifications.
• Added integrated mod deployment progress display.
• Added hidden developer/debug menu (Konami Code).
• Added Fantastic Worlds scenarios.
• Added Conflicts in Civilization scenarios.
• Added support for nested mod directory structures commonly found in legacy Civilization mod archives.

Mod Manager Improvements

• Improved backup handling for multi-mod deployments.
• Improved restoration handling for stacked mod sessions.
• Improved deployment reliability.
• Improved compatibility with legacy Civilization II and Test of Time mod archives.
• Added automatic detection of nested mod content folders.
• Prevented deployment of executable files from mod packages.
• Improved launch workflow feedback and status reporting.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed Civilization II: Test of Time mods launching Civilization II Multiplayer Gold Edition Enhanced instead of Test of Time.
• Fixed Test of Time total conversion mods failing to load due to incorrect game launch routing.
• Fixed multi-mod restoration issues where some modified files could remain deployed after exiting the game.
• Fixed backup handling when multiple selected mods modified different files.
• Fixed launch paths that could leave modded files deployed if the game failed to start.
• Fixed mod deployment issues affecting certain total conversion mods.
• Fixed compatibility issues with nested archive structures used by some legacy Civilization mods.
• Fixed launcher workflow issues discovered during multi-mod testing.

General Improvements

• Removed deployment popup spam during normal operation.
• Improved launcher responsiveness during mod deployment.
• Improved deployment and restoration feedback.
• Various stability, compatibility and usability improvements.

CloneMC is currently a highly early alpha version of minecraft Beta 1.7.3 recreation entirely in C and reverse engineered and implemented mainly from java files of this version to be able to compile with Open Watcom C. It uses OpenGL rendering 1.1 for compatibility across many systems and is able to run on systems as low as Windows XP and even Windows 98 (not tested), especially the new version of this program.

Commits, pull requests, and even forks are highly recommended for this project to continue and end up looking and running like the real deal. The first two are early test screenshots of testing100.exe while the third last screenshot is currently the latest version of this program that has a lot more features in the CloneMCtest + Makefile folder. The GitHub repo is a bit of a mess, but improvements will be made and the src is a bit mixed up, but it likely should doable to work on if anyone wants to work on it.

Here is the link to the GitHub repo: https://github.com/sworks692/CloneMC-entirely-in-Pure-C/tree/main