Need help with NR03

I just move across the country and have not located a box with many of my
cd's. NR03 was one of them. So, I got a no-cd crack, but now every time I
load the game I get an error message that says "installation appears to be
incorrect, try re-installing NR03".
If I click on "ok" and then quickly click on a menu item within the sim I
can run the sim, but if I'm too slow going from the "ok" to the menu item
(literally like 1 second), the sim locks up on me.
I tried versions 1.0.0.0 and 1.2.0.1. Version 1.2.0.1 never worked, it just
cbtd. So, I tried 1.0.0.0 and I could run the sim as explained above. In
copying my original .exe numerous times it is now either renamed, or
corrupt, or just mixed in with the .exe's that don't work. So, I can't even
try re-patching it.
Any ideas on the best way to remedy this problem...and please don't
recommend I get NSR to solve this problem :-)

I also have had a heck of a time getting some tracks to load. I get the
"can not load complete track description" error with many tracks I have
downloaded. Most of them seem to be PWF tracks. Are they compatible with
the original sim? And if so do I need to tweak something to get them to
work? Do they only work with version 1.2.0.1?
Since moving to CA I now have DSL and am downloading mod's left and right.
So, I'd love to get NR03 figured out so I can take advantage of my new high
speed experience.

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Thanks for any help,
GBeard