I've got the same error message about patch-restart etc. This is how I solved this:
- first download path 4.42
- installed the game under win98, run patch and 3dsetup
- import registry settings under win2k
- if you still get path-restart or missing data error msg. strip down NFSHS-registry entries to the following:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\NfsHs.exe]
"Path"="."
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\Need For Speed High Stakes\1.0]
"instLev"=dword:00000001
"SrcDrive"=".\\"
"Language"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data]
"Version"=dword:00000016
"Cards"=dword:00000015
"1"=dword:00000001
"2"=dword:00000002
"3"=dword:00000004
"4"=dword:00000005
"5"=dword:00000007
"6"=dword:00000009
"7"=dword:0000000a
"8"=dword:0000000b
"9"=dword:0000000c
"10"=dword:0000000d
"11"=dword:00000008
"12"=dword:00000003
"13"=dword:00000006
"14"=dword:0000000e
"15"=dword:0000000f
"16"=dword:00000010
"17"=dword:00000011
"18"=dword:00000012
"19"=dword:00000013
"20"=dword:00000014
"21"=dword:00000015
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Sort Order]
"1"=dword:00000001
"2"=dword:00000015
"3"=dword:00000002
"4"=dword:00000003
"5"=dword:00000012
"6"=dword:00000006
"7"=dword:00000004
"8"=dword:00000005
"9"=dword:00000014
"10"=dword:00000007
"11"=dword:0000000e
"12"=dword:00000008
"13"=dword:00000009
"14"=dword:0000000a
"15"=dword:0000000b
"16"=dword:0000000d
"17"=dword:0000000c
"18"=dword:00000013
"19"=dword:0000000f
"20"=dword:00000010
"21"=dword:00000011
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card1]
"Name"="Software Renderer"
"Module"="softtri"
"Group"="Software"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card1\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00000000
"DeviceID"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card2]
"Name"="3Dfx Voodoo2"
"Module"="voodoo2"
"Group"="3Dfx"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card2\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:0000121a
"DeviceID"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card3]
"Name"="3Dfx Banshee"
"Module"="voodoo2"
"Group"="3Dfx"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card3\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:0000121a
"DeviceID"=dword:00000003
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card4]
"Name"="3Dfx Voodoo"
"Module"="voodoo"
"Group"="3Dfx"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card4\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:0000121a
"DeviceID"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card5]
"Name"="3Dfx Voodoo Rush"
"Module"="voodoo"
"Group"="3Dfx"
"Types"=dword:00000003
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card5\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00001142
"DeviceID"=dword:0000643d
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card5\Type2]
"VendorID"=dword:0000121a
"DeviceID"=dword:00008626
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card5\Type3]
"VendorID"=dword:000010d9
"DeviceID"=dword:00008626
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card6]
"Name"="Matrox G200"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card6\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:0000102b
"DeviceID"=dword:00000521
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card7]
"Name"="NVidia RIVA 128"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card7\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:000012d2
"DeviceID"=dword:00000018
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card8]
"Name"="Intel i740"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card8\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00008086
"DeviceID"=dword:00007800
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card8\Type2]
"VendorID"=dword:0000003d
"DeviceID"=dword:000000d1
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card9]
"Name"="PowerVR"
"Module"="powervr"
"Group"="NEC"
"Types"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card9\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00001033
"DeviceID"=dword:0000002a
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card9\Type2]
"VendorID"=dword:00001033
"DeviceID"=dword:00000046
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card10]
"Name"="Rendition V2100/V2200"
"Module"="verite"
"Group"="Rendition"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card10\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00001163
"DeviceID"=dword:00002000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card11]
"Name"="Chromatic Mpact 2"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card11\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:0000110b
"DeviceID"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card12]
"Name"="ATI Rage Pro"
"Module"="rage"
"Group"="ATI"
"Types"=dword:00000008
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card12\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00001002
"DeviceID"=dword:00004742
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card12\Type2]
"VendorID"=dword:00001002
"DeviceID"=dword:00004750
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card12\Type3]
"VendorID"=dword:00001002
"DeviceID"=dword:00004744
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card12\Type4]
"VendorID"=dword:00001002
"DeviceID"=dword:00004749
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card12\Type5]
"VendorID"=dword:00001002
"DeviceID"=dword:00004c42
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card12\Type6]
"VendorID"=dword:00001002
"DeviceID"=dword:00004c47
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card12\Type7]
"VendorID"=dword:00001002
"DeviceID"=dword:00004c49
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card12\Type8]
"VendorID"=dword:00001002
"DeviceID"=dword:00004c50
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card13]
"Name"="3DLabs Permedia 2"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card13\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:0000104c
"DeviceID"=dword:00003d07
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card13\Type2]
"VendorID"=dword:00003d3d
"DeviceID"=dword:00000009
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card14]
"Name"="S3 Savage 3D"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card14\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00005333
"DeviceID"=dword:00008a20
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card14\Type2]
"VendorID"=dword:00005333
"DeviceID"=dword:00008a21
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card15]
"Name"="S3 Virge VX"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card15\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00005333
"DeviceID"=dword:0000883d
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card16]
"Name"="S3 Virge DX/GX"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card16\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00005333
"DeviceID"=dword:00008a01
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card17]
"Name"="S3 Virge"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card17\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00005333
"DeviceID"=dword:00005631
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card18]
"Name"="NVidia TNT"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card18\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:000010de
"DeviceID"=dword:00000020
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card19]
"Name"="SiS 6326"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card19\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00001039
"DeviceID"=dword:00006326
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card20]
"Name"="ATI Rage 128"
"Module"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"Types"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card20\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:00001002
"DeviceID"=dword:00005245
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card20\Type2]
"VendorID"=dword:00001002
"DeviceID"=dword:00005246
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card21]
"Name"="3Dfx Voodoo3"
"Module"="voodoo2"
"Group"="3Dfx"
"Types"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card21\Type1]
"VendorID"=dword:0000121a
"DeviceID"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\3D Data\Card21\Type2]
"VendorID"=dword:0000121a
"DeviceID"=dword:00000005
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\Need For Speed High Stakes]
"Version"="4.00"
"InstallPath"=".\\"
"3D Device Description"="STB Velocity 4400 w/ TV-Out"
"3D Card"="NVidia TNT"
"Thrash Driver"="d3d"
"Group"="D3D"
"D3D Device"=dword:00000000
"Triple Buffer"=dword:00000000
"Hardware Acceleration"=dword:00000001
"Thrash Resolution"="640x480"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Electronic Arts\Need For Speed High Stakes\1.0]
"Language"=dword:00000001
"Variant"=dword:00000000
"InstLev"=dword:00000002
"SrcDrive"=".\\"
These registry settings work for me with enabled HW-acceleration and a TNT2.
BTW. The game runds a tad slower under W2k (3.81) vs. Win98 (3.76), but suprisingly no slowdowns in 32Bit on the Celtic Ruins track, if lot of smoke/sand effects appear
