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This guide will walk you through installing Chimera on your Halo: Combat Evolved installation.
Before you begin: Make sure your game is updated to version 1.10 (unless you’re using the trial version).

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Installation Steps

1

Update Halo to Version 1.10

If you’re using Halo PC (not the trial), ensure your game is updated to version 1.10.
You can check your version by looking at the bottom right of the main menu screen.
Skip this step if you’re using Halo Trial or Halo Custom Edition.
2

Back Up Your Original strings.dll

Navigate to your Halo game folder and locate strings.dll.Backup method:
  • Rename strings.dll to strings-old.dll
  • OR copy it to a safe location
Critical: Do NOT skip this step! You’ll need the original file to uninstall Chimera or restore vanilla Halo.
3

Download Chimera

Download the latest Chimera release from the official repository:github.com/SnowyMouse/chimera/releasesExtract the downloaded archive. You should have:
  • strings.dll (Chimera’s main file)
  • chimera.ini (configuration file)
  • fonts/ folder (optional custom fonts)
4

Copy Files to Game Folder

Copy these files to your main game folder:
  • strings.dll
  • chimera.ini
  • fonts/ folder (optional)
Important: Files go in the main game folder, NOT the controls folder.Typical locations:
  • C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Halo\
  • C:\Program Files\Halo Custom Edition\
5

Optional: Create Mods Folder

If you want to load custom DLL mods:
mkdir mods
Place any compatible DLL mods in this folder.
HAC2 and Open Sauce are not compatible with Chimera due to conflicts.
6

Verify Installation

Launch Halo and press the tilde key (~) to open the console.Type:
chimera
You should see Chimera version information and available commands.
If the console doesn’t open, make sure console=1 is set in chimera.ini under the [halo] section.

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Directory Structure

After installation, your game folder should look like this: 
Halo/
├── strings.dll          # Chimera (replaces original)
├── strings-old.dll      # Your backup
├── chimera.ini          # Configuration file
├── fonts/               # Optional custom fonts
│   ├── hack-license.md
│   ├── interstate-license.md
│   └── [font files]
├── mods/                # Optional DLL mods folder
├── halo.exe
└── [other game files]

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File Locations

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Configuration Files

  • chimera.ini - Main configuration (in game folder)
  • chimera/preferences.txt - Command preferences (created in profiles folder)
  • chimera/maps/ - Downloaded maps (in profiles folder)

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Profiles Folder Locations

Default locations:
  • Windows: C:\Users\[YourName]\Documents\My Games\Halo\
  • Custom Edition: C:\Users\[YourName]\Documents\My Games\Halo CE\
You can change the profiles path in chimera.ini using the path setting under [halo].

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Backing Up Original Files

Backing up your original strings.dll allows you to:
  • Easily uninstall Chimera
  • Restore vanilla Halo functionality
  • Switch between modded and vanilla versions
  • Troubleshoot installation issues
Recommended backup: 
Halo/
├── strings.dll          # Chimera version
├── strings-old.dll      # Original backup
└── strings-chimera.dll  # Optional: Keep a Chimera copy

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Common Installation Issues

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Console Won’t Open

Solution: Enable console in chimera.ini 
[halo]
console=1

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Game Crashes on Startup

Wrong file location:
  • Ensure files are in the main game folder, NOT controls/
Incompatible mods:
  • Remove HAC2, Open Sauce, or other conflicting mods
  • Try removing the mods/ folder temporarily
Windows XP:
  • Download the dedicated Windows XP release of Chimera
Corrupted download:
  • Re-download Chimera from the official repository
  • Verify file integrity

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Custom Fonts Not Working

Solution: Install DirectX 9 runtime libraries
  1. Download the DirectX End-User Runtime from Microsoft: microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35
  2. Run the installer
  3. Restart Halo

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Permission Denied Errors

Solution: Grant write permissions 
# Run as administrator
icacls "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Halo" /grant Users:F
Installing Halo outside of Program Files avoids permission issues and is recommended for modding.

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Maps Don’t Download Automatically

Check chimera.ini settings: 
[memory]
download_map_path=auto  # Or specify custom path
download_template=http://maps.halonet.net/halo/$map/$map.map
download_retail_maps should remain disabled (commented out) for safety. Only enable if you know what you’re doing.

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Uninstalling Chimera

To uninstall Chimera and restore vanilla Halo:
1

Delete Chimera Files

Remove these files from your game folder:
  • strings.dll
  • chimera.ini (optional)
  • fonts/ folder (optional)
  • mods/ folder (optional)
2

Restore Original strings.dll

Rename your backup:
strings-old.dll → strings.dll
3

Clean Up Profile Folder (Optional)

Remove Chimera data from your profiles folder:
  • chimera/ folder
  • preferences.txt
Your game will now run in vanilla mode.

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Verification Checklist

After installation, verify everything works:
  • Console opens with ~ key
  • chimera command shows version info
  • Game launches without crashes
  • FPS counter works (chimera_show_fps true)
  • Custom fonts display correctly (if installed)

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What’s Next?

Now that Chimera is installed, check out the Quick Start Guide to learn essential commands and configuration.

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