Im also having this problem.

You need to install KNOSSOS and play the game through that. Here is the site for the setup - https://fsnebula.org/knossos/

Originally posted by Jhereg Dregg:

You need to install KNOSSOS and play the game through that. Here is the site for the setup - https://fsnebula.org/knossos/

Installed and still doesnt work

has anybody here got it to work?

no

Did you try and change the install folder to someplace else where you have full access rights to (when running the installer, that is)? It's been forever since I installed the vanilla version, but I believe it doesn't work from the default path anymore.

If you don't want to install Knossos, there is another solution, the one that worked for me.
1) After Steam installed your game go to the installation folder. It is called Freespace 2 in the folder where your Steam games are.
2)Open Registry folder.
3) There is a single file there FS2.reg. Double click this file.
4) Keep agreeing with what it asks until registry changes are made. You may need to have administrator priviliges for that (that is to open it in your windows adminstrator account if it is not your default account)
5) The game should work normally after this. The "can't be started from a drive root directory message should disappear".