Community-made patches, such as UPatch HD , are often used by fans to fix compatibility with modern systems like Windows 10/11 . These patches sometimes include a built-in No-CD fix to ensure the game remains playable on modern hardware that lacks internal CD drives

Emulation offers a more complex, yet viable, solution. By using an emulator, you can create a virtual environment that mimics the original game's CD.

Is your main goal to have or the exact 1997 experience ?

If you own the original CD but want to avoid using it daily, several community-driven projects provide "No-CD" functionality alongside vital bug fixes for modern Windows:

Using software like Daemon Tools to "mount" an ISO image of the disc, tricking the computer into thinking a physical CD was present. Risks of Using Old Cracks