Install problems-Help!!!

[grievous]

Fantastic game BUT....on 2 of my PC's at home when I try to do a full install at about 90-95% installed I get a series of error messages referring to the fact that the install program cannot find the files it needs in the C:\Windows\Temp directory in a folder with the name SN4095 (or something like that) with the option to Abort, Retry or Ignore. If I Retry it cannot find the files, if I Abort I end up with the digital illusions folder on my harddrive with empty folders inside and if I Ignore I get the same empty folders inside the digital illusions folder which apart from the folders inside is empty (no exes, .LIB etc).

Now just incase this helps in identifying the problem here is my workaround.

I carry on the install by Ignoring the error message (about 30-40 times) then I run the version 3 patch which says it is successful then (and this is the key) I copy all the missing files from the install disk folders into the same folders that are on my harddrive. The game will then work but seems a bit unstable.

By the way I have looked at the files in the temp directory at the time of the first error message and although there are a lot of files and folders from the install program there, none of them seem to match the ones being looked for. My Temp file is always empty so that I can monitor installs that require the use of it so the files I looked at were definately from the install routine.

The 2 PC's

PC1- P2 450 Xeon CPU, Asus TNT2 Ultra 32mb running Detonator 6.11 drivers, MX-300 soundcard running 2048 Aureal drivers, 456mb PC100 Ram, 13gig drive (7gig spare), Asus DLG motherboard, Creative 4x CDRom Drive (replacing with Asus 40x in a week),3Com 3905c network card, Win 98 second edition with ALL updates from Microsoft.

PC2- P2-400 CPU, Diamond V770 TNT2 32mb running Detonator 5.30 drivers, MX-300 soundcard running Aureal 2048 drivers,2x 13 gig harddrives, Asus P2-B motherboard, Proview 40x CDRom, 3Com 3905C network card, 256 mb Ram PC100, Win 98 second edition with all updates.

I am fairly technically savvy and this is the first time I have had this particular problem in this way with any program (and as I review games for a local website I have installed a lot) but I suspect that this is related to the CD copy protection in some way. I realise all you gaming companies need copy protection but as is evidenced by the 100's of problems lately related to copy protections with other games and software how about rethinking your approach and developing a protection scheme that works the way it should without creating these sorts of obscure problems.

Thanks for any replies.

John Grieve

[Turbo - SWE]

WOW..... some nice computers u got there..... to me it seems like it is a problem with the cd itself........ have u tested to install the game on a friends computer ?????...... if not try it, if it dosent work on his computer then go switch the cd...... i had a simular problem when i bougt Specops II and i had to go and replace my cd then...... they arent fullproof u now



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Regards Turbo }:-)

[grievous]

Thanks for the reply Turbo. I have tried the disk on other PC's and about 2 times out of 3 the same failure and the other 1 time it works perfectly. It will always do a minimum install on any computer without a hassle which is why I think its something to do with the copy protection itself.

The problem with returning the disk is that only 100 copies were bought into NZ by the distributers initially at release which I missed out on so had to wait for more to be bought in and then they only bought 10 more copies into the country and are now saying they probably will not bring in any more. So even though I can get it replaced I would have to wait at least two weeks and I cannot imagine going without my Rallymasters fix online everynight!

I now have a well practiced routine to get it working and for the moment I will stick with that. I have found one other post on the High Gear forum (from Trifix) with the exact same problem but it appears to be a rare problem.

As to my nice PC's because I build them myself and import most of the parts myself I can afford the unaffordable. I run regular Lans at home (bi-weekly) hence I built the Xeon to serve the games and it was well worth the effort. Next year I want to build a quad server and have a massive Lan for the public so the list of PC's is going to get ridiculous. :-))

Any how thanks for your help and if I find a fix (still trying different things!) I will post it here in case more people have the problem.

[Turbo - SWE]

Allways glad to help a fellow racer Grievous
You are in a tough spot there..... and im more sure than ever that it is the cd itself that is the problem....... have u tried to mail infogames and se if they cant help u.... stupid question i know but sometimes u forget the obvious..... seems a little odd that the cd runs on some computers.... but who knows..... if infogames wont help u drop me an e-mail and i see what i can do for u http://www.fr.infogrames.com/ubb/smile.gif



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Regards Turbo }:-)