Yet another computer problem...

[Mr.Pandah]

Yeah, I just wrote out my whole story about this problem. Essentially what I wrote *before I hit the wrong button and backed out* was that my computer does not want to install certain files from games and likes to pick and choose which files it thinks are corrupt. They are mostly never the same files and at times it even passes over the files that it thought were corrupt prior and chooses another.

So my question to you guys is...can you help me out? I'm trying to install Fallout 3. It runs on my laptop upstairs just fine, but this computer can run it much better so I'm pretty discouraged since this has happened with 2 other games before (The Sims 2 and Spore).

Here are my specs if this helps any:

OS:Windows Vista 32-bit
RAM:4gigs(I know it only uses 3...sadly I found that out after I built the computer)
Processor:2.40 gigahertz Intel Core2 Quad Q660064
Video Cards: 2 8800GT's SLI
Motherboardenryn1600SLI-110dB, Bus Clock: 267 megahertz, BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. P1.10 02/13/2008
CD/DVD Drive: TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S203N SCSI CdRom Device


Any other things you guys need to help, I'm here to toss in. *I also updated my Firmware for my CD/DVD drive so I'm at wits end.* Nothing seems to work!

 

[kits456]

Try a system restore to a time when you didn't have this problem or try repairing Vista.

 

[perfectimo]

Yeah, I just wrote out my whole story about this problem. Essentially what I wrote *before I hit the wrong button and backed out* was that my computer does not want to install certain files from games and likes to pick and choose which files it thinks are corrupt. They are mostly never the same files and at times it even passes over the files that it thought were corrupt prior and chooses another.

So my question to you guys is...can you help me out? I'm trying to install Fallout 3. It runs on my laptop upstairs just fine, but this computer can run it much better so I'm pretty discouraged since this has happened with 2 other games before (The Sims 2 and Spore).

Here are my specs if this helps any:

OS:Windows Vista 32-bit
RAM:4gigs(I know it only uses 3...sadly I found that out after I built the computer)
Processor:2.40 gigahertz Intel Core2 Quad Q660064
Video Cards: 2 8800GT's SLI
Motherboardenryn1600SLI-110dB, Bus Clock: 267 megahertz, BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. P1.10 02/13/2008
CD/DVD Drive: TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S203N SCSI CdRom Device


Any other things you guys need to help, I'm here to toss in. *I also updated my Firmware for my CD/DVD drive so I'm at wits end.* Nothing seems to work!

In regards to 3Gb of RAM. I can't remember it but there is a string value you can modify or add in Windows to increase the amount of accessible RAM.

Do the files get to your Hard Drive and fail or do they not get off the disc? Can you please get a few different CDs / DVDs and see if they all read right?

EDIT: Changed 'write?' to 'right?'

 

[Mr.Pandah]

In response to perfectimo:

I never knew there was a way to get 32bit Vista to read 4gb, that would be fantastic.

In regards to the Hard Drive one, other games do work, for example: Crysis, Company of Heroes, Diablo 2, Sid Meier's Pirates etc. Games that don't work or have given me a problem installing are The Sims 2, Spore, Thiefeadly Shadows, and Fallout 3. They don't get off the disc so I am forced to either Ignore the problem, Retry*which never works* or Abort the installation entirely. The Sims 2 I was able to install through persistence though, since I noticed it would install at times but others it would think a file was corrupt and abort. So I eventually installed it and its expansions.

So yeah, other DVD's do read correctly. It just likes to pick and choose which ones...

 

[Mr.Pandah]

Try a system restore to a time when you didn't have this problem or try repairing Vista.

I've always had them though =/

 

[perfectimo]

In response to perfectimo:

I never knew there was a way to get 32bit Vista to read 4gb, that would be fantastic.

In regards to the Hard Drive one, other games do work, for example: Crysis, Company of Heroes, Diablo 2, Sid Meier's Pirates etc. Games that don't work or have given me a problem installing are The Sims 2, Spore, Thiefeadly Shadows, and Fallout 3. They don't get off the disc so I am forced to either Ignore the problem, Retry*which never works* or Abort the installation entirely. The Sims 2 I was able to install through persistence though, since I noticed it would install at times but others it would think a file was corrupt and abort. So I eventually installed it and its expansions.

So yeah, other DVD's do read correctly. It just likes to pick and choose which ones...

The best I can think of is hardware failure but that seems unlikely, PM eggo.

 

[Mr.Pandah]

Alrighty, I'll put a PM in to the big man. I also think it is a hardware failure, but like I've said...if it works for some, than why not all? Oh well.

 

[superbleeder12]

A roundabout way you could do this is find some software that you can use to create an .iso image of the disk you're trying to use, (DoISO is a good one) use some virtualization software, like magic disk, and see if you can install the game from the virtual drive. If you can, it could be, and most likely is either the installer software, or the drive/disk.

 

[mokes310]

Do the files get to your Hard Drive and fail or do they not get off the disc?

I've had this problem a few different times on different OS's. I used to directly copy the files from the cd and paste them onto my hard drive. Never had a problem when I did that...and that's about the extent of my knowledge on that subject.

 

[perfectimo]

Do the files get to your Hard Drive and fail or do they not get off the disc?

I've had this problem a few different times on different OS's. I used to directly copy the files from the cd and paste them onto my hard drive. Never had a problem when I did that...and that's about the extent of my knowledge on that subject.

I used to use that technique but I don't think it works with more modern stuff.

 

[Jaythulhu]

In response to perfectimo:

I never knew there was a way to get 32bit Vista to read 4gb, that would be fantastic.

There isn't a way. 32bit can't use it. It's a major limitation of the architecture, and is part of why 64 bit *nix os's became so popular. IIRC, Vista 32bit counts both system ram and video ram together, and cannot use more than a total of 3072mb. System hacks might make it look like more is being used, but it actually isn't. Sorta like how fox news says that it's "Fair and Unbiased", but is actually a right-wing looney group.

To the OP, fallout 3 is ridiculously bugged for pc. Seems like there was almost no QA done before release. The majority of users having major issues with it appear to owners of quad-core cpus and people with multi-gpu setups (doesn't seem to make a difference between manufactures, the same issues are reported on both amd/ati and nvidia/intel systems). Bethesda have said a patch is on the way, and would be released before the first DLC is available, but that was stated a few weeks ago and ther's been no updated word since. I honestly think that, much like oblivion, it's going to fall to talented modders to get the game actually running correctly on higher-end pcs.

Have you tried copying your install folder from your laptop to your desktop and overwriting the files? Also, if you have any kind of dvd/cd burning or emulation software (like nero, alcohol 120% or daemontools) installed, it will screw up on install and then not let you run it, thanks to securom, the herpes virus of the computer world.

 

[Mr.Pandah]

Do the files get to your Hard Drive and fail or do they not get off the disc?

I've had this problem a few different times on different OS's. I used to directly copy the files from the cd and paste them onto my hard drive. Never had a problem when I did that...and that's about the extent of my knowledge on that subject.

Holy crap, I can't believe I didn't think of this before! It worked! Thank you so much! I'm so happy/relieved now! Wow, this is great. Really, you just made my night. Thank God for internet forums...well, helpful ones like these! Thank you everyone else that tried to help me out as well! Much appreciated everyone. I'm off to raise hell in the Wastelands now.

 

[jasoncyrus]

You could try using a new (Spare) dvd drive to ensure its not a hardware problem. Random file misses are usually a sign its on its last legs. As Jaythulhu said it got a reputation for being buggeier than windows ME on crack. It could be that it simply doesn't like your setup. I've had games before (like my WoW install) that did NOT want to install properly for 2 days, then suddenly it fixed itself.

Stranger still, I once managed to completely cripple my PC to the point of having to wipe it, by installing msn messenger =.=

 

[mokes310]

Do the files get to your Hard Drive and fail or do they not get off the disc?

I've had this problem a few different times on different OS's. I used to directly copy the files from the cd and paste them onto my hard drive. Never had a problem when I did that...and that's about the extent of my knowledge on that subject.

Holy crap, I can't believe I didn't think of this before! It worked! Thank you so much! I'm so happy/relieved now! Wow, this is great. Really, you just made my night. Thank God for internet forums...well, helpful ones like these! Thank you everyone else that tried to help me out as well! Much appreciated everyone. I'm off to raise hell in the Wastelands now.

Cool, I'm glad it worked for you. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the last ones you think of

 

[cleverlymadeup]

hmmm does this happen on all discs or just that one and does it fail on the exact same file on the discs? if this is the issue it's one of 2 things, your cd/dvd drive is dying or the odder one it's bad ram in your pc.

gonna say try swapping drives and installing those that fail. after that it can be either ram or bad hard drive. so i'll suggest getting a good ram tester, run a disk scan (do a full one and it will take a long time)

other than that not really sure what to suggest

 

[Ace of Spades]

This is the reason why I quit PC gaming. Did you try installing it again? If so, then I can be of no further help.