Problems installing Game software

[jaffa808]

Here's an odd one! I've just done the smoothest and problem free re-format in my life! Oh joy, the PC runs like s**t through a goose, and doesn't crash OR mis-behave. BUT, (there's always a but!) the beastly thing won't install any games! It has just accepted Paintshop Pro7, All of the Macromedia suite, M$ office 97, Norton anti-virus without a hitch. When I came to put "Return to Castle Wolfenstein" on it got stuck in a loop early on in the process. The screen goes black and the installation music is stuck in a loop. I disabled the antivirus first, and had no other apps running but it will not do it. I then tried some earlier games, but the same thing happened. Any ideas? (Win ME, Athlon1100, 512 Mb SDRAM, etc. etc.). I suspect DirectX to be a possible gremlin - I tried installing DX8 from "PC Gamers" cover disk, the PC crashed early on, so I tried another disk from another magazine. It went on OK. and the DX Diagnostics say that all is well.

[morriswindgate]

The only thing I can figure is that there may be some leftovers from the other software installs that have not terminated. So go to C:\windows\temp and delete all the files in the folder. shutdown and restart the machine and then try the installs again.

[jaffa808]

Tried that, still the same probs. Just put in DX8.1, with still no results!! How complicated can this get??

[morriswindgate]

THe fact that basically all software installs the same, one of the previously installed programs may have corrupted Windows. So try to install windows again over the present installation. I have seen something like this before, but it was caused by McAfee Anti Virus.

[mike breck]

Hi jaffa808,

I think the time has come to post your full system specs - particularly the video card and sound card.
It would also be helpful if you could post your IRQs. Double click on the Computer icon at the top of Device Manager - that will give you the full IRQ list.

[jaffa808]

This is they!
Jetway 663 ultra M/B
Athlon 1100
512Mb SDRAM
WD 20 gig H/D ATA66
Geforce 2 gts
C-Media 8738 sound card

IRQs:
00 System timer
01 Keyboard
02 Program Interupt controller
03 Com port 2
04 Com port 1
05 ACPI IRQ holder for PCI IRQ steering
06 Standard floppy disk
07 Epson printer LTP1
08 System CMOS/real time clock
09 SCI IRQ used by ACPI bus
10 CMI 8738 PCI audio
10 Via tech 3038 PCI to USB universal host controller
10 ditto
11 ACPI IRQ holder for PCI IRQ steering
11 NVIDIA Geforce 2 GTS
12 PSI mouse
13 Numeric data processor
14 Primary IDE controller
15 Via bus master PCI IDE
15 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)
I have just downloaded DX 8.1 from M$, and that doesn't work either.
Hope you can help!
Cheers

[Nuclear Krusader]

I think that WinME is to blame. A friend o' mine installed it when it was released and he was very pleased with it... until he tried to install Thief 2, it didn't run. Then he tried wiht C&C 2: Tiberian Sun, it didn't run. Then he tried with several games, none of them ran.

He went back to Win98SE and all is well now. Well, almost, he recently messed up his system again by installing DirectX 8.