One time CD use?

[Acky]

Hey, I'm having some trouble installing all my SW games onto my new laptop. I always buy the CDs for every game for the last 3 years. I've had to reinstall G5 and BOA onto different computers once before. I have a new laptop now, and need to put my games back onto it. A6s' CD worked fine, but G5 and BoA didn't download. I suggest that the CDs can only be used once because I never used A6 before, and the only thing G5 and BOA have in common is that I've used them at least once.

 

Is this a problem with my copies, or does anyone else have a similar experience?

[Aoslare]

I assume you mean "copy" or "install" and not "download," right?

 

I also assume that when you say "didn't download" you actually mean the files got copied, but won't run. Or do you mean you can't even copy/install the files off the CD?

[Niemand]

There should be nothing to stop you from copying the data off of the CDs an unlimited number of times. (After all the CDs are essentially immutable; they would have no way to record being copied and affect later copy attempts.) Unless you've already tried it multiple times I would suggest just trying again, otherwise you should probably just contact Spiderweb about it. Your CDs may just have gotten damaged, and Jeff and company are pretty reasonable about giving new reg. codes to people who can show that they already bought the game. Then you can just download the demos from the website and unlock them.

[Acky]

Quote:

I assume you mean "copy" or "install" and not "download," right?

I also assume that when you say "didn't download" you actually mean the files got copied, but won't run. Or do you mean you can't even copy/install the files off the CD?

Yes, that's what I meant. And I mean I can't even copy the files off the CD.

Quote:

There should be nothing to stop you from copying the data off of the CDs an unlimited number of times. (After all the CDs are essentially immutable; they would have no way to record being copied and affect later copy attempts.) Unless you've already tried it multiple times I would suggest just trying again, otherwise you should probably just contact Spiderweb about it. Your CDs may just have gotten damaged, and Jeff and company are pretty reasonable about giving new reg. codes to people who can show that they already bought the game. Then you can just download the demos from the website and unlock them.

I've tried it quite a few times now, so I guess I'm off to Jeff to ask for a new code. Thanks for the help.

[Aoslare]

Are the files ON the CDs? I mean, when you put in the CDs, do they show up as normal and all the files are there? What happens when you try to copy?

[Randomizer]

I had this happen before on a Mac. For some reason the installation program was saying there wasn't room to install the games.

 

I think I had to manually copy the folder for each game over to the hard drive from the CD-ROM and then install it on the hard drive.

[Earth]

cd/dvd-drive could be malfunctioning/dirty or CD is unreadable (easy to test on 2nd computer).

[Dantius]

Originally Posted By: Niemand

There should be nothing to stop you from copying the data off of the CDs an unlimited number of times. (After all the CDs are essentially immutable; they would have no way to record being copied and affect later copy attempts.)

Well, you get limited CD installs as a form of DRM from EA games (max 3 IIRC). Perhaps Ackrovan was wondering if that was the case?

[Celtic Minstrel]

...how could that even be enforced? Unless they require you to validate the install over the internet (or phone).

[Lilith]

Originally Posted By: Celtic Minstrel

...how could that even be enforced? Unless they require you to validate the install over the internet (or phone).

They do. SW doesn't, though.

[Acky]

Originally Posted By: Randomizer

I had this happen before on a Mac. For some reason the installation program was saying there wasn't room to install the games.

I think I had to manually copy the folder for each game over to the hard drive from the CD-ROM and then install it on the hard drive.

Hmm, I had to do something similar.

.....Oh yeah, I figured out the problem. The CDs were fine, and my computer was working properly. But it was the launch program, the "Autoplay"? That was what was on the fritz. For anyone who has this problem in the future, where a CD refuses to download, when the first option appears on your screen? Do no click on the little game icon. Instead go to the Files (ie, the folder picture) and "manually" launch the copy by selected [insert game name here]Game. Be sure not to click Demo, as I'm not sure that it can be reversed, at least without Jeff giving you another passkey.

[The Mystic]

Originally Posted By: Master Ackrovan

The CDs were fine, and my computer was working properly. But it was the launch program, the "Autoplay"? That was what was on the fritz. For anyone who has this problem in the future, where a CD refuses to download, when the first option appears on your screen? Do no click on the little game icon. Instead go to the Files (ie, the folder picture) and "manually" launch the copy by selected [insert game name here]Game.

Yeah, some of the autoplay programs aren't compatible with certain operating systems. What I do is close the autoplay (which I don't really use anyway), and find the full version install program on the CD, and open it from there. I only copy the install program to my hard drive if it won't launch from the CD.

Quote:

Be sure not to click Demo, as I'm not sure that it can be reversed, at least without Jeff giving you another passkey.

Actually, it can be reversed quite easily without a new passkey. Either have the full version install program use the same folder as the demo; or if you have a backup of the game's preferences file, simply copy it to the appropriate folder in the game.