OK WTF, both STALKER and CNC3 refuse to install on my comp

Seriously, this is really fucked up.

Bought both these games recently. Spec-wise, my computer is fine (AMD 64 3400+, ASUS K8NE Deluxe mobo, 1 GB RAM, etc.), but no matter what I try to do (shutting down every program before install, installing after a clean reboot), neither will install. I even tried directly installing STALKER from the HD (i.e. copying all the files of the DVD-ROM, then installing), and it STILL would not work. Every time I get a message telling me one of the ".cab" files is corrupt or something.

I tried installing STALKER on my g/f's comp and it worked fine, so I know something's wrong with my machine.

Anyone have any bright ideas?

CD/DVDROM drive crapping out.

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Originally Posted by outRider

CD/DVDROM drive crapping out.

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Yeah, but

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Originally Posted by sleeve

I even tried directly installing STALKER from the HD (i.e. copying all the files of the DVD-ROM, then installing), and it STILL would not work.

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Make sure your CD/DVD drive has the most up to date drivers, and possibly try installing to another hard drive. Usually cab file errors are file protection from what I've read in the past. I've got an almost identical machine and have both games installed (same mobo, athlon 3000+ oc'd to 3400+).

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Originally Posted by sleeve

Yeah, but

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Originally Posted by sleeve

I even tried directly installing STALKER from the HD (i.e. copying all the files of the DVD-ROM, then installing), and it STILL would not work.

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Well, if your drive is having trouble reading certain sectors of the disc it's going to happen regardless, since installing and copying involve basically the same step: reading the disc.

There are a couple of ways around it. If you have more than 1 comp networked toss the disc in another comp's drive and then share the drive and install over the network. I've never tried sharing a CD/DVDROM drive, but it should work. Otherwise dump the disc onto the HD of the other comp then install it over the network.

If you don't have access to a LAN then keep the HD copy of the disc, make a note of the corrupt .cab files, go to another comp and grab just those .cab files, copy them over to your comp somehow and try installing again. If more than 1 file is corrupt you might keep getting the message until you copy clean versions of all of them, but eventually it should make it through the process.

Problem solved. Turns out it was the DVD-ROM drive.

I don't know what it is with these SATA drives, this one has been really flaky ever since I bought it two years ago -- and it's not a cheap one either (Plextor). Should I just buy a cheap, effective IDE model, like a Sony or something?

I've had a Sony DW-U18A (IDE) for 3 years now that's never had a problem. I think it's a rebranded Lite-on.

Was in the middle of a game when I answered that, and completely missed the question. It's probably just the drive; I doubt it has anything to do with SATA/IDE.

My Sony DVD-RW drive is pretty shit. If a disc has light scratches on it it cannot be read. My old Dell DVD drive was a beast, though. I should've never sold it.

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Originally Posted by sleeve

and it's not a cheap one either (Plextor). Should I just buy a cheap, effective IDE model, like a Sony or something?

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Ive has 2 plextors fail on me as quickly as 8 and 13 months. While my $40 NEC DVD/R/RW/+/-/!/@/G/H/LMNOP drive as still kicking 2 years plus.

My Plextor is really a mixed bag. It's a monster at ripping and burning CDs, but it's had some intermittent issues with installing software (Battlefield 2, most notably). At first I correctly surmised that the problem was due to a software conflict. After I fixed the conflict, I never had any serious problems with it until now.