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Can't seem to get Mass Effect 1 installed on my PC...

post #1 of 30
4/16/12 at 1:28pm
Thread Starter 
Some time ago, I bought Mass Effect 1 from Amazon PC downloads. Yesterday, I finally went thru the process of downloading the game, and then the install process, and everything seemed fine. When I started up the game for the first time, I wanted to go in the configuration thing, and every time I tried to do it, the game would crash. Then I gave up on that, and figured that I'd just start a regular game, and see if I could get the regular game to load up. It would just crash too.

So, I uninstalled everything, and downloaded ME again (it's a little over 7 gigs). Only this time, I can't even go thru the install process. This time, when I start the install process, I get to the part where it tells me to enter the KEY. As soon as I click next, this box quickly pops up saying...


Installarion Cancelled

The installation of Mass Effect has been cancelled. To run the installer again, please run Setup.



But, every time I try to run Setup, the same problem happens.


So, I contacted Amazon about it, and they gave me a new Key. I put the new Key in, but the same exact thing happens. I'm guessing I should completely delete Mass Effect again, but I'm tired of downloading the 7 gigs every single time. I'm using AT & T Uverse, so I have a 250GB cap. I mean, I can redownload this thing several more times but....


Amazon now tells me that I have to deal with EA customer service, and I absolutely can't stand EA. Yeah, I know... why buy an EA product... Well, it's just that there are a handful of EA games that I like. Only a handful....


I've also tried to Redeem both keys in Origin, and that didn't work either.
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post #2 of 30
4/17/12 at 3:08am
Go look at the Steam forums. Old-ish games have problems, and nobody figures those problems out better than the Steam forum users. One of the top threads there in the ME section will likely answer your problem. If not? Then you are likely SOL. In that case, grab it again the next time it comes around on Steam.

A big advantage of Steam? If the game download is corrupt, it figures out which parts are corrupt and just grabs the broken bits again. No repeated 7GB download. I know, I know, you want everything to be the cheapest thing possible, but there is a lot to be said for "It just works" and Steam provides a far better product in that regard than Amazon.

I'll use Amazon digital if it gives me a Steam key. Otherwise, screw it.
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post #3 of 30
4/17/12 at 10:01am
Thread Starter 
Well, this is the first time I've had a problem getting a game to run since building this PC. It's been about a year now, since I built this PC, and one of the first games I got for it was the original Far Cry. That game didn't want to run in Windows 7. I know there is some kind of trick to get it working, but I just gave up on it, and started playing other games.


Everything else has gone so smooth with all the games that I've tried to play that sometimes I wonder if I'm actually playing a PC or a console. Then the added resolution smacks me in the head and I know I'm on PC. I see a lot of threads with people talking about all their PC problems, and I've just considered myself blessed.


As for this Mass Effect thing, I'm going to try to eventually figure out what the deal is. I know it has something to do with Windows 7.
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post #4 of 30
4/17/12 at 1:20pm
Assume you've already tried the magical solutions of running the install in ADMINISTRATOR mode or forcing the compatibility to Vista or XP?
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post #5 of 30
4/18/12 at 8:22am
I had to download a patch to get my copy running
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post #6 of 30
4/18/12 at 1:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadRusch View Post

Assume you've already tried the magical solutions of running the install in ADMINISTRATOR mode or forcing the compatibility to Vista or XP?

I tried running the install in Administrator mode, but it didn't work. I didn't already have Windows XP mode on my computer, but I downloaded it from Microsoft and installed it, but for some reason, it isn't showing up in my start menu, or the program list or anything like that. Not sure what the problem is.
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post #7 of 30
4/19/12 at 4:50pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, so I finally got Windows XP Mode to work on my computer. Only problem is, how do I install Mass Effect while in this mode? The Mass Effect folder is saved to my desktop (my windows 7 desktop). When I try to find it via the Windows XP mode, I can't find it. I tried to copy and paste the folder over to the XP Mode version, but that doesn't seem to work. The instructions on the Microsoft website says:

"In Windows XP Mode, insert the program's installation disc into your computer's CD/DVD drive; or browse to the program's installation file, open the file, and follow the instructions to install the program."


Ok, I don't have a disc, this is just a Mass Effect download from Amazon PC downloads. The download was downloaded to my Windows 7 machine, and is sitting on the desktop. When I go into the Windows XP Mode, and go into "computer" on windows Xp Mode, and go into C drive, I can't find anything related to Mass Effect.

Basically, I know that I'm supposed to "browse" to find the program's installation file, but when I browse, I can't find the mass effect folder, (or any other folder )
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post #8 of 30
4/19/12 at 5:02pm
Copy the Amazon folder to your c:\\ root drive and see if you can see it then. It could be a permissions thing, but when I suggested XP mode I didn't mean "Boot into XP", I meant click on the ME installation file and right-click, PROPERTIES and choose "RUN THIS PROGRAM IN XP COMPATIBLE MODE" and there should be a drop down to choose XP SP1, SP2, VISTA SP1, SP2, etc, etc...

Ultimately Google is probably your friend at this point: "how to install Mass Effect 1 in Windows 7".....
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post #9 of 30
4/19/12 at 5:13pm
Thread Starter 
Nevermind, I found it. Ok, so now Mass Effect appears to have been installed via this Windows XP mode. I can't try out the game right now, but hope to try it out later this evening.
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post #10 of 30
4/19/12 at 5:22pm
Almost sounds like a network problem due to the fact that it stops right when you click the next button to check the key. Maybe turn off security software and bypass any router?

I had no problem with ME1 and Win7 64bit with Steam.
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post #11 of 30
4/19/12 at 6:39pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tory40 View Post


I had no problem with ME1 and Win7 64bit with Steam.

keyword in that sentence is Steam. I'm pretty sure Steam does some automatic background stuff so that it works seamlessly. Steam had ME1 for 5 bucks at one point, but I was too lazy to buy it then. Then, I ended up getting ME2 for 5 bucks, but decided I wanted to play 1 first. Didn't see a Steam sale again on ME1 for a long time, so jumped on an Amazon deal. You live and learn I guess.

Amazon is great for anything that is more recent, but stuff that was designed with XP in mind probably works better on Steam, because they probably recognize problems like this, and have a preventive patch for it.
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post #12 of 30
4/19/12 at 10:05pm
Thread Starter 
Damn. I still can't get the damn thing working. It seemed like it installed fine, but every time I try to launch the game it crashes. I'm about ready to give up and just start playing ME2 instead, even though I barely scratched the surface in ME1 (on 360).
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post #13 of 30
4/19/12 at 10:38pm
Maybe buy it through Steam and get a credit from Amazon, I know for a fact they have refunded for just dissatisfaction. ME1 is ****ing incredible, i'd buy it again in a heartbeat. I'd try running in admin mode first, then re-installing one more time, then i'd buy through Steam or search google.

Lots of thing to try here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=%22m...ient=firefox-a
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post #14 of 30
4/20/12 at 6:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1 View Post

Damn. I still can't get the damn thing working. It seemed like it installed fine, but every time I try to launch the game it crashes. I'm about ready to give up and just start playing ME2 instead, even though I barely scratched the surface in ME1 (on 360).

Don't give up, it works on Windows 7......

This was first-hit on Google:
http://www.w7forums.com/mass-effect-...7-a-t1266.html

??? Good Luck!

I for one "started" the series with Part 2....played for about 1 hour and never went back because I didn't have the time to invest, but hoping to get back to it soon. From Memory, ME1 is more like a bioware game where you have "combat" but its really more like "rolling the dice behind the scenes to see if you hit or not"......whereas ME2 is more of an action shooter, less "dice rolling behind the scenes"...pluses and minuses to each experience, assuming that I'm correct in my memory as to how the games differed......

To give you an idea of how bad my non-fps backlog is, I'm currently working my way through Assassins Creed. Part 1.

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post #15 of 30
4/20/12 at 11:37am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadRusch View Post

when I suggested XP mode I didn't mean "Boot into XP", I meant click on the ME installation file and right-click, PROPERTIES and choose "RUN THIS PROGRAM IN XP COMPATIBLE MODE" and there should be a drop down to choose XP SP1, SP2, VISTA SP1, SP2, etc, etc...

.

Ok, I think I actually have everything working now, lol.

I went ahead and did what you were talking about, and that seems to be the trick. I did run into this problem where after that was done, and got the game installed, when I launched it, it would say something about Mass Effect Configuration thing has stopped working, or whatever. Something like that. I tried about 4 different times, and each time it crashed with that popping up.

So, Google searched that, and found a thread on the Giant Bomb forums with these guys talking about it. This one guy said go to the Mass Effect folder, and then go to the binaries folder inside, and just launch the game from there, instead of doing the launcher. That seemed to do the trick.

I can get into the game now.

I just need to figure out how to use a Xbox controller with it. I'm not seeing any options for it.

Also, are there any special High Rez texture packs for this game, or any other visual fidelity tricks?
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post #16 of 30
4/20/12 at 2:34pm
You can force non-blurring AA through the control panel and AF i think. Heres the only texture pack i know of, just charaters i think: http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/to...ndex/5314761/1
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post #17 of 30
4/20/12 at 2:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tory40 View Post

You can force non-blurring AA through the control panel and AF i think. Heres the only texture pack i know of, just charaters i think: http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/to...ndex/5314761/1


I downloaded the optimized character pack. How do I get the mod into the game? I'm assuming that I need to copy it to a certain folder. The post in that link is talking more about Mass Effect 2, and doesn't really explain how ME1 users should get the mod into the game.


One guy in the thread said, " Texmod is a requirement as I don't know any other means of texture replacement for Mass Effect 2.


Which implies that there is an easy way of doing texture replacement in the first game. They just don't mention what I'm supposed to do.
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post #18 of 30
4/20/12 at 3:10pm
Have no idea, i didn't use it, i'd google.
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post #19 of 30
4/20/12 at 3:51pm
Thread Starter 
I'm having some horrible screen tearing. I'm trying to play around with the settings to get it right.
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post #20 of 30
4/20/12 at 7:45pm
I got rid of some screen tearing in Rage by limiting my framerate to 60fps with Dxtory. It still teared, just not so much in the center somehow...
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post #21 of 30
4/21/12 at 10:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1 View Post

I'm having some horrible screen tearing. I'm trying to play around with the settings to get it right.

You could try D3DOverrider to force Vsync. That's how I get rid of screen tearing in most games. As for your question about using an Xbox controller, the only solution is a key mapper like Xpadder. There is native support in ME1 if you use some hacks, but not everything works right. ME2 and 3 have no native support to be hacked in, they're KBM only.
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post #22 of 30
4/21/12 at 4:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ferrisg View Post

You could try D3DOverrider to force Vsync. That's how I get rid of screen tearing in most games. As for your question about using an Xbox controller, the only solution is a key mapper like Xpadder. There is native support in ME1 if you use some hacks, but not everything works right. ME2 and 3 have no native support to be hacked in, they're KBM only.

I'm using Pinnacle Game Profiler to use a controller. It's a bit wonky, but I'm sitting on a sofa, hard to use keyboard/mouse the right way, and I'm 100 percent console gamer posing as a PC gamer. I haven't really used Keyboard and Mouse since Quake, and even then, I wished I was using a controller, lol. Just not a big fan of the whole WASD thing.

I'll have to try this D3DOverrider, cause the tearing is really out of control.
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post #23 of 30
4/21/12 at 5:35pm
Thread Starter 
Well, I'm using D3DOverrider and no more tearing! That is a relief.


So, now I'm actually able to enjoy the damn game. Only thing is, this game seems way more complicated now that I'm playing it on the PC. I can see why they don't allow controller support. I'm using this Pinnacle Game Profile thing to use the controller, but it seems that I'm still going to need to keep a keyboard close at hand.

I'm going to have print out a gamefaq walkthru, to get a gist of all the controls in this game.
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post #24 of 30
4/21/12 at 9:40pm
Take it from this long time PC gamer: Map your control around your normal typing position. IE, instead of WASD, use ESDF for movement. Assign something you must use frequently to the left-alt and space bar because you can still move around use those. Same for A, which i use as run or walk almost always.

Basically moving your hand over one from the normal noob standard position leaves you with more keys immediately around your hand. The following is just personal pref, but it might help: I use W and R for lean left and right, but if a game doesn't have it, i'll put something handy. I always use Q for reload and G or "use". ME1 I think i used left-alt for "use" because its a multifunction button, but i can't remember. Anyway, you get the idea....
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post #25 of 30
4/22/12 at 6:56am
I started using A SHIFT Z X back when duke nukem 3D and Terminator:FutureShock were the rage...i've used that ever since (I like my palm being on the edge of the keyboard, you never get lost...I can get lost with WASD or in the standard touch-typing positions of asdfjkl;.

Anthony1, if you want some more advice (heh heh) don't start messing with anything unofficial for this game. You just finally got it working, who knows if its going to start crashing out on you or what when you introduce hacks and 3rd party mods. I'd also probably play the thing the way it was intended, keyboard/mouse....but if you must use a controller (its not officially supported at all on the PC I don't think) you'll need to use those game profiler tools like another poster mentioned. Either way, congrats, enjoy the game.....! I never played it myself...
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post #26 of 30
4/22/12 at 1:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadRusch View Post

I started using A SHIFT Z X back when duke nukem 3D and Terminator:FutureShock were the rage...i've used that ever since (I like my palm being on the edge of the keyboard, you never get lost...I can get lost with WASD or in the standard touch-typing positions of asdfjkl;.

I hear ya, but the whole point of using having your finger on ASDF is that its your normal typing position and setting things like "reload" to Q or whatever, every time, keeps you from getting lost.
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post #27 of 30
4/22/12 at 2:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tory40 View Post

I hear ya, but the whole point of using having your finger on ASDF is that its your normal typing position and setting things like "reload" to Q or whatever, every time, keeps you from getting lost.

Well, normal typing position for touch typing is ASDF JKL;

If you put your hands on the keyboard that way, it means you're using your ring finger (your weakest finger on your hand because of the way the muscles and tendons are) to do your forward, back, and using your pinkie and middle finger to do strafe l/r.

I may be wrong but I think most folks use their middle finger U/D, and use the ring and index finger for strafe l/r. The pinkie kinda hangs out for other stuff...but, dunno, thats how I do it.
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post #28 of 30
4/22/12 at 7:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadRusch View Post


Well, normal typing position for touch typing is ASDF JKL;

If you put your hands on the keyboard that way, it means you're using your ring finger (your weakest finger on your hand because of the way the muscles and tendons are) to do your forward, back, and using your pinkie and middle finger to do strafe l/r.

I may be wrong but I think most folks use their middle finger U/D, and use the ring and index finger for strafe l/r. The pinkie kinda hangs out for other stuff...but, dunno, thats how I do it.

When you leave your hand on ASDF you move the movement keys to EDSF instead of WSAD. You're using the same fingers for the same functions, but you open up an extra column of keys. I've gone to using a Razer Nostromo because I game on a couch and I really like it. I'm thinking of trying the Logitech G13 because it has several more keys on it but is still much more convenient on a couch than a full keyboard.
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post #29 of 30
4/22/12 at 8:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadRusch View Post

Well, normal typing position for touch typing is ASDF JKL;

If you put your hands on the keyboard that way, it means you're using your ring finger (your weakest finger on your hand because of the way the muscles and tendons are) to do your forward, back, and using your pinkie and middle finger to do strafe l/r.

I may be wrong but I think most folks use their middle finger U/D, and use the ring and index finger for strafe l/r. The pinkie kinda hangs out for other stuff...but, dunno, thats how I do it.

Yeah, i meant exactly what ferrisg said this whole time, lol. Your middle finger is forward E and back D. Lean right/left R and W or whatever and left alt can be used while moving so i recommend using it for crouch or whatever is used in the game the most while moving...

EDIT: I re-wrote this to not sound like i use my middle finger for 4 keys...
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post #30 of 30
4/23/12 at 5:39am
I admit my setup is unique.......maybe now we should start arguing about Inverted (YES) versus not inverted......I'm an inverted guy Let the blaspheming commence!
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