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E:\Sid Meier's Pirates!.msi Install Error

Lumina

Lumina

Landlubber
It has now been over a ful year since my days of Sid Meier's Pirates was sadly and annoying forced to a close because of some insane installation error I keep getting. I've tried so many different things, had tons of suggestions from other people all have failed. So i've come here to ask you people, where as people of Hooked on Pirates community have failed i've come here to wonder if anyone here could be victorious at my plite.

Oddly a year ago when I attempted to reinstall Sid Meier's Pirates I got this weird message shown below.

<i>Message:
This installation package could not be opened. Contact the applications vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer pack. E:\Sid Meier's Pirates!.msi </i>


Problem is, not even tech support for the game gave me a good answer on how to fix it, they said to update my drivers but everything even my version of windows was up to date. People gave me a good tutorial on how to fix the problem, but it was for a whole different problem *lost date on PC preventing a reinstall of game* that wasn't the problem, it is that Microsoft Installer does not register the game as a valid application so it will not install the game at all. I can't even get help from Microsoft on this problem.

I tried reformating my PC, wiped my harddrive, and still the same error, so I think it is possible that one of the early 2006 windows updates could of caused the problem, however i've never seen this tech issue on any other forums, so i'm still totally lost. Its been over a year of asking questions and tech help, and no one has given me a good solution that works.
 
oh dear. that's a biggie. well, i'll see if i can conjure up something using my limited knowledge. someone else would likely do better, but i'll give it a shot.

do you have two CD drives? (HIGHLY unlikely cause, but you'd never know. i've seen something like that being the cause before)

ever tried configuring the setup program (the setup program itself, not while running it)? i've heard that you can change certain things of it, including the type of intallment it should install. the game is sometimes installed differently depending on the windows version you have. i think you should select file details, or configure file or something like that. i've never tried it, so i'm not sure how to do it. i just know that it's possible.
 
If i understood what you were talking about it might help. I'm a PC dumby. I have two CD drives well one is DVD. It does seem to be a problem with windows installer, I was checking The Addicted to Pirates forums, someone said ot use Registry Machanic to clean up registry, I just did that and i'm still getting the same error. I feel it is hopeless, its been over a year now since this bug apeared.
 
well, i'm not that much of an expert either, but i know my way around modding a little. but that's irrelevant here. i'll just make it a bit more clear what i meant so there's no mistake:

on the CD is a file called setup. (you do know how to open the CD so you can look through the files right?) if you right-click it, you should get some options, the ones i mentioned before should be among them. one of these options is the one i mean. what you should do, is check if the setting for which type of installment it installs is correct (the correct windows version). it might work, but i'm not sure at all. it's more of a blind shot.
 
wow, i can't believe that i was actually right about that being possible. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile2.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":))" border="0" alt="smile2.gif" /> well, let's see if some of the experts around here show up.
 
bag of maybes - tricks

1 ) update your DVD driver

2 ) uninstall any DVD writer software you may have on the system. Some of these are well known to damage other games' installers. Also uninstall any DVD simulator/emulator software you may have on hand.

3 ) sorry about posting this one, but it has happened - make certain you are using the DVD drive to install from.

4 ) try the other drive anyway. (Some DVD drives hate some CD disks and you may have a CD version of the game, rare but possible)

5 ) you've re-installed windows so that's not a source unless its related to #1 and #2 above. But in any case, update your windows just for the sheer joy of it.

6 ) sell the game on Ebay.
 
Well I have the CD two disk version of the game. I've had it for meny years now. I'm kind of tempted to just go see if I can buy the game again perhaps the DVD formate version.
 
i haven't seen it anywhere in the stores lately. otherwise i would have gotten it already. you'll have to buy it on the internet.
 
I refuse to buy anything off the internet, i'm very distrusting, I like to whole in my hand what I buy before I buy it. lol
 
buying on internet is more expensive as well. but i don't think you have a choice, unless you can get it from someone else. the chance that you'll find it in te stores isn't that big.
 
<!--quoteo(post=194413:date=May 12 2007, 01:59 PM:name=Lumina)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lumina @ May 12 2007, 01:59 PM) [snapback]194413[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well I have the CD two disk version of the game. I've had it for meny years now. I'm kind of tempted to just go see if I can buy the game again perhaps the DVD formate version.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
um

err

most of my previous response remains valid if you change every occurrence of DVD with CD.

with one more slight addition

5.99 ) make certain your CD version is not really a DVD. (again sorry, but has happened)
 
<!--quoteo(post=194566:date=May 13 2007, 08:52 AM:name=rupertlittlebear)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rupertlittlebear @ May 13 2007, 08:52 AM) [snapback]194566[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=194413:date=May 12 2007, 01:59 PM:name=Lumina)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lumina @ May 12 2007, 01:59 PM) [snapback]194413[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well I have the CD two disk version of the game. I've had it for meny years now. I'm kind of tempted to just go see if I can buy the game again perhaps the DVD formate version.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
um

err

most of my previous response remains valid if you change every occurrence of DVD with CD.

with one more slight addition

5.99 ) make certain your CD version is not really a DVD. (again sorry, but has happened)
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So confusing, because this problem happened when I made no changes atleast known changes to my PC other than manditory windows updates, and a few video driver updates. I tried reformating PC to fix problem but it still get the same problem. So I doub its my CD RW/Reader >.<

All I did was uninstall the game, month later tried to reinstall, but oddly it would not work and got that evil message of doom, even after reformating PC and wiping harddrive, the problem is still there.
 
did you say that you changed your video card? isn't the problem a little obvious then?
 
ahoy maties,

I don't really see how a video card driver should that seriously affect the installer. However, try using the original drivers that came with your graphics card and see what happens there.

Next, can you check your cd's to see if they are heavily scratched? if they are it may be having trouble reading the disc and thus throwing up this error.

next you can try inserting the first CD into the drive and explore it. Open Setup.exe on it (E:\Setup.exe) and see if it brings any joy.

I'll think up some others tomorrow but see how you go wth these, knowing the physical condition of your discs would also be helpful.
 
<!--quoteo(post=194654:date=May 14 2007, 09:29 AM:name=Durallan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Durallan @ May 14 2007, 09:29 AM) [snapback]194654[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->ahoy maties,

I don't really see how a video card driver should that seriously affect the installer. However, try using the original drivers that came with your graphics card and see what happens there.

Next, can you check your cd's to see if they are heavily scratched? if they are it may be having trouble reading the disc and thus throwing up this error.

next you can try inserting the first CD into the drive and explore it. Open Setup.exe on it (E:\Setup.exe) and see if it brings any joy.

I'll think up some others tomorrow but see how you go wth these, knowing the physical condition of your discs would also be helpful.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Exporting thing i've already tried that oddly, fails on the of course .msi file when copying it off CD.

I could be the disk is damaged it does have a weird ring that dots around like morse code here and there. I think I have a plan, pirate it, if it works installs, go buy game again. I did that for Grand Thieft Auto just to see if the game would run on my PC, it wouldn't so lol didn't buy the game.

Edit: Bingo, it was the CD being bad, i pirated it and it does get past the evil Sid Meier's .msi part, now i just need to go buy it now since I lost my Registraction Key number anyways. can't figure out where it is, not in my instruction booklet, box or on the map.. lol dunno i lost something somewhere oh well. Forces me to go buy it again. ^^
 
ouch, sucks when cds get scratched, you may be able to repair it although scratches are a tricky thing indeed. You could try recovery software and copy the cds contents and the recovered files to a folder on your hard drive and let the recovered files overwrite any in that folder, and then you could try installing the game from there, aside from that buying again may be your only chance, goodluck with it though <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

I believe someone said that the cd key is inside your manual somewhere, here we are <a href="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3449" target="_blank">http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3449</a>

glad I could help solve your year long problem <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

EDIT: judging by the description of your 'weird ring' it could be some sort of mark that has gotten onto the cd somehow, Some sort of non abrasive cloth, like cotton, with water, may b able to get rid of the mark, considering it isn't readable this may be your only option of recovery, you might want to google how to carefully remove marks from a CD, unless it is a scratch in which case cleaning won't help. However give this a go, see what happens, I give no garuntees though.

I wouldn't pirate games before you buy though, thats why they release demos :p
 
oh come on, bit of honest piratin'. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" /> i have seen something like that on one of my CD's. it was damage from being in a moist environment for too long. (my jacket-pocket in the winter, that is) but that damage was pretty much randomly placed, and it was more like corrosion. cleaning might work. it could also be that a tiny sharp fragment of something got into the CD-drive.
 
hehe, hi morgan terror <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> aye, hopefully it might just need cleaning, but if something sharp did scratch it then there probably will be no luck. However Lumina let us know how you get on <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
 
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