PC Geek Question

So I'm all happy...I dropped a couple gigs extra into my rig, bought a mid-high end logitech mouse (waste of money...I know, but it looked cool) and am in the process of ordering the new case (gotta get rid of that cursed Dell logo) and the 5.1 speakers.

Since I already have a decent game library, one of the only games I could find that was higher end on the graphics scale that I haven't already bought was Quake IV. Now, I should have known from previous experience with Id/Raven games that the install process would test my patience to the very limit...and it did.

I get to the second CD in the install, or I when it comes back to the first, and my CD drive stops making noise and voila! No more install. So now I'm doing a pain in the butt manual install (a process I became more than aquainted with while trying to install Doom 3)...anyone else have/fix this problem?

It does it on both my DVD/RW and my CD/RW. I've basically eliminated my hardware or the game CD's as being the issue...otherwise the manual extractions wouldn't work. It's something in the Windows enviroment...more than likely has something to do with various video game manufacturers encoding their install discs to ignore the spash screens when you insert the next disc, but the flaw is that it often times ignores the disc altogether. Very complicated, annoying problem. I guess it's reason #1,000,543,251 to start shelling out the extra ten bucks and buying DVD's instead of the four-six disc setups...Oblivion is one of the few games that I installed flawlessly.

The game runs great though, I'm actually enjoying my overpriced mouse...

Darur wrote: Not sure what you mean, my mind is sort of blank at the moment. Does the drive simply stop working?  If so, in my experience, reconnecting the power and IDE cables fixes the problem. Please clarify if you can.

It's not you-this is hard to sum up. Basically this only happens on multi-disk install programs (especially id games), basically I'll get to INSERT DISK (1,2,3,etc.), insert the disk, the popup goes away, the disk drives whirs, all is good, then it stops. The progress bar stops, the drive stops making noise...and you can't cancel, the program just locks up. BUT-if you eject the CD, it immediately unlocks as soon as the button is pressed, and the INSERT DISK popup comes back.

This happens at various stages-on my old PC's and on older programs this usually meant a problem with the CD, but here lately it happens on random parts of most multi disk installs. Usually after a couple of cancelled installations, the program installs normally.

I don't know if the issue is coming form using a dual core processor (which apparently presents all kinds of issues to software developers), from Windows XP, or what have you. It's definately not my drives-it happens on both of them, but in any other instance they work fine. Either way, it's superbly annoying, so much so that it's pushed me further away from PC gaming, and more into my 360....or better yet, an actual life .

Honestly, I'm not really dedicated enough to video games to dig deep and fix the problem, but it's enough to make me curious as to whether anyone else experiences it.

stratoaxe wrote: voila!

I have no useful information, but just wanted to congratulate you for actually writing/spelling "voila!" correctly, instead of the "wala!" version that seems to be gaining in popularity.

Ok, i spent the last 3 years as a PC geek, ive fixed my own rig from the ground up, its been totally customized...

First, you should open up your computer and check the IDE cables, since you said it installs almost all the way it should be fine...

Next try the install again. If it doesnt work. continue on this checklist

Next try setting affinity to core 1 of you dual core cpu, quake 4 was released before most newer dual cores, and therefore the game can hate dual cores...

if this still hasnt worked, your issue is with windows (im assuming you use windows, i dont know many people who run linux like me...) check your background programs and your security setting within windows... those are more than likely your culprit if nothing else has worked...

hope that helps...

Note: if you love your 360/ps3 more than you PC you are under the influence of bad bad drugs or satan has a hold of your soul... If your addicted to your wii, please post your address and i will console your family for their loss.