Need computer help, please

**upidstay** · 02-18-2008, 06:36 PM

I recently dusted off my copy of Baldur's Gate II Shadows of Amn for the PC. It doesn't want to install. I have Vista (assuming that's the problem) on my Dell PC. I have way more than enough PC power to run the game, other games install just fine.

It recognizes the disc, but when I click the Install button, nothing happens. HEEEELLLLPPPPP!!!!!

**Freejack** · 02-18-2008, 06:45 PM

You might do a quick google search and see if someone's already found the problem and fixed it.

I know there's a compatibility mode in XP that lets you run older games as if they're Windows 95 or 98 (for example).

Carl

**cplmac** · 02-18-2008, 07:27 PM

You didn't by chance have it stored close to something that has or had a magnetic field to it. Sometimes, this can erase a disk. Unfortunately, I had this happen once. It was totally accidental, since I didn't know that one of the items that was inside that box had a magnet inside it.

**boulet** · 02-18-2008, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by upidstay

It recognizes the disc, but when I click the Install button, nothing happens. HEEEELLLLPPPPP!!!!!

When you say "nothing happens" you mean really nothing ? Not even the CD drive trying to access stuff again and again like a hamster trying to get rid of m&ms he stored in his cheeks ?

**tesral** · 02-18-2008, 08:21 PM

I recently tried an install on the one windows machine I have. The program "required" Win 95, it runs XP so it wouldn't install. You may be having such a version problem. It's looking for "windows version of the day" and finding your machine has been downgraded to Vista

**Riftwalker** · 02-18-2008, 08:26 PM

CDs aren't erased by magnets!

**cplmac** · 02-18-2008, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by Riftwalker

CDs aren't erased by magnets!

When upidstay said about dusting of something, I assumed that it was old and could have been on a 3 and 1/2 inch disk. Don't think that they were using the old 5 and 1/4 "floppy" disks by that time. Funny how they were all referred to as disks.

**nijineko** · 02-19-2008, 04:45 AM

Originally Posted by cplmac

Funny how they were all referred to as disks.

well, they were! ever cut one open?

chances are that balder's gate game is dos based. if such is the case, then your last resort is to find an emulator for dos on vista. give dosbox a try.

**upidstay** · 02-19-2008, 05:35 AM

Well, it's ancient by PC standards. It was published in 2000.

And by "Nothing happens" I mean, I get the standard sound effect from clicking on a button, and then then nuttin'.

**nijineko** · 02-19-2008, 07:01 AM

have another computer and an old copy of windows?

**Riftwalker** · 02-19-2008, 08:58 AM

Baldur's Gate 2 never came out on a floppy disks... it came out somewhere around 2000.

**Freejack** · 02-19-2008, 09:15 AM

Ok then you might be able to run it in compatibility mode. I can show you the steps for XP. It might be the same for Vista.

Open the CD and find the installer. Right click on it and click on Properties. One of the tabs is "Compatibility", click that. There's a checkbox and a dropdown with a list of Windows programs; 95, 98/ME, NT 4.0, and 2000.

Once it's installed, you may need to find the Baldar's Gate executable as well and do the same steps for it to run.

Carl

**cplmac** · 02-19-2008, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by nijineko

well, they were! ever cut one open?

Yeah, I know there is a disc inside them. I was referring to the square shape of the outer casing.

I don't have Vista, so I'm not sure what the problem could be there.