Skyrim will not install (Steam)

I'm at my wits end. If I would've had any idea that I had to install Steam, I wouldn't have purchased Skyrim. I've been here before...Steam.

I'm all excited to play Skyrim. I insert the disk and run the installer...the Steam installer pops up. Wonderful! Well, maybe it'll be different this time. NOPE! The Skyrim hangs on Steam's "Preparing for first run. Configuring DirectX." I get a spinny thing for ever and nothing happens.

So, I go to the Steam's "Troubleshooting" web site, follow all of their instructions and the best I wind up with is an error 51. Game refused to start.

I went through this over a year ago when I plopped down a bunch of greenbacks on Dungeon Siege 3. Never did get it to run. Same Steam BS.

Can someone please help me get this running?

Have you already made a Steam account and tied Skyrim to it?
If so, where did you install Steam? I know many do fine with it in the default Program Files directory, but I think its best off anywhere else. Seperate HD if you have one, or at the root such as C:/Steam


Try this:
Do not install Steam from the Skyrim disk.


Instead, download and install Steam from the official site. Launch it and log on with your account.
Wait for the platform to completely update itself. It shouldnt take long.

Once it is done, leave it running then launch the Skyrim disk and install.

Trying now...

Wishmaster said:

Have you already made a Steam account and tied Skyrim to it?
If so, where did you install Steam? I know many do fine with it in the default Program Files directory, but I think its best off anywhere else. Seperate HD if you have one, or at the root such as C:/Steam

It's in C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam

Try this:
Do not install Steam from the Skyrim disk.


Instead, download and install Steam from the official site. Launch it and log on with your account.
Wait for the platform to completely update itself. It shouldnt take long.

Once it is done, leave it running then launch the Skyrim disk and install.

Followed your instruction to the letter. After the install and Skyrim updates, I clicked "Play" from within Steam. I got a pop-up that said, "Preparing for first time setup." Now, I'm where I always am. It is hung at a pop-up that says:

Performing first time setup...
Installing: Microsoft DirectX for Windows (step 1of3)

And the infinite spinning icon...

If I hit cancel and then try to launch the game I will get the error 51 (happens every time).

Just out of curiosity, how long have you let it stay at that screen?
I have had a few games that take a few minutes at that point. It may be checking for updates online and the server is slow to respond for example.

Over half an hour with this game. Longer than that in times past (Dungeon Siege). How long am I supposed to wait? I don't suppose there's a way to play without Steam?

it shouldnt take that long ..
You can possibly force steam to skip the setup, but im not sure if there would be any negative effects from it.

If it seems to set up but getting stuck at the directX, try downloading and updating DX from MS. (make sure you do this. Link in my sig for it)


Then, in the skyrim directory, backup and then delete the installscript.vdf, and runasadmin vdf.

This should allow Skyrim to start. But as I said, I do not know if it will cause issues. It should work out provided your directX is up to date.

But it is odd why it hangs there. And from the sounds of it, Skyrim isn't the only one that has done it.

I'll give that a try when I get home. Thanks for helping. Please stand by...

Wishmaster said:

If it seems to set up but getting stuck at the directX, try downloading and updating DX from MS. (make sure you do this. Link in my sig for it)

The DirectX install from Microsoft is hanging on:

Searching for updated DirectX Runtime Components and updating as necessary. This may take a few minutes.

Copying files...
-----
1.0.2910.0/Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3DX.xml

Been "stuck" for over half an hour now...