Windows 7: Mass Effect 1

I'm sorry if this has been answered, if it has please point me in that direction since i've spent the last hour trying to find that answer.

I've just installed mass effect 1, installed the new patch 1.02 and Bring down the sky, yet when i pull up ME and tell it to play, the mouse will turn to the wheel showing its thinking and then go back to the normal mouse and do nothing. I've let it sit for a few minutes and ME will still not come up to play.

Does anyone know why? Am i somehow missing something? Any answers please be thorough as i'm not incredibly knowledgeable on programming or going too indepth on windows itself.

thank you

Hi funkyj0e, you might want to have a look here.... Mass Effect 1 framerate "stutters" help plz.. There are some recommendations there that would apply in your situation.

Good luck

ALSO...the first time you run MassEffect 1 it must "phone home" for activation. Make sure you internet connection is working properly and make sure your router/firewall are not blocking the MassEffect communication.

This "phone home" communication only occurs the first time you run the game, and once after you have updated it with a patch or downloadable content.

Good luck...Great Game

Follow up???
Things work out???

I actually had to run it as administrator, however i still haven't been able to have it "phone home". I'm having that same problem with bring down the sky, it says its unable to start and has to cancel install when i initiate it.

thank you all for the help so far

Where did you get your copy from?

AS far as BDTS, it does a activation/licence check part way through the install.
If its booting you out of the instal, its likely due to licence failure.
You'll need to go to the official site. register your original game with the original KEY, and you will then be able to register and recieve a activation code for BDTS.
At which point it should instal.

As for the orignal ME, the "call home" feature happens when you first launch the game.
Make sure your FW isn't blocking something.
For the most part, youll never know it even happens. However, that very first launch can take a few minutes depending on the PC, server, internet traffic etc.

If it can not reach the server, or activation limit is reached it will tell you so, as well as why.


From what I remember, Steam version requires setting the exe to run as admin. The physical disc wont require it and will run without needing to do anything.

Well for Bring Down the Sky, i went to Biowares website because your supposed to get some code in order to download it. when i found the code, i clicked on the link for it that was given to you on that same page so thats how i got it.

i actually am using the actual cd version, not a download through steam. so i dont know why i had to run the exe as admin.

and now for whatever reason it won't even run it through steam, i have to click on exe shortcut from my quicklinks

Is it possible to install the 1.02 directly onto ME 1 Vanilla?

Yes, you can.

Thanks Wishmaster