Skyrim will not install (Steam)

[bug67]

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?

 

[Wishmaster]

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.

 

[bug67]

Trying now...

 

[bug67]

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).

 

[Wishmaster]

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.

 

[bug67]

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?

 

[Wishmaster]

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.

 

[bug67]

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

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Check to see if the game is up to date. Open steam, right click the game/properties/update.

 

[bug67]

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...

 

[Wishmaster]

yea, it should only take 5-20minutes depending on the amount needed to download and connection speed.

Im assuming the redistributable hangs as well if launched manually? You can find it in the Skyrim directory in the DirectX 10 folder. Just run the setup as Admin.
If that coniues to hang, Im not sure what to suggest. But it doesnt seem to be a issue with Steam or the game itself.


Have you tried running a sfc /scannow? And, what does your dxdiag show?

 

[bug67]

The redistributable in the Steam folder wouldn't launch at all; even when running as admin.

I did notice my nVIDIA drivers were outdated so, I updated them to 295.73. I'm about to try the DirectX install again (as admin).

At this point, I have completely removed Steam and Skyrim but it's obvious (pretty obvious) it's a DirectX issue.

If the DirectX install doesn't go, I'll give the sfc /scannow a go I guess. This Windows instal is less than 2 weeks old.

 

[Wishmaster]

Good idea. I agree, and once we get this sorted out you should have no issues.

Also, make sure that Windows is up to date. Force a update check if you must, but it would be a good idea to cover all basis.
As long as your running 285.62 or newer driver you should be good to go on that part.

 

[bug67]

OK. The DirectX installer hung again at the exact same spot after another 30 minute go. I'm having to force quit the installer (via Task Manager) because the "cancel" button is grayed out and un-selectable.

I checked for Windows updates. Windows is up to date.

My next step is to run sfc /scannow. However, my trouble shooting time allotment has run out for the moment and is going to have to resume later today. I'll be back. Again, thanks for the help.

 

[bug67]

OK. I ran sfc /scannow from a repair disk three times following this tutorial.

The first run came up with:

Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

The other two runs said:

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

I have attached the "CBS.log" hoping it means something. When I was in the Windows\Logs folder, I noticed a DirectX log and a DXError log as well. Don't know if they would be of use or not. Let me know if they would and I'll attach them as well.

 

[Wishmaster]

Are you still having issues installing DirectX after it repaired the files?

Im not that great at interprettuing those logs.
I did notice alot of errors related to update .. but nothing I could immediately recognize as a directX problem or related to it.
Hopefully someone with more experience would be of more help there.

 

[bug67]

Just ran the DirectX installer, let it chew on for a while and it hung in the same place as it always does.
This time I've included the DirectX logs I was talking about.

 

[Wishmaster]

Thats wierd. Same error at the same place .. Can not create file when it already exists.
It should just overwrite it ...

Honestly Im not sure how to get it to update, unless maybe you delete the file in question.


You may be able to delete the 2 files I mentioned earlier in the Steam folder to get the game to launch but ... think Id try to fix the DX issue.

Maybe someone else has seen this before and can offer some insight. Im a bit confused myself ..



I think at this point Id try deleting everything in the Temp folder, then doing a clean boot and try again.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ation-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html

Im not sure why it would throw that error as it should just overwrite it, so it almost seem to me something is interfering.
Another thought would maybe be try the full redistributable version. Download: DirectX Redist (June 2010) - Microsoft Download Center - Download Details

And maybe ... try disabling UAC temporarily. But you shouldn't need to do this.

 

[Squid]

Try shutting down all of your logitech software before attempting to launch the game. Let it go through the DirectX install and launch the game (I know it sounds silly but apparently there are conflicts with some logitech software). I had the same problem with RAGE. Once it went through the install I restarted and everything was fine. Hopefully this will help you as well.

 

[bug67]

maybe you delete the file in question.

I don't know which one it is.

You may be able to delete the 2 files I mentioned earlier in the Steam folder to get the game to launch but

I uninstalled Steam a long time ago because...

think Id try to fix the DX issue.

I agree.

I think at this point Id try deleting everything in the Temp folder

Before I do that, I just want to make sure it's completely safe. There's a LOT of stuff in there.

then doing a clean boot and try again.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ation-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html

I'll try this next.

Another thought would maybe be try the full redistributable version. Download: DirectX Redist (June 2010) - Microsoft Download Center - Download Details

And then this.