thief 2 XP install problems

[christiankim]

Hello everybody!
(Yes I've read the stickies)

When I try to install thief 2 I get the panel (like I should). I then click on install, get the hourglass mouse-cursor and then the window disappears (Like it should since I'm running XP service pack 2). So I try the whole start-->Run-->d:\setup.exe -lgntforce thing.
And instead I get the same result.

I read somewhere that I should wait, because it sometimes takes a long time to start installing.

Thats fine I guess. The only problem is that I've left my computer on for about 7 hours having setup.exe lying around in my processes.

I've tried changing setup.exe's compatibility on the cd, I've tried doing the same for the panel too.

Please post your possible solutions. I don't know which specs on my computer would effect the install so tell me if you need them.

[Akalabeth]

Did you ever get this figured out? I'm having the same problem.

I bought "Thief Collection" which has dark project, metal age and deadly shadows and I'm trying to install dark project on XP but when I hit "install" from the window the window dissapears, the CD Rom sounds busy for a bit and then quiets down with nothing happening.

I have a Dell something or other, with a built in video card. Though I wouldn't think a bad video card would affect installation anyway (gameplay maybe).

I tried the run d:/setup -whatever too but that seemed to do even less than nothing. I don't get it.

Incidentally, it's a little misleading when the back of the box says "minimum requirements, window 2000/xp" when the game doesn't run all that well (or at all) with that OS.

[Akalabeth]

Hey dude, I figured it out.

Dig some further digging and found some advice on this or another forum, whichever. Anyway, apparently there are two solutions.

1. Install the game in Safe Mode
So turn on your computer, and after the BIOS loads up but before windows does hit F8 and then select "start up XP in safe mode" or whatever it's called. Then install the game there. It should work, it did for me.

2. Manual Install
You can do some manual install as well apparently, for any Thief game, there's some information about it here: http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1568039#post1568039

Hope this helps.

[Peter Smith]

Glad you figured it out.

The advice given here about -lgntforce applies to the original Eidos releases, which were designed for Windows 98, being installed in an NT-based OS like 2000 or XP. Some people are repackaging Thief, and the repackaged versions often have bugs and poor software QA. When you encounter something atypical like this, be sure to mention who is the publisher. It wouldn't hurt to complain directly to them.

EDIT: I did a google search, and I see that the Thief Collection is published by Eidos. Hmmm. So I suggest complaining to Eidos tech support.