Cannot re-install Oblivion

[nrot]

Hi all, first time poster here... I'm having a *very* frustrating time with Oblivion...

 

Sorry for the long post, lots of details I needed to include. Also, I'm aware of the sticky topic that addresses this very issue, however the actual information that the OP says he obtained from a family member to fix it, is a link to another thread, that apparently is a broken link (only re-directs to a list of different Bethesda boards, no actual info available).

 

A couple months ago (June), I installed my Oblivion Collector's Edition on my new PC. I did this to test the game and see if it would play nice with a Windows 7, 64-bit setup. I was able to play fine, no problems. I gathered up a bunch of mods from TESNexus for when I was ready to really sink my teeth back into the game (I was waiting for the 5th Anniversary Edition), and then un-installed it using the "programs and features" in the control panel without an error message or any other apparent problem.

 

Fast forward two months later, I've bought the Oblivion: 5th Anniversary Edition, and gave the old copy to a friend of mine. When attempting to install my new copy of the game tonight (freshly opened, the disc is pristine), I get the following error message:

 

"Unable to find your Oblivion installation. Please reinstall Oblivion."

 

I've already have read multiple threads on different forums (including this one) and have tried the following to no avail (in the following order, if I remember correctly):

 

- Force a manual install, instead of using autorun - (didn't work)

- Checked again under the programs and features option of the control panel, Oblivion is not listed there.

- Deleted the Oblivion folder under [...]/my games/Bethesda (I think that was the path) - (didn't work)

- Used CCleaner to clean up the registry (didn't work)

- Used "Advanced System Care 4" to also clean up the registry (still didn't work)

- Manually Deleted all Oblivion/Bethesda registry keys using regedit (they were located under the "local_machine/software/wow6432node/Bethesda" path - there was no folder directly under [...]/software - (still didn't work)

- rebooted my PC - (still didn't work)

- Disabled all other running programs (still didn't work)

 

Other info:

 

I am the only computer user, and am always logged in as Administrator. The strange thing is, when I receive this error it appears that the disc is attempting to install the SI and Knights of the Nine, instead of the standard game. I get no options to choose anything, it begins the install-shield and gives me the error right away, everytime. I'm guessing there separate registry keys for them, that are located elsewhere? If so, I couldn't find them.

 

Machine specs (in case it matters):

 

Windows 7 64-bit (only Windows OS that has ever been on this PC)

3.4 GHz Quad-core AMD CPU

8 GB of Ram

2 TB Hard Drive (currently 1.2 TB free space)

ATI 6870 Video card (1 GB video ram)

 

I have no other Bethesda games installed on my computer, Oblivion is the first and only. I have a very large number of mods (approx. 150) that are kept in a folder on my desktop, but I don't see how that could possibly interfere with the setup. Back in June, when I was testing the game on my new PC/Win 7 I also used a no-dvd crack because I was annoyed at the noise my DVD player would make during gameplay, and constantly have to hunt down the disc every time I wanted to play. Again, I don't see how that could cause a problem now, but thought I'd mention it.

 

At this point, I have no idea how to further troubleshoot the issue... any assistance is appreciated.

[MarkInMKUK]

(1) Are there two discs in the set? If it's like the Game of the Year edition, then there should be TWO discs - the other will have the Oblivion installer on it.

(2) Use Bben46's guide to uninstall and clean the registry from your previous attempt(s) - then start again installing to C:\Games\Oblivion (NOT repeat NOT to Program files\Oblivion or My Games\Oblivion)

(3) A No DVD crack SHOULDN'T have caused THIS problem, but will stop official patches working, and may possibly affect OBSE and OBGE stuff.

 

Generic cut'n'paste text follows with links

 

If you have Windows Vista or Windows 7and are thinking of modding, do yourself (and us, because you'd no doubt be asking for help with it later) a BIG favour and use Bben46's guide here to move the game from the default install position to C:\Games\Oblivion. That stops the UAC from mucking up just about every mod you try to use, including (sometimes) official patches.

 

Many mods will require you to be patched to version 1.2.0416, and a lot will require the Shivering Isles expansion - if you don't already have Shivering Isles, buy it and add it to the game, THEN patch it (otherwise you'll need to uninstall and reinstall from scratch to add Shivering Isles later).

 

I strongly suggest adding the Unofficial Oblivion Patch (UOP), the Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch (UOSP), and (if you have Knights of the Nine and/or any of the official downloadable content files, the Unofficial Official Mods Patch (UOMP), plus the Unofficial Patch Supplementals and the UOP Dark Sister Voice Fix. They between them bugfix several thousand bugs and errors, and make the game much better to play.

 

Other "essential" mods are Oblivion Script Extender (OBSE), and then Fast Exit and Windom Earle's Oblivion Crash Prevention System (weOCPS) - the pair of those greatly aid stability and stop many of the more common crash scenarios from wrecking your game.

Edited August 21, 2011 by MarkInMKUK

[bben46]

This may be a part of your problem

un-installed it using the "programs and features" in the control panel

Oblivion doesn't like to be uninstalled this way, it wants to use the uninstall on the original CD - which doesn't really uninstall everything. :rolleyes:

 

I have seen a very high rate of success with people using my complete uninstall/reinstall procedure. It looks like you hit most of the points that It addresses. one of the tricks is to reboot after removing Oblivion, and BEFORE running the registry cleaner. Then immediately reboot again afterwards. As far as I know, KOTN does not add any new registry entries (could be wrong on this though) However, I do think that SI does modify some. Using a registry cleaner should get them though. ( I recommend ccleaner)

 

Another idea, is it possible that the disk is mislabeled and is actually the SI/Knights add on disk? If so, you may have a defective Oblivion disk.

[nrot]

This may be a part of your problem

un-installed it using the "programs and features" in the control panel

Oblivion doesn't like to be uninstalled this way, it wants to use the uninstall on the original CD - which doesn't really uninstall everything. :rolleyes:

 

I have seen a very high rate of success with people using my complete uninstall/reinstall procedure. It looks like you hit most of the points that It addresses. one of the tricks is to reboot after removing Oblivion, and BEFORE running the registry cleaner. Then immediately reboot again afterwards. As far as I know, KOTN does not add any new registry entries (could be wrong on this though) However, I do think that SI does modify some. Using a registry cleaner should get them though. ( I recommend ccleaner)

 

Another idea, is it possible that the disk is mislabeled and is actually the SI/Knights add on disk? If so, you may have a defective Oblivion disk.

 

Looks like I'm a little to late for the correct uninstall method (using the built in one, instead of programs and features), hopefully this won't cause a permanent issue. As far as using CCleaner, I've already used it to clean my registry, but I'm still getting the error message.

 

I have the 5th Anniversary Edition, and I checked the other disc (disc 1 of 2), which appears to only have media files on it ("the making of..." and such), there does not appear to be any setup or instillation files on the first disc. Disc 2 seems like it should have all the data on it, but as I've said, it keeps giving me this blasted error message.

 

I'm currently running a defrag and optimization program to see if that works ("smart defrag"), but I'm not holding out much hope at this point. What else should I try?

[MarkInMKUK]

You should have a separate installation for JUST Oblivion

 

There are THREE discs in a full version - image attached

 

http://pcmedia.ign.com/pc/image/article/117/1170213/Oblivion5thAnniversary1_1306193622.jpg

[nrot]

Well... I feel like a complete idiot... probably gonna get a few flames just for admitting this, but I don't want anyone to have to waste their time hunting down a ghost in the machine when there isn't one...

 

Turns out there are 3 discs with the anniversary edition... (not merely 2 that I stated earlier) one was hidden under all the paper materials that came with the game and I didn't see it. Although I'm clearly a dummy for not being more thorough... it still would have been nice if the error message had stated "Wrong disc. Please insert disc 1." or something to that effect.

 

I have successfully installed the game now and am able to play apparently without issue (although I quit after meeting the emperor in the jail cell).

 

My apologies for a needless ghost hunt, thanks again for your replies and attempts to assist me.

 

[edit] It looks like someone beat me to the punch for mentioning the 3rd disc, thanks MarkInMKUK.

Edited August 21, 2011 by nrot

[MarkInMKUK]

At least the problem got solved. And hopefully, if you installed in C:\Games\Oblivion, modding will be relatively easy now :) Happy gaming!