violettowers Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 OK. I pre-ordered PC edition of Skyrim, which arrived from Amazon around lunchtime. Since then I've tried all the tips I can find on forums, Steam tech support FAQs etc and I cannot make any progress beyond this: Put disc in DVD drive. Click 'Install Skyrim.' Agree to licence conditions. Install Steam. Progress bar headed "updating Steam" pops up - showing zero progress - and sits there doing nothing for about 20 minutes. Steam either goes unresponsive, or comes up with the "Steam.exe (main exception): To run Steam you must first connect to the internet." I have been connected to the internet all day, looking up ways to try to fix this problem! I've never used Steam before - my internet connection isn't amazing but adequate for general browsing, so I don't download games and have no interest in doing so. I like a box and a manual! I just want to verify my copy of Skyrim is genuine and get dragon-slaying! I think I might have to just give up before I go mad. I've seen lots of references to this problem with Steam and tried all the fixes I've come across several times each - nothing. Lots of refs to people just not being able to play games they've bought for years at a time if ever again. Why have Bethesda done this?! Is there any other way to verify the game that anyone knows of? I'm desperate. I'll try sacrificing blue chickens to the Elder Gods if it'll let me play Skyrim. :wallbash: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugged Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I have exactly the same problem. Preordered and did not play since yet. I WANT SKYRIM! PLEASE HELP US! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboUK Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Try downloading and installing Steam from their site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshh Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Don't forget to delete the Steam folder from the previous installation. Edited November 12, 2011 by Yoshh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violettowers Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 Hi guys, thanks for replying. I've already tried both these things several times - no difference whatsoever. After a good 12 hours or so of googling and trying all sorts, I THINK the problem might be that I'm using a mobile broadband dongle. It seems Steam is fine with this for some mobile providers, not for others - I'm using O2 in the UK, and their forums have a lot of complaints about this. I don't have home broadband because I rent, and don't want to pay to have a line installed as our tenancy's up soon and the landlord hasn't confirmed whether we can stay on. Mobile broadband has been fine for everything else I want to do, including downloading/updating for games like Dragon Age Origins/DA2. So I am going to see if anyone I know has home broadband, and if they'll let me use it for half an hour to verify Skyrim and turn Steam firmly to the OFFLINE position... If nobody has, I have no idea what I'm going to do. I might try a few local free wireless connections, but Steam seems to be erratic in which it's OK with and which it isn't so that may be a waste of another entire day. The back of the box said "requires internet connection". They couldn't have been a bit more specific?! "Requires exactly the kind of internet connection Steam likes. No, we can't tell you what that is. Google it. For days." :wallbash: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violettowers Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 Drumroll please..... I'm IN!!!!! :dance: Looks like the problem was my internet connection - it's fine for everything else, just Steam hates it. Their tech support page was of zero help in identifying the problem - forum questions and rants dating back as far as 06 described it though, so thank god for complaining gamers. If you're having the same error message I described in my original post, and you're using a mobile dongle, especially for O2 network in the UK - your connection is the problem. No idea why. Finally got some luck in the third place on my high street with free wi-fi I tried (UK folks - it was via the Cloud wifi network, free but not without its problems and you have to register). Opened up Steam no problem, the update downloaded in 2 minutes, the fix for installing from disc worked like a charm (thanks a MILLION to the person posting that, that'd probably have me stumped for another 24 hours!) and I installed in 15 minutes. Just testing out offline mode before I pack up and go home for my holiday in Skyrim. I'm glad to be able to play (and to get to know and love the bugs the rest of the forum are talking about.... er.....) but the fact that it took me a day of googling and looking at forums from years ago to identify the problem, when Steam and Bethesda's tech support pages were of zero help, is still pretty maddening. I'm sure they'll give such a damn about my snarky emails on the subject. Thanks to all who offered suggestions. One good thing about this problem, it's meant I found a friendly forum. Cheers guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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