Won't install

That's pretty odd.. what OS are you running? So when you restart the PC it doesn't recognize the game as installed, or starts spitting out errors/crashes?

It's Windows XP. And the only thing it does is when I put in the cd, instead of saying "play game" it says "install". Same thing happens when I go throgh the start menu. It has me completely baffled.

Can you verify that you've got the latest Windows Installer version?

You could go to the MS site and get the latest version if you're not sure.  (fyi......if you haven't already you should always keep your OS up-to-date with all of the latest patchest, service packs etc.)

My PC updates aoutomatically. Once week it installs updates. But I'll check.

Try launching it from the shortcut, and make sure it points to Sins of a Solar Empire.exe, not the Launcher. Especially the launcher from the disk, it's basically a glorified installer - since the disc is not needed in the drive, it doesn't actually check if it's installed or not, which is why it always gives you the "install" option.

I'm not sure about the standard launcher (not from the cd), since I've never used it.

Basically, just try launching Sins directly.

Will do. Oh, and Monk. I just downloaded the newest Installer, and still no luck.

It's a no go. Nothing seems to work. Maybe it's just my PC?

Okay, what happens if you launch Sins of a Solar Empire.exe after a reboot?

Also, after installing do regedit and scroll to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Stardock\Dregnin.net\sins

You should see a bunch of registry entries, including the install path and version info.

After rebooting, check it again.

????? Sorry, but I'm not exactly adept with PCs.

What Anny is saying is.....

After you've installed the game, perform the following steps:

(btw...be careful when in the system registry, do not ever delete/change anything in your registry if you're "not exactly adept with PC's" :) )

1.  Navigate to the system registry editor (START >> RUN >> REGEDIT >> ENTER)

2.  Check the "tree" on the left and expand it (along the proper "branches") until you get to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Stardock\Dregnin.net\sins

and as Annatar has pointed out, you should see various data in the fields.

3.  Re-boot your machine, then check the registry entries again.

That's Annatar's advice step-by-step for the "not exactly adept with PC's"....

By the way.....

Is the account on this PC which you're installing SINS through a "limited" user account by chance?  If so, please re-isntall SINS using the administrator account, or by right-clicking on the installer and selecting "runas".

thanks,

the Monk

Is rebooting...like...shutting it down and starting it back up, or something different? Also, I'm using an admin account on my PC.

You can shut down and power it back up, or you can just Restart. Same thing in the end

Basically, I wonder if something is messing up your registry. If the game does not show up as installed every time you restart your PC, that makes me think the registry is getting wiped, because that's how stuff recognizes that it's installed in the first place

Edit: You still didn't answer what exactly happens if you navigate in Explorer to where you install Sins and launch Sins of a Solar Empire.exe after you restart your computer (when it doesn't show up as installed). Could be important

Here's a small chart for you guys. I only have a small idea what some of it means:

(Default)                      REG_SZ                 (value not set)

Exe                              REG_SZ                 Sins of a Solar Empire.exe

Path                             REG_SZ                 C:\Program Files\Stardock Games\Sins of a Sloar Empire

Store                            REG_SZ                 $Registration$

Type                             REG_SZ                 production

Updated                        REG_SZ                 9/29/2008

Version                         REG_SZ                  1.00.00

XML Update                   REG_SZ                 1

OK. Well I retyped the "C:\Proggram Files\ etc. etc." into the "run" application on my PC and I got a list of a whole bunch of different folders and stuff. Is that progress or am I still up a paddle with no creek? I mean....well, you know what I mean.

Is that table from your registry after a computer restart without re-installing the game?

If yes, open Windows Explorer (windows key + E is the shortcut), go to Program Files, Stardock Games, Sins of a Solar Empire and double click Sins of a Solar Empire.exe.

Let me know what happens.

I can do that, but last night, after I found the thing in "run" app.... I found a link that said "Sins of a Solar Empire MCE (Shortcut)" And I kclicked on it. For the record I tried the one that just said Sins of a Solar Empire and the
Sins Launcher, but neither of them worked. The MCE thing did though, so I moved it to my desktop, or rather, made a shortcut for the shortcut. Is this OK? Or did I just rip a hole in the time space web?

Well, it should be ok. I'm honestly not sure why the MCE works but not the regular (the MCE shortcut launches the regular exe with an extra setting). But at long as it works and you don't have to reinstall the game each time you power up your PC and you're happy enough with the solution, all's good I guess

Awesome. Thanks you guys. You were all a big help.

No problem