1.04 to 1.05 STEAM Failure - RESOLVED

Long ago, I remember seeing a post from Dwarden regarding not being able to patch the steam version (buried in the forums).

Situation: After installing the STEAM version and trying to patch, you get error messages. Also appears that it effects DVD owners as well.

Here's Dwarden's original post (this is for the BETA, but works with major patch as well.):

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FIX / WORKAROUND for the beta failing to install on STEAM build:

use registry editor add registry key into

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2

new String value

name it "MAIN" (w/o "")

then place into it same content like is already in key "path"

(e.g. "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\Common\ARMA 2" w/p "" again)

that's all and now the installer sees Your STEAM game

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Follow this and it patches clean both XP and Win 7x64.

The reason: Steam does not update your registry consistently with the direct path for the steam install. I was digging around in my registry and saw that there was no directory listing Arma2. Then I remembered this post from September. The only entry was for my CD key. It assumes that Steam is running in the default directory. I load Arma2 off another drive/directory because it's a faster drive. The patch installs fine if it's your OS partition that you're running and default program path. Other than default, it blows up.

Put this in exactly as shown and make sure it points EXACTLY to your arma2 directory. The problem is two fold: 1) steam doesn't put the direct path to Arma2 in your registry. 2) patch assumes that steam knows where the install path is. Apparently Win7 64 wants the exact placement of the arma2 files and when it doesn't see it, it starts to error out.

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edit: it would be easy to fix this if the patcher would ask you where your arma2 installation is, and then make a registry edit to reflect that input. Or if somebody would write a little proggy that would ask you where it is, and make the registry change for you for this problem. I'm not a programmer, but I don't think it would be much work.

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I'm going to go start drinking.

Glad you got it fixed ,Lughnut! You're a tenaciuos fella, ain't ya :D

Glad you got it fixed ,Lughnut! You're a tenaciuos fella, ain't ya :D

It was getting personal. I also have OCD and was driving my wife nuts. If it fixes others, yay.

I can feel I am close to fixing this, but there is no Bohemia Interactive entry in the registry at the location you specified. And yes I do have the game installed.

I can feel I am close to fixing this, but there is no Bohemia Interactive entry in the registry at the location you specified. And yes I do have the game installed.

I too cannot locate the reg folder.

Yes, I've noticed this on a fresh install. No registry entry what-so-ever (and no CD key entry either....hmmmm). I'm 100% sure this is the problem.

a) windows 7x64 needs the exact location of the arma2 directory.

b) you're arma2 is installed in a different partition than your boot partition.

Either one of these and the patch will fail without that registry entry. Reproducible.

are you running steam in admin mode prior the game install ? (i know you should not need to do that but would be nice to know if there is or not difference in result)

btw. check

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432node

for

\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2

don't see it in the registry on the XP partition.

---------- Post added at 11:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:03 AM ----------

this part deleted due to new information from the war front.

Well I added that registry information and it tells me I have the wrong CD key! What the hell? It should not be so difficult to patch this game just because I have Windows 7 and the Steam version.

OKAY THE SAGA CONTINUES:

I've learned alot about steam and how it does what it does.

The CD key and subsequent registry entries are not entered when you download and install arma2 like other games.

They are created when you RUN arma2 not when it's installed!

So you can't just install steam, download arma2, then patch.

You also can't copy your files to another directory without first running arma2 before patching from the new directory.

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in light of this stuff:

1) Download steam (if you haven't already)

2) Download Arma2

3) RUN ARMA2 FROM WITHIN STEAM ONCE AND SHUT DOWN.

4) Patch.

or

1) copy your 1.04 arma2 files to another steam directory.

2) RUN arma2 from that steam install. Exit.

3) Patch.

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Here's what I think is happening.

The patch doesn't work for whatever reason, dudes then download a new copy from steam, then immediately patch (sounds to reason, download new install, new patch.... no reason to run 1.04) and it blows up.

they never think to RUN 1.04 where it creates the registry keys. Why would you? CD key entries in registry are created at time of install right? not with STEAM.

Where my previous fix thought would work, was I made the entries, verified it was 1.04 which would then create the entries anyway, then patch. I wasn't doing anything until I ran 1.04.

So, it's safe to go into registry, delete the keys, then run 1.04. then patch.

I'm a wreck.

Hi guys I have another question regarding steam Im gonna give my arma 2 copy to a friend and want to buy arma 2 in steam will I get the same manual as in the boxed game as a pdf or something?

it's prolly assigned to your account already. and it's a pdf. right click on the game and view manual.

Has steam arma been updated to 1.5 yet ?

There is no 1.5.

If you mean 1.05 then it hasn't. Use the standard 1.05 patch.

i assumed you know that detail (it's in STEAM FAQ somewhere guess lost between tons of content)

the issues i was covering with the path is that sometimes for some reason people who installed and played the game still dont have the path all of sudden

but, it's nice You posted for bettering the 'grand scheme of problems' :)

I've been trying to figure out where the path goes as well, and pretty much gave up trying to trace it, and instead focus on "fixing". Yeah, I re-read the steam faq and it is buried like you said, but I just assumed that when you installed and downloaded the steam version, it created the path's first, then shoved in the CD key, but it makes the necessary registry directory paths on RUN as well.

Where it became glaringly apparent was installing STEAM on a shared partition. I would run it in my XP partition and all was well, switch out to win-7 to edit and fraps and all that extra "stuff" that win7 handles better and it would freak. The game would RUN fine seeing the patched 1.05 files, but the entries weren't in the registry.

So if you have dual boot with a shared install of arma2,

1) Start first partition

2) Download Steam

3) Download Arma2

4) don't patch

5) Run

6) shutdown and reboot second partition

7) Install Steam so second partition/OS sees steam.

8) STEAM will then see Arma2 already sitting there, but there aren't registry entries yet.

9) Run Arma2

10) Patch

11) now both partitions should see everything correctly and with current version. Future patches should now patch fine.

The trick is to not patch after the first installation. If you patch first before running the second partition, they get out of sync sorta.

I thought I would add...That I have win xp 64bit and im getting the same issue. Also this is post is misnamed, this is not a resolved issue.

I have the download copy and not the stream copy. This does nothing for me? They need to fix the patch installer or what ever is the problem.

There is also another issue with Steam no longer being updated past 1.04. I reinstalled Windows and only backed up my A2 directory.

I tried installing steam and dropping the A2 game files into the steamapps\common folder, turning automatically keep this game updated off, and running A2 to update the registry.

However, I think because it does have the GCF file for A2, it tries to "update" (1.05 is reverted to 1.04) your game anyway before you can launch it.

In short, backup your GCF file or your registry entries (if you don't plan on using steam again) before reinstalling. Although, keep in mind the registry key location might change depending on the Windows version.

Is there a way to manually enter your serial key or convert your key to the hash it is stored in the registry as?