Steam on Windows Partition

[evarburg]

Would anyone have an idea why my Windows partition (8.1) on my Mac (OS 10.10.5) won't allow me to install STEAM-for-Windows ? There is enough space for it on the partition. Could it be because there is a STEAM-for-Mac on the Mac itself ?

[tomvsotis]

Hmmm. I wouldn't have thought having the Mac application on a separate partition would make any difference to the Windows install. What's it saying when you try to install the Windows version?

[evarburg]

Me neither. I'll have to do it again to check 

[evarburg]

Well it opens this window (below) ; if I go to Program Files, there is a Steam file, with only one file in it, named steamapps, in which there is only one file named common -- which is empt.

[Andreas]

Now that's a very helpful error message alright. Alas, I know nothing about Steam, so I cannot tell what's wrong. Did you look around at Steam's support pages or FAQs or forums about potential problems?

[Dublin]

Hi Tariel, My guess is it may be hung up on the file installation location. It should be something like this (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam). Program Files (x86) is where it should install not Program files. The partition on your mac is just like having another drive so it shouldn't care or for that matter even see your mac drive. If its a new install of the app maybe try uninstalling it or deleting it all together and re-installing. Also try running as Administrator.

[evarburg]

No, sorry, I mispoke : I meant Program files( x86) ; I know it's the only place where such programs are installed. The other file named Programs is for other programs. But I'm gonna check again just in case  I read the install location wrong when it zipped by

............................ working................working.......

Nah :

[Dublin]

Ok Tariel, a couple thing to try. First lets do a disk cleanup, get rid of temp files and cache on the drive it may be accessing. Next a quick look at task manager, just to make sure some steam applications are not running if you see any turn them off example (steam client service) they will start again after an clean install. 3rd you may need to temporarily disable your antivirus. 4th check to see if steam is in your programs if so do an uninstall thru APPS . 5th manually delete any remaining steam folders in Programs (x86). 6th reboot your windows partition. And lastly install steam with Administrator. Hope this helps Also There could be registry conflicts but don't try editing unless you really know what your doing (maybe a registry cleaner program would be safer.

[evarburg]

I will try to do all that, thank you ! (and "don't try [X, Y or Z] unless you really know what your doing" is something tattooed on my mind...

...................................................................... EDIT............................................................................................

A very strange thing happened on my way to doing nothing much : I just did a search to check what there is of STEAM on my partition Windows. A whole frapload of it, actually. Nothing of Steam was installed on ProgramFiles (x86) but I found a .exe with the search (among other things). Experimentally, I clicked on it. And it worked. So we tried with Denis' Steam account for SC4. And it worked. Then I bought the darn game, after creating my own account. And it worked. So far. At least, it doesn't do the flashy-blinky thing with the menu and cursor that it did previously with my other installed version which initiated the whole downward SC4piral of Doom for me.

OK, then. It works. Is there special advice on how to deal with Steam-Installed SC4 ? Some things that don't work the same as with the disk-installed version ? Should I delete the disk-installed version ?

[Dublin]

Actually i believe if you have the disk installed plugin's the the digital steam version will be able to see them. It's been a while since i had both on my windows partition.In short it won't hurt anything. I know there's a thread somewhere on steam and the steam version may have the updates already in place. I do know that manual install in the steam directory works as well. You can even use many of the tricks being used for screen resolution, some dll files and others.I've tried The GOG version, the Origin version and Steam is my preference. Happy gaming Tariel or maybe it's just Evarburg now.

[evarburg]

I am testing things now. Apparently the Plugins folder in Document/Simcity4 works, the regions as well. But I'm not going to happy dance before everything is back the way it was (i.e. I must rebuild the plugins folder. And check that the switch routine between Work Plugins Folder and Game Plugins Folder works also. Hm, why wouldnt it ? Ah but I am in unchartered waters now...)

Thank you again, as it is your last post that gave me the idea to check any Steam stuff that might be in my pseudo-PCwindows.

PS : And it's both Tariel and Evarburg. I am Legion.

...................................... EDIT.......................
There is this alert, though. It doesn't keep the game from opening but it worries me ...

[Dublin]

You may not need it since SC4 is 32 bit ans since SC4 is working. The gldriverquery64 is an executable for searching your GPU hardware to optimize you're gaming in 64 bit. Steam is using this for Open GL and many things come into play. Your bootcamp drivers, possible need to install Visual C++ 2013, dll files that may need to be installed ect.. If SC4 is working and the alert doesn't affect it and you don't run any 64 bit games it may be something to ignore. The gldriverquery.exe is in the Steam /Bin folder and clicking and running it in compatibility mode with administrator rights may work.I do stress MAY WORK. Check with Steam Help Forums first.

[evarburg]

Yes Sir !  And than you again !