Preparing first time setup.... again.

[Jachal]

Every time I start up the game, I get the install window that pops up telling me its preparing first time setup, and goes on to install NET framework. Very annoying.

This happen to anyone else? How do I fix?

Also, I'm like lvl 8 or something already, and none of the repair zones around my crawlers seem to work yet. Am I missing something simple or is the circle surrounding the deployed crawler with he mini wrenches just there for show?

[TheSisko]

I get this issue with the game. Every time I load the game up it tries to install the 32bit version of the .Net Framework 3.5 SP1.

If it matters I'am using Windows 7 HP 64bit.

[Snookieboy]

Same problem here with .NET Setup everytime, 64-bit Windows 7 to.

[TRxKhrin]

windows 7 strikes again :P

[DanniV8]

I'm getting the same thing. Every time I launch this game I get "Performing first time setup" window.

I'm on Windows 7 64bit as well.

[Sepulch]

Same here, 64Bit version of Windows 7

[Dav3]

Yeah - same keeps happening here.
Load game from Steam...FIRST TIME SETUP! Re-installing Dot Net Framework.

Windows 7 - 64 bit version too.

Dave

[Phopojijo]

Same, Win 7 64 bit.

[Glasgowprince]

Does exactly the same for me. It starts to install Microsoft .net framework (Steps 1 of 2) and then (Step 2 of 2) then I get the message:

Launcher has stopped working.


Im on Windows Vistsa, 64 Bit. Seems to be the 64 bit operating system ia thw commonality here.

[Noth]

7x64 here, always performing first time setup -.-

[HistoricKeeper]

Yep same here windows 7 64bit have try alot of things like running as admin and so on too stop this but still does it sigh :)

[Jachal]

Found two ways around this issue.

When the Win 7 warning pops up asking to allow it to be run, just exit out of it, and you will go directly to the login screen.

Second way is go into the steam common files and manually make a shortcut from the application exe. This method takes you directly to the login screen.

[Sepulch]

By launching the game directly from the game exe you lose the steam overlay. I hope Steam fixes this soon, cause it seems their problem, not EA's.

[MILLANDSON]

Does exactly the same for me. It starts to install Microsoft .net framework (Steps 1 of 2) and then (Step 2 of 2) then I get the message:

Launcher has stopped working.


Im on Windows Vistsa, 64 Bit. Seems to be the 64 bit operating system ia thw commonality here.

I have Vista 64bit, no problems here.

[shadewarlock]

7x64

same prob very annoying as the steam overlay is one of the main reasons for buying it from steam...

[neo158]

I have this problem, as well as the game randomly crashing to the desktop, seems like it's an x64 problem.

[renegader250]

7x64 same prob

[VASH1291]

Im on XP and it still does this.

[Whoops]

Well, I don't know the cause, but if you go to the game folder in program files --> steam --> steamapps --> common --> C&C (or w/e it is), then open "installscript.vdf" using notepad or textpad (again, forget the name as I never use it), and the line "Run Process", simply add // in front of the word run (I always make sure it's inside the "'s, but outside may work also) and it removes the coding to install that little bit of information.
So that way if for some reason the game keeps going to that file to run the process, ta-da, it can't because you removed the core part of that little chain. Personally, I use it on most games where I already have the directx files and don't feel like having to wait for them to reinstall, or if my computer is acting grumpy and doesn't want to install the buggers. (yes warning, that is the code that does the first install of directx and .net framework, but if you are having issues with them, you'd be ahead to just remove them from the equation, no? Especially if you already have them installed for that particular title)

(Apologies for the text wall by the way.)

Bah, forgot to put the edit text in this, oh well. Hurrying never helps matters I suppose, but was just tossing this out as I stumbled on the forum and felt like giving you all a hand

[Whoops]

Edit 1: by "don't know the cause" I mean "i don't know why your game is trying to keep installing it everytime", not "why this removes the actual 'do this' line of code" as that is taught by a mere entry level java course, or an online site if you're bored enough to learn it.

[Jachal]

Well, I don't know the cause, but if you go to the game folder in program files --> steam --> steamapps --> common --> C&C (or w/e it is), then open "installscript.vdf" using notepad or textpad (again, forget the name as I never use it), and the line "Run Process", simply add // in front of the word run (I always make sure it's inside the "'s, but outside may work also) and it removes the coding to install that little bit of information.
So that way if for some reason the game keeps going to that file to run the process, ta-da, it can't because you removed the core part of that little chain. Personally, I use it on most games where I already have the directx files and don't feel like having to wait for them to reinstall, or if my computer is acting grumpy and doesn't want to install the buggers. (yes warning, that is the code that does the first install of directx and .net framework, but if you are having issues with them, you'd be ahead to just remove them from the equation, no? Especially if you already have them installed for that particular title)

(Apologies for the text wall by the way.)

Bah, forgot to put the edit text in this, oh well. Hurrying never helps matters I suppose, but was just tossing this out as I stumbled on the forum and felt like giving you all a hand

Thank you!

[grangerx]

I found another workaround.

I used the Steam "+ Add A Game..." feature to "Add a Non-Steam Game",

then went to the directory "<wherever_you_installed_steam>\SteamApps\common\command and conquer 4 tiberian twilight"

and picked "CNC4.exe" as the game to add.

Now of course, there are two entries for Command and Conquer 4 in your Steam App, but if you start the game from the CNC4 link, you still have the Steam Overlay and it doesn't ask about the "First Time Setup" stuff.

I think the original entry will keep the game auto-updated still, as well.

Thanks,

[grangerx]

Hi all,

I ran the SysInternals ProcessMonitor utility while starting "Command and Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight" from steam.

The reason this thing keeps asking to perform first time setup is that it seems to install DotNet 3.5 but look to see if it has registry values for both 3.5 and 3.5.sp1.

To at least fix this asking for First Time Setup every time, use RegEdit.EXE and add the following Registry Key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam\Apps\47700]
"DotNet3_5_SP1"=dword:00000001

(or you can probably cut/paste the two lines above into a text file and save as a .REG file and double-click that from Explorer to add it to the Registry, as well.)

Have fun!

[Blazer71]

That is unfortunate that you all are experiencing this problem. Sometimes I think Steam is utter crap. The reason why I like to buy my games retail. I have never had a problem with retail games. Hopefully the fix some of you have provided will work.

[vincenthunter]

same problem here, its a bug

[Arty-chan]

I dont' suppose this issue has been fixed? I'm on Win7, 32bit, check that 3.5 SP1 is installed according to the registry and I still get this issue

[excalibur1814]

I have never had a problem with retail games. Hopefully the fix some of you have provided will work.


Are you serious? Millions of people have had problems with retail games

[Pcow]

Got a very nice solution if none of the above are working. Go to Steam\steamapps\(either common or your username)\(your game) and you should find a "redist" folder there, if not, try looking around a little more in the folder. Open up the "redist" folder and you will find the installers for "DirectX", ".NET FRAMEWORK", etc. Just delete them! Then try launching the game and it will still say "Preparing first time setup" however Steam will notice that the installers for the things they want to install are gone, so it shows that window for about 1/4 second, and it should bring you to your game!

Hope this works :D

Also: This should work on XP (I did it on XP), Vista, 7,and 8.