- Jan 29, 2005
- 5,202
- 216
- 106
Ok seriously, I hate it.
I used it about three or four months ago or so I think, so I could re-download the files to install DAO, it worked, I mean I downloaded the game from that "older" EADM version back then, it sent the files where I chose (installer, necessary files, unpacked, as if I extracted everything from an image), and then I kept those files on my back-up HDD, and from the folder I created for them I could re-install DAO at any time without ever having to open or use EADM again whatsoever, and I still have those same files from that older EADM download.
With that said, I just re-installed Windows, and told myself "alright, everything is done, all updates installed, drivers installed, it's all ready to go, let's go download another EADM-owned game", since I bought three games that I had to digitally register directly on EADM so far, namely DAO, Awakening and BFBC2. So yeah I already have DAO and Awakening, the installers that came from downloading the games from that older EADM a few months ago, so all I had to download from the newer version of EADM I have now is BFBC2, since obviously I never kept any installation files for that one, so I had to download it again, with the intention to just keep the installer for later installation in a few weeks perhaps.
Ok so now EADM is newer from when I used it the last time, much newer, the interface, the options (well, the few that we have) and well yeah it's just quite different from what I can remember. Anyway so I log-in, go to my "My Games" tab and see that all my owned games are there, good, so before downloading BFBC2 I go in EADM's options and look for any of them that would allow me to KEEP the installation files like before, and there IS an option that wasn't checked by default JUST for that purpose, I can even chose the destination/path for the files, so "nice!" I told myself, I checked the option and chose my folder which I created myself on my back-up drive, the default destination was a cache folder deep within some EA's own folder in my main drive which I didn't like so anyway yeah I changed it.
Then I started downloading... and that's exactly where things start sucking hard (let me know if any of you are experiencing the same thing if you're also using EA's Download Manager, although I don't see why it would be different for anyone else, it's the same for everyone)...
1) When the game files are being downloaded (I.E main game's files, NOT the cached ones), they go directly into the chosen installation folder (huh, ok? what if I DON'T want to install it NOW?)
2) While the files were being downloaded the I/O activity jumped sky-high and my HDD light remained active and flashed non-stop during the entire downloading process, from what I could see the game partially installed WHILE the files were being downloaded (more below).
3) After the game's download finished EADM immediately proceeded to AUTOMATICALLY install the game, WITHOUT a single warning, screen pop-up, sound warning, nothing, not even a "proper" BioWare-made installation GUI with the usual agreement proceedures, CD-Key registration and installation progression bar... just pure void. It was simply indicated inside EADM itself, right under the DA2 banner in my "My Games" tab that the game was "installing" with two rotating arrows going from left to right, that's it.
4) During the actual download the "cached files" (the so called installer files we can supposedly keep) folder is filled up by the actual files in question... BUT... AFTER the download finishes then the game immediately installed AND the cached files in the folder I had originally chosen for them to STAY in it then completely vanished, and only two meaningless left-over KB-sized files remained (I checked EVERYWHERE in my HDD, found no "installers" from which I could re-install the game later without having to access EADM to re-download the game again if I have to like it was before).
So, to repeat myself, basically now EA's DM seems to be deleting the cache files during or after the game's installation, the game automatically installs right after it finishes downloading; no actual installation interface appears on-screen, no installation bar with the name of the files being installed, no warning, it all happens "in silence", the only obvious thing that happens when it does install is of course that the HDD activity increases, but that's it, and EADM itself IS the installer.
So now since I only own those games on EADM and not on Steam or anywhere else and since I cannot keep any files off-line and since EADM decides to install everything by itself without warnings I am basically forced to go "somewhere" to download an image of the game so that I can use a virtual drive to install it the "normal" way and just having to enter the damn key when it asks to and call it a night. I mean EADM was NOT like that just a few months ago, why oh WHY do you drunken monkey idiots over at EA decided to change ANYTHING when it actually WAS working properly?! Godammit. So now EA wants to turn it's Download Manager into a new Steam? Heck even Steam doesn't mess up with the original installers for crying out loud.
Anyone else in the same boat? Anyone found a "solution" to actually keep the damn installation files and found a way to force EADM to NOT automatically install the game by itself? And where the hell was BioWare's own installer in all that? I see NO options whatsoever that I could check to force EADM to not install automatically, and that stupid "keep your installer after installation" option DOES NOT WORK.
I used it about three or four months ago or so I think, so I could re-download the files to install DAO, it worked, I mean I downloaded the game from that "older" EADM version back then, it sent the files where I chose (installer, necessary files, unpacked, as if I extracted everything from an image), and then I kept those files on my back-up HDD, and from the folder I created for them I could re-install DAO at any time without ever having to open or use EADM again whatsoever, and I still have those same files from that older EADM download.
With that said, I just re-installed Windows, and told myself "alright, everything is done, all updates installed, drivers installed, it's all ready to go, let's go download another EADM-owned game", since I bought three games that I had to digitally register directly on EADM so far, namely DAO, Awakening and BFBC2. So yeah I already have DAO and Awakening, the installers that came from downloading the games from that older EADM a few months ago, so all I had to download from the newer version of EADM I have now is BFBC2, since obviously I never kept any installation files for that one, so I had to download it again, with the intention to just keep the installer for later installation in a few weeks perhaps.
Ok so now EADM is newer from when I used it the last time, much newer, the interface, the options (well, the few that we have) and well yeah it's just quite different from what I can remember. Anyway so I log-in, go to my "My Games" tab and see that all my owned games are there, good, so before downloading BFBC2 I go in EADM's options and look for any of them that would allow me to KEEP the installation files like before, and there IS an option that wasn't checked by default JUST for that purpose, I can even chose the destination/path for the files, so "nice!" I told myself, I checked the option and chose my folder which I created myself on my back-up drive, the default destination was a cache folder deep within some EA's own folder in my main drive which I didn't like so anyway yeah I changed it.
Then I started downloading... and that's exactly where things start sucking hard (let me know if any of you are experiencing the same thing if you're also using EA's Download Manager, although I don't see why it would be different for anyone else, it's the same for everyone)...
1) When the game files are being downloaded (I.E main game's files, NOT the cached ones), they go directly into the chosen installation folder (huh, ok? what if I DON'T want to install it NOW?)
2) While the files were being downloaded the I/O activity jumped sky-high and my HDD light remained active and flashed non-stop during the entire downloading process, from what I could see the game partially installed WHILE the files were being downloaded (more below).
3) After the game's download finished EADM immediately proceeded to AUTOMATICALLY install the game, WITHOUT a single warning, screen pop-up, sound warning, nothing, not even a "proper" BioWare-made installation GUI with the usual agreement proceedures, CD-Key registration and installation progression bar... just pure void. It was simply indicated inside EADM itself, right under the DA2 banner in my "My Games" tab that the game was "installing" with two rotating arrows going from left to right, that's it.
4) During the actual download the "cached files" (the so called installer files we can supposedly keep) folder is filled up by the actual files in question... BUT... AFTER the download finishes then the game immediately installed AND the cached files in the folder I had originally chosen for them to STAY in it then completely vanished, and only two meaningless left-over KB-sized files remained (I checked EVERYWHERE in my HDD, found no "installers" from which I could re-install the game later without having to access EADM to re-download the game again if I have to like it was before).
So, to repeat myself, basically now EA's DM seems to be deleting the cache files during or after the game's installation, the game automatically installs right after it finishes downloading; no actual installation interface appears on-screen, no installation bar with the name of the files being installed, no warning, it all happens "in silence", the only obvious thing that happens when it does install is of course that the HDD activity increases, but that's it, and EADM itself IS the installer.
So now since I only own those games on EADM and not on Steam or anywhere else and since I cannot keep any files off-line and since EADM decides to install everything by itself without warnings I am basically forced to go "somewhere" to download an image of the game so that I can use a virtual drive to install it the "normal" way and just having to enter the damn key when it asks to and call it a night. I mean EADM was NOT like that just a few months ago, why oh WHY do you drunken monkey idiots over at EA decided to change ANYTHING when it actually WAS working properly?! Godammit. So now EA wants to turn it's Download Manager into a new Steam? Heck even Steam doesn't mess up with the original installers for crying out loud.
Anyone else in the same boat? Anyone found a "solution" to actually keep the damn installation files and found a way to force EADM to NOT automatically install the game by itself? And where the hell was BioWare's own installer in all that? I see NO options whatsoever that I could check to force EADM to not install automatically, and that stupid "keep your installer after installation" option DOES NOT WORK.
Last edited:
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