I haven't had much luck in the past when I have tried to download large file games such as the Sherlock Holmes games or Still Life 2. However, I now have a new faster computer with Windows 7 and I have been contemplating giving it another try.

How long does it usually take to download a game? Should I expect it to take hours? If I download at night and my virus scan comes on, will the game still download?

It seemed like when I tried before, the games downloaded in sections and I had to do something (like install each download) but it didn't work like it was supposed to work. Do all large files download in sections like that or do some download all at once?

I prefer to have a hard copy of the game but there are a couple of games I want to play that I can only download so I am thinking about trying again.

Thanks!



Thanks!

The time it takes to download files is less to do with the speed of your computer and more to do with the speed of your internet connection and the speed the server that delivers the file to you. What speed do you have?

Virus checkers shouldnt have any effect unless it detects a virus.

Yes larger games sometimes come in more than one file. Just save them all to the same location and double-click on the main .exe. You dont have to install each part individually in fact you cant, as all of the files are part of the same archive so rely on each other being there.

It depends on your connection speed and theirs as well. Mine typically take about 30 minutes or less for each large segment. You're A/V shouldn't give you any issues unless the site is blacklisted for some reason.



Large file games typically have multiple segments; all must be downloaded prior to running the installer. The best way to keep track of them is to save them in their own folder (like: Game x Install). The entire folder can be burned to an optical disc for backup.

The issue with downloads is the Activation process, most limit you to 5. Once that limit is reached you’re instructed to re-purchase the game (at least that’s been my experience, with no exceptions).

Yes, it's your internet speed, not the speed of your computer that determines how long it will take.

To save them to their own folder do I just creaet a folder on the desk top and then try to put the games there? It seems like I tried that but the games didn't go there even though I saved them there. Then I got confused because the segments weren't together and they never downloaded correctly. Maybe I forgot a step? How do I find out what my connection speed is? It is through my cable.

Thank you.

I'll tell you what I do, gatsbygirl. I create a new folder in my Games folder in My Documents and direct the game download there. You can name it then or name it after you download because it's always going to stick out as New Folder. <g>

I use Opera to download my games. It shows a tab labeled Downloads (duh) when you click on a file to dl and save it; if you open that tab, you see exactly how big the file (or file segment) is, what your download speed is and the estimated time of download.

Opera is just as fast as any of the site download managers I've tried so I don't bother with them. (Once you've directed a game file, say Tale of a Hero, to the folder you've created for it, any further files will be directed to the TOH folder when you click on save unless you send them somewhere else yourself.) I don't know what browser you use now but you might try Opera and see how it goes.

I'm on DSL and my speed tops out at around 349 kbps which is not bad...certainly better than I had on dialup!...so even a pretty large file doesn't take so long that I may as well walk the dog, wash the dishes, then sit around humming to myself for 20 minutes before it's all done.

Hope that's some help,

Gil.

I am not familiar with Opera. Is it a search engine? How do I create a new folder in My Documents? Just open it, right click and give the folder a name?

And, gatsbygirl, downloads automatically go to the Downloads file in Windows 7. Click on Start/Computer/Downloads (over on the left). I created a new folder there called Downloaded Games. I drag all the downloads to that folder and just leave them in Downloads.

Opera is a browser like Firefox or IE.

To create a new file, just right click in a blank space in Documents and select New and then Folder. Rename to whatever you want.

Opera is a browser, gatsbygirl. It's a lot faster than Explorer doing anything.

Whatever browser you use, just click on the download link and the usual download window shows up. You can navigate to any folder you want from there once you click Save. Draclvr uses the default Downloads folder, I use a folder I created in My Documents called Games where I make a separate folder for each game.

To make a folder in My Documents (or in Games or Downloads), go to the upper left corner of the screen to File, left click on that and choose New > Folder from the menu. Voila! You have a new folder. You can rename it anything you want to while the name area is blue. If the name sets as New Folder, you can right click it, choose Rename and type in another one.

I hope that's clear!

Gil.

Btw, Draclvr, there is no Computer/Downloads on my Start menu in 7. Am I just being out of step again? <g>

Traveler is correct that you can navigate to any folder you choose; it's just that in Windows 7, the default is the Downloads file.

He, he... no, Gil! It's not in the Start menu. Like I said, it's Start/Computer and then Downloads over on the left. I probably wasn't clear...

Lol! You were clear, I just have tunnel vision. I looked at my Start menu and didn't even think to look 'right' to the additional menu. End of year fusty brain time.

Gil.

You too, eh?

Thanks everyone for helping me with this.

I created a folder for my downloaded games as you suggested. I bought the SH vs Lupine Remastered and started downloading it. I installed the game manager before that. I had three files to install and I clicked on one of them. It said that it would take over an hour to dowmload it. I wasn't sure if I could click on all three files or if I have to wait and do each one individually. If I have to do that it will take over 4 hours to install. I found out from the Comcast Tech that my speed is 1.6. I know that isn't a fast speed so maybe 4 hours is what it will take.

However, when I came back to my computer, the download had failed. I got the message "could not be saved because the source file could not be found". I tried to download from Frogwares a couple of years ago and could never get it to work. Looks like I am going to have the same problem. I am going to have to start over. If I do, do I have to wait for each segment to download, for example (1 of 1), (2 of 2) etc. or can I click on all of them.

I also never say a place to put in my activation key. maybe I do that after all three files have downloaded?

This is why I hate downloading large games because I can never get them to install properly. I really want to play this game and a boxed version isn't available.

Since you're having trouble downloading them together, try downloading them one at a time. They won't download any faster if you download them together because your bandwidth is limited.

If you continue having problems, contact Comcast. It's possible they're breaking off your connections and they shouldn't be doing that.


It should appear either during the install or the first time you try to start the game. You haven't gotten that far yet.

Jenny100,

I did download only one and it was going to take about 1 1/2 hours for just one file. That is the one that failed.That is why I am wondering if it is normal for it to take 4+ hours to download a game. I will try it again. When you say that Comcast is breaking off my connections, what do you mean?

Thank you.

Yes it's normal -- especially if the game is gigabytes in size and you have a slow connection.
A 1.6 megabit per second speed is fairly slow these days. 1.6 megabits per second = 0.2 megabytes per second (8 bits per byte). And that's the optimum speed, assuming no other problems in the line along the way. So for a 4 GB game, it would take at least 5 hours and 41 minutes.

One reason they break up the download into more than one file is so you have less to re-download if a download fails.


If you don't have a stable connection, you're not going to be able to download large games because the connection will keep breaking off before the download is complete. Comcast should be supplying you with a stable connection, so if they're not, you should complain to them. Sometimes they can boost the signal on your connection and fix the problem.

Maybe I should check with them and see if they can boost my connection, if that is the problem. How can I tell if my connection isn't stable so that I can tell them that when I call? I know that 1.6 is fairly slow but it doesn't seem slow when using the Internet or watching video clips. I don't download movies on my computer and I usually don't download large file games, so I haven't noticed the need for a faster connection plus there is a price increase to get a faster connection. I actually had a faster connection and I went down to this one ( my bill was too high) without noticing any difference. If I find that I am starting to download a lot of games, I will have to get my speed increased.

"I also never say a place to put in my activation key. maybe I do that after all three files have downloaded?"

When you do get all your files, gatsbygirl, you put in your activation key after the game is installed. The first time you play it, it will ask you for the key.

Best of luck. I remember only too well when a 50 megabyte file on dialup took forever and I'd often have to start over again because the "download failed".

Gil.

If your connection keeps dropping before the download is complete, it's not stable. Tell them you bought a downloadable game that is 3 or 4 GB in size (or however big it is) and the connection keeps dropping before the download is complete so you have to start the download all over again. Ask them to send someone out to check your signal strength because you keep getting disconnected with long downloads.


You probably wouldn't notice the low speed for things like that. It's the large downloads where you really see a difference. But the fact that your connection keeps dropping isn't because of the speed. It's because the signal is going too low. It may not be too low at all times of day, but since it's taking you so long to download, you're running into a bad time.

You could also try downloading the file(s) in the middle of the night or early morning or some time when few people are apt to be using the Internet. There's less chance of your signal dropping too low at those times.

Well, I bought Lost Horizon from Amazon and tried to download it. I downloaded their Game Mangaer as I was supposed to do but the game didn't download. I got a message that there was a problem with my download and to try again. I did, several times but it still won't download. Could this be from my Internet connection? Why do I always have a problem doing something that shoud be fairly easy to do :(

The problem could be from your Internet connection, or it could be from Amazon's Download Manager. The Download Manager is supposed to resume broken connections so you don't have to re-download the whole thing if your download breaks off, but it can conflict with peoples' antivirus or software firewalls.

I contacted Comcast ant they reset my modem. They also checked my anti-virus program to see if it is blocking the downloads. They also connected me with a Norton Tech who checked my system. No one has been able to find a problem. Neither games that I purchased today will download.

Did you contact Amazon?
Did you try uninstalling and reinstalling their download manager?

This is strange but I tried downloading Lost Horizon this morning and it downloaded perfectly the first time. It was going to take over 5 hours, so I called Comcast and moved my download speed from 1.5-6-8. Wow, what a difference! The game downloaded very fast and installed just fine.

I then got brave and decided to try and download Sh vs. Lupine, again. I downloaded the game manager again and I got the one-click download bar. I tried that and this game started downloading right away, too! With my faster speed it downloaded very quickly.

I have had a problem with installing it, though. After the game downloaded I wasn't sure what to do next (no directions on the screen) so I searched my hard drive and found the game files. I am supposed to click on the file that is exe, but I couldn't find it. There were three files listed and two of them were binary files, so I clicked on the one that wasn't a bin file. The game seemed to be installing just fine, icon on desk etc.

When I clicked on it to see if I needed to enter the activation key, I got the following message: Game exe System Error. "The program can't be started because Physix Loaded dll is missing from your computer" Try installing again..."

Apparently I didn't do it correctly even though it seemed to be installing. All three files are in my program folder. I was going to put them in the game folder that I created but it wasn't listed as a choice when the game wanted to install. How do I know which file to click on to install the game?

Thanks.

The .exe on the end won't show up unless you set Windows to display known file extensions. If you have Windows 7, there are instructions ***here***. You have to uncheck the box that says "Hide extensions for known file types."


Since it appeared to be installing, this is probably not the problem, but I remember hearing about one game where they forgot to add the .exe extension to a downloadable game's executable. The solution was to rename the file with the .exe added to the end (right-click the file, choose Rename, and add the .exe to the end of the file name).


It sounds to me like you did it correctly. One of the files may be corrupted or something.

You may have to re-download if running the .exe isn't working. Make sure you've got all the files before running the installer. You might also want to try clearing your cache (temporary file folder) and rebooting. Sometimes that fixes things.