Topic: Diablo II

[MysterD]

NEW -> 04-08-2016:
B-Net Forums -> Patch 1.14b has been released by Blizzard.
Crossmap -> Diablo II officially patched to version 1.14a by Blizzard to work on modern OS's natively - Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and 10.
Battle.Net -> Get the 1.14a patch here.

OLDER:
Crossmap -> Diablo II officially patched to version 1.14a by Blizzard to work on modern OS's natively - Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and 10.
Battle.Net -> Get the 1.14a patch here.
PC Gamer -> David Brevik [former co-founder of Blizzard] on Battle.Net's early days with Diablo 1 w/ how it worked w/ peer-to-peer, cheating, hacks; and eventually going to a client-server set-up for Diablo II.
US Gamer.Net -> 5-page Retrospective on Diablo II with some of the dev's formerly with Blizzard North.
Shacknews -> Before D3, there were plans for a 2nd Diablo II Expansion; and some Diablo handheld games.

Best Buy - Deal of the Day (today only - 10-16-2013)
Diablo II: Battle Chest (PC) [Diablo 2 + Lord of Destruction expansion] = $5



Original Post -- May 26, 2007:
Okay, what a day for Diablo 2 + LoD for me. So, I go to EB/GameStop to get D2 and the expansion. Later on in the day, I get home and well, my original D2 game's missing a manual and a CD Key. Great. So, I return back to G-Stop and I make an exchange for another one.

So, I walk out the store and check the D2 box before I leave the mall. Well, D2 has the CD Key on one of the paper sleeves, but all paper sleeves are missing CD's! Great! So, I walk back into the store and make another exchange. So, I finally get D2 w/ the CD's and the manual. All's good....For now....

So, okay, here's a few questions, for all you D2 owners.

How many discs does D2 come with?
I got 3 here for it -- Install, Cinematics, and Play Disc. Sound right?

How many does D2: LoD come with?
I got 1 here. Sound right?

Okay, let's just make sure I got the right amount of discs here, before I do on to anything else...

Now, here's my issues w/ installing and running the game.

After installing D2, the game will not boot. PERIOD. It asks for the "Play Disc." Then I installed the newest patch 1.17b for D2 -- bingo, it runs. Something's afoot -- the game should boot up, right after installing the game.

Now, when I install D2: LoD, first thing it asks me is to "Insert The Play Disc." That's this issue here. For those who installed D2: LoD -- does D2: LoD ask for D2 Original's "Play Disk" on the installation process? B/c, from that issues list there, it sounds like it shouldn't.

Given everything, I'm beginning to believe my Disc 3 of Diablo 2 is damaged, myself. What do you all think???

Looks like I'm returning to EB tomorrow, again...

[idolminds]

D2 is 3 disks. LoD is one disc. You should install D2, then install LoD, THEN patch the game. The latest update patch is 1.1b. There is NO reason to play Diablo 2 without the LoD expansion installed. You put the LoD disc in your drive to play. I dont remember if LoD needs you to put one of the D2 discs in during installation (its been a long time since I installed).

[MysterD]

D2 is 3 disks. LoD is one disc. You should install D2, then install LoD, THEN patch the game.

Tried that, as well. Didn't work.

I've installed and reinstalled the whole thing 3 times already.

I dont remember if LoD needs you to put one of the D2 discs in during installation (its been a long time since I installed).

Okay.

Thanks for the info and help, Idol.

[iPPi]

It has to copy all the files from the original D2 before it can install LoD.  That's why it's asking for the D2 Play disc 'cuz it's going to grab the files there.  Alternatively, just do a fully install on D2, and then install LoD.

[Quemaqua]

Yeah, I don't understand what your problem is.

Step 1 -
Install Diablo 2.

Step 2 -
Install LoD.  It will ask you for the Play disk because it's copying the files off.  It will do this even if you've done a full install of D2 also, contrary to iPPi's statement.  I know this because I've reinstalled the thing several times in the last year, including once just a couple months ago.  I've always done full install.  It always asks for the Play disk.

Step 3 -
Load Diablo 2 LoD.  Sign onto Battle.net and the game will auto-download relevant patch stuff.  If you want to download a patch yourself, I guess you can, but there's not much point in doing it manually.  The game patches super quick and all you really have to do is create an account... which you should do anyway because D2 multiplayer is really fun to play after you've beaten the game yourself once.

[Ghandi]

If all you are having is a cd problem, you could always just get a cd crack as well. There are a bunch for this game.

[angrykeebler]

At least your installation is non-linear.




Zing!

[iPPi]

At least your installation is non-linear.




Zing!

Ahahahahahahahaha.

[Quemaqua]

Haha, I don't know if anybody's going to be able to top that one!  That's A grade material right there.

[MysterD]

At least your installation is non-linear.




Zing!

Yeah, but the end result is linear, at least for me.....See, the outcome is always the same -- the game won't run, after installing LoD. Period.

I keep getting the Evil ending, when all I want is the Good Ending!

[Ghandi]

Why won't it run?

[MysterD]

Why won't it run?

So, I went and returned the games. Got new copies of both.

So, here's what happening now, this time around.

After installing D2: Original (which is version 1.03 on disc), it booted. No problem or anything. Great!!! I didn't have that kind of success, last time.

But, after installing the expansion, everything changed. "CD-ROM error." It wants the "Expansion disc" in the drive -- and guess what? It's in my DVD-ROM drive. Tried that in my CD burner drive; nope. No dice.

[Quemaqua]

Really odd.  I've never once heard of anyone having problems with a Diablo 2 installation.  Maybe contact Blizz support?  They're supposed to be pretty helpful.

[Ghandi]

Either contact blizz or get a cd crack. You can still go on Bnet fine with the cd crack.

[MysterD]

Well, we know D2 works on my new PC, no problem. So, I'm at least gonna *keep* that.

I'm gonna try and run The Expansion on my older PC.
Let's see if The Expansion runs on that.

If it does run, it ain't my Expansion game disc....
Something else would be afoot...

[sirean_syan]

Did you install them from different drives? Like, one in the CDR and one in the DVD? I remember a few older games having problems when stuff like that happened.

[MysterD]

Did you install them from different drives? Like, one in the CDR and one in the DVD? I remember a few older games having problems when stuff like that happened.

I used the same drive for both the D2 and D2: LOD install.

I think something's up w/ the Expansion disc.

Let's look at this....


First set of discs for D2 + LoD, on my newer Win XP PC
-----------------------------------------------------------

First set of discs of D2 + LOD -- It just wouldn't run, period; I tried to run D2 w/out the expansion. I tried the version on disc, 1.03 -- no luck. I tried 1.11. No luck.
Then, I put in LOD; still no dice, whether it was version 1.09 or 1.11B.

So, I returned those, got new ones of both D2 and LOD today.


Second set of discs of D2 + LoD, on both my old and new PC's
----------------------------------------------------------------
With D2 installed, ran regardless of if it was the version on the disc (1.03) or the newest version (1.11 B). Beautiful!!! Then, once I put in LoD, game no longer ran anymore (1.09). Throw in 1.11B for LOD, no dice still. This happened on both my new PC (Win XP) and old PC (Win 98 SE).


My Conclusion
------------------
If I had a copyright protection issue "black-listing" me b/c I had other program installed (like say Nero or something), D2: Original would've never booted-up for me period, regardless of how many times I returned the game and exchanged them for another set of D2 CD's.

Given that, I also conclude that with LoD installed, I don't think the issue is the copyright protection. LoD should've worked, no problem.

I think the reason D2 and D2: LOD the first time around on my new PC didn't work b/c a disc was damaged for both D2 and D2: LOD.

And, second time around w/ new D2 + LOD discs -- where I got D2 going alone, but D2: LOD won't run, I think I got a bad-damaged LoD disc, myself.

Nothing else really makes anymore sense.

[Quemaqua]

It doesn't seem possible that you'd have this many problems from damaged disks.  This is what, your third return?  Or your second?  Your last post makes it look like your 2nd set of disks, but from what you posted before, it sounds like you're on your 3rd.

Anyway, we again must ask you... did you install D2 first, then the expansion WITHOUT installing any patches?  That's key.  I've never installed D2, patched it, then installed the expansion.  I'm pretty sure you said you tried it that way, but from your last post it makes it sound like you tried D2 at 1.11 B first, THEN installed LoD, which could theoretically cause problems.  I don't know why it would exactly, and it doesn't seem likely, but D2 -> LoD -> patching seems like the logical order.  Again, I think it would be best if you upgraded via b.net instead of manual patches just because there should be no way for that to fuck up.

[MysterD]

It doesn't seem possible that you'd have this many problems from damaged disks.  This is what, your third return?  Or your second?  Your last post makes it look like your 2nd set of disks, but from what you posted before, it sounds like you're on your 3rd.

I've returned D2 + LoD once -- I returned it yesterday, for another set.

I tried my first set of D2 + LOD on my Win XP PC yesterday -- I did numerous installs; and even tried numerous different directories. No luck. Didn't try those on my old PC, though.

My 2nd set of D2 + LOD, I tried on my new PC a few times w/ installs and uninstalls. Then, I tried the old PC, a few times w/ installs and uinstalls.

Anyway, we again must ask you... did you install D2 first, then the expansion WITHOUT installing any patches?  That's key.

Yep, I've tried that, as well.
I've must've at least installed D2 + D2: LOD eight times already; hehe.

I've tried installing it numerous ways, Que.

I've never installed D2, patched it, then installed the expansion.  I'm pretty sure you said you tried it that way, but from your last post it makes it sound like you tried D2 at 1.11 B first, THEN installed LoD, which could theoretically cause problems.

I've tried that path, too. No dice.

I don't know why it would exactly, and it doesn't seem likely, but D2 -> LoD -> patching seems like the logical order.  Again, I think it would be best if you upgraded via b.net instead of manual patches just because there should be no way for that to fuck up.

I've tried that, as well -- manual ways and BNet way, as well...

[Quemaqua]

Sorry, just couldn't quite tell from your last post.  I don't know, man, I can't think of anything that'll help you.  I guess if this is only your second set you could try again and see if a third fixes the issue with LoD.  The place would probably let you keep your known working D2 disks and just swap LoD out.  Well, I can't say probably... but it wouldn't surprise me if they did.  If that doesn't work, I imagine you'd know for sure something else was up.

And really, it couldn't hurt to try Blizz support.   Though they're probably all off on the weekend and memorial day.

[MysterD]

Sorry, just couldn't quite tell from your last post.

No, problem man.
I hope I had it clear, this time around.

Sometimes, I ain't too clear on things -- even when I think I might've been, hehe.
I'm not always great at getting things across to others.

I I don't know, man, I can't think of anything that'll help you.  I guess if this is only your second set you could try again and see if a third fixes the issue with LoD.  The place would probably let you keep your known working D2 disks and just swap LoD out.  Well, I can't say probably... but it wouldn't surprise me if they did.  If that doesn't work, I imagine you'd know for sure something else was up.

Yeah, I'm not taking back D2 itself. I don't wanna mess w/ success, now that I got it going w/ that set of Cd's. I did get D2 booting up w/out LoD every time w/ the new set of CD's; so I'm gonna keep those CD's. Those discs ain't the issue.

I am gonna just return LoD tomorrow, when I go back to the store and all.

And really, it couldn't hurt to try Blizz support.   Though they're probably all off on the weekend and memorial day.

I appreciate the advice and all, Que.

If the next copy of LoD I get fails (tomorrow), I'll probably have to try Blizzard's forums and all. B/c, that means something else is really afoot. I'd have no clue then!!! Something else is really afoot or I just got the worst luck in the world to get another bad CD! LOL. Then, me going to go bug Blizzard themselves is the best option I've got.

Say LoD does work, once I do the exchange for another LoD disc tomorrow; that'd be great! I'd finally have it going! :O) All problems solved!!!

[idolminds]

Before you return it, I suggest uninstalling the game and then going and deleting anything that might be left behind. C:\Program Files\Diablo II or whatever...delete it completely, then reinstall D2. Dont run it and just immediately install LOD.

Its really odd you're having this much trouble with it.

[MysterD]

Before you return it, I suggest uninstalling the game and then going and deleting anything that might be left behind. C:\Program Files\Diablo II or whatever...delete it completely, then reinstall D2.

After doing the uninstall, yeah -- it leaves D2 files behind. So, I shitcanned 'em, every time.

Dont run it and just immediately install LOD.

What do you mean?

I've tried even doing a D2 install.
Don't run the game.
Go reboot the PC.
Then, putting in LoD to install.
Run LoD.

No dice.

Its really odd you're having this much trouble with it.

I don't think I've ever had this much trouble w/ a product, period.

[idolminds]

Are you installing to some custom folder instead of the default or something?

[MysterD]

Are you installing to some custom folder instead of the default or something?

Yup. Every time I've done an install on the new PC, the directory's different -- just to be safe and all. I've kept installing it to somewhere on my F drive (that's my 2nd drive on this PC).

Though, when I tried installing on my old PC, since I got only one hard drive on that PC, I installed to the default. Didn't work.

[scottws]

That's really odd.  I don't think I've ever had any sort of problem like that except trying to get old Windows 95-era educational games to work on Windows XP.  Games in general could have installation problems back then, and then you have that it's some $5 educational game in the first place and the fact you're running it on an OS several generations more modern and I don't expect much else.

I am really, really surprised with the problems you're having.

[MysterD]

That's really odd.  I don't think I've ever had any sort of problem like that except trying to get old Windows 95-era educational games to work on Windows XP.  Games in general could have installation problems back then, and then you have that it's some $5 educational game in the first place and the fact you're running it on an OS several generations more modern and I don't expect much else.

I am really, really surprised with the problems you're having.

The part I find really funny is, in my current situation, I got Diablo 2 going...
Yet, I ain't got LoD going....

I don't think I ever had a problem where if the original ran, the expansion wouldn't run....

[MysterD]

Well, the exchange for another copy of LoD didn't do the trick.....
Fuck....

[scottws]

Did you do anything to your Windows installation?  Like a reduced installation via nLite or run RegSeeker or another registry cleaner?  It's obviously something with your system.

Is it giving you an error of any kind?

[Pugnate]

This doesn't make any sense! I realize how frustrating it must be having gone through shit with Chaos Theory and Double Agent.

[idolminds]

At this point its not the game, its your system.

[MysterD]

This doesn't make any sense! I realize how frustrating it must be having gone through shit with Chaos Theory and Double Agent.

I've never been through this shit w/ so many uninstalls and reinstalls, period. It's nuts.

I've been surfing seeing what I can find -- and this morn, I found what I think was the problem.

It looks like the issues is that you must always do a Full Install, regardless of everything -- that's what I do, anyways; I don't wanna deal w/ disc switching.

But, when you get the splash to install LoD, check "Options"  -- see if there's an option to do a "MP to Full Upgrade", do it -- or else, it won't boot.

And, you have to copy all your MPQ files from LoD Disc over -- they don't always copy all of them over, since the LoD installer don't always install them all; weird. When I did the copy and paste, some files just got added; some I wrote over.

So, copying the music files; that didn't work....think it already got corrupted, somehow.

So sick of uninstalling and reinstalling.
So, I had enuff. I took Ghandi's advice....it's all "crack"-a-lackin' now.
At least, D2: LoD boots now.

Time to play.

[scottws]

Crazy that you have to copy stuff over like that.  I would definitely have contacted Blizzard support.

[Quemaqua]

Huh... I wonder if something got fucked up with the Battle Chest version of the game or something.  That's pretty strange given how rock-solid Blizzard's games usually are in the technical department.

[MysterD]

Huh... I wonder if something got fucked up with the Battle Chest version of the game or something.  That's pretty strange given how rock-solid Blizzard's games usually are in the technical department.

Hmmm...No clue if the BC is actually okay.
I bought the games separately, since that was how GS was doing the sale.

Would've been nice if the Diablo 2: Battle Chest was $20.
I wonder what versions of D2 and LoD come in the BC, myself.

But, I don't need 'em; I can do w/out strat. guides, myself.
That's what GameFaqs is for.

Regardless, after playing D2 for a while, I can see where TQ gets a lot of its inspiration from....

[MysterD]

Well, damn....I been playing this for at least the last 2½ hours -- didn't realize it, til I looked at the clock!
This game is incredibly addictive w/ insane amounts of loot and enemies galore coming at cha.

Diablo II is to action RPG's what Painkiller is to Action FPS's.

[Pugnate]

....

wait I just realized something....

You've finally ended your long drought and started Diablo II! Congratulations.

[MysterD]

....

wait I just realized something....

You've finally ended your long drought and started Diablo II! Congratulations.

Hehe!!

Can you bring your SP campaign character into MP onto Battle.net??
Or vice versa -- can you bring you MP characters onto SP?

[idolminds]

No, you cant transfer characters from SP to MP or the other way. Thats just too much chance for hacking (just hex editing a character to have awesome stats and items or something). I hear Titan Quest has a huge problem with that since it allows you to do that.

What a lot of people do is simply play SP online. Just create a room, throw a password on it, and play solo. There is no difference between that and the regular singleplayer. Then, if you want to play with someone, you can.

[MysterD]

No, you cant transfer characters from SP to MP or the other way. Thats just too much chance for hacking (just hex editing a character to have awesome stats and items or something).

That makes sense why they kept 'em separate in D2 then.

I hear Titan Quest has a huge problem with that since it allows you to do that.

Oh, that's not good...

What a lot of people do is simply play SP online. Just create a room, throw a password on it, and play solo. There is no difference between that and the regular singleplayer. Then, if you want to play with someone, you can.

That makes a lot of sense.