What do I need to do, if I need to re-install ?

[FazZfilmz]

I'm not sure how long my OS is going to run for as it the Intel Matrix Storage Console is running a full Raid check on all the HDD's included in my Raid currently with a 4 hour wait. The whole system froze up after over heating whilst doing some heavy rendering for 72 hours (with the odd pause so I could do other work too) and for some reason one of the OS's drives (in the Raid) has come up with errors (BiOS and OS detected errors) so... I'm waiting with fingers crossed because it could just be a simple 'Write Cache' error and nothing too serious...

 

However... I have many games on my system that are not registered through Valve's Steam, so would need to all be manually installed and registered to the OS again. My copy of GTA IV is an off the shelf DVD edition with serial.

 

My question is will I run into any problems when re-installing this game on to a fresh new OS and getting back on-line? Do I need to do any de-registering of GTA IV first or will I simply be able to re-install and play?

 

I currently use Windows Vista x64 and tempted to move over to Windows 7 x64 but due to the limitations of the OS still not being fully supported by Adobe and others (work related reasons), I think we'll be sticking with Vista x64 for at least another couple more months until it's official, so again, when we do move over to Windows 7 x64 the above also applies.

 

Thanks for reading and hope you can help!

*Sorry - The heading should read "What do I need to do, if I need to re-install". It's late. I'm tired. PC is dying!

Edited May 19, 2009 by FazZfilmz

[CharmingCharlie]

Changed the title for ya . I can't say anything about the steam games because I am not the words greatest authority on them. However with GTA 4 the wisest course of action is to uninstall the game, it automatically asks to revoke the installation at the end. Alternatively you can just run the revoke tool which will de-activate GTA 4 on that machine.

 

Now technically you could just ignore this and reformat the system and shove a new copy of GTA 4 on your PC, Rockstar state that the RETAIL version has UNLIMITED activations (within reason). However I am not all that eager to test that promise myself . So the wisest course of action is to revoke your existing install if you can.

 

If you can't revoke the current install then it should be ok. Do let us know how you get on and what you did though.

[FazZfilmz]

Thanks for updating my heading 'CharmingCharlie'.

Made me laugh at myself though... why I even bother to write English when half asleep.

 

Anywho, I've decided to take the risk and go by what you have also pointed out that R* have stated on the retail box versions. My Raid setup has rebuilt itself, which from a graphical point looked so freaky... the T-1000 from the Terminator rebuilding itself after being blown to peices.

 

All seems to be normal (last famous words) and as I write this post back, the 'machine' is rendering away. SO panic is over for the moment and will not be uninstalling anything at the moment. I would prefer to simply format the OS drives when the time comes to install Windows 7 x64 (finished release) and of course start re-installing all my games at this point only.

 

The way that the system is setup is a seperate HDD is used for a single purpose (almost). OS and actual programs Raid over two Raptor HDD, Games on another, Music on another, Photos, images and random stuff (MS Office etc) on another, Movies on 5 HDD, Work on another (Final work, Documents etc), Temp drive (Page file, Windows Temp, Internet Browser Temp and random Temp stuff), Another 2 Raid HDD's for Video Editing (scrubbing), AV drive for HD camera content and two large HDD for important backups only.

 

It's complicated in one way, but so much easier in usage and maintaining in the long run. Hopefully Windows 7 x64 will sit within all this well and will also be thinking about the SSD route by the time Windows 7 x64 hits the shelfs.

 

Thanks again and no doubt I'll be back on here moaning that I can't get GTA IV to register on my new installed OS. LoL!