GTA San Andreas with Vista Ultimate x64 (64-bit)

[Poseidonas]

Hello

I just purchased *San Andreas (Second Edition)* for my machine
yesterday. I cannot get it to load up to the point of the main menu: it
would crash me back to the desktop after all the initial advertising
vids would load during startup. Changing to different OS's in
compatibility mode doesn't help (note: it has to be set to WinXP or
Win98 for it to even load up).

The patch I dug up for the game off of San Andreas' site refuses to
actually install itself. Keeps mentioning that the file is the correct
size but incorrect _______. -Any better locations of getting a
*working* patch- ?

*Has anyone ever found a solution to this?* I have to download some
more Windows updates as well in the meantime. PLEASE don't state the
obvious and tell me to check again after I install those patches. If
you tried to fix the problem and it was resolved, I want to know the
procedure.

The updates that I need to install according to Windows Update:

-KB953838 Security Update for MSIE 7
KB950582 Security Update
KB952709 General Update
KB955020 General Update
KB890830 Malicious Software Removal Tool
KB950126 Media Center Update
KB950124 General Update
KB950125 General Update
KB951618 General Update
KB940157 Windows Search 4.0 (I disabled this program anyway)
KB951596 2007 MS Office System
KB951546 Office Excel 2007
KB951338 Office PowerPoint 2007
KB950113 Office Word 2007
Windows Dreamscene Content Pack
Windows Dreamscene Content Pack #3
Windows DreamScene Content Pack Favorites-

FYI my user account name for my PC is {PoSeIdOnAs} with those
brackets. -MS Virtual PC 2007- refuses to install because I used the
brackets as the user account name. Is it possible that GTA does the
same ? (I am not using virtualization software in this scenario)

-BTW I want to make this clear: *do not* recommend I use a crack tool
to override the cd-requirement. That will only cause another issue (let
alone bring about the possibility of installing a virus).

-Thank you for trying to help.


--
Poseidonas

[SgtBaxter]

I recommend a crack tool to override the CD requirement :P

I don't think braces are illegal in filenames the way square brackets
are - [ ] - but if VPC isn't installing that may as well be the source.
It may be the brackets are causing trouble when the game is trying to
call up settings using a relative file path (i.e.
~/documents/gamesettings).

To rule out that possibility, I'd suggest creating another account, and
try running the installing/running the game from there. Make sure to
keep the username legal. ;)

[Poseidonas]

Umm... let me repeat myself.


I use Alcohol 120%. No el-cheapo cracks needed. The money spent on
that program is well worth it. I have a external 40gb HDD for just
running game ISO images.

The weirdest thing is that even after creating a second user account,
and attempting to install the software from there (both accounts as
admin), it STILL comes up with the *same* error.

It looks like I'll need to reinstall Windows Vista to get around this
issue. Oh well.


--
Poseidonas