When InstallShield executes the wrong installer

I recently had an issue where attempting to install one application would actually invoke the installer of another. More specifically, I was trying to install Adobe Acrobat Reader 9 and the InstallShield installer was (after performing some processing of it's own) launching the Belkin Wireless G InstallShield installer. This is infuriating as it prevents the installation of Adobe Reader.

Well, after a bit of faffing I finally found the solution.

It would appear that the Belkin InstallShield installer is either creating or modifying a registry setting at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\Setup. The default value for that key was the Belkin installer. I simply deleted the entire "Setup" key. The Adobe Acrobat installer then works a dream and the Belkin nonsense is removed.

I would imagine that this issue is down to InstallShield rather than Belkin (although they may have written a crappy InstallShield script) as there are numerous other accounts of InstallShield executing the wrong installer. So hopefully this fix should work for all of them.

Enjoy :-)

Direct2Drive

So, being the impatient player I am - I decide to get PoTBS online via Direct2Drive.

Seemed easy enough, click a few links, provide card details and download link appears.

Here I encounter the first (admittedly minor) annoyance - the download location (HTTP I think) doesnt allow resume... So if I get a powercut, I've got a nice 5+ GB to download. Oh, and the download speed wasnt exactly first class either (although I've seen much worse).

Anyhows, this morning I get up and eagerly fire up the installer. Straight forward installation, patch, and then I'm prompted for Station username/password. OK I think, I already have one of these.... so I enter the user/pass along with the activation code emailed, wait and... oh dear... please enter subscription details? WTF? I get 30 days free yeah?

Well, apparently not. At least not if you use your existing Sony username/password. And where is the warning for this? Prominently on the download info? On the email sent? Surely on their support page that describes the entire process? Nope - its hidden away on some smallprint page, right at the bottom.

Well, I've no intention of waiting for their support cogs to grind (would have been quicker to go to the shops anyway), so I guess I'll pony up the first months subscription :-(

UPDATE: It seems SOE at least have some common sense. Although it insisted on taking my card details and creating subscription, I did get the first month free. Some indication before asking for card details would have been nice though!