Installation Fails to Start (Impulse)

from WinCustomize Forums

I have Impulse installed, along with several games and apps purchased through Impulse. For this reason, I skipped Step 1 of the installation instructions received in email.

I successfully registered the Fences reg key, and verified that the reg information saved by closing Impulse, re-opening it, and checking to ensure that it still displays something akin to:

Fences    [email protected]  LotsOfSerialNumbers    noneForExpirationDate

That takes care of Step 2 and 3 of the emailed installation instructions.  Now, the emailed installation instructions didn't actually describe how to install, but focused more on installing Impulse and registering Fences, so I may have skipped a critical undocumented step.  But here's what I tried:

 

I tried installing four different ways:

1) My Desktop | Fences | click the big Install button

b- My Desktop | Fences | right-click the Fences icon and select Install.

III) My Desktop | Fences | double-click Fences, and select "Yes" to the prompt.

D) My Desktop | Fences | click the More Information button and click Add to Account.

The fourth way results in, "

** The product you are requesting is not available for free registration.

The first, second, and third way result in a prompt to select the installation folder, which in my case defaults to d:\program files\Stardock\Fences.  (I run XP Pro SP3, with rights to the Program Files contents.)  At which point, I click OK, and then nothing happens - no download attempt or anything. The folder selection dialog closes, and nothing happens.  So I wrote this post.  While writing this post, I decided it might help to look at a log, so I did.  And here it is:


-- [11/6/2008 1:33:48 PM] ----------------------------------------------------
Context:    Impulse: WebService: ValidateAccount
Message:    (Result: 0 - Success)
Build #:    272



-- [11/6/2008 1:35:05 PM] ----------------------------------------------------
Context:    Error Installing
Message:   
Build #:    272
Exception:    The path is not of a legal form.
Stack Trace:
   at System.IO.Path.NormalizePathFast(String path, Boolean fullCheck)
   at System.IO.Path.GetFullPathInternal(String path)
   at System.IO.DirectoryInfo..ctor(String path)
   at Stardock.Central.Common.Utils.IsValidInstallFolder(String installPath)
   at ez.c(ApplicationInfoEx A_0)
   at ez.l(Object A_0, EventArgs A_1)

 

The above sign-on and subsequent error repeats in the log, ostensibly for each attempt at re-logging into impulse and for each attempt at installation of Fences.  Personally, I think the problem is that the path is not of a legal form.  Any attorneys involved in the Fences beta that can help sort out this illegal path form?  TIA.

 


2,243 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Just wanted to close this out.  Impulse client updated itself today and I was able to successfully install Fences afterwards.

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Out of curiosity, are you using a non-English version of Windows?

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

No, enUS version of 32-bit XP Pro SP3.

If your question is prompted by a need to track down some issue with Windows installs, I can say that my original install disk is XP Pro (initial release, OEM) and during my last (relatively recent system rebuild I used nlite to repackage it, along with service packs, and minus some 'cruft'.  If you are interested from a troubleshooting/testing perspective and need more information about exactly what my system is in terms of OS, apps, configuration, drive/volume layout, etc. please let me know.