Can't finish game install / Can't uninstall either

[Ch3vr0n]

So out of nostalgia i was installing a couple of the older Need for speed games through origin. Most of them worked except for one. "Need For Speed Undercover" (the first one), download went "fine" except at the last stage where it asked if i wanted to install punkbust (yeah that old thing). Clicked yes: > no dice, Clicked No > No dice. Both options error out with "Error 1624" and the install never finishes. I can keep clicking install on origin and it'll want to continue from the PB part, can't uninstall it as it's not showing up as installed under either origin NOR Windows installed software & programs.

On every system boot that damn punkbuster installer will also popup.

So, how do i finish the installer or uninstall it if the damn OS/Origin won't see it.

Tried deleting the NFSU folder, and "downloading again" but then the game errors out with something else

[Ch3vr0n · Accepted solution]

Tried & failed. Both pbsetup.zip as well as the pbsvc.exe (service installer). Tried to finishi installer when both were "run/installed". Still errors out with 1624

Edit 1:

If i try to manually run the nfs.exe file (only 1kb in size? !!) I get "This app cannot be executed on your computer / Please ask the software-publisher if there's a version for you PC"

If i try to run "deauthorize.bat" i get "Unsupported 16-bit application The program or part \Games\Installed\Origin\Need for Speed Undercover\nfs.exe" cannot be started or executed because of incompatiblity with 64 bitsversions of windows. ..."

Either or both of the above are probably why this is happening.

First of, the origin installer shouldn't be able to install the game on an operating system that's not supported by the game. Second i can live with it not working, i just want to stop that damn "install at login/reboot" to stop.

Edit 2: Did some more digging around in the game folder. Saw one called __Installer. Nosed around in there, saw one called "DISK1" with files "AutoRun.exe / EASetup.exe". Ran autorun, that one started the same "install finish phase" origin tried, also offered me to install PB. However this time the PB Install DID finish. Still wasn't succesful. So, retried and did a custom install to the Origin games destination folder.

Edit 3: confirmed. No longer pops up to finish PB install

Opted out of punkbuster install (no way multiplayer would still be active anyway), installer finished "again". This time however something changed. The origin notification changed from "install" to "Installed / erase" and the main GUI also changed from "Install" to "Play".

The game launch exe is now also of a proper 21MB size and succesfully launches. Game also shows up under installed software so probably now can be removed either that way or through origin.

Took a while but may have fixed this myself. Need a reboot to test (windows updates pending anyway). Unfortunately game locks up during loading. Bummer, maybe i'll install a VM and try that way. At least it could be uninstalled properly through origin and origin now offers to "download" again.

Problem "Solved" for now

[EA_Atic]

Hey @Ch3vr0n, thanks for the brake down on the issue.  

What windows version are you using? 

Try to download punk buster from there webbsite and then try to download the game again and see if that works for you.  

/Atic

[Ch3vr0n · Accepted solution]

Tried & failed. Both pbsetup.zip as well as the pbsvc.exe (service installer). Tried to finishi installer when both were "run/installed". Still errors out with 1624

Edit 1:

If i try to manually run the nfs.exe file (only 1kb in size? !!) I get "This app cannot be executed on your computer / Please ask the software-publisher if there's a version for you PC"

If i try to run "deauthorize.bat" i get "Unsupported 16-bit application The program or part \Games\Installed\Origin\Need for Speed Undercover\nfs.exe" cannot be started or executed because of incompatiblity with 64 bitsversions of windows. ..."

Either or both of the above are probably why this is happening.

First of, the origin installer shouldn't be able to install the game on an operating system that's not supported by the game. Second i can live with it not working, i just want to stop that damn "install at login/reboot" to stop.

Edit 2: Did some more digging around in the game folder. Saw one called __Installer. Nosed around in there, saw one called "DISK1" with files "AutoRun.exe / EASetup.exe". Ran autorun, that one started the same "install finish phase" origin tried, also offered me to install PB. However this time the PB Install DID finish. Still wasn't succesful. So, retried and did a custom install to the Origin games destination folder.

Edit 3: confirmed. No longer pops up to finish PB install

Opted out of punkbuster install (no way multiplayer would still be active anyway), installer finished "again". This time however something changed. The origin notification changed from "install" to "Installed / erase" and the main GUI also changed from "Install" to "Play".

The game launch exe is now also of a proper 21MB size and succesfully launches. Game also shows up under installed software so probably now can be removed either that way or through origin.

Took a while but may have fixed this myself. Need a reboot to test (windows updates pending anyway). Unfortunately game locks up during loading. Bummer, maybe i'll install a VM and try that way. At least it could be uninstalled properly through origin and origin now offers to "download" again.

Problem "Solved" for now

[50_pitos]

Just like you I digged in game files but nothning worked. I installed this game on 32 bit VM Windows 7 and moved installed game files to the desktop and run it, so far it was ok because I got to the next install phase where I have to enter the key but after typing it came back to that point, when I cannot complete the installation.

After all I found this site: https://www.regfiles.net/registry/need-for-speed-undercover-registry where you can change settings to your game registry file, download it and put it in registry editor (just click on this downloaded file and will be installed where it should be). It simply to edit, just make sure that "Windows version*" line is set to 64 bit and enter the path to your game file. Luckily it worked for me.