usb HD broke down, can't re-install

Hello. My USB hard drive (MyBook essential) is not working anymore for some reason and I had FM09 installed to it. When I start to re-install the game from DVD it gives an error in the beginning about Steam, which was also installed to that HD. Well, I cannot uninstall steam from control panel either because of that. I think there are some hidden data somewhere which tells fm09 dvd that steam is already installed or something which prevents me to install everything again. Is there anything I can do? I would not like to install windows (XP) again.. Thank you.

Have you tried to install steam all over onto the computer, then it might be possible to unistall it. There are probably some files in the registry, but it is not adviseable to go and stirr things up there unless your really sure about what you are doing.

Have you tried installing via Uniloc? That should be possible in your current situation.

I tried to reinstall steam (downloaded installer from website) but gave same error. I have no idea what is uniloc and how to use it. Tried to google it and looked FAQs here but didn't help.

Uniloc is one of the install options from the boxed version, along with Steam. I guess you only got it through Steam and not a boxed copy?

UNINSTALL STEAM MANUALLY

http://supportwiki.steampowered.com/wiki/Uninstalling_Steam

Important Note

Dealing with your registry requires extreme care. Do not delete anything in your Windows registry that you are unsure about. For this reason, we suggest you only use this option as a last resort.

1. Exit Steam
   
2. Navigate to your Steam installation directory (by default, C:\Program Files\Steam or C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam)
   
   • If you wish to keep your saved games and downloaded multiplayer content for a future installation of Steam, move your \steamapps\ folder to your desktop
     

[*]Delete the contents of the Steam installation directory

[*]Go to Start, select Run, and enter regedit

[*]In the left-hand column of your registry editor, navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Valve\

[*]Right-click on the Steam subdirectory and select Delete

[*]In the left-hand column of your registry editor, navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Valve\Steam

[*]Right-click on the Steam subdirectory and select Delete

Retrieved from "http://supportwiki.steampowered.com/wiki/Uninstalling_Steam"

UNINSTALL FM 2009 MANUALLY

To Remove the Game files follow these steps:

Windows XP

1: Open “My Computer”

2: Navigate to “C:\Program Files\Sports Interactive

Windows Vista

1: Click “Start”

2: Click “Computer”

3: Navigate to “C:\Program Files\Sports Interactive

If you have more than one version of the game installed (For example, you have FM2007 and FM2008 installed) and only wish to remove one then go into the Sports Interactive Folder and delete the folder of the game you wish to remove.

Next you need to remove save games and other content (your saved games are in the 'games' folder - move its content out of here if you wish to keep your saved games)

Windows XP:

1: Open “My Computer”

2: Navigate to “C:\Documents and Settings\<Name>\My Documents”

Vista:

1: Click on “Start”

2: Click on “Computer”

3: Navagate to “C:\Users\<Name>\Documents”

Look for the Sports Interactive Folder and follow the same steps for the game files.

Next remove your Cache files

In instructions below <User Name> refers to your Windows account name

XP

1. Open up any folder on your machine. Go Tools > Folder Options > View Tab and tick 'Show hidden files and folders'

2. Go here

C:\Documents and Settings\<User Name>\Application Data\Sports Interactive\

and delete the Football Manager 2009 folder

VISTA

1. Enable hidden folders

Click on the Start button. This is the small round button with the Windows flag in the lower left corner.

Click on the Control Panel menu option.

When the control panel opens you can either be in Classic View or Control Panel Home view:

If you are in the Classic View do the following:

Double-click on the Folder Options icon.

Click on the View tab.

Go to step 5.

If you are in the Control Panel Home view do the following:

Click on the Appearance and Personalization link .

Click on Show Hidden Files or Folders.

Go to step 5.

Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files and folders.

Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide extensions for known file types.

Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files.

Press the Apply button and then the OK button and shutdown My Computer.

Now Windows Vista is configured to show all hidden files.

2.. Go here

C:\Users\<User Name>\AppData\Roaming\Sports Interactive\

and delete the Football Manager 2009 folder

How to Delete your Registry Files

Finally you will need to edit your registry to remove information Sports Interactive stores there.

To do this follow these steps:

Windows Xp

1: Click on “Start”

2: Click on “Run”

3: In the text prompt box type “regedit”

4: Navigate to: “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\" using the plus signs to expand entries in the left panel

5: Delete the “Sports Interactive Ltd” Folder. (If you have other versions of FM you still play, expand this entry using the plus sign and delete the Football Manager 2009 folder only)

Windows Vista

1: Click on “Start”

2: In the Search box type “regedit”

3: Navigate to: “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\

4: Delete the “Sports Interactive Ltd” Folder. (If you have other versions of FM you still play, expand this entry using the plus sign and delete the Football Manager 2009 folder only)

Note: Please do not tamper with anything else in this folder, your registry is very sensitive and changing something could cause your computer to malfunction.

Once all the steps above are complete your FM will be completely uninstalled.

Quick tip, never buy a MyBook or anything by Western Digital. I know it's too late now, but I had a MyBook for 4 months and one day it stopped working - all data lost. They're notorious for having rubbish power units which just conk out.

I actually bought it from store. pc dvd. is there many versions? It does not ask me anything before install (about steam or something) it just starts after few clicks...

I actually bought it from store. pc dvd. is there many versions? It does not ask me anything before install (about steam or something) it just starts after few clicks...

When you are installing the game select Uniloc (second option) instead of Steam. If you are not asked about this select Advanced/Custom install instead of express, although it should ask you how you want it installed regardless.