How can I force Steam to install Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 from disk, NOT from web?

Question

I purchased Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 as a retail disk, and when I install it from disk, Steam is attempting to download the complete game from the internet. I've 512 kbits/s (64 kBps) network, so it will take me nearly 64 hours to download (1 week to download assuming 9 hours a day).

I've already gone through this support article which suggests to install using the Run command, and I've also tried using the 'restore game' workaround, but I am afraid neither of them worked for me.

So how can I force Steam to install from the disk?

Does the game show up in your steam library? Try deleting the content, then disabling the automatic updates in the settings (right click on the game in your libary, then select Properties, Updates tab and change 'automatic updates' setting), then running the command. — TZHX, Feb 20 '14 at 11:25
Are you sure that the game data is contained on the disk? Many retail disks only have a steam installer on it that starts the download. — Michael K, Feb 20 '14 at 11:28
@3ventic - They're the same instructions the OP linked (from the support article) — Robotnik, Feb 20 '14 at 13:54
Related question: http://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/21359/ Although it looks like you've tried this already. — MBraedley, Feb 20 '14 at 14:07
@Robotnik thats what I get for not opening links on mobile.. Oh well — 3ventic, Feb 20 '14 at 23:36
I think they should start giving a CD Box with just a paper chit having 'serial'. Why do they have to bundle disks and troll us? — Shishir Gupta, Feb 23 '14 at 19:51

score 2 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 18 '14 at 12:47

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Steam will automatically download the game. Here's what you should do:

Close Steam .
Re-run Autorun.exe (the disk autorun).
Choose the "reinstall" option.

Presto... The game installs from the disks.

edited Apr 18 '14 at 12:47

galacticninja

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answered Apr 18 '14 at 12:04

Luke

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score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 27 '15 at 07:00

After struggling with this problem with no prevail whatsoever for months with different games, I finally found the problem: the CD.

Instead, I copied all the files in the retail CDs, Disk1 and Disk2, into a folder then I moved it to the c:/ directory. (could be anywhere else this was just the easiest for me).

I went into Steam into the left corner (which says "Steam") and pressed Backup and Restore games. Pointing the 'backup' to the folder I created worked and now I am installing it.

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 17 '14 at 16:54

Unsure if this is 100% the correct way, but have you tried disconnecting from the internet and running the setup.exe as detailed in the support article?

Also please note, If you have purchased the DLC from steam it may be updates that are occuring to patch your install.

When Orange Box came out I had installed using the disk but still required internet connection to snag the extra patches that had occured since the release of HL2, Portal and TF2.

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 12 '14 at 02:39

Steam checks the install location before downloading. So if you can install the game without Steam running you can add the game to your library just by "installing" it on the same location.

Steam's default location should be at steam\steamapps\common\*game*

I've used this trick whenever I want to change a game's install location.

score -1 · Answer 5 · edited Jul 13 '14 at 12:43

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Install the game from the disk in your Steam Library. Go to your game list, right click on the name of the game and choose "properties". On the third tab "local files" click the last button called "verify integrity of game cache". It should detect the game files if you have installed from the DVD.

edited Jul 13 '14 at 12:43

Daniel

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answered Feb 20 '14 at 21:26

user69234

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I'm sorry but couldn't find the tab! – Shishir Gupta Feb 23 '14 at 19:46
right click on the game from your library on steam amd propdrties it's called local files – user69234 Feb 24 '14 at 05:17

How can I force Steam to install Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 from disk, NOT from web?

5 Answers5

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