Hey, I have a problem. This is BG2, not enhanced edition but the old BG2+TOB bundle.

My laptop with my GOG version of BG2 got wrecked. The HD still works though. So I pull out the HD and attach it via USB to a new laptop, and copy the BG2 folder into the HD of the working laptop, but in this case it doesn't work. When I click the Baldur.exe, it brings up the little autoplay menu with the music but instead of "play" the option says "install", so it seems like the laptop doesn't know its installed.

Tips??? Is there any way I can transfer the GOG.com version of BG2 from the old laptop HD to the new laptop???

I know normally I could just re-download it using my GOG account, but I'm overseas for a few weeks with SUPER slow and spotty internet, so a big DL like that probably wouldn't work out.


THANKS!

Just as you said, your operating system, and the game itself, doesn't know that it's installed. It's not a standalone executable, it has to be installed to place the correct data into the registry and initialise the game configuration.

To add to Hickory's post and your own...I've found that *sometimes* older games (even older Windows games) will actually run fine provided the files and sub directories are maintained inside the original parent directory/folder--and this always seems to work with DOS games, of course. But apparently you'll need to simply reinstall. Since you have a few weeks you have plenty of time to download the game even at a snail's pace, I should think...;) If it takes a couple of days to download you can always play something else in the meantime, eh?...! Wish I had an easier solution for you but as Hickory mentioned, sometimes you just have to reinstall...;)

Hey there. I remember backing up BG2's folder in the past (not GOG's version, but it should work the same), and playing in a new system without needing to reinstall.

One thing you may try is going into the game's directory (the same from where you ran 'baldur.exe') and opening the file 'baldur.ini' with Notepad.

Among other lines there should be some like these (not exactly since the installation path is customizable):

...
[Alias]
HD0:=C:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\
CD1:=C:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\data\
CD2:=C:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\data\
CD3:=C:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\data\
CD4:=C:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\data\
CD5:=C:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\data\
CD6:=C:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\data\
...

From there you have two options, the most complicated is creating the directory structure you had before exactly and copying the game files there, and the least complicated is modifying those lines in 'baldur.ini' to match the place where you have the game directory now.

If you didn't move around the files in the disk after the problem you had, all you should have to change is the drive letter. For example, if the disk you inserted is now D: for Windows instead of C:, then modify this

...
HD0:=C:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\
CD1:=C:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\data\
...

to this (for all lines specified under [Alias] heading)

...
HD0:=D:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\
CD1:=D:\GOG Games\Baldur's Gate 2\data\
...


---edit---

And of course, I misread your original post. You already copied the files to the new laptop... So try the same, but changing the folders route to match the current location instead of the drive letter.

@Links' recommendation seems logical because i had copied my BG2 installment to my external HDD and played it simply by copying those files to every computer i used. Installing the game from CDs was taking too much time. I did the same for Diablo 2. I still have those files but ofcourse now i am using GOG's version instead.

I don't mean to necro this thread, but I never had any problems just copying my installation folder to a new HD. The game is played from the bgmain.exe and not the baldur.exe so that may be the problem. Also, I use the Tutu mod so I'm not sure if it's any different for the vanilla BG1.

TuTu is a completely different kettle of fish. It's completely self-contained and separate from BG1 and 2, and doesn't even require BG1 or 2 once it's installed.

Yeah I meant when transferring for BG1 since Tutu is my BG1. I have a regular BG2 game installed and it works fine when I copy it to a new HD.