Demigod has a messed up feature that wipes out your drive if you change your file location paths!!!

Changing paths for installation, temp and backup locations on computer may cause your drive to be deleted.

from Demigod Forums

Did anyone have this problem yet? I just installed Demigod for the first time today and when I changed file location in paths it deleted my entire gaming folder that I was also installing Demigod on.

The default path is the C: drive but I usually install all my games to another hard drive on my system.

This is what happened:

As I was changing the preferences for the path locations to my other hard drive ( X:  drive) it wiped out all the other files on there. I remember it verifying that download will restart if I change the path and I remember something briefly that said the word "delete" also as I was changing the drive locations for all 3 sections ( game path, temporary file path and backup path). I didn't pay it much mind because I quickly assumed that it was just deleting the previous Demigod folder....BUT NOT THE ENTIRE X: DRIVE!!!!!! THAT IS THE MOST F....D UP FEATURE THAT WOULD EVER BE INCLUDED IN WITHIN THE GAME. I could understand if I went to the X: drive and hit delete key myself. But I didn't and I would've got the "Are you sure?" message from windows if I did.

Sorry I didn't clarify things. As I first downloaded I suspected it would be downloading to the C:/program files drive. As I realized that, I went the preference section in "stardocks" downloader and changed path location. It messaged me that downloading will have to restart since I changed the paths - which I understood. I know it happened sometime after changing the paths but I don't remember at what point I saw the "delete" message.  I stupidly overlooked the message and assumed it meant it was just gonna delete the original "demigod" folder on my C drive - in which is was previously downloading into.

I changed the path to my other drive folder  (x:/video games) where all my games are stored. So I created a folder x:/video games/demigod and its subsequent folders >backup,  >temp and the >game folder.  And because it was like over 50 GB of games, it was actually still in the process of deleting them even as I already started playing the Demigod game. That's actually around the time I noticed my whole /video game folder was deleted.  I notice my computer was doing something cuz my Demigod game was running butter smooth and then started chugged. That's around the time I noticed my "video game" folder was deleted and only I saw some of the games in the recycle bin because they wouldn't all fit.

 

2,270 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Demigod Forums Top

Just to clarify, did you literally specify X:\ as the installation folder?

Edit: A fix for this case might be to reject installation in folders that contain non-Demigod stuff.

Reply #2 from Demigod Forums Top

Yeah if you actually installed it in the root directory and not in its own folder then I'd imagine it would delete everything on the drive.  It would see X:\ as the game folder and delete it.  If you want the game installed somewhere other than the default location then make sure you specify a folder name.  It's like putting creamer in coffee and then deciding you want the creamer taken out.  Can't do it without throwing out the whole cup of coffee.

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #4 from Demigod Forums Top

yeah. dont set it right in a drive without a path... wtf.

I agree the delete feature is stupid.... It should know what directory / file to erase and not do a blind delete like that.

You should have said x:\demigod  not only x: (its gpg fault(or stardock) but yours too.)

Reply #5 from Demigod Forums Top

ouch... that's not fun... but yeah, if you change directories, you have to specify the folder it is in. It sounds like you designated the entire drive as the folder. 

Reply #6 from Demigod Forums Top

Wow, definitely something that they can and should detect (at least detecting the root of the drive!).

Maybe it should require being pointed at an empty or non-existant directory? Would stop any accidental deletes and I'm of the opinion that trouble installing should be preferred over unintentionally deleting anything!

Reply #7 from Demigod Forums Top

Ummm, wow.  Why would you install it on the root folder?!?!?

 

Windows Installer keeps track of files that were deployed as part of the installation, but it can't keep track of items that are created *after* installation.  That's why sometimes you'll see things like log files and the like left behind after an uninstall.

To force a "clean" uninstallation, it's not uncommon to issue a DeleteDir on [INSTALLDIR], which is the path that the game was installed to at setup time.  This makes sure to clean up any log files or miscellaneous junk that the game creates post-install.  In this case, [INSTALLDIR] == your root drive.  Very, very very unwise.

I've used deletions of [INSTALLDIR] in the past in my own projects, and they would have tripped up the person's machine in the same manner.  I've just never, ever heard of someone installing an app directly to root.  A subfolder of root, sure, but *IN* the root folder?

Lesson learned, I would say.  Make sure to install to at least a subfolder here on out, for any product.

Reply #8 from Demigod Forums Top

I had this happen but for Steam, havent used steam since.

Reply #9 from Demigod Forums Top

how to think of some beeing so  - sorry this is not mentioned as a flame against you, maybe you thought it would automatically set up the demgod folder as its not unusual - stupid to install into root.... a critical bug but not realy somethin i would think of testing ^^. but realy worth to get fixed. when installing it generally should be installed into a demigod folder if it is literally inserted into the direction path or not...

Reply #10 from Demigod Forums Top

well, i am sorry for you, losing a drive is always boring (btw, you can use some softwares to retrieve some of the data, but you should do that only if you really need them, since it is long and not so effective, but still, it is possible) but you can't really say it is a demigod/impulse bug since as goodgimp said, nearly everyone implements the installation this way.

Reply #11 from Demigod Forums Top

Another note:

I know it happened sometime after changing the paths but I don't remember at what point I saw the "delete" message.  I stupidly assumed it meant it was just gonna delete the original "demigod" folder on my C drive - in which is was previously downloaded into.  But no matter how stupid I was for assuming that, I strongly suggest they not put a feature/option that allows the contents in the "subfolder" of your other games to be deleted. This is the first time anything like this has happened to me from within an actual game installation. And I've been installing PC games on my computer(s) since the 1990's. I know that was dumb of me...but that is a dumber feature.

 

Reply #12 from Demigod Forums Top

yes, sorry not to clarify. I did not install it directly into the root without a subfolder. I have a subfolder on my X drive called "video games". And also to note, it was just the contents inside the "video games" folder that got deleted.  Demigod was the only one in the "video games" folder. And my other folders in the X Drive (music, pictures, etc) was still intact.

Basically it was X:/VIDEO GAMES/demigod and its subsequent folders >backup,  >temp and the >game folder.  And because it was like over 50 GB of games, it was actually still in the process of deleting them even as I already started playing the Demigod game. That's actually around the time I noticed my whole video game folder was deleted.  The time I noticed the other contents in that folder was deleted was sometime after I quit the game.  I also checked the recycle bin and I was only able to see only part of one of the games deleted because the game files obviously coudn't fit in there.