Tech support is a joke. I could not install RF G4.5 on my Win8 machine do to it's optical drive not working after the install (typical microsoft) I wanted to install the software from my thumb drive and they told me to buy an external optical drive.
So that is a hardware problem with your computer.
A methodical approach better serves you.
Have you copied all of the installation CD's to your machine to make sure they are completely readable?
Also:
You CAN copy the entire DVD/CD to a thumb drive and install from there.
If you have the files on CD's you need to create a DISK1, DISK2, DISK3 folder structure, copy the disks to each respective folder then edit the installation INI/INF files to reflect the new source locations... this is almost ( but not quite ) trivial to do.
Tech support for realflight is lacking. I am getting the same errors after buying an external optical drive and wtf am I supposed to do now? I have a good serial number for both the software and the controller, but cannot enter them. I have used compatibility mode, I have run as administrator... still getting their dumb errors.
You must right click on the setup file and run as administrator, however the installer may not have rights to the program files folder as it was written for a prior version of windows.
Your best bet is to use a Win7 TweakUI util from Overclockers.net and enable the administrator account in Windows 8, even if only temporarily, then log in as the administrator and do the installation from there.
You must also run the sim a few times as admin so the configuration files get created.
Since the sim reads and writes to the program files directory, you may also need to change the launcher settings in YOUR account for Realflight to elevate the sim's security rights when it is run. Normally Windows 8 prohibits programs from writing back to the "Program Files" folders.
How about stop worrying about someone stealing and cracking your DRM encrusted POS simulator and let the simple man just use his software that we spent a lot of money on (wish I didn't).
Installing the sim has absolutely nothing to do with DRM.
DRM in Realflight is extremely painless... it is one of the best schemes out... all you need is the Interlink plugged in and Realflight works, even if you install it on multiple machines... what is not to like about that?
Your stated problem is with installation.
There are many competitors, anyone on here tried any good ones? I'd like to start a thread and embarrass the poor creatures who keep coming out with higher and higher revisions of the same crap and not bothering to fix simple problems.
Wow a lot of useless venting there... sort of pointless to post it here too. We are all just "users" just like you.
You're running a fairly old version of the product developed for XP not Windows 8. Since you haven't kept up, you really haven't "spent a lot of money" on the sim...
Why on earth have you NOT purchased the $50.00 upgrade????
Changes to Windows security features have nothing to do with how good or bad Realflight is... it is just a problem you have run into with your newer machine.
You would have exactly the same problems with the other sims ( I know I've installed them ALL in Win8.x too ).
Methinks that the lack of the upgrade purchase, the complaints about DRM, coupled with the name calling of Realflight Tech support ( who are known to be QUITE good, just check all the posts here ) may indicate an illegitimate version??!
Else why have you not upgraded when the cost is so low and it gives you access to all of the free models, nor CALLED tech support?
Of course I'm speculating, but then history is a pretty good teacher.