accordingly i'm having that trouble also. followed timoo's instruction on how to install the full retail up to the exact location of the game's folder which is:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age Of Empires 3\Age of Empires III
the game ran. but the PATCH, did it exactly also EXCEPT its not working:
(please let me know how i got it wrong)
got into regedit
on regedit, i looked for... OIC!!!
got it!
bro, place the SetupPath (with the same path above on data value) on "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" and not "HKEY_USERS"!!
finally yeah!!!
btw, while you're patching it, its going to freeze somewhere but its cool, its just being shitty but it will be patched bro.
thanks everyone.
mostly thanks to mr timoo - MAN, you should be heading aoe3's technical division (or MSgames studios technical even). you have the gamer's endorsement!!!
and to you MS, you may have delivered aoe3 in shining glory, but don't forget - that shining glory is only up to the developer. to the publisher who set the rules on which os to install it to (that will be you, ms), no shining glory at all. yeah, you heard me MS, shove your publisher ass to your... well, er.. ass.
good evening gentlemen.