Unable to install Civilization V from disc

[Mayravixx]

I know it's probably not the most common way to install the game anymore, but a friend of mine recently gave me their disc for Civilization 5, naturally I was interested in it and plopped it in to give it a try. Unfortunately, I can't even install the game at all. I've been made aware that the game often has troubles with Windows 10, but all of the fixes I've seen are for people who have already installed the game, not trying to install the game.

Hardware:
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 580
RAM: 11 GB DDR3 (1333 MHz)
OS: Windows 10 (OS Build 19041.388 and about to update it once I shut off my PC)

I'll post a link to the screenshot I took of the error I got, happens when it tries to install vcredist:
https://ibb.co/Jxn5CTc

I'm not entirely sure if the specs were necessary, but who knows, maybe it can give people a possible solution, plus if this can be answered, it might be able to help people who are as late to the party as I am.

[Damsteri]

You can't install that, it's useless to you (and also for your friend). Civ V must be added to a Steam account when installed and that can be done only once. So, your friend has already added the game to their Steam account (if he has installed/played it), and the disc is now useless. Once the game is added to a Steam account it can be downloaded from Steam servers when ever user wants to reinstall it and disc is useless everybody.

[Damsteri]

In case you don't know if they have used the serial/CD key, you can try to add it to your account from Steam client (if you have it, not just the useless disc). Select "Games" from the toolbar in the Steam client and then "Activate a product on Steam...". It will tell you if the key is used. As I said, disc is useless, the (unused) key is what you need.

[Mayravixx]

Ah ok, as far as I know the disc didn't come with the serial key, so the only way for me to get the game would be buying it for myself then instead of getting used copies from friends

[Damsteri]

Originally posted by Mayravixx:

Ah ok, as far as I know the disc didn't come with the serial key, so the only way for me to get the game would be buying it for myself then instead of getting used copies from friends

Yep, due the way keys are locked to Steam account there are no used copies for sale of Civ V (publisher likes this) and all and every legal copy of Civ V will be played through Steam (unless using Mac App Store version, but that's a totally different story).

Civ V is cheapest at retail copies nowadays as you can found it quite cheap on bargain bins at stores, because it's quite old game. Publisher try to keep the price high, but the Complete Edition was sold almost all the time on sale for around 10€ / $12 couple of years ago, while now it's hardly ever on sale digitally.

Btw. The Complete Edition is the only one worth buying, as that includes all DLCs and more importantly it includes both expansions.

[Mayravixx]

Originally posted by Damsteri:

Yep, due the way keys are locked to Steam account there are no used copies for sale of Civ V (publisher likes this) and all and every legal copy of Civ V will be played through Steam (unless using Mac App Store version, but that's a totally different story).

Civ V is cheapest at retail copies nowadays as you can found it quite cheap on bargain bins at stores, because it's quite old game. Publisher try to keep the price high, but the Complete Edition was sold almost all the time on sale for around 10€ / $12 couple of years ago, while now it's hardly ever on sale digitally.

Btw. The Complete Edition is the only one worth buying, as that includes all DLCs and more importantly it includes both expansions.

Yeah, at our local Walmart, I can get a copy of Civ 5 for about 15 dollars, which isn't too shabby. I'll go ahead and mark this as answered since the solution is simple: a used copy of Civ 5 is basically worthless.