The release of Diablo III is imminent, with the launch set to go at midnight PST tonight. If you've pre-ordered the game or received your copy in the mail, you've a few hours to get the game installed and up and running before the servers go live at midnight.
With that in mind, I've put together a guide to help you get the game up and running without having to shed tears while you're at it. It's in three, simple steps.
Step 1
You must delete the beta version of Diablo III before running the installer.
— PC Users
Remember to uninstall the beta version of Diablo III using the Add/Remove programs if you're on Windows XP, Vista, or 7. After uninstalling the game, make sure the following folder is deleted:
C:\Program Files\Diablo III Beta
— Mac Users
1. Navigate Mac HD/Applications directory and move your Diablo III Beta to the Trash
2. Navigate Mac HD/Users/Shared/battle.net/Setup directory and move the Diablo III beta setup folder to the Trash
3. Navigate to ~/Library/Application Support/Blizzard directory and remove the Diablo III folder
4. Navigate to ~/Library/Preferences directory and delete any files that begin with com.blizzard
Step 2
Firstly, if you bought the digital copy of the game, you'll need to make sure that your Diablo III installation is up to date with the latest files before running the installer or it'll likely freeze at a certain percentage or give you an "Error 08."
You can download the latest version of the installer from the Account page on Battle.net. You'll find the file you need under "Diablo III".
Step 3
Run the installer and pray.
Possible Problems for Mac users
If you're running on a Mac, the installer may crash at around 40% with an MPQ error or simply freeze at 69%. If the installer doesn't budge for over 15 minutes at 69%, you'll need to quit the installer (which will then stall), force quit it, and restart your system. Once you've restarted the system, be sure to delete the Diablo III directory from the Applications folder and follow all the steps to make sure you have no conflicts with the installation and the full installation files.