Sorry, but I have no experience with Steam. I'm getting an error that Steam is too busy and to try again later. The game doesn't seem to be installing, only giving me the option of playing. Then it goes to updating and just stops. Am I doing something wrong?

It says preparing to update Skyrim....shouldn't it install first?

Now it says it will be available in six hours? What is going on...why won't it install? I have the PC CE physical media.

Would someone please help me out. I know little about steam, I have followed the instructions to the T and still no install.

Why is steam trying to download the entire game? I dont' know what i hate more, the pirates that necessecitate steam or the actual steam software.

so wait, you're telling me that after buying a physical copy of the game, you have to download it from steam anyway? what a rip-off! I haven't got it yet, 2 hours 'till midnight yet, but i'll probably be in the same boat, ugh that svcks. why the heck did i even decide to get a physical copy anyway? If i'd ordered from steam it would have pre-loaded, and i'd be playing it already, as it's already unlocked.

Ok, I want to share what I've learned, in case someone else has the same challenge. Steam tried to download the game from their servers, even though, I had the physical media in the tray. I read on another forum, where a guy suggested going to the libray, on steam, right click Skyrim, uninstall all local content. I did this. I then put the disc back in the tray and it is now installing from the disc. Make sure you do this, install time is now less than 20 minutes, instead of the six hour fiasco from before. You'd think it would default to the most efficient way possible, especially given the burden on their servers. But I guess that would make too much sense. Happy adventuring everyone!

If you have a physical disk, you shouldn't have to rely on the internet...mine is installing off the disk as we speak.

alright, hunted around, turns out it's a bug with steam, doesn't happen to everyone, here's a workaround, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1255286-pc-installing-skyrim-from-disk-not-steam/

edit: lol, you solved the problem already, alright, well the link is still handy for anyone else who runs into trouble so I'll leave my post intact

Make sure you have the correct disk in the drive. If a game has 3 disks and you try installing with the second or third disks, it will instead download the whole game from the installer.

Now, as to your problem,
1 - Make a copy of your Steam desktop shortcut. If you don't have a steam desktop shortcut, copy the one from the program menu onto your desktop.
2 - Right click and select properties.
3 - change Target from
"\steam\steam.exe"
to
"\steam.exe -install :"
4 - Double click that icon

Where = the location of your steam install and is your DVD drive letter.

eg - on my comp it is "E:\steam\steam.exe -install G:" ***Don't use this line on your computer as it probably wont work***

If you're still confused, then I would suggest a thread in the Skyrim PC support forum*

PS: Don't PM me for personal help as it is a waste of time. I never read them.

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1255286-pc-installing-skyrim-from-disk-not-steam/page__p__19135701#entry19135701

There is help in that thread and it is open for discussion/help.