I purchased ARR and HW via Steam and pre-ordered (and received) Stormblood on disk to speed up the install process, but it won't install.
When I attempt to install, I get the message:
"base game required"
I was never informed that ordering via Steam meant that I could not install expansions via CD... How can I fix this?
You don't install it via Steam, all updates for this game come from the launcher.
Instead you need to get the Stormblood code (not early access, right-click the game in Steam and "View CD Keys" and then goto the Mogstation. You can put the expansion code in here and as part of that process it'll redirect you via Steam (it'll ask you to login if you aren't already) and that tells Steam that you have the expansion installed and it'll tick that box for you (even though it hasn't actually yet installed it).
The next time you load the launcher it'll see you now have the expansion code registered so it'll start downloading the expansion.
worldofneil, the OP is trying to avoid downloading the game. There could be many reasons for this, but your suggestion does not help.
Xaravingian, I am assuming you just got the game recently. If so, you need FF14 installed before you can use the SB disc. The SB disc contains the patch files at the time the disks were made to install on top of the original game. The SB expansion disk cannot do a full install.
Since you do not have the disks for your the original FF14 ARR, you will have to use the download installer built into the launcher. I am sorry that it is not what you wanted, but look on the bright side, the most recent files downloaded will be the fully patched version. :)
Where did you order from cause if you ordered off the SE then it did state that could not use disc with steam I am not sure about other retailers though.