http://bugs.winehq.org/show_bug.cgi?id=15263
--- Comment #25 from Ben Hodgetts (Enverex) ben@atomnet.co.uk 2009-02-06 04:37:56 --- (In reply to comment #24)
http://forum.winehq.org/viewtopic.php?t=3715
I have found that running Steam under low-graphics mode Ubuntu lets you install games. It seems there is an issue with the interaction between WINE and proprietary graphics drivers. I am using the latest Nvidia graphics driver. I will attempt with Ubuntu-packaged driver shortly.
That makes no sense.