So the post that I've been trying to get to work is
https://www.androidmobilejunkie.com/showthread.php?t=157040. In that one there is a main cracked file with two mirrors. The second mirror seems not to work because of the ... in it, but maybe it just doesn't like me. I have tried using both the cracked versions and, after uninstalling the non-cracked one (and rebooting) I installed the first file. After install it asked for resolution and then said I needed to restart to finish. I restarted and it wasn't installed. I tried again and same problem. I went into the Program Files in the phone and made sure the program was cleared out, then downloaded/installed the second file. Same progress installing, same outcome after rebooting. TouchPal was not listed as an option for a keyboard, nor was it in settings. Finally I re-installed the one from the developer's website. After asking for my resolution it asked what setup I wanted for keyboard, then do I want a tutorial before saying I needed to reboot. After it started up, I checked and it was my default keyboard again, although it still says I need to register, so obviously I left the registry key or something laying around. Even so it should not have caused the cracked files from installing completely. If I'm the only one having this problem then so be it, I will let it rest until I do a hard reset or change my ROM, and this will be the first thing I install just to have as clean an install and better a chance for it to work.
p.s. If you consider this to be in the wrong topic (I still am considering it a request, though it could be seen as a troubleshoot and perhaps should be in the TouchPal v.3 topic) let me know, I'll copy it over and edit this down to a single line or two. Thanks for your time and sorry for wearing so much on your patience.