Cannot install Fallout 3 GOTY Edition through GOG Galaxy

[PseudoAnonMS]

I have tried to install Fallout 3 GOTY Edition through GOG Galaxy. It fails at the end of the download and install process, seemingly when installing certain redistributables. The apparent redistributables are Direct X, VC 2005, and DotNet 3.5.

After some research, I tried using Protontricks to install DotNet 3.5, but the install fails.
It seems there is some incompatability with Proton.

Does anyone know how to get this to work? And if so, then the problem and solution should be documented, or automated.
I was expecting all program installations to succeed. I have not seen this kind of issue mentioned before.

Please note that I have successfully installed other more modern game titles and DLC through GOG Galaxy.

[moraroy]

@PseudoAnonMS ive had a game do this to me before on Gog but i forgot what i did to fix it.. you may have to research or maybe find a proton that would work and run Gog through that proton instead just to download it, not sure.

[PseudoAnonMS]

I managed to install DotNet 3.5 using Proton 5.0-10 and by also setting the OS to Windows XP using Protontricks.
However the installation still fails in GOG Galaxy after setting the latest Proton version. I found the following logs:

2024-04-25 19:51:05.023 [Information][#1 (1)] [TID 3076][galaxy_service]: RunUserProcess will use current user impersonation for elevated process: "C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Dependencies__redist\dotNet35\dotNetFx35setup.exe" /q /norestart
2024-04-25 19:51:05.025 [Information][#1 (1)] [TID 3076][galaxy_service]: Default working dir: C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Dependencies__redist\dotNet35
2024-04-25 19:51:05.556 [Error][#1 (1)] [TID 3076][galaxy_service]: Couldn't create process as user.
Process path: C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Dependencies__redist\dotNet35\dotNetFx35setup.exe, command line "C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Dependencies__redist\dotNet35\dotNetFx35setup.exe" /q /norestart , working directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Dependencies__redist\dotNet35, error code 126

[PseudoAnonMS]

I have tried running that executable dotNetFx35setup.exe using Protontricks and it pops up with the following error:

You must use "Turn Windows features on or off" in the Control Panel to install or configure Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.

[PseudoAnonMS]

Alright, I got it to work!

I figured out that the GOG Galaxy game installation was stuck. The DotNet 3.5 installer works for Windows XP and Vista, but fails in Windows 7 and above. Unfortunately, the game is only downloadable on Windows 7 and above. The problem may actually be with the GOG Galaxy installer trying to run a DotNet 3.5 installer that just doesn't work on Windows 7 and above..

However, I noticed that all the game files had already been downloaded, it was just stuck installing the redistributables.
I imported the game into GOG Galaxy by scanning for games in the installation folder, and it was able to recognize the game was installed and then it stopped trying to download the game and stopped trying to reinstall the redistributables.

Then I could run the Fallout 3 launcher, but the launcher thought Fallout 3 was not installed. I had to add a registry key with String value by using Protontricks to launch regedit. The key was HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout3\Installed Path with the path to the Fallout 3 installation folder.. and now it works! I can run the game!