Editing the Registry to make my pc think a game is installed. - Hardware & Software

I reformatted my pc, but only my C drive. My F drive (Which has most of my games) was intact, but my pc doesn't think that they're installed. For most of the games, this is fine. I just had to manually make shortcuts, but it's proving problematic for a few, which I simply re-installed. The only one I'm having trouble with now is fallout 3. I can launch the exe, but this excludes any mods, and changing graphical settings requires me to fiddle with the fallout3.ini settings. I can't install it because my friend broke the disc after I let him borrow it. He gave me one if his games permanently to make up for it, and this was a long time ago, so I can't really bring it up now. (Before you all start screeching pirate at me). So, is there any way to edit the registry to convince my pc that it's installed? I wasn't sure what section to put this in, but since it's more about registry editing than fallout, I decided this would be the best section.

You can... you need someone who has the fall out 3 registry keys intact to send them to you, next time back up your registry, much easier. I would send you my registry entries for fallout 3 but I would have to install it again.

I did this with every program on my computer when I reformatted and kept them all in windows.old. It's a real bitch to fix it, never did get them all working again.

Okay. Where do I put the files when I get them?

The good thing is once the key is exported from the installed registry all you have to is double click the export on the machine that needs the key and auto adds it in the correct place, If though fallout 3 on working PC was on drive E the key for Fallout 3 would point to drive E and need to be changed which is pretty simple. Also the serial key for the game will be in the registry keys so best make sure who ever you get them off realizes that.

That's okay. I can just change the registry code to my serial key can't I? [editline]03:37PM[/editline] So where might the fallout 3 registry keys be? [editline]04:00PM[/editline] Wow. Google really does hold all the answers. [url]http://forum.mininova.org/index.php?showtopic=235036662[/url] This still doesn't work right though. I did what was stated in that thread, and it still comes up with only the install option when I run the launcher. Never mind. Turns out I didn't copy and paste the / and \ for some reason. [editline]04:11PM[/editline] This is the registry that was posted on those forums. [code]Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bethesda Softworks] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3\1.00.0000] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3] "Installed Path"="F:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{974C4B12-4D02-4879-85E0-61C95CC63E9E}] "InstallLocation"="F:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3" "InstallSource"="H:\\" "ProductGuid"="{974C4B12-4D02-4879-85E0-61C95CC63E9E}" "DisplayName"="Fallout3" "Publisher"="Bethesda Softworks" "URLInfoAbout"="http://fallout.bethsoft.com" "RegCompany"="PRiVATE" "RegOwner"="USER" "NoModify"=dword:00000001 "NoRemove"=dword:00000000 "NoRepair"=dword:00000001 "InstallDate"="20081030" "Language"=dword:00000009 "DisplayVersion"="1.00.0000" "Version"=dword:01000000 "MajorVersion"=dword:00000001 "MinorVersion"=dword:00000000 "LogMode"=dword:00000001[/code] It isn't working, so any ideas how to fix it? I've put in the install path of mine, but not the serial number. This has the serial number from those forums on it.

Y ou see the line "Install location" is set to F:\\ change it to your install folder, also "Install source" H:\\ change to the Disc drive you installed from and try that.

Like I said, I had changed the install location to the actual install location, but anyway, I will try changing install source. It still only has the option to install when I launch the launcher. It just doesn't think it's installed.

Sorry I thought you only changed the Path entry alone not the Location aswell, I just installed fallout 3 again and my reg files are pretty much the same but a little different also my entries have \\ separating each directory, Try changing that. [code]Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3\1.00.0000] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout3] "Installed Path"="G:\\Games\\Fallout\\" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{974C4B12-4D02-4879-85E0-61C95CC63E9E}] "InstallLocation"="G:\\Games\\Fallout\\" "InstallSource"="F:\\" "ProductGuid"="{974C4B12-4D02-4879-85E0-61C95CC63E9E}" "DisplayName"="Fallout 3" "Publisher"="Bethesda Softworks" "URLInfoAbout"="http://fallout.bethsoft.com" "NoModify"=dword:00000001 "NoRemove"=dword:00000000 "NoRepair"=dword:00000001 "InstallDate"="20081029" "Language"=dword:00000009 "DisplayVersion"="1.00.0000" "Version"=dword:01000000 "MajorVersion"=dword:00000001 "MinorVersion"=dword:00000000 "LogMode"=dword:00000001[/code] A copy of my entries.

That's very kind of you to go to so much effort to help me. [editline]05:02PM[/editline] Ugh still no avail. I tried adding F:\\ instead of F:\, but to no avail, and then tried to copy your entire registry, but again nothing. I'm starting to suspect that there's something else apart from the registry that's saying whether it's installed or not. I only have the folder with the game files and, as far as my pc is concerned, I have never run the installation wizard to install it. Is there anything else I might be missing do you think? By the way, i'm running XP

It's ok I like helping people, alas I am out of ideas, I did notice it wouldn't let me play the game until I installed "Games for windows live" Sadly that's it from me, the keys i posted are the only ones i can find related to Fall out 3 in registry and fallout works with them. I just found 2 text files in C:\Documents and settings\Nick\Local settings\Application data\Fallout3, DLClist.txt and plugins.txt thats the only other thing i can find.

Okay. Thanks for your help.

Different games have registries in all different folders and in different ways, it would take a long time to find out where they all were. If you've formatted/reinstalled windows, it's best just to reinstall the games too, of course, you can keep the saves

[QUOTE=djjkxbox;16265658]Different games have registries in all different folders and in different ways, it would take a long time to find out where they all were. If you've formatted/reinstalled windows, it's best just to reinstall the games too, of course, you can keep the saves[/QUOTE] If you had read my post fully, you'd know that I have the game installed but no longer have the disc. But thanks for the input anyway. I might just torrent it. I'm not sure how legal it is, but I already own the original game. Fuck me, 6gb. That'll take a while. [editline]07:40PM[/editline] Oh my god. That death theme thing in the presentation is going to be awesome. The thought of making someone rage over hearing mario every time I kill them :D

Solved it. A friend of mine had Fallout 3. I backed up my files that my pc didn't know were installed The installer broke halfway through because the disc was scratched, but my registry had been made, so I simply re-named my backup back to the original install, deleted the half-installed fail copy and voila! New fallout 3 installed... sort of.

This is why I :love: Steam.

[QUOTE=NickNack1234;16263078]Sorry I thought you only changed the Path entry alone not the Location aswell, I just installed fallout 3 again and my reg files are pretty much the same but a little different also my entries have \\ separating each directory, Try changing that. [code]Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3\1.00.0000] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout3] "Installed Path"="G:\\Games\\Fallout\\" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{974C4B12-4D02-4879-85E0-61C95CC63E9E}] "InstallLocation"="G:\\Games\\Fallout\\" "InstallSource"="F:\\" "ProductGuid"="{974C4B12-4D02-4879-85E0-61C95CC63E9E}" "DisplayName"="Fallout 3" "Publisher"="Bethesda Softworks" "URLInfoAbout"="http://fallout.bethsoft.com" "NoModify"=dword:00000001 "NoRemove"=dword:00000000 "NoRepair"=dword:00000001 "InstallDate"="20081029" "Language"=dword:00000009 "DisplayVersion"="1.00.0000" "Version"=dword:01000000 "MajorVersion"=dword:00000001 "MinorVersion"=dword:00000000 "LogMode"=dword:00000001[/code] A copy of my entries.[/QUOTE] Hallelujah! It works! It really works! I was having the same issue as the Original Poster and making the exact same mistake they were making. The issue is that [i]all[/i] of the slashes in all the paths MUST BE DOUBLED! Thank you! I now never need to go get my DVD whenever I reinstall Windows! Windows 10 Pro Anniversary Update (x64) Note that your example is for 32bit Windows, here is an example for 64bit Windows: [code]Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3\1.00.0000] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout3] "Installed Path"="G:\\Games\\Fallout\\" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{974C4B12-4D02-4879-85E0-61C95CC63E9E}] "InstallLocation"="G:\\Games\\Fallout\\" "InstallSource"="F:\\" "ProductGuid"="{974C4B12-4D02-4879-85E0-61C95CC63E9E}" "DisplayName"="Fallout 3" "Publisher"="Bethesda Softworks" "URLInfoAbout"="http://fallout.bethsoft.com" "NoModify"=dword:00000001 "NoRemove"=dword:00000000 "NoRepair"=dword:00000001 "InstallDate"="20081029" "Language"=dword:00000009 "DisplayVersion"="1.00.0000" "Version"=dword:01000000 "MajorVersion"=dword:00000001 "MinorVersion"=dword:00000000 "LogMode"=dword:00000001[/code]