Steps to install XNA Game Studio without using the setup bootstrapper
In the past, we've heard from a few people via the Creators Club forums who have had trouble getting XNA Game Studio setup to run correctly. In a few cases, such as in this forum post, the setup program (named bootstrapper.exe) crashes shortly after double-clicking on the setup package to launch it.
If you run into this type of issue with XNA Game Studio 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, 4.0 or 4.0 Refresh setup, you can use the following set of steps to bypass bootstrapper.exe and install the pieces of XNA Game Studio manually.
To manually install the XNA Game Studio 4.0 Refresh
Note - if you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, you will need to use %programfiles(x86)% instead of %programfiles% for the installation paths.
Download xnags40_setup.exe and save it to your hard drive
Run xnags40_setup.exe /x to extract the contents to a folder of your choosing
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named redists.msi
Note: This MSI will only display a small progress bar while it is installing and will not tell you when it is done. When the progress bar disappears, continue to the next step.
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\XLiveRedist.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Redist\XNA FX Redist\xnafx40_redist.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\xnaliveproxy.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\xnags_platform_tools.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\xnags_shared.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\xnags_visualstudio.msi
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named arpentry.msi
To manually install XNA Game Studio 4.0
Note - if you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, you will need to use %programfiles(x86)% instead of %programfiles% for the installation paths.
Download xnags40_setup.exe and save it to your hard drive
Run xnags40_setup.exe /x to extract the contents to a folder of your choosing
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named redists.msi
Note: This MSI will only display a small progress bar while it is installing and will not tell you when it is done. When the progress bar disappears, continue to the next step.
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\XLiveRedist.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Redist\XNA FX Redist\xnafx40_redist.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\xnaliveproxy.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\xnags_platform_tools.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\xnags_shared.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\xnags_documentation.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Setup\xnags_visualstudio.msi
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named arpentry.msi
To manually install XNA Game Studio 3.1
Note - if you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, you will need to use %programfiles(x86)% instead of %programfiles% for the installation paths.
Uninstall XNA Game Studio 3.0 if you have it installed
Download xnags31_setup.exe and save it to your hard drive
Run xnags31_setup.exe /x to extract the contents to a folder of your choosing
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named redists.msi
Note: This MSI will only display a small progress bar while it is installing and will not tell you when it is done. When the progress bar disappears, continue to the next step.
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.1\Setup\XLiveRedist.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.1\Redist\XNA FX Redist\xnafx30_redist.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.1\Redist\XNA FX Redist\xnafx31_redist.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.1\Setup\xnaliveproxy.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.1\Setup\xnags_platform_tools.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.1\Setup\xnags_shared.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.1\Setup\platformer.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.1\Setup\xnags_documentation.msi
(skip this step if you do not have Visual C# 2008 Express Edition installed) Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.1\Setup\xnags_vcsexpress.msi
(skip this step if you do not have Visual Studio 2008 Standard Edition or higher installed) Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.1\Setup\xnags_devenv.msi
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named arpentry.msi
To manually install XNA Game Studio 3.0
Note - if you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, you will need to use %programfiles(x86)% instead of %programfiles% for the installation paths.
Download xnags30_setup.exe and save it to your hard drive
Run xnags30_setup.exe /x to extract the contents to a folder of your choosing
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named redists.msi
Note: This MSI will only display a small progress bar while it is installing and will not tell you when it is done. When the progress bar disappears, continue to the next step.
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.0\Setup\XLiveRedist.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.0\Redist\XNA FX Redist\xnafx30_redist.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.0\Setup\xnaliveproxy.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.0\Setup\xnags_platform_tools.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.0\Setup\xnags_shared.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.0\Setup\platformer.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.0\Setup\xnags_documentation.msi
(skip this step if you do not have Visual C# 2008 Express Edition installed) Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.0\Setup\xnags_vcsexpress.msi
(skip this step if you do not have Visual Studio 2008 Standard Edition or higher installed) Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v3.0\Setup\xnags_devenv.msi
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named arpentry.msi
To manually install XNA Game Studio 2.0
Note - if you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, you will need to use %programfiles(x86)% instead of %programfiles% for the installation paths.
Download xnags20_setup.exe and save it to your hard drive
Run xnags20_setup.exe /x to extract the contents to a folder of your choosing
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named redists.msi
Note: This MSI will only display a small progress bar while it is installing and will not tell you when it is done. When the progress bar disappears, continue to the next step.
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v2.0\Setup\XLiveRedist.msi
Run the EXE at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v2.0\Redist\DX Redist\DXSETUP.exe
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v2.0\Redist\XNA FX Redist\xnafx20_redist.msi
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named xnaliveproxy.msi
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named xnags_shared.msi
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named spacewar.msi
Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v2.0\Setup\xnags_documentation.msi
(skip this step if you do not have Visual C# 2005 Express Edition installed) Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v2.0\Setup\xnags_vcsexpress.msi
(skip this step if you do not have Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition or higher installed) Run the MSI at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v2.0\Setup\xnags_devenv.msi
Go to the folder you extracted to in step 2 and run the MSI named arpentry.msi
If you end up running into this type of crash, before you proceed with one of the above workarounds, please collect a call stack with Visual Studio or Visual C# Express Edition and report a bug on the Connect site so that we can investigate it further.
<update date="8/7/2009"> Added clarification about the install step for redists.msi. </update>
<update date="11/5/2010"> Added information about installing XNA Game Studio 4.0. </update>
<update date="11/8/2010"> Added a note about the %programfiles(x86)% path on 64-bit versions of Windows. </update>
<update date="2/22/2012"> Added information about installing the XNA Game Studio 4.0 Refresh. </update>
Comments
Anonymous
June 12, 2009
Recently, we've heard from a few people via the Creators Club forums who have had trouble getting XNAAnonymous
August 19, 2010
for some reason it keeps saying "The vabinet file 'product.cab' required for this installation is corrupt and cannot be used. This could indicate a network error, a error reading from the CD-ROM, or a problem with this package." What do i do?!?!?!?!?!Anonymous
August 19, 2010
Hi W8sted8 - This error usually means that the setup package is corrupt. I'd suggest trying to re-download it and re-run the steps on this blog post to see if that will help solve this error.Anonymous
August 19, 2010
hey astebner, thanks for the advice but ive uninstalled, also using the xna game studio cleanup program, and reinstalled it. yet, nothings been working. i even followed the steps on his blog but nothing :( help?Anonymous
August 19, 2010
The comment has been removedAnonymous
August 31, 2010
Excellent post! I had been running into an error when executing XNAGS31_setup ("Error 1316. A network error occurred while attempting to read from the file: C:Program FilesMicrosoft XNAXNA Game Studiov3.1RedistXNA FX Redistxnafx31_redist[1].msi") but your steps for manually installing XNAGS3.1 worked like a charm. Many thanks.Anonymous
August 31, 2010
Hi Tscheffel - The error you're encountering is the same as the one in the Connect bug at connect.microsoft.com/.../ViewFeedback.aspx. You can work around it by using the steps in this blog post or by simply uninstalling the XNA Framework Redistributable from the Programs and Features control panel and re-running XNA Game Studio setup. Also, this bug is going to be fixed in the final release of XNA Game Studio 4.0.Anonymous
September 11, 2010
Hi.I can't install xnaliveproxy.msi ...Can someone help me?Anonymous
September 12, 2010
Hi Zamma - I'd suggest trying the workarounds listed at blogs.msdn.com/.../10045725.aspx and see if they help solve this problem.Anonymous
February 10, 2011
I've installed Visual Studio 2008 Ultimate. Which includes many compilers. Including Visual Basic C# and C++(which is irrelevant I guess). However, when I tried to install XNA 3.1 it stated I needed Visual Basic C# express. Figuring I couldn't hurt anything I downloaded it from the link presented by the error page and installed it. After restarting my computer I STILL cannot install XNA 3.1. Any suggestions Aaron? Thanks in advance, Jonathan V.Anonymous
February 10, 2011
Hi Jon - XNA Game Studio 3.1 requires that you have either Visual C# 2008 Express Edition or Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition or better installed. There is no such thing as "Visual Basic C# Express." Are you sure that you read the error message correctly and that you installed one of these exact Visual Studio 2008 editions on your computer?Anonymous
November 03, 2011
The comment has been removedAnonymous
November 03, 2011
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 22, 2012
I also face this error during un-installation. Below are few tips to fix this error: Follow the following guidelines to fix this error: 1. Use Windows Installer Clean Up 2. Use a Registry Fixing Utility 3. Change Windows Installer Registry Information 4. Check the Security Details of the Concerning File