Steam Community :: Guide :: Fallout 3 how to fix crash on start up (Easy Fix)

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Fallout 3 how to fix crash on start up (Easy Fix)

By Questty

A fix for crashing on start up. I have not found many video's or guides explaining how to fix Fallout 3 if it doesn't launch and you do not have the Fallout.ini file already present. If the game doesn't launch when you click play this guide will help.
Windows 7, 8, 10

Award

Created by

Questty
Online

Category: Modding or Configuration

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

13 Jul, 2021 @ 2:44am

29 Jul, 2021 @ 10:21pm

6,842	Unique Visitors
194	Current Favorites

Guide Index

Overview

Fallout 3 not launching

Download Links

Intel HD graphics Bypass package

Games for Windows LIVE Disabler

How to make steam count playtime

Now the game runs

Comments

Fallout 3 not launching

If you are like me and Fallout 3 just crashes when you hit play this is a solution.

Download Links

You will need to create a Nexus Mod's account if you do not already have one. Manually download both Intel HD graphics Bypass and Games for Windows LIVE Disabler.

Intel HD graphics Bypass package
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/17209/

Games for Windows LIVE Disabler
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/1086/

Intel HD graphics Bypass package

First, you will want to go to your Fallout 3 directory. Right click Fallout 3 in your steam library, hover your mouse cursor over manage, and click on browse local files.

Once you are in your games directory, you will want to open the intel bypass package. You may need winrar or 7-zip to open the .zip file. You will want to go into the folder, then you will want to drag and drop d3d9.dll into the directory.

After that is done you want to go into your documents folder.
The path will be C:\Users\{YourName}\Documents\My Games\Fallout3
Once you are there, you will drop the FALLOUT.ini file into the folder. If there is any file that says .baked or .base remove them. They are from vortex. First time starting the game you should not mod. The only files that should be present other than FALLOUT.ini are FalloutPrefs.ini and RendererInfo.txt. Also your save folder. If none are there other than FALLOUT.ini that is fine. You will get new files once the game is started.

Games for Windows LIVE Disabler

First, go to your fallout 3 directory like before. Then you will want to open the Games for Windows LIVE Disabler.zip file. Inside will be a .exe file. You will want to drag that into the main directory.

Once it is in the directory, double click it. A user account control menu will come up. Click yes and then the Games for Windows Disabler will pop up, click on disable G4WL.

Then you click yes, and ok.

How to make steam count playtime

This part is optional, make sure to enable your dlc's in data and your options before deleting. if you want steam to count your playtime this is what you do.

Delete FalloutLauncher.exe or drag it to your desktop and leave it there. I would recommend dragging it to your desktop but for this i will be deleting it.

Rename "Fallout3" to "FalloutLauncher"

Once that is done, steam will now count your playtime. If you want to edit any data files or options rename the file you renamed back to Fallout3 and drag the FalloutLauncher into your directory or reinstall a fresh copy of Fallout 3.

Now the game runs

Enjoy

53 Comments

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Hellfireboy 21 Nov, 2023 @ 4:29pm

For anyone still having this issue I fixed it on mine. The issue isn't the game it's the launcher so what you have to do is run the launcher once to configure your graphics settings but when you try to run the game from that it will crash. Instead of running the game from the launcher to the game files and run Fallout3.exe. The game should start up and run fine. I have the game on GOG which has an option to change the default run executable easily but have no idea how to do that on Steam so it might be beneficial to just link your Steam account to GOG and run it from there. The method requires no extra files.

Haydnsolo 19 Oct, 2023 @ 9:28am

For anyone still facing issues with launching, one solution I was able to use to fix the instant crashing is due to the launcher and the game being launched on different GPU's. The launcher will often be set on your low power GPU (Intel uhd for me) while the game is on the dedicated graphics card, this causes the launcher to be confused and detect the wrong GPU

(For NVIDIA Cards) To fix the Issue follow the steps bellow:
-Launch "NVIDIA Control Panel"
-Select "Manage 3D settings"
-Select "Program settings"
-Select "add"
-select "Fallout 3 Launcher" (you may have to manually add it from the game files) and then click on "add selected program"
-Under "select the preferred Graphics processor for this program" click on it and select you NVIDIA GPU
-select apply

After that, fallout 3 should be able to launch again. this wont fix it for everyone but hopefully some of you found this helpful

Славянский кот 6 Feb, 2023 @ 3:07am

seems like 17billion allowed it to be fixed

Славянский кот 6 Feb, 2023 @ 3:06am

dont need it anmore

IQ 6 Oct, 2021 @ 5:34pm

I'm sorry for anyone who can not play this. Fallout 3 was made on windows xp and a lot of the things that where on xp are not on later generation of the windows OS due to this it made it hard for this game to work on these newer gen OS's. yes the could have just fixed it how oblivion was because it works fine on windows 7 + and its older than fallout 3. fallout 3 was not fixed and Bethesda gave steam basically a original copy of fallout 3 GOTY's files and just let them us that so it still configured to windows xp I'm sad that there has not been any project to fix this game so people could download a full patch for the game to make it work for windows 7 + so windows 8 and also 10 and soon to come 11. Yes there our mods to make it work but for some reason but unfortunately it does seem not work for some people and a lot of the time its hardware related rather than software related bad game configuration and some hard ware just make fallout 3 say no i may make my own guide for this

aaron1lfc 15 Sep, 2021 @ 4:36pm

Followed the guide step by step and it works, 3 hours into game and so far so good!

speed boat cannabis motor dog 5 Sep, 2021 @ 7:58pm

thank you bro you are such a homie much love

TheAuxCord 28 Aug, 2021 @ 8:07pm

So I got the game to actually start up. I uninstalled Fallout 3 GOTY (AND) deleted all the files in the C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\Common\Fallout 3. I Installed the Windows Live Disabler and then reinstalled Fallout 3. I still get the error message to check online for help, but the game does open up.

AKBEAST 28 Aug, 2021 @ 8:59am

tank

THE hamburgler 25 Aug, 2021 @ 4:12am

when i go onto my fallout 3 files fallout.ini
is it because i have goty edition

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