Fallout 3 needs no introduction. This RPG has been released for a long time, but still remains popular. But no matter how old it is, no matter how many patches it has been released for, for many who have just installed it, Fallout 3 crashes. What to do in this case will be described in the article.
The most important thing
If you use a “pirated” build of the game, crash problems can often be solved by general recommendations, but if after all the manipulations the program catches crash after crash, it is quite possible that you should download another repack or use a licensed version.
Check in advance if your computer meets the minimum system requirements.
Try to update the drivers of all devices, pay special attention to audio and video cards. Install the latest version of DirectX, XLiveRedist, and Net Framework. Often obsolete libraries cause Fallout 3 to crash.
Fallout and Asus
If the developer of the video card is Asus, it is worth checking the availability of the GamerOSD application in the system. Very often, this program comes with a video device driver. GamesOSD is useful for broadcasting videos over the Internet, however, for this, it replaces the stable driver with its own. As a result, games that read information about software and equipment before starting do not understand which device is installed in the system, and therefore they do not turn on or crash immediately after launch.
Fallout 3 crashes on startup
If the game crashes when it is turned on and does not report an error code, you may need to enable compatibility mode. Select the shortcut and open the context menu. In it, select "Properties." Click on the inscription "Compatibility". After that, it will be possible to make a choice between several operating systems. Stop on Windows XP or Windows 2000.
For a game installed on Windows 7, enabling compatibility will not help. You can try to install either a newer version of the game, or delete from its directory all the files that start on d3dx9.
If after that Fallout 3 crashes, try deleting the file “fallout.ini”, which is stored in the folder “Documents \ My Games \ Fallout 3”. The program itself will create it upon restarting, but will make new settings suitable for the system.
Departures may be due to incorrect loading order of libraries. To solve the problem, simply disable all add-ons in the Fallout 3 launcher or edit the list, which is stored in the “fallout3.ini” document. At the same time, correct it so that the libraries of the game, and not modifications, are the first to stand. Fallout Mod Manager can also be used for this operation.
If after disabling the mods the game still starts, try turning them on one at a time. This way you can find out which add-on is causing the failure.
Crash when trying to start the game
It often happens that a game loads, but when you click on any button, the loading screen does not appear, Fallout 3 crashes, a new game does not start. In this case, after the departure, the system message "The program has performed an invalid operation" appears. The reasons for this behavior are many. Check if all shader files exist. In Explorer, follow the path “My Documents \ My Games \ Fallout3 \ RendererInfo”, find the line “Shader Pckage” and remember the number that is written next to it. Then open the directory “Fallout3 \ Data \ Shaders”, check if the archive “shaderpackage0 [digit] .spd” exists in it. If not, create a copy of any other archive from this directory and rename it to “shaderpackage0 [number] .sdp”.
The video card may not support the resolution in which the game is trying to start. Empty the Documents \ My Games \ Fallout 3 directory. Leave only the “Saves” folder if saved games are important to you. Now start the game and go into the launcher settings. Having unchecked the "Show all permissions" checkbox, set one of the standard sizes.
If Fallout 3 crashes, Windows 7 then displays a window with the error “Instruction X accessed memory at address Y. Memory cannot be read”, you may need to configure DEP. Click on the “Start” button and enter the “Control Panel”. In it, find the item "System" and in its submenu click on "Performance". On the "Data Execution Prevention" tab, configure the use of DEP with the exception of "fallout3.exe" (this file is located in the root of the directory where the game is installed).
Fallout 3 crashes with the error "... d3dx9_38.dll not found"? Update the DirectX package. For a game installed on Windows 7, download the library indicated in the error and move it to the game directory. Look for the file on the Internet, the native library from the system folder will not work.
When the game starts, a crash occurs with the error "... xlive.dll not found." Just update the XLiveRedist package or install it if it has not been installed in advance.
Recurring problems
If Fallout 3 crashes periodically, allowing you to enjoy the game for a while, try terminating all applications that can create pop-ups and messages. Do not turn off antiviruses, such software has quiet modes that are used specifically to run full-screen applications.
Whatever code the game returns when it crashes, always install the latest patches for it, and it is advisable to use only the latest version of Fallout 3. This measure can solve many problems, but you won’t be able to get rid of any tricks - the engine on which the game is created is not It is considered the most stable, and therefore the answer to the question "Why does Fallout 3 crash?" cannot always be found.
The game starts, but the screen is filled with pink
Your system must have two video cards running in CrossFire or SLI mode. Replace the bridge connecting the devices with a high-quality one.
Try reinstalling the game, because such a problem manifests itself when the “Textures.bsa” archive is damaged. If reinstallation did not help, check the hard drive for bad sectors. To do this, right-click on the section icon and open the properties. By going to the "Service" tab, click the "Run Scan" button. After checking, reinstall Fallout 3 again.