Black Start Up Screen

[StupidToaster]

When i start my fallout NV it doesn't really make a sound just gives me a black screen. I do hear one sound similar to when it loads content in game but then i'm left to fumble in the dark to start the game, and when i actually can it acts funky.

 

 

[dubiousintent]

It's always useful to post your LO (in "Spoiler" tags. Use the "Special BBCode" button in the "Reply" menu bar). "LOOT" can copy your LO into a file suitable for posting here. (It's under the ":" with three dots to the extreme right in it's menu bar.)

* Issue: Black Screen on startup
Cause1: Usually if the game "freezes" but doesn't CTD during the loading screens, it's due to a missing or incorrectly referenced ESM (master file).

Solution1: Use "FNVEdit" (loading the entire LO) to check for Masters that are missing or loading after Dependencies. Make sure all your ESM files are loaded first, with the game ESM (FalloutNV.ESM) as the very first file and those of the DLC next in the order they were released: DeadMoney, HonestHearts, OldWorldBlues, LonesomeRoad, GunRunnersArsenal, ClassicPack, MercenaryPack, TribalPack, and CaravanPack. Use "LOOT" to get a basic sorted mod order. Note that some mods have ESMs that use the ESP extension, so if LOOT sorts them into the ESM group, leave them as it is determining that from the file headers and they really are ESMs.

Cause2: A Black screen but you can hear sounds and the game seems to be running usually means you have too many plugins active. The game has a "hard cap" at which it issues a warning when you exceed 139, but you can start to have problems anywhere between 130-140 active plugins depending upon your system. Here "plugins" refers to both ESM and ESP files that are active in your "load order" or present in the game "Data" folder.

Solution2: Try temporarily disabling enough plugins to get under the cap and see if that gets your screen back. If so, then you need to look into permanently reducing the active plugin count by means of a "bashed" or "merged" patch file, and "merged plugin" files. See the post [here] where the subject is discussed.

Cause3: A Black screen but you can hear sounds and the game seems to be running could mean you have corrupted a HUD-UI-Menu XML file, or have installed a mod that overwrites one. This can usually be confirmed by loading the game without any active mods or "save game" (i.e start a new game). If the screen remains black, you have an XML file issue.

Solution3: See the post [here].

Cause4: A Black screen with CTD during the loading screens is usually an indication of a mod conflict or a dependent plugin (i.e. an ESP) loaded before a master plugin (i.e. ESM for the same mod). Use "FNVEdit" (loading the entire LO) to check for Masters that are missing or loading after Dependencies.

Solution4:
4a. Check the date/timestamp on the files in question. Even "LOOT" can occasionally set the times too close. They need to have at least a full minute difference to not be considered "the same time". The ESP must have a later time than the ESM. You can use a "file properties" tool like "Attribute Changer" (freeware) to manually adjust any or all three timestamps (created, modified, accessed) on the files. Note that no two files should have the same "modified" date/timestamp in your "load order" or other problems will arise.

4b. To isolate a mod conflict, follow the troubleshooting guide posted [here].

-Dubious-

Edited May 30, 2016 by dubiousintent

[StupidToaster]

I have downloaded both fnvedit and loot and i have tried loading just the fnv master file with no add on or modded content. Non of it is working and it didnt start until i updated the nexus mod manager i don't understand

[dubiousintent]

I'm not clear if your problem is with loading the FNV Master file into FNVEdit, or getting the game to launch with only the master file active? The more detail you provide describing your problem the better for us to understand it. Don't combine problems. Describe them separately.

 

Assuming the latter:

* Issue: Un-installed and re-installed the game but even without mods it crashes on startup.
- Cause: Likely you forgot to clear out your "C:\Users\<YourAccountName>\Documents\My Games\FalloutNV" folder. The game places your specific versions of the Fallout and Fallout_prefs INI files there, along with your save games.

- Solution: Try renaming the "Users" folder INI files first. Then if that fails move the "saves" elsewhere, delete that FalloutNV folder's content, and re-install again.

If you have to re-install again anyway, be sure to install to a folder that is not under the default "C:\Program Files" folder tree. See [this article] for the rationale and guidance. If it's your initial install of the game, move it NOW. This one steps solves many "weird" problems.

If the problem is getting the FNV Master to load into FNVEDit, try running FNVEdit with "administrator privileges".

 

Have you tried launching the game without NMM?

 

-Dubious-

Edited June 5, 2016 by dubiousintent

[StupidToaster]

I have tried to start the game by the fallout nv shortcut, the fnvse shortcut and by the nexus mod manager. All of which i have tried with and without mods and with all master files or just the main master file. non of which has worked. i am now attempting to delete all my mods and retry Fallout nv. if this does not work i might need to redownload.

[dubiousintent]

First I would suggest you try renaming the INI files in your "C:\Users\<YourAccountName>\Documents\My Games\FalloutNV" folder and let the game rebuild them. Just something less drastic to try first.

 

If you do re-install, be sure to install it outside of the default ("C:\Program Files") tree location. Many "strange" problems are cleared up by that simple move. See the "Installing Games on Windows Vista+" in my signature on why this is a good idea and for the link to the Steam instructions on moving to a different location.

 

I've created a wiki article with a troubleshooting checklist and all the specific problems and solutions I know. You might see if anything there seems familiar to your situation. (I keep updating it.)

 

-Dubious-

Edited June 14, 2016 by dubiousintent

[StupidToaster]

i was able to delete and reinstall with no lost game data and no lost load files. it worked perfectly. My guess is a mod corrupted or overwrote parts of my main data?

Anyway. Thank you for all your help and for taking the time to work with me on this. You were the only one who did and i am very grateful. Have a great day!

[dubiousintent]

Good to hear you got things to work out. You're welcome, and thanks for letting us know. It encourages others that solutions are possible.

 

-Dubious-