Install corrupted? Cannot run game.

[Shakor]

Sorry this is a long post and no way to drink it down. I have tried several things so am documenting them here.

 

Here is the situation. This morning I installed the GECK thinking I would dip my toes into the modding scene while trying to figure out how to customise some of the NPC's. (ie, change their outfits to custom ones I downloaded, change behaviours etc) I did a test run, not having any experience in the GECK, and swapped an outfit on an NPC and tried to save it. I got an error though that I had to 'close all dialogue boxes before saving'. I had none open though so was confused and gave up, closing the GECK.

 

Then I could not run the game launcher. (Note, not the game itself, just the splash screen where you have options, datafiles and play game buttons). It told me there was an application configuration error. Exact message:

 

C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3\FalloutLauncher.exe

 

This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem

 

I could however run the game from the directory by running the Fallout 3.exe file manually so it worked at least and the game itself was fine.

 

I had set some options though that I wanted to set back and could only set them from the launcher options window so I needed this fixed and tried a reinstall of the game. I uninstalled first from the control panel, restarted and tried to run the install from the disk again. I got the same error as above though when trying to run the disk (it runs a similar launcher I guess, and the directory path was just F:\) So I explored the disk and run the setup.exe and reinstalled the game.

 

Now I have a new problem. First of all, the same issue with the launcher is not fixed. However, I cannot run the .exe file for the game either. Windows tries to run it then just stops a second later before it even loads the game and nothing is in the process list.

 

So I go back and start again, this time I try to do a complete job of it and removed everything after uninstalling. The My Documents\My Games\Fallout 3 folder (where saves and config stuff are) the Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Fallout 3 folder and the registry keys for the game. I restarted the PC and reinstalled the game again but still cannot run from the game's .exe file.

 

I am running Windows XP home with SP2 installed btw and I had patched Fallout 3 to v1.5 some time ago anyway.

 

Anyone know anything I might be missing? I could remaster my computer but I have already done this once recently due to other issues and do not favour the option for various reasons. (I'm rebuilding this PC as I get the cash to update to modern gamer overkill standards, but need an oem disk copy of XP before installing the motherboard as this install of windows is locked by Compaq to this board... sucks) and my backup laptop is away for repair so if it comes to a remaster then I will have to wait until I am in a position to blank this hard drive and install windows from scratch with my new hardware without being without a PC that I will need for work.

[phoneyLogic]

First you should install service pack 3.

An then perform a windows update.

Don't know if you have to reinstall the geck again, but I would delete those config files in the my games folder

[Shakor]

The reason I don't have SP3 on this PC is because it crashes on boot all the time and I have not found a solution. My PC is over 4 years old and I suspect SP3 and my current motherboard drivers don't like each other. Besides SP3, I run the update constantly so I have all current updates for Windows.

 

And I had cleared the My Games folder on the last reinstall attempt so there were no config files there from either program.

[phoneyLogic]

Are you running it as an Admin?

 

Think it wont work without sp3.

So why it is crashing ... ?

Maybe a driver conflict.

I have an older computer too and sometimes the Windows-Driver are the best choise - since these old hardware is just fine with and the "new updated driver" are not in every case best fitting for that older stuff.

Especially Mainboard ...

[Shakor]

Yes, running as admin.

 

I have seen another person with the exact same issue too, same symptoms, but not brought on by the same means.

http://thenexusforums.com/index.php?showtopic=129406

 

After a little reading though I think I know the problem. When I downloaded the GECK yesterday I also patched to 1.5. Though the game itself worked initially until after I attempted a reinstall.

 

So maybe this is it. The 1.5 patch and no SP3 which I cannot install on my system yet, anyway. Still, surely reinstalling the game would have wiped off the 1.5 patch too? I have not tried to reapply it after reinstall from disk.