Crashing on Startup

[rakansc]

Edit: Please check post #9 for the latest.

 

Here's my problem:

 

Fallout 3 now refuses to start and is crashing to desktop on startup. Opening it from the launcher, the .exe, and FOSE.exe all lead to the same result: I get a black screen (or a few seconds of the Bethseda Logo you see on start up), and then I get the default Windows error message saying "Fallout3 has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."

 

What I've tried that didn't work:

-Disabling GFWL

-Uninstalling and Re-installing GFWL

-Updating SecuRom with the Fallout3 Patch

-Computer restart (lol)

-Disabling all mods and DLC (except Fallout3.esm) and booting straight from the Launcher or Fallout3.exe (no FOSE).

-Investigating the FFDShow fix (but I don't have FFDShow on my computer)

-Checking Archive Invalidation

-Putting xlive.dll from my system32 folder into the Fallout3 directory (this one didn't make much sense to me but apparently it worked for someone out there?!?)

-Making sure my saves folder wasn't over crowded (I only had 18 saves in it)

-Updating FOSE

-Updating Video Card Drivers

-Making sure FO3 was up to date (I have v1.7)

 

I am now on the verge of re-installing the game, but haven't yet because re-installing the game is the one solution I read that everyone tried that didn't work.

 

 

 

Now here's the background and why I think this might be a mod issue, and thus belong in mod trouble-shooting:

 

This morning I booted up FO3 and played it for a little bit before it crashed as I gained a new level. Not really thinking, I decided this was probably the result of some mod-conflict, so I went and disabled 99% of my mods (except the ones that I had been using for a long time and had never caused me any trouble - mostly just armor mods such as Tailor Made and the Re-enforced Chinese Stealth Suit).

 

Since most of the mods I disabled were out of date at this point (XFO, FOOK, and some others), I decided (before checking to see if disabling those mods actually solved my problem - way to go me) to pick up some new mods to replace them. So I went and got Fallout Wanderer's Edition, Weapon Mod Kits, and Mart's Mutant Mod and all the associated comparability patches, and made a Merged Patch. Right now my Load Order looks like this:

 

[X] Fallout3.esm

[X] Anchorage.esm

[X] ThePitt.esm

[X] CRAFT.esm

[X] CALIBR.esm

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - Main File.esm

[X] Mart's Mutant Mod.esm

[X] HairPack.esm

[X] CubeExperimental (EN).esm

[X] CRAFT - Activation Perk.esp

[X] DarNifiedUIF3.esp

[X] DUIF3Extras.esp

[X] 3EFdrgplate.esp

[X] Tailor Maid.esp

[X] Tailor Maid PITT.esp

[X] Tailor Maid Black Retex.esp

[X] Gauss Rifle 1.0.esp

[X] HZ_FN57.esp

[X] GaussCompleteBeta.esp

[X] Custom_Infiltrator_Rifle.esp

[X] 1PipboyPDA.esp

[X] ROTS3.esp

[X] PCB.esp

[X] Combat Enhanced-Tactics.esp

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - Main File.esp

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - DLC Anchorage.esp

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - DLC The Pitt.esp

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - Followers Enhanced.esp

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - Optional VATS Realtime.esp

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - Optional Free Play After MQ.esp

[X] WeaponModKits.esp

[X] WeaponModKits - FWE Master Release.esp

[X] WeaponModKits - OperationAnchorage.esp

[X] WeaponModKits - ThePitt.esp

[X] Mart's Mutant Mod.esp

[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - DLC Anchorage.esp

[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - DLC The Pitt.esp

[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - FWE Master Release.esp

[X] V2_FWE_WMK_MMM_MergedPatch.esp

 

When I booted up FOSE after installing these new mods with this load order FO3 just crashed to Desktop after giving me the aforementioned error message. I then proceeded to try all the solutions I listed above without success.

 

I am running Windows XP SP3 32-bit. My system more than meets the requirements for FO3 and has been playing the game successfully and without issue (beyond the typical mod-induced crash) for the past two years. Only this afternoon have I started having this issue after I finished installing those mods.

 

Can anyone help me get FO3 working again?

[Quetzlsacatanango]

You are most likely missing a master. Run fo3edit, it will tell you which one it is.

[rakansc]

I ran FO3Edit. How can I tell what Master I am missing?

 

Also, is that still a possibility considering I have this issue even with all mods and DLC disabled?

[Quetzlsacatanango]

It will give you an error in the messages window. If all mods are disabled that won't be the issue. Try disabling archive invalidation as well and see if that works.

[rakansc]

I figured it was something like that. When I ran it FO3Edit I didn't get any error message, but I wasn't sure if there was supposed to be one, so I figured I might have been missing something.

 

I am currently trying to re-install FO3 since I'm pretty sure I tried toggling Archive Invalidation, but once I finish the re-install (if that doesn't solve the problem), I'll try that again and see if it works.

[rakansc]

An update:

 

Finished the re-install. Changed the directory I installed it in to something non-default and everything. Made sure that Archive Invalidation was turned off. Booted it up with no Mods or DLC - just out of the box stuff.

 

No go. Same crash and error message.

 

Patched it up to 1.7.

 

Still no go. Same crash and error message.

 

FML

 

Edit: I seriously doubt it'll help, but I'm going to try defraging my hard-disk. It's overdue anyway. Maybe there's like a 0.01% chance some fragmented file might be causing this.

 

Also, this guy here had pretty much the exact same problem as me, and somehow got it fixed, but I'm really not sure how he did it, if someone can explain to me what they're talking about doing in that thread. Deleting my GFWL Folder in Fallout? I don't know where that is!

[toadlet]

An update:

 

Finished the re-install. Changed the directory I installed it in to something non-default and everything. Made sure that Archive Invalidation was turned off. Booted it up with no Mods or DLC - just out of the box stuff.

 

No go. Same crash and error message.

 

Patched it up to 1.7.

 

Still no go. Same crash and error message.

 

FML

 

Edit: I seriously doubt it'll help, but I'm going to try defraging my hard-disk. It's overdue anyway. Maybe there's like a 0.01% chance some fragmented file might be causing this.

 

Also, this guy here had pretty much the exact same problem as me, and somehow got it fixed, but I'm really not sure how he did it, if someone can explain to me what they're talking about doing in that thread. Deleting my GFWL Folder in Fallout? I don't know where that is!

 

I think it's refering to games or windows live. if you play with that on, it thinks FOSE (and some other bits) is a cheat and wont let you play F3, from what I understand. i have games for windows live, but never am logged in, i also have fose, but never have crash issues unless i have the load order wrong, which happens.

[rakansc]

If I am just running Fallout3 straight from the launcher or .exe should that problem still happen? I will check to see if disabling GFWL or making sure FOSE is uninstalled will help anyway, however.

[rakansc]

Alright, an update. Let's see if I can remember everything I have tried today. This is all post-Defrag completion.

 

At the above posters suggestion, I made every effort to remove any trace of FOSE from my Fallout3 directories (both the install directory and my documents). Tried booting FO3 and got same error. Before doing this I made sure I had GFWL enabled.

 

Then I disabled GFWL using the GFWL Disabler. Didn't work either.

 

Next I uninstalled GFWL and all it's components. That didn't work either.

 

Then I re-installed the latest version of GFWL and the hotfix for Windows XP. That didn't work either.

 

I tried disabling GFWL again using the disabler. Also didn't work.

 

Let me reitterate at this point that there is absolutely no mod content or any 3rd party files or programs in any of my Fallout 3 Directories (both the install and my documents folders). Also, I have been sure to keep all my Anti-virus programs shut-down so they can't interfere during any of the tests. I have also tested in both windowed mode and full-screen in most cases. I am using the lowest possible settings.

 

So I uninstalled GFWL, GFWL disabler, Fallout 3, and any-and-all mod content and FO3-related content I could find from my computer. Shut it down. Rebooted it. Re-installed FO3 to a brand new directory.

 

Re-install went perfectly, no errors. Booted FO3 and got the same error.

 

So I patched it up to 1.7 (again) but this time I got a error during the update process. It said:

ordinal 5360 could not be located in the dynamic link library xlive.dll

And the update failed. Upon booting FO3 again this new error ("ordinal 5360 could not be located in the dynamic link library xlive.dll") replaced the default Program-Has-Encountered-An-Error-And-Needs-To-Close error, but the end result was the same. The game CTD'ed before even reaching the main menu.

 

At this point I couldn't log into GFWL either: I'd get the same error. I read online that this was a problem with GFWL, and I could fix it by updating GFWL, which I did (including the XP-hotfix) but the error persisted. I also could still not complete the 1.7 Update for FO3 at this time (would get same error).

 

I uninstalled GFWL and FO3 and all their components again. Re-installed FO3 with no errors or complications to another new directory.

 

Just to be sure I booted FO3 after the install and got the old error message as expected.

 

I updated GFWL to the latest version again with the hotfix this time before applying the patch. Made sure I could log into GFWL (I could) and tried booting FO3 again. Got old error again.

 

Applied patch 1.7. Continued to get old error.

 

Disabled GFWL. Continued to get old error.

 

Proceeded to scream and shout and pull my hair out.

 

My drivers are up to date. I have no mod content. I am running Windows XP SP3 32-bit. My OS is up to date (currently has all updates for XP 32 bit installed). My system meets the requirements for FO3 and has played it with no trouble for 2 years until a few days ago.

 

Please, anyone. Help.

 

This is what it looks like when I crash:

The image fragmentation is somewhat new. I can't remember when it started, but it was sometime today.

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/4323/fo3crashatstartup.png

 

Can I ask that a mod please hyperspace this thread over into Fallout 3 General Technical Support? I think the issues I'm having have graduated beyond being Mod-induced.

[rakansc]

In case anyone else has this problem, I think I figured it out:

 

When I was uninstalling FO3, the folder "Fallout 3" in /My documents/My Games/ was staying behind. This is the folder that contains all the configuration files for FO3, such as fallout3.ini, and your savegames. How I missed this before I have no idea.

 

I attempted an uninstall and re-install one more time, but this time I deleted the "Fallout 3" folder and all it's remaining contents - including my savegames - before I reinstalled.

 

This SEEMS to have fixed the problem. I can now at least boot to a new game in Fallout 3 without any mods. I'm going to try patching next, then work towards re-installing my mods one at a time.