ArchiveInvalidation problems.

[Sebastion23]

Ok, so here's the deal. A while back, earlier this year I think, I was able to download, install, and play the Steam version of Fallout 3 with several mods (I don't have a load list, but bear with me here) and ArchiveInvalidation activated with absolutely no problems whatsoever. Fast forward to now. I'm going with a completely fresh reinstall of Fallout 3 through Steam and using mostly some different mods than before. For the first few days, I had no problem. Then, suddenly, I start getting texture issues, things not loading up properly, custom items and quests not working, etcetera. I discover that the problem is that I didn't use ArchiveInvalidation when I was setting up the mods. I use Fallout Mod Manager with FOSE, so I was using FOMM to activate ArchiveInvalidation and not the ArchiveInvalidation Invalidated program available from the Nexus servers.

 

However, whenever I would activate ArchiveInvalidation, I would get an immediate CTD, every time. Only disabling Invalidation would fix the problem. I've tried many things, mostly involving uninstalling Fallout 3, cleaning out my folders, and trying another fresh install and then re-installing my mods one by one. I even tried running Fallout 3 without a single mod installed and changing Invalidation manually through the .ini file and got the same result: Crash to desktop. Now, I know from reading the Readme included with ArchiveInvalidation Invalidated that some computers will experience a CTD for Fallout 3 whenever Invalidation is enabled, and that there's no known cause or solution for this available. But what's boggling my mind and pissing me off is knowing that earlier this year, I was able to run Fallout 3 with several mods and Invalidation activated without a hitch.

 

I want to know what the hell could have changed in my configuration from then til now that's essentially not allowing me to run custom content in the Steam version of Fallout 3. Could it be a Fallout 3 version issue? Could I have updated/installed something to my computer that has caused ArchiveInvalidation to no longer work for Fallout 3? Before you start asking me for Load Orders and a list of mods I use, keep in mind that I've come to the conclusion that it's not a mod issue as I tried running Fallout 3 without a single mod installed (meaning I didn't move or copy a single file into my Data folder) and manually changed the value for binvalidateolderfiles in the fallout.ini and got the same result.

 

However, just to be fair and thorough, I'll include a list of the mods I was -trying- to use when this whole mess started.

 

Close to Fallout Menu Screens

Close to Fallout Cursor + Crosshair

Ghost Armor HGEC Conversion (Version 2)

Hair Pack

Shojo Race

A VATS Sound Replacer

Enhanced Blood Textures

Enhanced Weather: Rain and Snow V2

Project Beauty HD

Type3 Body V3.5 (Base HD)

Ultra Realistic Wasteland Lighting (With the Brighter Nights addon)

Pipboy Readius

Pitt Gal Stats V2 (Big Paper Doll and DUI)

Recovering Wasteland

Children Of The Wasteland

 

And that's about it. I'm basically going through all the saved .zip files and such that I have saved on my computer from the mods I was trying to install. Some of those mods actually worked for a bit without me even having to change anything as far as Invalidation goes. But others wouldn't work, and I would have to activate Invalidation to get them going....only that by doing so, Fallout 3 would immediately crash to desktop upon starting.

 

If anyone out there can help me out, give me some advice on how to get this working like I had it working once before earlier this year, or point me in a direction to where I can solve this thing...I would be greatly and immensely appreciative. As of right now I've pretty much given up...I've uninstalled Fallout 3 and completely cleaned the game from my computer, but I held on to a Steam-created backup and the .zips for all the mods just in case a miracle occurs. I've tried to be as thorough as I can with my explanation here..hopefully I've covered all the bases but if any of you have any other questions please feel free to ask and I'll try to answer them as best as I can in order to help get this problem solved. If it -can- be solved. Thank you all in advance.

[GrindedStone]

Uh... Maybe try going to the store an getting a retail version, or mail order? Yah I mean more of from now on. But I've had to buy two copies of Windows XP for a computer a built one time. Geez a $350 version of Windows XP, I could have got a XP 64 bit pro version for that, but I had to eat the mistake an move on to get what I wanted. So it's always an option for you. Fallout New Vegas comes out in like two weeks. Another option just forget about fallout 3 for a while, and maybe come back later. Just rememberz to get a retail disc...

 

Two, your best bet would be to look up in the top right corner of the Nexus forums webpage, there's "search" then next to that is a little gear, which is advanced search. By manipulating the many options in this advanced search you'll have better luck finding something useful in this huge SNAFU of noobish rambling. Which in your case would be finding the posts which were made by other STEAM users, from searching STEAM in either post title or whatever.

 

1. Contacting STEAM support is always on the table. After all you did give them money... In the last few years I"ve had to contact Bethesda support a couple of times, took a few weeks to get a answer.

 

2. Archive invalidation invalidated is pretty much a no-brainer. Toggle it an forget about it. Mostly everything is Automatic or Automatic detect, but this is based on a file structure & folder path which is based on the retail version. This might be different from what you get from STEAM or what you got installed on you computer from whatever insane ideas you cooked up while doing so in the middle of having a wierd problem. It the same thing as folks that get their DLC content from Live then start modding the game an it's now broken because for some odd reason the DLC content is in Downloads rather than inside the fallout 3 folder.

 

3. Foundation software. Whatever video card driver came in the box with the card. .NET framework 1 2 3 the whole family, Direct X, Visual C++, WMP (windows media player). I use the video driver that came in the box because you can get into trouble from having a fully updated one, until I have a issue that is directly linked to a outdated driver I'll keep using the one in the box. .NET framework is used in just about everything so it gets installed. Visual C++ will get installed when you install some games, but not fallout, so you need a copy from somewhere else. I have a 2005 version I got from GTA IV, an then a 2008 version I got from the Blender download on Nexus Visual C Nexus Link Direct X you get pretty much automaticly. WMP windows media player so I hear needs to be set as the default program to play MP3 or WAV audio for Fallout 3 So why bother with a 3rd party audio codec update when you can just update WMP an have your codecs updated 2nd party from Microsoft heh? I use windows automatic updates to perform most of this after a fresh O/S install just cause it's 2nd party. The only real 3rd party software I use is Java an Adobe flash player because they are used a lot across the net.

 

4. Try deleting your fallout.in config files. You know the notepad ones we hack up to bits in order to tweek the game. Should be located at My documents/games/fallout 3 They're named FALLOUT and FalloutPrefs, but when you delete them an run the default launcher. You know the normal way to launch fallout 3 Located in either the start menu or at C:/bethesda softworks/fallout 3 which is named FalloutLauncher. When you launch that without the config files FALLOUT.ini an FalloutPrefs.ini it will automaticly generate new ones, an should prompt "Detecting best video settings" or something like that.