Crashing like a drunk driver on morphine...

[stormbringer1234]

Hello dear forum.

 

My problem is simple... my fallout 3 keeps on crashing.

As far as computer specs go, everything meets the appropriate requirements for the game (recommended).

It has a duo core, so that isn't a problem (or shouldn't be). Running on Windows 7.

So, the crashing occurs when:

 

 

-I leave megaton, entering is no problem (I generally just Fast travel out of there...)

-When i fast travel to any Vault (Except 106... must be that gas...).

-When i talk to Harold at the Oasis.

-When i talk to Dom at Canterbury Commons.

-When i try to enter the grocery in Seneca, north of Arefu.

-When i try to enter ANY museum in DC.

-Randomly while roaming the wasteland.

-During VATS

-While activating the Pip-Boy

-Sometimes when i save.

-Sometimes when i crouch.

-Sometimes when i walk with the Left Shift key.

-I'm sure there are other places i will crash in... but i doubt i'd be able to get to them at this rate...

 

 

I have no mods installed. Just bought the game a while back.

 

 

I have tried several things:

 

 

-Cleaning up registry, junk, etc etc.

-Changing the .ini file.

-Changed the ffdshow as well.

-patching up with official and unofficial.

-lowered graphics to the lowest possible.

-turned off sound and even changed the music file name.

-Reinstalling.

-Turning off Auto-save.

-Updated DirectX, .NET framework, VC+++.

-Downgraded DirectX to 9.0.

-Change compatibility mode.

-Run with Game Booster 3.

-Reinstalled.

-Asking around this forum (a work in progress i might add).

 

 

 

And none of those actually worked. It has reduced the number of crashes... just a little bit. Prior to all these, i would crash every minute, now i last a few more minutes... but i still can't talk to certain people or enter certain buildings. I've spent more time on the loading screen than actually playing the game...

 

I would really love some help. Anything really... I'd almost try just about anything...

Thanks in advance for any and all useful comments.

Edited February 1, 2012 by stormbringer1234

[maboru]

Try updating or just reinstalling your video drivers after a clean sweep of the old ones.

[M48A5]

Is Fallout loaded outside of the program files? What are the specs for your video card? Any mods? There are a lot of variables and the more information you can provide will be a great help.

[7thsealord]

Doesn't running FO3 on a dual-core require some changes to the INI file?

[luthienanarion]

Doesn't running FO3 on a dual-core require some changes to the INI file?

 

 

Dual-core is fine. It's the quad-cores that need to be set to only use two cores.

[maboru]

Only for some rigs. I've been using my i7-875 for years without disabling any cores with ini tweaks. I've even gone as far as disabling Intel Core Parking and all 8 threads always show activity (albeit some non game related, background processes etc.) The only problems I've run into with Beth open world games (aside from game code scripting errors and memory leaks) have been either mod related, driver corruptions or registry key problems.

 

The only thing the OP doesn't seem to have tried yet is clean sweeping his drivers and reinstalling (that goes for BIOS, Chipset,gaming device and audio drivers as well.) Other problems I've read about, particularly with FO3, are Codecs and some third party software such as Roxio or GPU monitoring/tweaking apps.

 

Other possible issues here could be overheating, an insufficient PSU that is on it's way out or a video card with hardware problems.

 

Although almost no one ever really does it, a monthly cleaning of the computer case with a low capacity vacuum cleaner, some isopropyl alcohol and Q-tips goes a long way toward maintaining stability.

[nisen]

welcome to Nexus, you might try the Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch, tho I dont personally use it. And if that helps but not completely, also try Fallout Remastered. A general trick to reduce crashing is use the pcb console command every so often, cause the buffer can get corrupted, or install a mod called Clear Cell buffer every cell, its in the downloads section of the NMCs texture pack page. you can also try disabling Autosave and use CASM instead

 

and read thru the Tweakguides tips on finetuning the game for more clues. In general an essential mod to use is FOSE, and with that installed, can also use Fallout Stutter remover

Edited February 4, 2012 by nisen

[stormbringer1234]

My Graphics card is a Nvidia GeForce GTX 570. Overheating isnt a problem. I reinstalled all my drivers and still had the same crashes.

I've tried using pcb command every so often, but it doesn't really do anything for me.

I've installed FOSE and Fallout Stutter Remover, those helped abit. Now i don't crash while roaming the wasteland, unless i get run across a TYPE A random encounter, but i still crash when talking to certain people and entering certain places.

I'm downloading Fallout Remastered while i'm read through the Tweak Guides. Thanks for the help.

[GrindedStone]

Start a new game. You can also turn the master volume slider down to zero in the main menu. Run a series of control group tests like this to narrow the possible causes. I also wouldn't tweek or use or do anything special until I knew it worked or didn't work with only the game & 1.7 patch only. GOTY editions also require the 1.7 patch even though technically they are already 1.7

 

You can get that patch here at nexus or at the fallout 3 official site. Windows Seven Forums also has a rather long post about running Fallout 3 on windows 7, and they have more specialists in that area than we do. Although it wouldn't be advised, you do have the ability to download an use each of the patches that came out for Fallout 3, for example 1.0.35 some windows 7 users have been able to run the game better.