"saved game / area enter" crash issues!!

cuzalino · February 6, 2013

hello there

i've trawled the forums, most other forums, the internet, etc... but my crashing problem is still haunting, what is, possibly the greatest game I have ever played.

I purchased my copy of FO3GoTY off Steam...

sorry if this is a classic example of a common problem, but I need advice!

my problem: I had the "saved games are being deleted"/"saving the game crashes"/if I save over a previous save it deletes it" issues months ago, so I quit playing as I lost about 2 DLCs worth of playtime and, quite frankly, I was getting fed up.

so- I came back to playing quite recently, about 6/7 weeks ago... I kept all the saves that worked fine prior to corruption, deleted all the local content, reinstalled everything (all the mods etc)... worked fine and dandy.

now, now of all times, when i'm getting right back into the swing of things... the ugly problems return!

at first it was the "saving over a save deletes the save and leaves no trace of save" problem, then I had random crashes... after that, I went back to a save that was "safe", it seemed fine... then I got to a part way before the 'initial' problem I mention in this paragraph, after about 3 or 4 saves... CRASH!

i've tried everything I can find/see to help. nada.

I know all about the core issues of FO3 not being designed for a (x64) system but i've went through most diagnostics:

-changing the .ini files (in both Fallout directories),

-using BOSS to sort out my Load Order,

-uninstalling/reinstalling everything (second re-install was from backup, not download), mods all installed in correct order,

-configuring ffdshow,

-asking my computer really nicely to stop hampering my fun,

-praying/sacrificing,

-FO3Edit,

-added the Error correction mod,

-put my graphic settings low,

-used 3GB Enabler,

nothing, still same issues... i'm wondering if my saves are all corrupt from a certain point, and I am yet to find that hallowed point, perhaps?

or is it worth me just deleting all the local content and downloading the game, AGAIN, instead of using the backup version I have on another drive (in case the backup is screwed perhaps)?

it's really p*****g me off! i'm probably doing something totally dumd here and can't see the wood for the trees- so if anyone is kind enough to point me in the right direction; to save me from going round in circles, then I will be eternally grateful!!

my current load order is:

(I keep my mods on a minimum- organised by BOSS mainly)

[X] Fallout3.esm

[X] Anchorage.esm

[X] ThePitt.esm

[X] BrokenSteel.esm

[X] PointLookout.esm

[X] Zeta.esm

[X] CRAFT.esm

[X] CALIBR.esm

[X] Advanced Recon Tech.esm

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - Main File.esm

[X] Mart's Mutant Mod.esm

[X] Enhanced Weather - Rain and Snow.esm

[ ] FO3 Wanderers Edition - Alternate Travel.esp

[X] CrowdedCities_v2.esp

[ ] CrowdedCities_v2_lessNPCs.esp

[X] Rivet City Merchants.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 - DLC Broken Steel.esp

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - DLC Point Lookout.esp

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - DLC Mothership Zeta.esp

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - Followers Enhanced (BrokenSteel).esp

[ ] FO3 Wanderers Edition - Optional Restore Tracers.esp

[X] FO3 Wanderers Edition - Optional Restore Tracers (automatics only).esp

[X] Advanced Recon Gear.esp

[X] Advanced Recon Tech.esp

[ ] Advanced Recon Tech - Detect Traps.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 - DLC Broken Steel.esp

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

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

[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - Zones Respawn.esp

[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - Tougher Traders.esp

[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - Natural Selection.esp

[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - Master Menu Module.esp

[X] Kat_Companion_V1.0b.esp

[X] LucyWestCompanion.esp

[X] Follower - Willow.esp

[X] Ghoul_Caravan.esp

[X] Core Robots - The Eyebots.esp

[X] Core Robots - The Handy.esp

[X] Core Robots - The Protectrons.esp

[X] Core Robots - The Robobrains.esp

[X] Enhanced Weather - Rain and Snow in Fallout.esp

[X] Enhanced Weather - Radioactive Rain and Snow Plugin.esp

[X] Enhanced Weather - Weather Sounds in Interiors.esp

[X] Enhanced Weather - Sneak Bonus during Storms.esp

[X] Fellout-Full.esp

[ ] More Moriarty's Customers.esp

[ ] RivetCityCrib.esp

[ ] TheGhoulKing.esp

[X] Error Fixes V1.5.esp

PC specs are:

Win7 (x64)

Intel Xeon quad (4x 3.40Ghz)

4GB RAM

ATI Radeon HD5450 1GB

any help/feedback/flaming/whatever is welcome :)

thanks :)

M48A5 · February 6, 2013

You are missing compatibility patches. I don't use MMM but I know you need a patch to use it with FWE: NOTE: For using MMMF3 with FOOK2, XFO, FWE and more see FOIP

You will need to go through your mods and see if you need patches to operate with each other.

prensa · February 6, 2013

cuzalino - Hello!

M48A5 is correct, you need to patch FWE & MMM for the best results.

The standard would be the MMM/FWE patches from FOIP:

http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/4968

As to the saves issue, that's quite odd I've not seen saves being deleted before.

Are your saves ending up where they should:

C:\Users\LFW\Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves

You've not activated/deactivated Games for Windows live? As depending on whether you use that or not saves will be located in a Games for windows folder within that save folder.

Another idea is that something is redirecting the saves, Win7 is sometimes touchy with it's UAC & only pretends to save things to a certain location & really saves them to another secure location.

Make sure Fallout 3 is being run with the proper security clearance. Try running Fallout 3 as administrator & see if you can save over old saves without them disappearing.

I have on occasion heard of virus protection software blocking games from making saves (they see it as program making unauthorised changes). Often such programs can be set to allow the games freedom to make saves by being added to a trusted list.

If none of that brings any joy you could try using CASM:

http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/3729

Many people who suffer from save corruptions find that useful & it may help you with your disappearing saves.

Hope this helps!

Prensa

cuzalino · February 7, 2013

thanks v. much for the info guys! it's opened my eyes a bit further with regards to the stability issues here :)

i've been using BOSS again to weed out the little problems, added the compatibility patches... then looked sort everything out with FO3edit. I had the program downloaded but left it as I couldnt merge for some reason; now, looking at it, I have this weird problem that basically says the Broken Steel DLC.esm is causing havoc amongst the other DLCs!?

i'll just give you a bitesized snippet of what FO3edit is telling me with regards to the errors that prevent me from a successful merge:

[00:15] Background Loader: [Anchorage.esm] Building reference info.

[00:22] Background Loader: [ThePitt.esm] Building reference info.

[00:29] Background Loader: [brokenSteel.esm] Building reference info.