Resolved - Fallout 3 Crashing

[Grant 1st MRB]

Name: B. Grant

Rank: Sgt

Type of issue: Software

Brief Description of Issue: After launching fallout 3 and about 10-15 minutes of gameplay, the game freezes with audio still playing but the game freezes. I then have to launch the task manager to close the game. I do not have any mods installed, and have reinstalled the game four times.

***Medical Supply Staff ONLY Below this line***

Current Status: Resolved

Main Technician: SSgt. A. Bryant

Supporting Technician: GySgt. N. Holland

[Holland 1st MRB]

Are you attempting to play on the same save game each time?

What are your system specs?

What is happening in-game when it crashes? (Cut-scenes, battles, changing areas (loading screens))

Are you alt-tabbing or using the steam overlay? Accidentally pressed the windows key?

Update your graphics drivers, check the in-game settings (make sure they are set appropriately for your system), and disable any programs in the background that could result in any kind of pop-ups, taskbar notifications, or other kinds of interference. These programs often will cause a game to minimize improperly, resulting in errors such as this.

[Grant 1st MRB]

Ok, first, yes on the last re install I finally got it working for the most part, I started a new game and it seemed to run well enough for a bit. Then the game crashed for the first time, I took to saving often so I got through the first part of the game by doing that. But it would crash I would have to reload that previous save to continue. When it crashes, the video will freeze, but the audio continues to play seemingly fine, but it won't move from that position and I have to open Task manager to shut it down. I should also point out that this is the game of the year edition on disc, not on steam. I have not opened an overlay for it. Also this is a brand new computer, I just got it last Friday.

Here's my specs:

MSI Laptop

Intel i7 core-3610qm

Nvidia GeForce GTX 680M / 4GB GDDR5

Ram: DDRIII 16GB (4GB*4)

HDD: 750GB 7200RPM+256 SSD(Super Raid)

Let me know if you need any more information, Thanks!

[Holland 1st MRB]

Update your graphics drivers as a first step. New computers are not necessarily up-to-date on their software.

Make sure you have downloaded the most up-to-date patch for the game itself. The most recent one can be found here.

What is happening in-game when it crashes? (Cut-scenes, battles, entering large open areas)

Keep in mind that there still may be a crash from time to time. Fallout 3 was really quite an unstable game, plagued with many bugs. Some of which were never addressed.

[Bryant 1st MRB]

I will find this for you, everyone has this issue, if you erase one line of code it'll fix it.... ill find it in the morn

[Holland 1st MRB]

Has there been any progress on this ticket?

[Griswold]

Fallout 3 has a compatibility problem with windows 7 so here is what you do, in the Fallout.ini file you have to enable threaded AI

to do so first find the .ini file for fallout in the "My Games" folder for fallout.

from there do the following.

1. search the .ini file for the line stating

bUseThreadedAI=0

2. replace that 0 ^ with a 1

3. under that line add the following line

4. iNumHWThreads=2

5. save and play.

[Bryant 1st MRB]

Grant and I resolved it via steam on suday. Sorry i forgot to close the ticket.