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Last Updated on September 5, 2021 by Editor Futurescope
Fallout 4 is a modern RPG from Bethesda Softworks, with deep character customization and a large open world. It features an all-new graphics and lighting engine that brings the world of Fallout to life like never before. In this role-playing action game (RPG), you will emerge in the post-nuclear wasteland 210 years after a thermonuclear war and experience the freedom of exploring a vast and open wasteland.
If you want to fix your Fallout 4 from crashing, install the latest patch and set the graphics option to low. Then update your graphics driver card and temporarily disable the antivirus program system. Lastly, configure the settings in your Fallout 4.
Well, the Fall out crash error is certainly frustrating enough to make anyone want to pull their hair out. Unfortunately, no amount of pulling or styling can fix it – but while having a full head of hair is always preferable, some troubleshooting steps can help resolve this issue.
This article explains ways to fix the Fallout Crash on Startup. But first, let’s see why the Fallout is crashing on StartUp.
Why is Fallout 4 crashing on startup?
This problem is common, especially for people who are playing on PC. Fallout 4 has a lot of issues running on PCs with Windows 10 due to the fact it wasn’t truly optimized “to make use of all of your system’s hardware / software” when it was released.
For example, if you have an NVIDIA Geforce GPU, you are likely experiencing crashes more often than not. Fallout 4 was coded mainly with AMD in mind, and NVIDIA cards are known for their lackluster performance with Fallout 4 compared to their AMD counterparts.
Any game could crash randomly while being played, but most have some sort of solution. For example: If this issue happens suddenly during gameplay, change the resolution to 720p windowed, exit the game, and change the file Fallout4Prefs.ini located in C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\my games\Fallout4 open the file with notepad or any text editor replace “bFull Screen=1” with “bFull Screen=0” save changes.
How to fix Fallout 4 crash on startup?
Method 1: Fallout 4 Crash Fix – New Vegas Script Extender
– To fix a crash in the Mojave Wasteland, you can download a mod called New Vegas Script Extender.
– This will allow Fallout 4 to use an updated version of NVSE.
– For more on this problem and possible causes, visit our Fallout 4 Crashes page.
Method 2: Fallout 4 Crash Fix – Mod Conflict Detector
If your game is crashing after installing a mod, you should use a Mod Conflict Detector program to scan your computer for any conflicts between mods or save files that may be causing a crash in Fallout 4.
How else can you Fix Fallout 4 Crashing with the Mod conflict detector?
Follow the steps below to fix your Fallout 4 from crashing:
1) Run a system file check to repair corrupted system files, and then restart your computer to apply changes.
2) Update all of your device drivers manually by going to the manufacturer’s website for each one and downloading the latest correct driver for your operating system.
3) Uninstall all non-Microsoft programs except for antivirus, audio/video players, or other essentials before you run Fallout 4 so that there will be no conflicts with how those programs access you. If you have recently added new hardware to your computer, uninstall it and see if that solves the problem. If you have newly installed a pirated version of Fallout 4 without un-checking the ‘crack’ box, this is likely causing your problems. You can either install or re-download the game legally and ensure all components are checked.
4) . Bethesda has created an easy utility for finding and removing mods that may be causing issues in Fallout 4, called the Fallout 4 Creation Kit.
5) Check that your PC’s BIOS is up to date, and update if necessary; it will need to be compatible with the game. You can check the official Bethesda website for more information about your motherboard’s compatibility. 6) If you are still experiencing problems after following all of these steps, re-install Fallout 4.
Method 3: Move User Presets Folder
– If you are still experiencing crashes after completing the above steps, it is recommended that you move your user presets folder to another location on your computer. Your user presets You will find the .folder under C:\Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Fallout4.
– For more on this problem and possible causes, visit our Fallout 4 Crashes page.
Method 4: Disable Mods
– If your game is still crashing after completing the above steps, try disabling mods in Fallout 4 to see if it fixes the crashes. You can disable all mods in Fallout 4 by right-clicking on the game, selecting Properties, and clicking on the Beta tab. Select ‘None’ from the drop-down menu and click Close.
So, you’ve tried to install Fallout 4, and for some reason, it keeps crashing on startup. You might remember seeing a blue screen with an error code that looked something like this:
0x0000006b 0xc0000005 0xf78bb8e3 0xf78bb890
That’s an error code that threw up after trying to boot up Fallout 4. The first thing I would recommend checking is the system requirements for the game since its release. Bethesda has been known to be shoddy in testing games before they go live, so perhaps your machine doesn’t meet the minimum specs required. If your system does meet or surpass these settings, then we can proceed further:
Method 5: Run, Verify and Install any updates through Steam.
You should run Fallout 4 fine, but if it crashes frequently or has other issues, you might not resolve the problem yet.
Disable all third-party applications that can interfere with game performance. You should disable anything that isn’t required for your system to run smoothly while gaming. Anything from overclocking software to background programs like Dropbox, Avast AntiVirus, and Skype could be causing this issue.
Method 6: Uninstall / Reinstall Fallout 4 via Steam
If updating doesn’t work, try reinstalling Fallout 4 on your computer by doing the following: Open up Steam Right-click on Fallout 4 in your Library Select “Delete Local Content” This will only delete the files for Fallout 4 in your Boot drive – do not delete any other Steam games you have installed as this will mess up your Steam Library. Once the files are deleted, open up your Steam software and re-install Fallout 4 (you should also redownload any DLC content if you own any).
If reinstalling didn’t work for you, then we need to proceed to the next step:
Method 7: Reinstall DirectX and VCRedist.
The last thing we can try before throwing in the towel is doing a clean installation of both Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable Packages for Visual Studio 2013 and DirectX. If you’re not sure how to do this, then check out our guide that teaches you just that right here. Note: You don’t have to install those programs – just reinstall them from the installer files.
Method 8: Clear Fallout4Prefs.ini and Fallout4.ini
The last thing I would try before reinstalling the game is to clear out your ini files by doing the following: Go to C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4 Delete Fallout4Prefs.ini (and all other ini files that are located in this folder).
Open up Steam Right-click on Fallout 4 in your Library Select “Properties” Click “Verify Integrity of Game Cache” Once it’s done, re-open Fallout 4 and see if it works fine now!
How to Troubleshoot Fallout 4 Crash on Startup
The following list consists of various possible solutions that may resolve your crashing issue when attempting to start the game:
1) Verify Integrity Of Game Cache
As mentioned in our article on how to fix Fallout 4 startup crash after update, verifying the integrity of the game cache will ensure all the files are present and up to date, allowing the game to make sure all files are there and none are corrupted. Navigate to Steam -> Library -> right-click on Fallout 4 -> click Properties -> Local Files tab -> click “Verify Integrity Of Game Cache”
2) Update Graphics Driver (Nvidia/AMD)
If you’re using an AMD graphics card, updating your drivers can be beneficial. For Nvidia cards, updating the driver is unnecessary as older drivers tend to work better with Bethesda titles anyway.
3) Disable SLI/Crossfire
To disable multi-GPU options in Fallout 4, navigate to your Fallout4Prefs.ini located in C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4. Open it up with notepad and change “bForceIgnoreSm3=0” to “bForceIgnoreSm3=1”. Save & exit.
4) Overclock GPU (if overclocking software available)
(shouldn’t be necessary if you followed the previous step) If your GPU supports this, this can resolve any crashing issues when trying to load textures on some cards. To do so: Open up MSI Afterburner Navigate to Settings -> General Uncheck all options besides monitoring for this option Set core clock offset -100 or just under that And then increase Power Limit by 10% or however much your card allows
5) Update drivers for motherboard/sound card / other add-on cards Your motherboard, sound card, and any other add-on cards might use their software or drivers, which you need to check for possible updates.
6) Disable game mods (Fallout4Prefs.ini location is as per step.
7) If you’re running any game modifications (from Nexus, Workshop, etc.), then try disabling them and see if that helps with the startup crash. You can always re-enable them later after you play the game successfully once without them!
8) Verify integrity of game filesSteam users: Go to Steam -> Library -> Right-click on Fallout 4 -> Properties -> Local Files tab -> “Verify Integrity Of Game Cache” option Non-Steam users: Make sure Fallout 4 has been completely closed down before proceeding. Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common Delete everything except the games folders Re-install Fallout 4 If the game still crashes; it means something is wrong with your installation, and you’ll need to re-install it completely.
9) Disable/Enable Custom ini tweaks This applies only if you have changed your .ini files. Navigate to C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games \Fallout4 (the path will vary if installed elsewhere or on another drive) Open Fallout4Prefs.ini file Change bUseTextureStreaming=1 to =0 Save & exit Try starting the game once again, see if it helps. If not, change this value back to 1.
10) Disable/Re-enable Fallout 4 Steam Cloud Save Sync (applies only if using the cloud to store save files)
11) Delete PCHealth folder and Re-install Windows 7 Services Pack 1 + Hotfixes (applies only if you’re running Windows 10 and experiencing this issue, other OS not tested.) Ensure you’ve closed down Fallout 4 before proceeding. Go to C:\Windows\System32\dllcache Delete PCHealth folder Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\dllcache again Rename Shim’s folder to Shims.old Download a fresh copy of the Shims from here:
http://www.greyhoundgames.com/games/files/shiminstances/shatspace.7z Unzip & copy all files from the downloaded folder to C:\Windows\System32\dllcache Start Fallout 4 and see if it crashes.
If not, you’re done! If it still crashes, rename the Shims folder back to Shim’s and try the next step. Re-install Service Pack 1 + Hotfixes for your OS either via DVD or online and get Windows Updates for offline install.
12) Update Display Driver (Nvidia/AMD) If this was any other game, updating the graphics driver probably wouldn’t help. Still, according to reports on Reddit, users who updated their drivers were able to get rid of Fallout 4 startup crashes!
13) Fallout 4 Configuration Tool: Set everything as low as possible.
14) Verify game files: Go to Steam -> Library -> Right-click on Fallout 4 -> Properties -> Local Files Tab -> “Verify Integrity Of Game Cache” option
15) Low Ram Make sure you have enough RAM (memory) available when running the game. If the game uses too much memory on your computer, it can crash when trying to play it. Have at least 6 GB of free system memory available when playing the game or more if you’re planning to use mods or install HD texture packs!
16) Low VRAM Check details about your GPU and ensure you don’t have too little VRAM (video memory). The game might not be able to find enough video memory and crash. Ensure you have at least 1 GB of video memory available on your GPU!
17) Run the game in Windowed Mode – No Border
18) Run the game with graphics settings set to Low. Set everything to Low, not just some options. This is very important if you’re trying to run the game on a laptop or an older PC that can barely handle it without crashing.
You might also want to turn off FXAA since it’s heavy on performance. If you are using FRAPS for benchmarking/graphing performance, disable these features under Tracking before launching Fallout 4: Object Buffer Shadows, Dynamic Spot Shadows, Directional Occlusion.
Why Does Fallout 4 Keep Crashing?
Don’t worry if you ever find yourself playing Fallout 4 and suddenly feel like the game has stopped working. It’s not broken. Fallout 4 is crashing – it’s just doing so in a specific way that results in what looks like a crash but isn’t, for lack of better phrasing.
Here are the reasons why Fallout 4 crashes on startup:
*You’re using an outdated version of Windows 10 or haven’t updated your GPU/CPU drivers to their latest versions yet.*
*Fallout 4 needs DirectX 11 to run, which you might not have installed yet even though it comes with Windows 10 (which is usually the case).
*You have too many Fallout 4 .esm files installed. You can check by right-clicking the game in the Steam launcher, clicking “Properties,” and going to the “Local Files” tab.
*You’re using third-party mods that aren’t compatible with each other or haven’t been cleaned for Fallout 4 yet. If you’re sure none of your mods are causing this issue, try deleting them one by one until you find the conflicting mod(s).
*The mod manager you’re using might be causing a conflict with another mod tool. If possible, try switching to a different program or upgrading to the latest version of your current program if it’s not already on its latest version. [Note: In most cases, NMM is the best choice.]
*Your game directory might be corrupted. Try reinstalling Fallout 4 or switching to a different game directory.
*You have an antivirus program that’s blocking Fallout 4 from running, so you’ll need to turn it off at least temporarily while playing Fallout 4.
FAQ Fixing Fallout 4 Crash on StartUp
Is your Fallout 4 crashing during startup? Do you have questions about this? We shall be answering all your questions about ways to fix Fallout 4 from crashing on start-up.
How do I fix my Fallout 4 from crashing?
Install the most recent patch to repair your Fallout 4 if it crashes. Set the graphical setting to low, update your graphics driver card and temporarily deactivate your antivirus program system. Last but not least, set up your Fallout 4 locations.
What do you do if Fallout 4 won’t start?
Your Fallout 4 won’t start because of a problem with the launcher.
The Fallout 4 launcher is an executable file that manages your mods and other options while playing Fallout 4. It also starts the actual game when needed.
Here are some possible reasons why Fallout 4 won’t start:
- Your computer’s clock is not accurate.
- Mods have been disabled from the launcher, but they are enabled elsewhere.
- You have left some other software running that Fallout 4 needs to work properly.
- Your computer’s operating system is not up to date
What do you do if Fallout 4 won’t start?
- If your Fallout 4 won’t start, the first thing you should do is verify that your computer’s clock is accurate.
- You can usually find a button or setting to adjust it on your main system menu (e.g., the “Start” button then “Control Panel” for Windows).
- If this isn’t it, consult what we call your computer’s “startup menu” to find the right system configuration menu.
- You may have a key combination you can press to open it, such as “F8”, “F11”, or the Escape button on some keyboards.
How do I run Fallout 4 as an administrator?
To run Fallout 4 as an administrator on windows 10: Right-click fallout4.exe in fallout4 directory (for steam this would be in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\) Click properties Click compatibility tab Check “Run this program as an administrator” Click apply then OK Restart your computer to see if the problem persists.
How do I clear the cache in Fallout 4?
- Clearing Fallout 4 cache from Stream
A: There are three ways to clear the cache, listed below. Please note that the first two mandatory methods before modding your game while clearing your cache by manually deleting cached files will also resolve some performance issues.
1) – Use ~ * Control + f * + ~ * Clear Cache
You can access this command by pressing the tilde key (~) located next to the number 1 on your keyboard and then typing “Clear Cache” into the search bar that appears above the console.
2) – Purge files from Steam:
a. Navigate to the “Library” tab of Steam.
b. Right-click on Fallout 4 in your game library and select “Properties.”
c. Click the “Local Files” tab.
d. Select “Verify Integrity of Game Cache….”
This will initiate a file check for all modified files, including those from mods. If any files fail to pass the check, they will be re-acquired and verified. This may take a while, depending on how many files need verification.
3) – delete all contents in your steam games/steamapps/common/fallout4 folder EXCEPT: the following folders: “saves”, “DLCComparisonPatch”, “DLCworkshop”, and the contents of the “Fallout 4 – Textures CRC32” folder from this directory: steam/steamapps/common/Fallout4
How do I clear my console cache?
Simply put, you clear the cache of your specific platform, where Fallout 4 is installed on. Here’s how to do it:
Xbox One: Go to Settings -> System -> Manage Storage and select Fallout 4 and press Y on it and choose Clear Cache. After that, re-download the game through Xbox Store. Note: This action will delete any installed game add-ons.
PS4: Go to Settings -> Application Saved Data Management -> Saved Data in System Storage and choose Fallout 4 and press X on it and then Delete. After that, re-download the game through PlayStation Store. This action will delete any saved games, progress, screenshots, etc., be aware of that.
PC: You don’t have to clear the cache. It is a temporary storage location, not a permanent one.
Switch: You don’t have to clear the cache either. It is a temporary storage location, not a permanent one.
Clearing Fallout 4 Cache from PlayStation
On PlayStation, the cache is a location that stores all of your game data. This can be overwritten if an update for Fallout 4 or the Creation Kit comes out and you don’t notice it beforehand.
To delete the dated files: Go to your Library and right-click on Fallout 4, select Options (this may vary depending on your controller or console). Select Clear Download Cache.
You can also delete the Fallout 4 Cache through your settings: Go to Settings > Storage > System Storage > Fallout 4, and press Options (this may vary depending on your controller or console). Then select Clear Download Cache, which will remove all of the dated files from the cache. Your game data will not be affected.
How to clear Fallout Cache from Xbox
You can delete Fallout 4’s cache files from your Xbox One. This will not affect your Fallout 4 game data itself, but it can help clear up space on your hard drive and improve performance.
1) On the Home screen, hold down the Xbox button on your controller.
2) Select Settings from the menu that appears.
3) Select System from the list of categories.
4) Under Clear Storage, select Clear cache.
5) Confirm that you wish to begin by selecting OK.
Verdict: Ways to Fix Fallout 4 Crash on Startup
If you are experiencing Fallout 4, the following article may help resolve any lingering problems. This article is designed to provide many solutions for common issues. If, after reading this FAQ and attempting these potential solutions, you continue to experience any of the previously mentioned behavior in-game (or if your case is not listed below), please feel free to ask for additional assistance in the comments section or by contacting PlayStation Support.
