Hey guys, just wondering if anyone could help out?

I install Fallout 3 and I can play just fine. However, once I update (and try to the DLC), the game simply doesn't start up. I get a windows error, and a black screen.
I've tried using the d3dx9.dll trick, updating my drivers, reinstalling, even doing the water multisampling thing to low, and nothing seems to work.
I'm running Windows 7 x64, i7-2600 CPU @ 3.40 GHz (4 core), and my video card is a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti.
Running any other games works perfectly; Skyrim, The Run, RAGE, Arkham City, Portal 2, etc. all work fine.

I'm wondering if i can't upgrade from v1.0 to v1.7? Do i need to install incremental patches?

No, you can skip the rest. Something else is wrong, not the patch.

why did you install the patch?

Im starting to wonder if Installing FOSE and launching from there would solve these windows 7 issues?

Atleast the launching problems

Did you try deleting the Fallout.ini in My Games>My Documents>Fallout 3? It will regenerate a new one.

The reason I installed the patch was, well, because there was one. I just assumed that it wouldn't hurt.
I have deleted the .ini file to no avail. I guess I'll reinstall and stay at 1.0.
Bummer dude.

As Gorath said, it is not the update, something else is wrong. Usually these problems are caused by interference from the UAC. Fallout 3 needs to be loaded outside the Program Files.

I have installed F3 to another location besides the default. I have a 64 gig SSD as my C so I don't really want to save a game there. I've got it saved to my D, but I didn't think that would make a difference as I can play a lot of other games from there.

Could you please post the path to your game? Have you made the change so that only 2 cores of your CPU are used to run the game?

D/Games/Fallout 3
And I can play v1.0, but as soon as I update, the launcher loads, but when I click play, it gives me the windows error

I think the launcher is looking for the path ......\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3\Fallout3.exe. The v1.7 update overrides the original Fallout3.exe.
Since you can't run the game anyway, do an uninstall and reinstall the game. When the install screen asks for a location, type in D:\. This will load your game on your D drive and the installer will create the Bethesda Softworks folder on your hard drive.

When I first installed the game, I did the custom installation and chose the path for the install. I'm sorry, but I don't think i was being that clear earlier. It is only installed in one place, and that's the D drive :S
I hope someone has a fix. If not, I can still play version 1.
Thanks everyone for their input and putting in time to help

I just bought F3 GOTY myself, running win 7 64x, and am having a problem where I CTD just after the "enjoy your birthday party" quest starts up. A kid walks up and says "Oh man, you have a pipboy" and then CTD every time. But I did some testing and tried opening my pipboy and waiting a minute, then closing, then immediately run to amata so she says her piece, then pipboy a minute, then charge right to the bar against the wall, pipboy a minute, etc to get through the birthday scene. And it worked once. At that point I made it all the way to exiting the vault and I saved to try a new game to make a real character, but I CTDed with him too.

So anyone have any ideas? What does what I described above say about the issue? I have done the .ini tweak, tried compatability mode XP SP 3 and then 2, nothing seems to change the result. Do you think the CTD is because of my system getting overwhelmed? Thats what I'm thinking. I am using the high settings in 1280x1024 and yes I am not following the advice to cut graphics to the bone while I keep trying other fixes.

Next up: set to Vista compatibility mode. If fail, enable disk cache in .ini. If fail, tweak thread loading settings (I'm probably gonna wreck my ini but oh well)

So any insights would be appreciated - thanks (PS no I havent patched because a) I dont know my current patch level with GOTY and I've read some discouraging things about the 1.7 latest one so I'm waiting on patching for now)

Update: I am still having CTD problems when changing cells, but performance has improved by doing the following: compatibilty mode: Vista (thats vanilla Vista with no service pack, disable visual themes checked, run as administrator). F3 settings = windowed mode, no bloom, no HDR, default quality settings. Game for Windows Live Disabler applied. ini tweaks are best as described elsewhere, no improvement from tweaking other ini lines. Also found out GOTY (retail DVD) comes patched to 1.703 so no need to patch.

I have a workaround for getting through cell changes described in thread "F3 GOTY crashes when entering any dlc place" that basically is save, save, and save again. Frustrating but at least I can play.

Run Windows Update to get the patches for .NET parts. Then adjust your fallout.ini which is usually found here. (From your post you may have done this)

C:\Users\[Your Account]\Documents\My Games\Fallout3

Find this line and change 0 to1

bUseThreadedAI=1

Then type in this below it. You may want to try 2 first.

iNumHWThreads=4

I am having the same problem, after updating with 1.7 patch i get the following "Fallout3 has stopped working A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available."

Windows does not notify me that a solution is available.

I have tried the changes listed above to no avail.

I am running

Windows 7 Home Premium with SP1
AMD Athlon II X2 250u processor 1.60GHz
64bit
6.0 GB RAm
NVIDIA GeForce GT220 1MB
My NVidia Driver is 8.17.12.8562 Dated 10/15/2011
I am using an NVidia High Definition Audio Driver 1.2.24.0 Dated 7/7/2011

Also I installed from a disk.

If there is anything else that you need to try and help me, I would appreciate letting me know. I would like to upgrade to update 1.7 and play the game.

Thanks
Harry

I suppose that I could understand FO: NV failing after awhile, given the overall weakness of such a PC system, but the FO3 requirements are pretty liberal, and it shouldn't just stop working like that. Meanwhile, that's hardly enough to even judge anything with, given the omitted driver and audio processor information.

Well, it has been over 2 weeks since I posted and edited my post, with no help from anyone. I appreciate your assistance or lack of.

Harry.