I just got a new Windows 8 laptop about 2 weeks ago and, while transferring software, ran across the Fallout 3 disk that I bought a few years ago. I installed it per the thread, into a different directory. I also installed GFWL, and made the .ini changes. When I try to run the game, I get the menu but, when I click 'Play,' it pauses a couple seconds and reloads the menu. I've searched the internet, but can't find a fix to this problem. Any tips?

So when you click on play nothing happens and it stays at the menu where you can click on play.

If that is the case try these steps.

One - make sure that the game is set to run as admin.

Two - check any security programs since they might be blocking the game from accessing files the game needs to access.

if still having issues make sure to read all the hints here and do the steps. It sounds like you did but I just want to make sure since most of the problems with getting fallout 3 to run on the newer OS's are solved there.

If that does not help we will need information on the pc specs and please run a dxdiag.exe and post that information.

It's not that it just stays on the menu. The menu closes down, the CD drives reads, then after 5-10 seconds, the menu reappears.