MY F3 is more stable lately also. I only had one lock-up yesterday. Not sure what the cause is. I reinstalled the latest Nvidia drivers for my GTX 260. Then I tried to install Alchemy for my X-Fi but it tells me to insert the disc with XYZ on it so that it can finish installing. That was both the latest version and the previous version. I still can't understand how an OS can be out for two years yet hardware vendors can't seem to figure out how it fucking works.

I read numerous forums about this and that causing the lock-ups. And my problem is most likely the X-Fi. Since Alchemy won't install I am just avoiding the use of the Radio via the PipBoy 3000.

I'm also saving and pausing the game far more often since I hate loosing progression to a lock-up. I've been using both save methods.

So what's the actual cause is any one's guess. It is happening on numerous system builds for both XP & Vista... some without the X-Fi so my guess is it has to do with the Pip Boy.

This comment was edited on Nov 2, 2008, 10:01.

I was getting random lock-ups too. Not sure if I fixed it but my game seems more stable after I did the following:

1) Launch the game directly from Fallout3.exe instead of the launcher.
2) Set the CPU Priority to High.

Not sure yet what is causing my lock-ups. I have Vista 64 Ultimate (SP 1 Build 6001) running on an ASUS P5N-D, with a Q6600 at 2.4 GHz, 4Gb of RAM, a GTX 260, and a X-Fi Xtreme Audio. Everything (drivers) is up to date as far as I can tell. GeForce drivers are version 7.15.11.7813. Not having any issues with any other games or software on this system.

I'll try the VSync thing but I think I already have it on.... time will tell. Going back into the game now.

Well got the D@mn game working. Had to dig up the CD that came with the card. That's the only Xonar driver that will let me play Fallout3.

Well getting this working was like gaming back in the DOS days...

Now I just hope I can avoid the in game crash bugs people have been getting.

Is it possible that Windows Vista audio stack does not support hardware acceleration because of issues on Windows XP that required turning it off etc...

Vista removed audio hardware acceleration because of the changes to the driver model, so it would appear unlikely that audio acceleration is the cause of the problems.

I remember getting a 20% improvement in Morrowind when I started using the No CD crack. I wonder if that would work here...

Ah, so they use outdated disc checking instead of the far superior disc-less online checking. Great, so I'll need the DVD handy anytime I want to play. Fuck that - I'm tired of needing game discs out and accessible.

inblack

Is it possible that Windows Vista audio stack does not support hardware acceleration because of issues on Windows XP that required turning it off etc...

This comment was edited on Oct 31, 2008, 13:45.

inblack, yeah. I've been using it for a couple hours now. The one thing I've noticed so far that the FOV will lock in a tighter mode sometimes but changing weapons resets it. This didn't happen before I tried the hack/fix.

Here is a nice post that explains the frame skipping issue in greater detail:

http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=44984&pid=288668&mode=threaded&start=#entry288668

Littleme its not exactly a fix, read some of the later posts on that same thread

Anyone else feel like their character kinda floats a bit? Or when walking slides on the ground when you stop?

I found the fix to the frame stuttering/skipping, which I suspect is affecting all PC version players.

http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=893209

Big improvement. I suggest you all try it.

This comment was edited on Oct 31, 2008, 09:57.

InBlack

Thaks for the info. I'll try it after work.

4d-boxing: Try turning audio acceleration down in dxdiag. You wont get superb 3d audio, but at least you can play with no crashes. This has been a problem with Gamebyro engines since Morrowind.

This comment was edited on Oct 31, 2008, 09:28.

I have Nero installed and no lock ups either. About 10 hours of game play so far.

The only crash I get is if I exit the game without exiting to the main menu first. Just like Oblivion.

I'm using a SB Audigy, quite old and of course Creative hasn't issued new drivers in eons. Oh, WinXP.

So far enjoying the hell out of it.

Regarding Fallout3 crash issues. On my end it's related to athe audio drivers..at least that is what it looks like.

If you get the crash to destop when yu start the game or after you hit new game after the game loads...try uninstalling the audio drivers. Then Try starting the game. On my end I can only play fallout 3 with no sound or not at all.

Guess I should have kept my mouth shut when everybody was getting crash issues with clear sky & the orginianl stalker...this is the first game since the boot disk days that wont run.

Paranoid Jack, i just saw on another forum that if you enable vsync that can fix the lockups.

Paranoid Jack, I'm not getting lockups here. The game has never locked up or crashed on me. I'm using an Intel E8400 @ 4ghz, 4GB DDR2 ram at 1066mhz, ATI 4870 512MB, Gigabyte EP35-DS3R mobo, all settings at max 1920x1200 but no AA and AF at 4.

This game uses very little CPU, btw.

I have Nero installed, and Fallout3 runs without a hitch.

I just found out Inon Zur (http://www.inonzur.com) composed the musical score not industry vet Jeremy Soule, which is totally shocking because the music sounds LIKE Jeremy Soule's work.

I run the Fallout 1 MP3 Soundtrack in the background
It's not that Zur's OST is bad but I need the nostalgia