Among all the action role-playing games, Fallout 3 is the most popular game until now. Usually, it runs pretty smoothly on Windows 10, provided that the system fulfils the requirements. However, many players have complained about the game freezing while they were playing it. Are you facing the same issue? There can be a few different reasons why. They are not always the same for every player. That’s why it might be a little complicated to find out. Want to try out some easy solutions? Keep reading to know what you can do to fix Fallout 3 freezing.
Try these simple methods
With time, players have increasingly tried to find a solution to the Fallout 3 freezing issue. As a result, quite a few of them have turned out to be effective. You can give them a try yourself and see if it works in your case.
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Change the graphics settings
Your PC might fulfil the system requirements for running the game. However, it may have barely done so. Generally, you need specifications that are a few levels higher than what’s required. Only then you might be able to play the game smoothly with the highest graphics. So, try lowering the aspects of the graphics that take up a considerable amount of resources. This will bring down the quality a little bit of course, but resolve the Fallout 3 freezing error.
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Close background programs
Are there programs running in the background while you are playing Fallout 3? That could be the reason why the game freezes. After all, every function running in the system takes up a certain amount of resources. Freezes could mean that there isn’t much free RAM left. So, go to the Task Manager and close all the programs running. That way you’ll surely see an improvement in running the game.
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Graphic driver update
One of the possible reasons could be an outdated graphics card. After all, it is a very important component of your PC for running games. No matter the one you’re using, there are new versions launched once in a while. Each of them has better performances than the previous one.
To update your graphics card, you can go for an automatic search through the Device Manager. If it doesn’t work for some reason, simply visit the manufacturer’s website. Look for versions that have been launched after you updated the last time, and install the latest one. Now, try to run the game and see if it works after a system restart.
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Antivirus scan
Among other things, Fallout 3 freezing can be caused by the presence of viruses. Fallout 3 or any game for that matter consists of a large number of smaller files. One or many of them may be infected with viruses and malware.
There’s an important thing you must keep in mind in this matter. There is a lot of free antivirus software that may be effective, but they’re certainly not the best out there. However, when it comes to the security of your computer and its data, you’d want an optimal quality. For that, you can only rely on the well-known ones. These aren’t free but would be worth the investment. After all, good things do come at a price.
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Make space for temporary files
If your game is freezing, this could be a viable way to solve the problem. In case you’re wondering, it is completely safe to get rid of temporary files. Not only is it safe, but can cure the repeated freezing. So, you might want to remember this method. After all, there are other situations where you might need this as well. It is an effective solution to resolve Fallout 3 freezing or any other program.
Moreover, it’s quite a simple procedure. Just find the temporary files and free up as much space as you can by deleting them. You can simply remove all of them as well. Also, clear them from the trash as well.
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Enable compatibility mode
Fallout 3 came out more than a decade back in 2008. For software, that’s a long enough time to become old. Whereas, Windows 10 on the other hand is comparably new software. Moreover, the same can also be said for the hardware of your PC. That can cause compatibility issues, which in turn can cause the Fallout 3 freezing.
In case you’re wondering, it is indeed possible to still run the game properly. You just have to turn on the compatibility mode for the game. This option is available in the properties of the game file. It lets your PC emulate the version of system software that would be compatible with the game. So, you need to choose the right one.
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Run the game as administrator
This can be an effective solution to fix the issue. Not only that, but it might also significantly enhance the game’s performance. For this, you have to go to the Compatibility tab as directed in the previous method.
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Play in windowed mode
Many players have reported this to be an effective solution. Provided you don’t have any problems in using the screens partially, you can give it a try. It’s super easy, just start the game and press Alt+Enter. Do the same to disable this mode.
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Install the game all over again
If the other methods didn’t work out, you don’t have many other viable options left. So, rather than wasting any more time, you can just go for this one. Sure you’ll lose all saved data, but it might at least stop the freezing error. In case it doesn’t, then getting professional help would be best.
Conclusion….
All the viable methods to solve Fallout 3 freezing have been listed here. Depending on what’s causing the issue in your case, one of these will surely provide a solution.
