Desperately need help with game start issues

[tekmagika]

As in, my game won't start, and I really am desperate for help!

The issue started about nine (edit: now ten) days ago. Click on the green Play button in Steam, the game acts like it's getting ready to start, the Play button switched to blue and says "STOP", the game list on the left says "Fallout 76 - Running", the task manager says that Fallout 76 is an active process (but with 0's across the board as far as CPU/Memory usage). Then a minute or two later, it all switches back to how it was before clicking Play and the game never starts.

I have played the game nearly daily for the last year and have never experienced this issue before. I have poured over the internet and, although I've found others reporting similar issues as long as 2-3 years ago (and some more recently), I have not found any hard fixes.

I have a ticket in with the Bethesda help desk, but they have not replied in four days and have yet to offer any actual fixes.

I have tried the following:

Restarting computer.

Uninstalling Fallout 76 (including deleting every single F76-related file I can find on the computer), and reinstalling.

Verified game files through Steam.

Verifying that Fallout 76 is listed in my firewall exceptions.

Adding Fallout 76 to my port forwards in my router.

Run it in Admin mode.

Made sure I'm not running any overlay apps.

Made sure I'm not running any antivirus software.

Made sure I'm running the latest drivers and DirectX.

Run it in Windows 8 (and 7) compatibility mode.

Run it with all browsers closed.

Made sure UAC is enabled. or disabled. tried both.

Made sure Windows 10 was updated.

Reset my DNS and set a static IP.

Checked other Steam games to make sure they will run. They will (Fallout 4 included).

Verified that the line 'bSteamEnabled' in Fallout76.ini = 1.

Probably some other things that I have forgotten about.

I am running Windows 10, have an AMD Ryzen 5 1600 and a Radeon RX 580 Series graphics card. The only things I haven't tried are rebooting in safe mode, and reinstalling Windows 10. I have a feeling it's something really really simple but just overlooked (as they often are).

Please, please, please, if you have any idea what could be causing the issue, chime in. Or if you're just really knowledgeable and can offer some suggestions on possible fixes or things to try. I'll take any help I can get. Thanks in advance.

[tekmagika]

Today is day ten. Still no help.

[Krumbleskin]

Wish I had an answer, looks like you tried a lot. What is your memory config? how much and ram stick/sticks.

[Krumbleskin]

Also what kind of hard drive and space available? SSD or mechanical

[tekmagika]

I have 64gb DDR4 3200 RAM (2 32gb sticks, 288 pin)

Two hard drives:
WDC WD1001FALS-75J7B0 (930gb capacity, 123gb available)
WDC WD110EZEX-08WN4A0 (916gb capacity, 218gb available)

[Chronocide]

Originally posted by tekmagika:

I am running Windows 10, have an AMD Ryzen 5 1600 and a Radeon RX 580 Series graphics card. The only things I haven't tried are rebooting in safe mode, and reinstalling Windows 10. I have a feeling it's something really really simple but just overlooked (as they often are).

Please, please, please, if you have any idea what could be causing the issue, chime in. Or if you're just really knowledgeable and can offer some suggestions on possible fixes or things to try. I'll take any help I can get. Thanks in advance.

I've got nvidia instead of radeon, but the issue is the same.

I use this guy (which is basically just their graphics card driver updater)
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/geforce-experience/download/

It has an option to launch the game via that, instead of the steam "play" button. Seems to solve it. Makes zero sense why this works, but after scouring the steam forums, I found that suggestion and it works for me.

I would assume that radeon has an equivalent.

[tekmagika]

Thanks for the suggestion! I did try to start F76 through what I suppose is the AMD equivalent to what you're talking about (AMD Software Adrenaline Edition) and it did the exact same thing ... starts up Steam (if it isn't already open), says F76 is running, but the game doesn't actually open.

[splinterz]

I'm just using SSD for games these days, not sure about those drives but if mechanical maybe defrag game drive? I never run games on same drive as OS so Steam files on second drive. Long shot I know, good luck

[vhortex]

Originally posted by splinterz:

I'm just using SSD for games these days, not sure about those drives but if mechanical maybe defrag game drive? I never run games on same drive as OS so Steam files on second drive. Long shot I know, good luck

FO76 wont work well with mechanical drivers, the files are gigantic. Maybe 5 years ago it worked well with mechanical

[tekmagika]

Maybe, I'll give it a shot, thanks. Just hate how it went from running (nearly) fine for over a year, and then suddenly not running at all.

[MOJO Spice]

go to nvidia control panel and set the target framerate to 60 max

[Mooman]

I noticed you mention firewall and antivirus, but have you checked Windows Defender?

I seem to remember an issue with a defender update that requires the folder added to an exception list. You'll have to search specifics.

[tekmagika]

I have a Radeon, with AMD software. Do you happen to know where I can do that with AMD (adrenalin edition)? I'm looking around but don't see a target framerate setting.

nm - found it. Is in Gaming > Graphics > Radeon Chill > Min/Max FPS. Have it set to 60 and will give it a shot.

Follow-up to an earlier suggestion - I analyzed my file system through defrag and was only at 1%. Have it set to auto-defrag once a week.

[tekmagika]

No hadn't done anything with Windows Defender yet. Just opened her up, added Fallout 76 to the Outbound Rules, and made sure it was in the Firewall allow list (it was).

Between this and the FPS setting ... crossing fingers that one of these work!

[tekmagika]

Nope, doesn't appear that either suggestion worked. Game still won't start. Appreciate the ideas, though.

[Renard gris]

I have the same problem.