Unable to find INI file. Please reinstall fallout.

[100shreks]

So I tried to install fallout new vegas again, I have previously installed and played the game successfully on this same machine some time ago, but when I started it up today, it showed the error message "Unable to find INI file. Please reinstall fallout." before going to the launcher and starting the game resulted in an instant crash.

I have tried doing the following:
-making a backup and restoring the game from the backup (found this as an apparent fix on the internet)
-reinstalling (redownloading) the game
-verifying the game cache (multiple times)
-checking out the directory where the INI should be (documents/MyGames/falloutnv): I have found that I was missing the fallout_default.ini -> I got the file from the internet and put it there, it still didn't work
-putting that dll file in the install directory thats supposed to fix both fallout 3 as well as nv
-deleting the fallout nv directory in MyGames and verifying the game cache so it would maybe download the INI: It redownloaded the folder but it is now missing BOTH the fallout_default.ini and the fallout.ini, verifying again doesn't do anything

googling the issue brings up a lot of people with the same problem but none of the solutions have worked for me. Does anyone have an idea what I could do to fix this?

[100shreks]

nobody?

[Grimminski]

Did you delete the documents folder as well?

MyGames/NewVegas

[100shreks]

yeah thats the one I deleted, it's called 'falloutnv'

[Hoshikudaki]

Weird normally if the ini file is missing it should be recreated by the the ini in the game folder.

Here are a few things that you can try.
1. Check if the folder is read only "documents/MyGames/falloutnv"
2. Run the Fallout Launcher as administor
3. Copy the fallout_default.ini to your "documents/MyGames/falloutnv" and rename to fallout.ini I believe there should be another ini file with the name of falloutperf or something similar.

[JDC UK]

After you uninstalled did you delete the contents of your "Steam\SteamApps\common\fallout new vegas" folder?

You'll need to use the game's own launcher at least once, so don't use any third party launchers or files. Have you tried starting the launcher, then picking your graphics settings then quitting it without starting the game?

Another possibility is that you're missing the registry key or the 'Installed Path' is pointing at the wrong location.
On Windows Vista+ it's
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bethesda Softworks\FalloutNV
and on XP it's
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bethesda Softworks\FalloutNV

If you don't know what to look for there, then leave well alone.

I'd only be guessing at anything else, but you could try temporarily removing InstallScript.vdf from your fallout new vegas folder.

[100shreks]

Thanks for your replies! I'll try the things you listed.

[Slimy Worm]

Thank you for making this!

I know this is an old thread but this is one of the first Google hits. Thus I'm posting my solution since I had the same problem, but had to take additional steps after creating the registry entry on Windows 10:

1) Deleting C:/Users/myself/Documents/My Games/Fallout 4/FalloutPrefs.ini

2) Reverifying all my Fallout: New Vegas game files in Steam

3) Copy-pasting C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common/Fallout New Vegas/Fallout_default.ini and renaming the copy to Fallout.ini

4) Right-clicking FalloutNV.exe, selecting Properties, going to the Compatibility tab, and checking Run this program as an administrator

5) Repeating step 3 but on FalloutNVLauncher.exe

6) Double-clicking FalloutNVLauncher.exe, seeing the ini error message (that's okay this time) and setting my graphics settings how I want, then clicking Exit

7) Restart Steam and launch Fallout: New Vegas from Steam

EDIT: Changed step 7. Before it said:

Double-clicking FalloutNV.exe to launch the game. Launching the game from Steam still does NOT work, but that's okay. You could probably add FalloutNV.exe as a non-Steam game though.

[talgaby]

Starting FONV starts Steam as well, you cannot circumvent that.
Also, I think you only needed actually one thing from that list, running the executable with administrator rights to be able to write in My Documents.

[Slimy Worm]

I tried running both executables with admin rights without doing anything else and that didn't work.

Also, running it through Steam's Launch button launched FalloutNVLauncher.exe, which also didn't work. However, double clicking FalloutNV.exe with Steam running did work.

However, after I wrote my post, I restarted Steam and launching it from Steam now works!

Now to fix the spinning head glitch!

I'm even running 1.4.0.525 on Windows 10 and it's still there.

[two-zero-six-]

If someone could pin this comment that would be great. I installed this mod, super easy to install, just drag the file into your game's directory and run!

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/57486

[LemonBush]

Someone can have this problem in the 2020 year, so
If you do something with mods on Fallout New Vegas or change files anyhow, don't change the name of the folder.
The code can't find the INI file probably because of the wrong way to the folder.
Make sure that the name of the folder is the same as it was when you installed the game.

[EvandroJGC]

Originally posted by Slimy Worm:

Thank you for making this!

I know this is an old thread but this is one of the first Google hits. Thus I'm posting my solution since I had the same problem, but had to take additional steps after creating the registry entry on Windows 10:

But still an issue (10 years later), and your 7yo tutorial saved my gaming! Thank you very much, my unknown friend! I just needed the Step 3 to solve my problem.