New Game - Infinite Loading Bug/Glitch

[Prof.Vaharrak]

Using NMM to install a few mods, launching game, click on NEW GAME and it just loads infinitely. Experienced modding since TES3, and can tell it's not a mod issue (using NMM, 33 mods - I like to keep things vanilla with some QoL stuff).

Noticed 2 things:
1. plugins.txt keeps switching to read-only, despite editing attributes (using LOOT to sort confirms this, already tried bypassing launcher by renaming F4SE launcher). Disabling read-only mode gives me a 50/50 chance to make the game start. It *could* be related, but I'm just putting it out there in case anyone knows how to prevent the file from reverting back to read-only.
2. When the game decides to actually work, before the loading screen, after clicking on New Game, I get a "Patch Applied" text box, it doesn't always show and I'm pretty sure that's a critical part of the issue. When it does show up it's guaranteed to work 100%. I don't know if it is related to running the game as admin, or steam as admin, or anything in particular (running everything as admin at the moment). If any one has any clue as to why this box shows up, I'd really appreciate it

Steam Overlay disabled.
I can provide a mod list, but I think I'm over the minimum specs:

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4690K CPU @ 3.50GHz
16GB RAM
Windows 10 (64 bit)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
21:9 resolution (2560x1080)

The only times I've gotten the game to work, all mods worked perfectly, thus I can say it's not a mod issue.

It's driving me crazy, can't believe this is harder than using 230+ mods in Skyrim.

SOLUTION: Give your new game loading screen about a minute and then press Enter. The intro cutscene should start playing normally. It seems there's a hidden dialogue box behind the loading screen that you need to accept before continuing. For me, the moment to press Enter is after the loading icon 'slows down' using the Loading Accelerator mod.

Edited for clarity, to make it easier to find the post through discussion search and because as of May 2020 October 2022 this is still working and relevant.

[Chip Patton]

Originally posted by Vaharrak:

Using NMM to install a few mods, launching game, click on NEW GAME and it just loads infinitely. Experience modding since TES3 so it's not a mod issue (using NMM, 33 mods - I like to keep things vanilla with some QoL stuff).

Noticed 2 things:
1. plugins.txt keeps switching to read-only, despite editing attributes (using LOOT to sort confirms this, already tried bypassing launcher by renaming F4SE launcher). Disabling read-only mode gives me a 50/50 chance to make the game start.
2. When the game decides to actually work, before the loading screen, after clicking on New Game, I get a "Patch Applied" text box, it doesn't always show and I'm pretty sure that's a critical part of the issue. When it does show up it's guaranteed to work 100%. I don't know if it is related to running the game as admin, or steam as admin, or anything in particular (running everything as admin at the moment). If any one has any clue as to why this box shows up, I'd really appreciate it.

Steam Overlay disabled.
I can provide a mod list, but I think I'm over the minimum specs:

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4690K CPU @ 3.50GHz
8GB RAM
Windows 10 (64 bit)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
21:9 resolution (2560x1080)

The only times I've gotten the game to work, all mods worked perfectly, thus I can tell it's not a mod issue.

It's driving me crazy, can't believe this is harder than using 230+ mods in Skyrim.

#1, do this:
a) Navagate to Documents > My Games
b) right-click Fallout 4 and click "Properties"
c) Click "Security"
d) Click "Advanced"
e) Click "Disable Inheritance" and apply/exit
f) Click your cortana button and type CMD
e) type attrib -s -h -r "C:\users\you\documents\my games\Fallout 4\" /s /d

#2, Try a new save, or load an older save. It is entirely possible your previous save was hosed. Remember to always use the save option and not quick save and never rely on exit saves (because the game often will "crash" during an exit save corrupting it and because you exited the game, you can't tell it crashed, except the save is hosed).

[Prof.Vaharrak]

Ok, I followed all the steps. Apparently it had worked, started New Game, "Patch Applied" text-box showed up, went through Character Creation. Finished. Closed the game (menu, exit game).
Opened again, clicked on New Game, no "Patch Applied", infinite loading. *sigh*

Thanks for your suggestion. Willing to try anything else at this point.

Regarding #2, I don't have any saves whatsoever. I've been Alt-F4ing out of the game when the infinite loading shows up, but other than that no saves whatsoever.

[bunny de fluff]

try updating your gpu driver.

[Chip Patton]

Originally posted by Vaharrak:

Ok, I followed all the steps. Apparently it had worked, started New Game, "Patch Applied" text-box showed up, went through Character Creation. Finished. Closed the game (menu, exit game).
Opened again, clicked on New Game, no "Patch Applied", infinite loading. *sigh*

Thanks for your suggestion. Willing to try anything else at this point.

Regarding #2, I don't have any saves whatsoever. I've been Alt-F4ing out of the game when the infinite loading shows up, but other than that no saves whatsoever.

Just to troubleshoot, turn your Antivirus off and try again. New save. In fact, when you start, do a console save:

 Save 1 

Then restart and see if it works.

[Prof.Vaharrak]

Originally posted by bunny de fluff:

try updating your gpu driver.

I always make a habit of installing the latest driver as soon as it's available.
Thanks for your suggestion.

I'll try that Chip, if I get it to work again. Is it ok if I save during the Prologue or should I wait until after the intro?

[Chip Patton]

Originally posted by bunny de fluff:

try updating your gpu driver.

He's only having an issue after loading a save. Being as the game works without a problem when creating a new game, he's having file system problems from loading a save.

First step in that kind of problem is permissions then antivirus then an error/smart check.

[bunny de fluff]

ok my mistake didn't read those. A glitched save is beyond me, good luck

[Prof.Vaharrak]

Ok, I seem to have been able to device a way to make it work, I pretty much had to reset my PC, but I have a hunch it's related to some autosave or temporary save not working properly.

As soon as I'm able to save (manually or through the console) I'll try to load the game and see if I'm able to pull it off. If not, I'll make sure to not close the game for as long as I intend to play.

Can't believe earlier installments/games are much easier to work with. You'd think Bethesda would have figured it out by now, but then again, who am I kidding... I've been here since Morrowind...

Thanks for the help!

EDIT: Welp, I managed to "fix" it or rather, it didn't happen again after I completed the intro and tried to load from an autosave, a quicksave and a full save. My best guess is that something is wonky with temporary save files (if such a thing exists) - maybe "exitsaves" made from Alt-F4'ing under certain conditions are broken? - that cause the game to mess up so badly I needed to restart my PC in order for it to work again.

That's not to say Chip's advice didn't help at all, but this being Bethesda I may never know.

Just for the record, I use Avast and disabling it (temporarily/permanently) didn't work before I signed out of my Win10 account / restarted the PC (these last 2 things did work).

To whom it may concern: try to never Alt-F4 out of the game during the starting sequence or character creation. Always exit the game properly!

[Chip Patton]

Originally posted by Vaharrak:

Ok, I seem to have been able to device a way to make it work, I pretty much had to reset my PC, but I have a hunch it's related to some autosave or temporary save not working properly.

As soon as I'm able to save (manually or through the console) I'll try to load the game and see if I'm able to pull it off. If not, I'll make sure to not close the game for as long as I intend to play.

Can't believe earlier installments/games are much easier to work with. You'd think Bethesda would have figured it out by now, but then again, who am I kidding... I've been here since Morrowind...

Thanks for the help!

EDIT: Welp, I managed to "fix" it or rather, it didn't happen again after I completed the intro and tried to load from an autosave, a quicksave and a full save. My best guess is that something is wonky with temporary save files (if such a thing exists) - maybe "exitsaves" made from Alt-F4'ing under certain conditions are broken? - that cause the game to mess up so badly I needed to restart my PC in order for it to work again.

That's not to say Chip's advice didn't help at all, but this being Bethesda I may never know.

Just for the record, I use Avast and disabling it (temporarily/permanently) didn't work before I signed out of my Win10 account / restarted the PC (these last 2 things did work).

To whom it may concern: try to never Alt-F4 out of the game during the starting sequence or character creation. Always exit the game properly!

There's a script cache and such, but no save cache.

What that means is if you had a mod installed that was script heavy and uninstalled it without removing it's scrips, they could have still been loading when your save loads which is a problem, because the esp/esm doesn't exist.

Another problem is "usually" the antivirus. I'm serious about that one. All 4 of my kids on this game and they have diffrent self-built computers (I refused to buy them a pre-built, instead I had them compose the parts and I ordered it for them and made them put it together - my wife also owns the game and a gaming computer). That means it's a fairly diverse gaming house for PC -- I've seen a LOT. Of all the issues we've had with games and fallout 4 crashing or infinate loading has been the antivirus (which has ranged from Kaspersky to Command to Clam.

[Prof.Vaharrak]

Ok today I installed around 40 more mods (gameplay tweaks, ENB, QoL stuff) and decided I would try my luck at a New Game again. Game launched properly and I clicked on New Game.

Loading screen showed up and after a few seconds I Alt-tabbed out of the game to check on something and back into the window and I started hearing some background noise (like a faint dust storm sound from New Vegas), but the loading screen was still up, left it for about a minute (and thought I would be dealing with infinite loading again).

By chance I pressed Enter and I heard something click and then the opening cinematic started properly. Could it be that the infamous "Patch Applied" text-box is there but for some reason it is behind the loading screen? I hadn't considered that, but today's experience makes me think that could be a possibility.

By the way, tried with my antivirus enabled today and everything ran fine, just to let you know.

[Chip Patton]

Originally posted by Vaharrak:

Ok today I installed around 40 more mods (gameplay tweaks, ENB, QoL stuff) and decided I would try my luck at a New Game again. Game launched properly and I clicked on New Game.

Loading screen showed up and after a few seconds I Alt-tabbed out of the game to check on something and back into the window and I started hearing some background noise (like a faint dust storm sound from New Vegas), but the loading screen was still up, left it for about a minute (and thought I would be dealing with infinite loading again).

By chance I pressed Enter and I heard something click and then the opening cinematic started properly. Could it be that the infamous "Patch Applied" text-box is there but for some reason it is behind the loading screen? I hadn't considered that, but today's experience makes me think that could be a possibility.

By the way, tried with my antivirus enabled today and everything ran fine, just to let you know.

This is actually a known bug with Nvidia. If you stall the game while it is loading assets (in a load screen) the card will sometimes stop the runtime (infinate load).

As a force of habbit, I never alt-tab during load screens -- ever.

[Prof.Vaharrak]

Ok for my final test, I clicked New Game, didn't Alt-Tab.

Waited a minute, loading screen still going, pressed Enter and the intro cutscene started almost immediately. I am happy to have found out the "fix" but incredibly annoyed and outraged that such a simple thing doesn't work properly.

I managed to do the same two times in a row so I guess no more issues for me (hopefully...)

I appreciate all your help and advice and thank you for your replies and insight.

[KatabaticPlays]

Ha, glad this still works, i was trying to do all kinds of hard solutions before pressing enter...
Phew glad that worked that way

[Agahmoyzen]

Worked for me, thanks mate.

[b800047]

You: "SOLUTION: Give your new game loading screen about a minute and then press Enter..."
Me: hmmm *click* *intro starts*
OH MY GOD!!!!!! ARE YOU SH*TTING ME!?! XD