New to Steam- can't launch game (Fallout 4 GOTY)! Any ideas?

[Leontes III]

Downloaded Steam, purchased Fallout 4 GOTY. Have done the following:
- Verified integrity of files
- Closed all Steam applications in Task Manager then restarted
-Verified Hardware, DirectX, etc.
- Played with antivirus software, but have no idea what may conflict (McAfee) and what I should
disable
- Verified game directory and tried to run as administrator

Brand new gaming PC (HP Omen) using Windows 11. Whenever I go the Library and click launch, the game window comes up, I click on play, and it shows as playing for about 30 seconds, then goes back to Launch. Anyone have any idea what's preventing it from actually... you know... playing? I should mention when the game window (not sure what to call it) comes up and I click 'Play', my computer asks me if I want it to make changes to my computer. I've clicked yes and no, and it does nothing on 'No' and repeats the entire process when I click yes. Thanks in advance!

[Muppet among Puppets]

Have you tried running steam as admin? I disabled the question if something should be allowed, so i dont know if that game asks that question normally.

[rawWwRrr]

Check that game's discussion forum and guides for solutions. Iirc, you may have to set a compatibility mode on the exe to get.it to launch successfully, but someone probably went over that detail in the games community huh somewhere.

[Leontes III]

Postat inițial de Muppet among Puppets:

Have you tried running steam as admin? I disabled the question if something should be allowed, so i dont know if that game asks that question normally.

I have, with no luck. I'll see if I can disable that question. Thanks!

[Leontes III]

Postat inițial de rawWwRrr:

Check that game's discussion forum and guides for solutions. Iirc, you may have to set a compatibility mode on the exe to get.it to launch successfully, but someone probably went over that detail in the games community huh somewhere.

I'm certain they probably did. In your very sarcastic way, this tells me I should look for that specifically, so you have my thanks.

[Ogami]

First thing you should do is uninstalling McAfee and use some cleaning program to get every residue of that godforsaken program off your PC.
McAfee can easily be the reason why Fallout 4 not works, its notorious for intruding into other running processes and terminating them for no reason.

Its literally the worst Anti Virus program on the market.

Also the free and in Windows 11 included "Windows Defender" has beaten McAfee in every single review in its anti virus capabilities with non of the system hog or intrusive tendencies.

Even if its not the reason for your problem with Fallout 4 i would recommend getting rid of McAfee as fast as possible.
You could not pay me to install that dreck on my system.

[Muppet among Puppets]

I lately had to remove it from a computer of someone. And it was only funny because i once saw a video of the inventor of that program, saying "i have no clue how to uninstall it or what they did to my program".
I read the faq and it said, "before you try to uninstall it you must first activate it". ..... sure
I knew this must leave the pc...... The user didnt even use mcafee. Though several processes and services were running.
If you clicked uninstall, it told you how it is protecting you. And a button to continue, that was not clickable.

It needed an uninstaller that you load, to remove this thing.

[Muppet among Puppets]

Postat inițial de Leontes III:

Postat inițial de Muppet among Puppets:

Have you tried running steam as admin? I disabled the question if something should be allowed, so i dont know if that game asks that question normally.

I have, with no luck. I'll see if I can disable that question. Thanks!

I do not recommend to disable that question. I just said, i dont see it because i disabled that question. It has a purpose if you actually need it and always read and consider carefully. And as long as the thing causing this question makes itself obviously known as suspicious...... Thats why i disable the question, because i expect the malicious thing to be not obvious present in the question.

The game ran fine when i played it on 10 , and the only difference i see now is maybe win 11 (unlikely, but check in the internet) and macafee.

[Leontes III]

Postat inițial de Ogami:

First thing you should do is uninstalling McAfee and use some cleaning program to get every residue of that godforsaken program off your PC.
McAfee can easily be the reason why Fallout 4 not works, its notorious for intruding into other running processes and terminating them for no reason.

Its literally the worst Anti Virus program on the market.

Also the free and in Windows 11 included "Windows Defender" has beaten McAfee in every single review in its anti virus capabilities with non of the system hog or intrusive tendencies.

Even if its not the reason for your problem with Fallout 4 i would recommend getting rid of McAfee as fast as possible.
You could not pay me to install that dreck on my system.

Too funny! I was trying to get Microsoft Defender to allow an exception for Steam, but McAfee has its tendrils everywhere. Was just uninstalling it when your comment came through. It hasn't helped with launching the game, but I'm glad it's gone. Able to tell Win Def to make an exception for Steam.

Still getting the "Play" screen, clicking play, getting the message "Allow steamlaunch.exe to make changes to your computer?" Click yes, and then back to the "Play" screen. Wash, rinse, repeat, ad nauseum.

Will try and see what other fixes may be out there, but McAfee is GONE. Thanks for chiming in! Why this is so hard is beyond me.

[Leontes III]

Postat inițial de Muppet among Puppets:

Postat inițial de Leontes III:

I have, with no luck. I'll see if I can disable that question. Thanks!

I do not recommend to disable that question. I just said, i dont see it because i disabled that question. It has a purpose if you actually need it and always read and consider carefully. And as long as the thing causing this question makes itself obviously known as suspicious...... Thats why i disable the question, because i expect the malicious thing to be not obvious present in the question.

The game ran fine when i played it on 10 , and the only difference i see now is maybe win 11 (unlikely, but check in the internet) and macafee.

Yeah, I'm sensing Windows 11 may be- at least in part- part of the issue.

[Ogami]

Postat inițial de Leontes III:

Yeah, I'm sensing Windows 11 may be- at least in part- part of the issue.

I am on the latest Windows 11 build and just played Fallout 4 like a month ago.
It definitely runs on Windows 11.
But i also never had this " Allow steamlaunch.exe to make changes to your computer?" message you are getting, with Fallout 4 or any other game on Steam.

[Leontes III]

Postat inițial de Ogami:

Postat inițial de Leontes III:

Yeah, I'm sensing Windows 11 may be- at least in part- part of the issue.

I am on the latest Windows 11 build and just played Fallout 4 like a month ago.
It definitely runs on Windows 11.
But i also never had this " Allow steamlaunch.exe to make changes to your computer?" message you are getting, with Fallout 4 or any other game on Steam.

That's good to know- thank you. I checked my program files to make sure Steam was where it should be- which it was. However, in the course of searching, I found there were other random Steam files on my C drive, most notably via One Drive.

I'm too tired to try and fix now, but I'll be uninstalling Steam, and all One Drive files of Steam tomorrow, then re-installing with no interference (hopefully) from latent One Drive files. One Drive is a considerable pain in the choose- your- anatomical- part.

I'm hoping that's the solve. Thanks for helping me puzzle this out.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Just one question do you use lot of HEAVY mods in the past, and saves with said mods?

Whenever you get new PC, or reinstall an OS, always do full windows update to get all the updates, then install all drivers you need for your games for old to new, after that just install your apps, games, and etc and basically all set.

For laptops YOU MUST enable high performance mode for global settings, or manually select said software via GPU control panel, so whenever you launch the game it will use your dedicated GPU, not your Integrated GPU.

If GPU driver possible issue, you have to do clean install of your GPU driver, download GPU driver 1st, then go ahead to do clean install of GPU driver they should offer option to do clean install, if not you have to use DDU = Display Device uninstaller via windows safe mode, and use ONLY the recommended option, and ensure you selected the correct GPU to wipe driver for, if it AMD you select AMD option, if it Nvidia, you select Nvidia pretty simple.

If for whatever reason games not running, ensure nothing from 3rd party causing the issue like altering files, or permssions. Another thing to point out is that if use any custom commands in the past via launch option via steam library for said game, make sure to check that out to ensure not causing issue, or clear launch open for said game.

Now if still having issue, next thing to do is doing Windows error check, open CMD as admin type "sfc /scannow" without qoutes, let it do it scan, if it found nothing then type this " DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth " without qoutes this will compare your Windows to online version to 100% check to ensure there no issues, if it found no issues at all, no file replace, just nothing, then go ahead move onto next step, but if it did found something, or replace something, you have to restart the PC, not shutdown, you want restart, then once back in windows, open CMD again as admin, type "sfc /scannow" then should correct whatever error, once finish restart pc to take full affect.


If by now STILL not able to run game, go to your HP website LOOK for the exact model must be exact model for your system as you're going to check for BIOS update, if there new BIOS, get the latest, put BIOS on a USB thumb drive, restart PC, and boot into BIOS, then do BIOS update then select your new BIOS, let it do it jump, once finish ensure everything ok, then test to see if can launch the game.

If still can't launch any game at this point, then means there something at play, or something just wrong with your system as you did good amount of trouble shooting.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Postat inițial de Leontes III:

Postat inițial de Ogami:

I am on the latest Windows 11 build and just played Fallout 4 like a month ago.
It definitely runs on Windows 11.
But i also never had this " Allow steamlaunch.exe to make changes to your computer?" message you are getting, with Fallout 4 or any other game on Steam.

That's good to know- thank you. I checked my program files to make sure Steam was where it should be- which it was. However, in the course of searching, I found there were other random Steam files on my C drive, most notably via One Drive.

I'm too tired to try and fix now, but I'll be uninstalling Steam, and all One Drive files of Steam tomorrow, then re-installing with no interference (hopefully) from latent One Drive files. One Drive is a considerable pain in the choose- your- anatomical- part.

I'm hoping that's the solve. Thanks for helping me puzzle this out.

If don't use one drive at all, it shouldn't have done anything, but doesn't hurt getting rid of it either, since there no point keeping the app if do not use at all.

If you just move files from one drive to another, it possible something might went right, but if want to do full clean install of Steam, and games 100% then my advice, uninstall, delete Steam folder, then go ahead reinstall everything for Steam. But this is a rare case as verified game files often fixes this issue.

Also if you by chance just copy, and paste game files, and left mods file behind they might cause this problem for Fallout, as some mods can cause problems, that just something to think about if you used mods for the game.

[Iceira]

Check game requirements on GotY editionm in texture pack they are higher then standard game requirements.

You need a monster pc to play F4 and throw in mods in top of that you need max cpu power and and more , and you also might want to edit the ini and open for "iHWThread" anfd just because i and other say this still require best optimize pc and Bethesda player can tell you that, dont run app yuo dont need , ( even pause screen can cause issue with its game )

ps.
cheep trick turn shadow down to low/none and god ray and all the other things if you are in trouble with performance.

Can even be rude and say require SSD, thats because of all the loading zones in and out of buildings.

that game is been seen as well tested now.
and sense noone else mention dism repaire and sfc and VC++ most be newest from MS support page then i will do that. ( users own problem for most know better then game devs and steam VC++ screw ups.

[Muppet among Puppets]

You do not need to make exceptions for usual programs in windows defender. Its userfriendly.

A bios update is also not required to play games.


I assume that something is missing, and it doesnt load when you start the game. Is there a redist folder in the game folder? With direct x and other things? Maybe run those installers once manually from that folder.
Get the current driver for your grafic card. Make sure the monitor is plugged in the card and not the motherboard.

You can also check in hardware manager in windows, if there is any driver missing.

Side node:
For a normal pc keep balanced or recommended energy mode, do not use performance mode. Performance mode just wastes energy and keeps the computer from clocking down at idle.