Fallout 3 was created and published on Steam late in 2008, suggesting the games been out along time now. Old games lead to old problems, providing us with old fixes that have been used several times in history before. My guide will provide a solution to new players that stumbles upon the provided message below, after being accompanied by a crash to desktop (CTD) for the Fallout 3 application,

"Fallout3 has stopped working
A problem caused the program to stop working correctly.
Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is
available."

or

"Fallout 3 failed to start (error code NUMBER)"

If you have a very similar if not exact same error on startup for your copie of Fallout 3 than this is the guide for you. (keep this in mind below, anything above windows 7 will require this guide.)

• Firstly, open up your main directory folder for Fallout 3, by default it should be in
  C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Fallout 3
  
  Note. If you don't know what the text above means, then go to Steam > Library > Scroll down to Fallout 3 > Right Click > Properties > Local Files>Browse Local Files.
  
  
  Step 2: Configure Your Fallout 3 Launcher
  
• When you are on your main directory for Fallout 3. You want to look for a program named "FalloutLauncher.exe"
  Note. If you find the launcher just saying "FalloutLauncher." It means the same thing!
  
  
• Right click on FalloutLauncher > Properties > Compatibility > Under "Compatibility mode" Check the box.
  
  
• When viewing the list of compatible opperating systems, DO NOT select Windows 8 or Windows 10. Even though you have one of those opperating systems it will still not work, from here you will need to select Windows XP (Service Pack 3). Click Apply and OK.
  
  
• Now do the same for Fallout.exe (follow step 1)
  
  
• Right click on Fallout3.exe > Properties > Compatibility > Under "Compatibility mode" Check the box and select Windows XP (Service Pack 3). Click Apply and OK.
  
  
  Step 3: Installing Games for Windows Live (GFWL)
  
  > > Direct Download Link [go.microsoft.com] < <
  
  
• Once you've finished downloading "gfwlivesetup.exe" (or without .exe,) open the file depending on where its located. For Chrome, Safari, Firefox uses, there shoudl be a mini tab below near the Windows Start Icon and you can click on the installation from there.
  
  
• When clicking on it just wait for it to install. It should take approximately 3 minutes max to download. Once it is done, click "exit!"
  
  Note. There is no need to launch "Games for Windows Live" ever unless you intend on using it in the future for some reason.
  
  
  Step 4: Testing The Game
  
• You have completed my tutorial/guide on how to make Fallout 3 work on Windows 8, 8.1 and Windows 10.
  
  Note. if it comes up saying this when launching FO3:
  "Fallout3.exe - Ordinal Not Found
  The ordinal 42 could not be located in the dynamic link library
  C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\xlive.dll"
  
  This means you've somehow managed to install Games for WIndows Live wrong or forgot to install GFWL.

Authors Gratitude:

If you've enjoyed this guide,
then make sure to like if not favourite the review and post it to others who has encountered the same problem.
By providing a thumbs up, you help raise the publicity of this Fallout 3 guide, allowing newcomers/consumers to quickly navigate to this guide, as a solution to thier problem.

Thankyou for reading.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD IF STILL CRASHING FOR INTEL HD DRIVERS ONLY
• It apears you have followed all my instructions carefully above and still the game doesn't work. This is because you have a Intel HD Graphics card. Fallout 3 is a game which runs exclusively with Nvidia and AMD Graphics cards. If you have a Intel HD Graphics card than this is why you're game is still crashing. In order to fix this game in thinking that you are using a Nvidia graphics card or AMD than you will need to go to Fallout 3 Nexus. The Nexus forums is well known for modding tools for games. The most anticipated game forum for these certain mods is The Elder Scrolls V: Skrim.
  
  
• For this step you will have to sign up an account for Nexus Mods and don't install NMM (Nexus Mod Manager.)
  If you already have an account than skip to the next step.
  
  
• After you sign in to your regular/new account then click on this link below and download manually
  Note. Make sure you have 7-Zip or Winrar Archive Extractor before continueing with clicking on this link
  
  > > http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/17209/? < <
  
  or click below if it is too confusing (highly doubt it.)
  
  > > Click for Direct Link Download [www.nexusmods.com] < <
  
  1. When the file has downloaded just open it up, you should find two extension files, one saying "d3d9.dll" and the other saying "FALLOUT.INI" Ignore readme.txt, that is not important.
  
  2. Once you have extracted the two extension files to the destination you have chosen, go to the extension file "d3d9.dll" and copie the file by clicking on it, Ctrl+C or right click on it and copy.
  
  3. Go back to your Main directory for Fallout 3 and paste d3d9.dll into the same place where your launcher for fallout is.
  
  4. Now you want the "FALLOUT.INI" file and do the same and copie it, once you have copied the file DO NOT paste it into where your launcher is, you want to paste it into Documents>My Games>Fallout3>And overwrite the other FALLOUT.INI file.
  
  5. The final step is launching the game propperly from Steam Library. When you launch the game it should say that it is detecting your settings. Let it configure for a moment, when that is done you can tweak your settings and run the game normally.
  
  
• You have now succesfully fixed your launcher from crashing and you are able to run the game!
  
  Note. Steam Overlay doesn't work, Alt tabbing wont work and you WON'T be able to install ENBS. If you're like me and dont give a **** about how many hours it shows and the other cons listed above this sentence then you may enjoy your new game.

Possible solution to 10 minute crashing: Fallout 3 is a game optemised for dual cores only, not quad core so therefore it crashes. For users having this similar issue, try replacing/changing these lines in your FALLOUT.INI config:

bUseThreadedAI=0
Change 0 to 1

and add another line after this and copie and paste this line:

iNumHWThreads=2

28/12/2015:
-Guide release date

29/12/2015:
-Fixed spelling and punctuation
-Added Interesting photos into the guide
-Added text formating for easy understanding

23/4/2016:
-Fixed grammar

1/6/2016:
-Announcement of discontinuation towards personal support
-Added in final support for guide by Adding a new page
"Possible fix to frequent crashes."

2/6/2016:
-Minor changes towards the recent slide by adding image examples

12/12/2016:
-Large re-edit of text positionings
-redone paragraphs to make it simpler
-Removed terrible low resolution image of Intel HD 4000 and replaced with a high quality one
-Removed the useless "OPTIONAL" slide causing mass confusion in the past.
-Re-arranged words to make them sound more formal
-Made the text easier to understand by limiting the complex words of the english language
-Paragraphs spaced out for easier reading
-Added this useless changelog for people who are interested
-Improved grammar and punctuation
-Removed Games for Windows Live and is now only accessed by a direct download link for the convenience
-Added in FAQ Page

28/12/2016:
-Date For Permanatly Discontinued...

28/12/18:
-Author changed his mind ;)
-Changed authors name from Snooze to "Lazarus"
-Author disses Fallout 76
-Simplified the word length and characters in total
-Reworked the appearance of FAQ page

3/07/20:
-Completely reworked the "Frequently Asked Questions FAQ" section
-Author now accepting credit contribution to people in the comment section <3
-Reworked the "How To Fix It" section
-Completely reworked the "End" section
-Reworked the main title & description of the Guide
-Reworked "*EXTRA* Still Crashing?' section

• Theres no compatibility tab when I go into properties...
  A: Its either due to your copy of Windows OS isn't a legitimate copy or try this:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52SV6S4x4-I
  
  
• Have you even tested this on Windows 8 or even Windows 8.1?
  A: Are you serious?
  
  
• Have you even tested this on Windows 10?
  A: Are you serious?
  
  
• Why does it keep crashing on character creation?
  A: This game doesn't run well with quad core cpus thus, you need to cap this game at dual core, (go see my "possible sollution to frequent crashes" tab)
  
  
• I don't want to create a nexus account, could you make a google drive or mediafire link for us?
  A: I haven't personally asked the mod publisher for his permission to do so and I don't intend to.
  
  
• Does this work on the Game of The Year Edition? (GOTY)
  A: uncertain about it.
  
  
• WHY DOES IT STILL CRASH?
  A: Be sure you've followed all the steps correctly, if it still crashes, please leave a comment about it.
  
  
• Do you need Games For Windows Live (GFWL) for this to work?
  A: Yes