Fallout 76 didn’t have the best of launches as players and critics did not receive it well due to bugs and aggressive monetization. However, the game is in a better condition as Bethesda has fixed most of the issues with it and optimized the game. Despite that, PC users are experiencing errors and issues with Fallout 76 like Error 4:8:2009, Error 3:0:7, the game not launching, stuttering, black screen, and more. I have compiled a list of fixes that resolve these errors and issues.
Fallout 76 Black Screen, Crash Fixes That’ll Help
Fallout 76 has launched on Steam with its Wastelanders expansion and since then the game has seen a healthy player base. Despite the numerous fixes and optimizations, PC users are experiencing errors and issues like Error 4:8:2009, black screen, stuttering, game crashing, and more. The following fixes will help you resolve these errors and problems in Fallout 76.
Error 4:8:2009 Fix
According to PC players are experiencing the “The Free Trial event has concluded – Error Code [4:8:2009]” error with Fallout 76 Wastelanders.
Delete Config Files – Navigate to “C:\Users\yourusername\Documents\My Games”. Delete the Fallout 76 folder here. Launch Fallout 76 but it won’t start, relaunch it and it’ll work. Error 4:8:2009 is now fixed.
Verify Game Files – Verifying the game files will fix Fallout 76’s Error 4:8:2009.
- Right-click Fallout 76 in your Steam library > Properties > Installed Files tab.
- Click “Verify Integrity of game files”.
- Let Steam scan the game files, it’ll download and replace any missing or outdated files.
- Launch Fallout 76 and Error 4:8:2009 is now fixed.
Error 3:0:7 Fix
Fallout 76 players report Error 3:0:7. According to PC users, they can’t log in and see the Error Code 3:0:7. This error occurs because Windows Firewall is blocking the game. Exclude Fallout 76 from Windows Firewall and the error will be resolved.
- Go to Windows Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security > click “Firewall & network protection”.
- A new window will open with multiple options, click on Advanced settings.
- Select “Inbound Rules” > right-click Fallout 76 > Properties.
- Check “Allow the connection” under “Action” and apply changes.
- Play Fallout 76 and Error 3:0:7 is fixed.
Crash At Startup, Game Not Launching Fix
PC users report Fallout 76 crashes at startup or doesn’t even launch at all. Here are a few fixes and workarounds that will help you.
Update or Install Visual C++ Components – Right-click Fallout 76 in your Steam library > Manage > Browse Local Files. A new explorer window will open. Launch Fallout 76 directly from the executable. If you get an error like this one: “Missing MSVCP120.dll” or “MSVCP120.dll not found”, your PC is missing or has corrupt Visual C++ components. Install or repair Visual C++ Redistributables. Launch Fallout 76 and it’ll launch without crashing at startup.
- Open the Steam library and type ‘Steamworks’ in the search bar.
- Right-click “Steamworks Common Redistributables” > Manage > Browse local files.
- A new Explorer window will open.
- Go to _CommonRedist\vcredist
- There are folders with names in years starting from 2010.
- Open each folder and run the VC_redis, both x64 and x86 versions.
- Install or repair Visual C++ Redistributables and restart your PC.
Disable Fullscreen Optimizations – Fullscreen optimizations are enabled by default for every game or application installed on a Windows PC. Fullscreen Optimizations often crash games like Fallout 76 at startup. Disable Fullscreen optimizations for the game and it’ll launch without crashing.
- Right-click Fallout 76 in Steam library > Manage > browse local files.
- A new Explorer window will open with game files.
- Right-click the executable > properties > Compatibility tab
- Check “Disable Fullscreen Optimizations” and apply.
- Launch Fallout 76 and it won’t crash at launch.
Disable Anti-virus – Your third-party anti-virus software falsely detects the Fallout 76’s executable as malware, which crashes the game at startup or stops it from launching as the executable is quarantined. third-party anti-virus software often falsely detect game executables as malware.
To fix Fallout 76’s crash at startup, either disable your anti-virus or exclude the Fallout 76 install folder from it. I recommend the latter. After that, verify the game files and Steam will download any missing files.
Disable Third-Party Tools and Software – Using third-party monitoring software like MSI Afterburner, GeForce Experience, Disccord, driver/software for peripherals like controllers or HOTAS, and more can crash Fallout 76 at startup. Disable any third-party software you are using and fix Fallout 76’s crashes at launch.
Update Windows – Playing the game on an outdated Windows build is crashing Fallout 76 at startup. Update your Windows OS and the game won’t crash at launch.
As for Windows 7 users, ensure you have installed the Windows 7 KB2533623 update. If not, download and install it.
Update DirectX – The DirectX libraries on your Windows PC aren’t up to date which crashes Fallout 76 at startup. Update DirectX to fix the crash at startup issue.
- Open your Steam library.
- Type “Steamworks Common Redistributables” in the search bar.
- Right-click Steamworks Common Redistributables > Manage > Browse Local Files.
- A new window will open.
- Go to “_CommonRedist\DirectX\Jun2010”.
- Run the DXSETUP and follow the onscreen prompts to update DirectX.
Delete DirectX Shader Cache – The DirectX shader cache stored on your PC is incompatible or corrupt. Microsoft frequently rolls out updates for Windows and they often break something. Sometimes it’s the DirectX shader cache. Delete the DirectX shader cache and a new one will be created the next time you launch a game. This will fix Fallout 76’s crash at startup issue.
- Open Windows Settings
- Go to System > Storage > Temporary Files
- Select DirectX Shader Cache and click “Remove Files”
- launch Fallout 76 and it’ll work without crashing at startup.
Low FPS, Stuttering Fix
Performance is often an issue with PC video games and Fallout 76 is no exception. PC users report random FPS drops and stutters. Here are a few fixes that will fix the stuttering and potentially boost Fallout 76’s FPS.
First, ensure you have installed the latest GPU drivers and do a clean installation. Also, ensure no background process is using too much of your CPU, GPU, or HDD.
Nvidia Control Panel Tweaks – Open Nvidia Control Panel > Manage 3D Settings > Program Settings > select Fallout 76 from the drop-down menu (add it if it isn’t in the list) > make the following changes.
Set Vertical Sync to “On”
Set “Power Management Mode” to “Prefer Maximum Performance”
set “Texture Filtering- Quality” to “High Performance”
Launch the game and disable in-game v.sync which should fix the stuttering.
However, if the stuttering isn’t fixed, follow the above-mentioned steps but set Vertical Sync to “Fast”. Launch the game, disable in-game v.sync and the game’s display mode should be set to “Fullscreen”. This will not only fix the stuttering but, also give you an FPS boost if you have moderate enough GPU and CPU.
Black Screen Fix
Players report that when they launch Fallout 76, they only get a back screen but can hear the audio in the background. To fix it, launch the game, and when the black screen appears, press “Alt + Enter”. Fallout 76 will go into windowed mode. Go to video settings, and change the display mode to Fullscreen but before you apply, change the resolution to your monitor’s native resolution.
Crash Fix
Fallout 76 players report it’s crashing randomly while playing and most players don’t get an error message. There are multiple reasons for Fallout 76’s in-game crashes like in-game overlays, overclocked GPU, and more. The following fixes will help resolve Fallout 76’s in-game crashes.
Disable In-game Overlays – In-game overlays are a common feature in gaming-related software. They are useful as they allow PC users to access features without closing or minimizing the game. However, they can interfere with games and crash them. If in-game overlays are enabled, they crash Fallout 76 to the desktop. Disable all in-game overlays to fix the issue.
To disable Discord overlay, open User settings > go to the Game Overlay tab > turn off the “Enable In-game overlay” options.
If you have installed GeForce Experience with the Nvidia Driver, its in-game overlay is enabled by default. Open GeForce experience > click on the Gear icon next to your username > General > turn off the “IN-GAME Overlay” options.
To disable Steam overlay, open Steam > settings > In-game > uncheck “Enable the Steam overlay while in-game.”
Disable Overclock – One advantage of PC gaming is the ability to overclock your hardware to get more performance. However, it can make gaming an unstable experience as games start crashing frequently. If you have overclocked your graphics cards or CPU, it is crashing Fallout 76 to the desktop. Revert your graphics card or CPU to its default clocks and the issue will be fixed.
Enable Debug Mode – Most graphics cards from Nvidia AIB partners like GIGABYTE are factory overclocked or have higher GPU and Memory clocks. These higher GPU clocks are crashing Fallout 76. To fix it, enable the Debug Mode through the Nvidia Control Panel. It forces the graphics card to use Nvidia’s recommended GPU and Memory clocks. Open the Nvidia Control Panel > Help > Debug Mode.
Limit Max Frame Rate – Playing at a high or unlocked FPS has advantages, especially in multiplayer games. However, an unlocked FPS puts a lot of load on the CPU and GPU, which crashes the game. If you are playing Fallout 76 at an unlocked FPS, it’s crashing it. Limit the game’s max frame rate to fix the in-game crashes.
- Open the Nvidia Control Panel.
- Click “Manage 3D Settings” and open the Program Settings tab.
- Select Fallout 76 from the drop-down menu.
- Scroll down, enable Max Frame Rate, and set a value.
Unless you use a Freesync or G.sync display, your Max Frame Limit should be 1/2, 1/3rd, or 1/4th of your monitor’s refresh rate. Otherwise, the game will feel jittery.
That is all for our Fallout 76 fixes for errors like Error 4:8:2009, crash at launch, and more. If you are facing other system errors and issues, check our hub for commonly occurring PC errors and their fixes.
