I've seen that a lot of people are having similar problems, with no clear solution. To whit:

1. Fallout 3 starts to run, but gives me the following error: "Fallout 3 has features that aren't compatible with this version of Windows. An updated app may be available."

2. The startup menu is still operational. ("Play, Options, Data Files, Tech Support, and Exit").

I CAN: select options, manipulate data files and even click on tech support or exit.

I can NOT click on PLAY without an immediate CTD. (It should be noted that the "Tech Support" link takes me to api.bethesda.net/account/api/login, which Chrome tells me is offline.)

In Vortex, which I use to manage mods for Skyrim and Fallout 4, I get an immediate CTD when running the game.(Probably because it typically skips this opening/options menu and goes directly to the "Continue/New" menu.)

I HAVE TRIED:

1. All variants of Windows compatibility.
2. Removing the Fallout 3 folder as suggested elsewhere in these forums.
3. Checking my TotalAV firewall settings as suggested elsewhere in these forums.

EDIT: I have also tried all of the suggestions at THIS LINK.
I AM RUNNING:

AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS with Radeon Graphics 3.00GHz
16GB installed RAM
Windows 10 Home
OS Build 19041.388

(My computer is an ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14.)

Some of that page you linked is for installing from the DVD or Steam. GOG's version has already fixed the GFWL thing.

Anyway, just a shot in the dark, but have you tried installing the DirectX9 libraries from Microsoft? GOG won't let me post the link but google: DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer - and the first link should be Microsoft (only get it from them). That DirectX installer is independent of any game, it'll just find your PC's DirectX files (namely DirectX 9c which you might not have) and add anything missing to your DirectX arsenal. Afterwards, try the game without the Intel bypass d3d9.dll mod because according to Asus your PC doesn't use Intel graphics. And even if it does, you might not need it after running the DirectX installer.

If that doesn't work. Reinstall the game but first make sure you deleted both of the old game's folder areas (the main game one and the other one in your documents area). If you used Galaxy, try GOG's off-line installer instead, and if you did use the off-line installer re-download it. And try running it vanilla with no mods, patches or game managers, nor any screen optimizations or any other advanced ideas, and see if the game will at least run. Not sure about which (if any) compatibility mode you should try.

The best bet is to install mods for the game. This thread has a few ideas (the mod here is supposed to work for Windows 10, for some) :
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/20653?tab=posts

One of the solutions offered on that link you shared is also the use of a special d3d9.dll - the one they referenced might not work for you, but there are some available that might. One that I have used before is the WineD3D project (github page is https://github.com/adolfintel/wined3d4win). You could use the d3d9 file from this project and see if it works. Here's the download page: https://fdossena.com/?p=wined3d/index.frag

This thread is really old and the OP probably got Fallout 3 running a long time ago.

If anyone has trouble running Fallout 3, you can install these 3 mods and you have a better chance of running the game smoothly:

FOSE 1.3 beta 2
Command Extender 16.0
"Stewie Tweaks" 3.00

Stewies Tweaks includes a "tick fix" for microstutter that you might have to manually enable by editing the ini file.

After that, if that doesn't work you could also install the "Updated Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch", but that patch itself has some bugs that you'll also need to fix with another patch. Civisromanus's fix is not easy to implement, but it is the only way to correct the problems with the updated unofficial f3 patch.

If your PC has Intel HD graphics on board, it might be worth a try to run this workaround so the game will run:
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/17209/

Also, check that these lines in your Fallout.ini (and add them if they're not)?

Under the section [General] should be:

bUseThreadedAI=1
iNumHWThreads=2

Without these parameters, the game is likely to crash often if your CPU isn't single-core.

I found running Fallout 3 in administrator wasn't necessary, but it might depend on the Windows configuration for your PC. I do need to run the Launcher as administrator, and I don't know why.

Crazy luck. I just thought I'd play this again, and it crashed shortly after choosing the sex of the character. 4 minutes prior you posted this.

I wanted to try the simple things first. I found that making the launcher run with admin privileges did the trick (so far).

Thanks and great timing.

Great, I'm glad that helped.

Just decided to give FO3 a run and I can't even get it to launch. Doesn't even get to the main menu before it CTD's. Pretty sure I tried all the fixes in this thread. D3d9.dll, administrative and compatibility settings, ini tweaks, intel bypass. Nothing seems to work. Haven't tried GfWL since that supposedly isn't needed. I'd rather not have that on my system anyway.

Pretty ridiculous. I bought Fallout 3 on GOG because this type of stuff isn't supposed to happen with their games but here I am unable to launch a game currently on sale.

I installed the GOG version of the game I bought and it works fine on Windows 10 Pro version 1909. It probably has something to do with the configuration. Also, maybe there's a component the Home version is lacking? What I did to make it work was simple. I installed the game and ran it once without the antivirus active, then all I do now is launch the game... and I can use the Launcher to run the game without any mods/fix or tweaks.

Also, since with GOG you get a DRM-free non-GFWL copy of the game, it wouldn't make sense to try to use GFWL. GFWL is trash so it will probably be worse in any case to install it. For example, for the GFWL version, the GFWL component needs to be disabled to make it playable in Windows 10.

Did you try disabling "Game mode" and all of those types of overlay things?

Actually, this thread is brand new as of Wednesday 05 August 2020, and the OP was underway dealing with the United States Navy and their bizarre timelines and logistics and was unable to reply. I'm about to head out to work, but I'll try your suggestions as soon as I can, probably over the weekend. Thank you!

my mistake

Maybe look for any/all updates for audio & video hardware drivers related to your version of windows, and check that everything related to compatibility is turned on (BIOS and Windows). Another thing that might help is to install ALL ms visual c++ redistributables.

Recently I built a new computer on some of the latest hardware... and while it can run Fallout New Vegas, it appears I need to do a lot of troubleshooting before it will run Fallout 3 (tried Windows 10 and Windows 7, not Windows 11). I have other PCs that do run Fallout 3, (including one running the same exact version of Windows 7 I tested) the primary difference is that the new PC runs a new CPU+GPU on a PCIe 4.0 motherboard.

-------------------

Update: found solution (for my system running Windows 10 at least)

Just in case it helps others, my problems preventing GOG's Fallout 3 GOTY from running on a new PC in Windows 10 were resolved by replacing the d3d9 dll that comes with the game. For contrast, GOG's Fallout 3 runs perfectly when you click "Launch" immediately after installation without mods on my old Windows 10 PC (that has an older motherboard from 2018), but not on this PC (motherboard made this year).

The d3d9 dll replacement that comes in the mod "Fallout 3 Windows 7 - 8 - 8.1 - 10 Fix (Old) mod" made my game playable on that particular PC with a new motherboard. I have the old version from the old mod page, the one by DarkWolfModding that worked for Windows 10 has disappeared from the internet. Just search the part in quotes on the internets, you'll find it. The mod is still downloadable on nexus because it was re-uploaded. Also, look at the "posts" there to see what other tweaks may be required in conjunction with this.

I've always had issues w/ F3 and NV on my systems since probably W8 or so (since W8 is DX10-12 based really; it ain't DX1-9 based) - no matter if it's Steam, Epic, GOG, whatever.

Not sure if it's a Nvidia problem, as I always use Nvidia hardware and/or drivers.

Not sure if it's a DX problem - as DX1-9 is not that friendly on W8-11. Remember, W8-11 is DX10-12 based. Could be DirectX depreciation problems.

1. On Steam or Epic and want to mod with Fallout 3? You're on version 1.7.0.4 and need to downgrade, so go Get Anniversary Patcher for F3 on Nexus to downgrade to v 1.7.0.3, which is FOSE Friendly -> https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/24913

2. If you're on v 1.7.0.3 for Fallout 3 and any mods you want require FOSE - here you go, FOSE's over here -> https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/8606?tab=files

3. Get Mods: Get The Tick Fix Mod, 4GB Patcher, Heap Replacer Mods, and anything you to get it going and running good.
Fallout 3 Mods:
- 4gb Patch for F3 (might not need this, if you use Anniversary Patcher) -> https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/21888
- Tick Fix for F3 -> https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/23542
- Heap Replacer for F3 -> https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/24470
Fallout NV Mods for FNV:
- NV Script Extender -> https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/67883?tab=description
- Tick Fix for NV -> https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/66537
- Heap Replacer for NV -> https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/69779?tab=description

4. Always run the game in Windowed Mode from game splash screen/options. F3 and NV never works right in full-screen period fir me on W8-11...just like many other older games since W8 tanked full-screen on some of these - i.e. Dungeon Siege 1 and 2 on Steam or from retail; Space Siege (retail version); Neverwinter Nights 2; Deus Ex: Invisible War; etc.

5. With game set to Windowed Mode, want to force a "Fake" Fullscreen of sorts? Here you go: download, install, and run BorderLess Gaming (BLG) and set F3& NV to the right pane (and any other pain the neck games, which I listed in section #3) -> https://github.com/Codeusa/Borderless-Gaming/releases/tag/9.5.6

6. Other ideas: if you're gonna mod, get a Mod Manager to deal w/ this mess so mods work and you can figure out and see what ones are compatible with each other - whether it's Nexus App, Mod Organizer 2, whatever.
Mod Organizer 2 - https://github.com/ModOrganizer2/modorganizer/releases/tag/v2.5.0