When I try to start Fallout 2 it cannot get the correct resolution. I always get the error "Error Initializing video mode 640x480". I simply cannot lower my resolution on my monitor to something that low. If you know how to fix this please help.

Try renaming or deleting the ddraw.dll in the root Fallout directory. This usually happens when trying a high-resolution patch.

I am currently running:
Lenovo T61p Laptop
Vista 32 Bit SP 1
2 GB RAM
2.2 GHz Dual Core
NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M
I am running fallout 2 without any patches or mods. I could not find the ddraw.dll file in the root.

Oops, was thinking of Fallout 1 then. I thought F2 used the same .dll

I got it to work with Fallout 1, but not Fallout 2.

like always, make sure your drivers are up to date, with outdated drivers I get the same error message..

I just checked to make sure my video driver is up to date and it was.

try right clicking on the short cut and hitting properties, then going to compatibility and checking off run in 640x480 mode

I tried that last night to to see if it made a difference and it had no effect on the problem.

I do have a widescreen, and i did change it to a resolution that was 4:3 and IT WORKED! Thank you very much. Thanks to everyone who tried to help me out.

Glad to be of assistance.

Just a note for those who may have issues like I did:
The first fix of changing the name of the ddraw.dll file in the root is what got me up and running with the resolution patch. I am running a 22 inch monitor (wides creen) at its native resolution and this was the only way for me to get this to run, note I also have a 15.4 inch notebook in wide screen formation that I had to run this on as well.
A quick question as to the changing the resolution, just so I am aware: while I am not new to computers, gaming on them is fairly new to me, as is getting older games to run on more modern os'es, so forgive my ignorance, but how when the game will not boot can you set the resolution to a 4:3 on a wide sceen? Do yo mean in the OS properties page, or by right clicking on the short cut? The reason I ask is I tried this first and and still could not get this to run, only by resetting the view and then addressing the .dll file could I get the game to run, and I am wondering what was I missing? I am finally playing the game and so for so good, but I would like the chance to learn something here, cause I am certainly in the dark on it, thanks!

Fallout high resoultion patches typically use a config file where a custom resolution can be set. It is this which I was refering to.