If you're planning to play
Fallout 3 or
Fallout: New Vegas with mods, the first think you want to do is download a mod manager called
Fallout Mod Manager (or FOMM for short). You can also download the
Nexus Mod Manager, as some modders make their mods specifically to be installed with that one (however, it is not as good or error-free as FOMM, and the Nexus staff basically abandoned it, so I personally am not too fond of it). After doing this, I'll need more context to help you, such as the mods you're trying to run, and how many of them are you trying to run. Bear in mind that some mods require the installation of third party programs like the
New Vegas Scrip Extender (NVSE) in order to run.
Modding Fallout is relatively easy and simple, even if you want to do it manually and without mod managers, but then you'll have to double check if newer mods are not replacing old mod files (causing the old mods not work). There are also some mods that are bug/glitch filled and I would not recommend them at all since the creators have stopped patching those issues (one example of this is
Fallout Character Overhaul, which looks great but is so full of bugs and conflicts that it is simply not worth it in my opinion).
Anyway, feel free to PM me if you need direct help with mods, I'll do what I can do clarify things for you and walk you through some of the installation processes.