How to Resolve the Fallout Error: The Ordinal 43 Could Not be Located or Not Found

Updated April 2025: Stop these error messages and fix common problems with this tool. Get it now at this link

1. Download and install the software.
2. It will scan your computer for problems.
3. The tool will then fix the issues that were found.

The error code “Ordinal 43 not found” is an error in Fallout 4 that occurs when the player tries to join a settlement when other settlements have already joined. There are many different reasons why this error can occur. We will try to cover all possible causes, from simple to complex.

Error Ordinal 43 not Found or could not be located is an error that sometimes occurs in Fallout 4 from Bethesda. The error, which occurs when the player encounters Preston Garvey, can be fixed in various ways, including updating the game to the latest version and removing unnecessary mods.

Sometimes players encounter unexpected problems with Windows. Problems with DLL files are common. This article explains how to solve the problem when sequence number 43 or 42 cannot be found in the xlive.dll dynamic link library.

This error occurs when trying to open a game that requires the Windows Live service. This error usually occurs in Windows 10. There are a few quick ways to get rid of this problem.

What’s causing the Ordinal 43 error in Fallout 3?

DLL file is missing or corrupt: The error message indicates that the xlive.dll file is missing or corrupt. In this case, you can download the file and put it in the game’s installation folder.

Games for Windows Live have not been installed: Games for Windows Live is an online gaming service used in PC games under the Games for Windows brand that allows Windows PCs to connect to Microsoft’s Live service. If your PC does not have GFWL, you will receive a Fallout 3 error message sequence number 43 because the game was originally developed for this service.

The new graphics drivers are not compatible with the game: you need to install the old drivers.

Fallout 3 may not work correctly with new versions of Windows: Fallout 3 was released in 2008. Twelve years have passed and the game is too outdated to work properly on the new operating system.

How to troubleshoot the Ordinal 43 error in Fallout 3?



Installing old video card drivers

Some newer versions of video card drivers do not work well with Fallout 3. The game is a bit outdated and only supports older versions of drivers. As a rule of thumb, you should install drivers released before 2018. This is more of a workaround as it may affect other installed games, but it may be your only hope!

1. Click on the “Start” menu button at the bottom left of your screen, type in “Device Manager” and select it from the list of results by simply clicking on the first entry.
2. You can also use the Windows + R key combination to bring up the “Run” dialog box.
3. Type “devmgmt.MSC” in the dialog box and click OK to start the Device Manager.
4. Since this is the video card you want to update on your computer, expand the “Graphics Cards” section, right-click on your video card and select “Uninstall Device”.
5. Confirm the dialog boxes or prompts that appear to confirm the removal of the current video card driver, and wait for the removal to complete.
6. Find your video card driver on the NVIDIA or AMD website.
7. Enter the necessary information about your card and your operating system, then click Search.
8. A list of all available drivers should appear. Make sure you select the oldest entry, click on its name, and then click Download.
9. Save it to your computer, open it, and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
10. Make sure that Fallout 3 is working properly.

Installing Games for Windows Live

The main reason for this problem is that you have not installed Games for Windows Live. Because the game is a bit outdated, many users have not installed this software, which has not been updated for some time. The program is not officially supported by Windows 10, but it is only needed for the problematic .dll file.

1. Click this link to start downloading Games for Windows Live. The download will start as soon as you click the link.
2. Double click on the file you just downloaded after you find it in the downloads.
3. The necessary files (about 30 MB) will now be downloaded before you can start the installation.
4. Please be patient until the download and installation are complete.
5. You do not need to run the utility, but the file xlive.dll should now be available on your computer and the error message “Order number 43 cannot be found” should no longer appear after starting the game.

Run the game in compatibility mode with administrator rights

Many users have found that the “Ordinal number 43 could not be found” error can be fixed by running the game in compatibility mode for Windows XP SP3. This is because Fallout 3 is quite old and does not work as well with newer versions of Windows, such as Windows 10.

The next step is to run the game with administrator privileges to make sure it works properly from here on out.

1. If you have a shortcut on your desktop, just right-click on it and choose Properties from the context menu that appears.
2. Do the same with the original Fallout3.exe file if you don’t have a shortcut.
3. Click the “Compatibility” tab in the “Properties” window and check the “Run this program as an administrator” box.
4. Under Compatibility Mode, check the box next to Run this program in compatibility mode and select Windows XP SP3 from the menu.
5. Exit the program by accepting the changes.
6. Be sure to confirm any dialog options that may appear when using administrator rights, so that the game can be run with administrator rights from this point forward.
7. Open the game by double-clicking the icon and make sure it is started correctly.

APPROVED: To fix Windows errors, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions