CTD when loading save

[Kattmandu]

Getting random CTD when loading a save either manually or automatically after player character death.  I have always been getting crashes since the last Skyrim update.  Went through the entire STEP guide again reinstalling every single mod.  I even reinstalled Skyrim and deleted all config files in AppData\Local and Documents.  Really wish I could play Skyrim without CTDs.  I may just have to give up on the game entirely and go play Oblivion or something.  Any ideas?  

EDIT: Not really sure what the benefit of installing Crash Logger is since neither myself nor anyone else can comprehend anything within the generated log file.  I mean, if they could, they would have responded here, right? 

crash-2025-03-19-01-56-01.logFetching info...

Edited Tuesday at 02:51 AM by Kattmandu

[Kattmandu]

I started a new game without any of the STEP patches or any mod that has a red, yellow, green, or blue bar flag or any mod requiring one of those flagged mods with the exception of USSEP, Realistic Water Two, Alternate Start, and Kryptopyrs Patch Hub.  Also, no grass cache, no terrain LOD, no object LOD, no ENB.  Game is running rock solid so far.  No crashes.  First F'ing time in over a year a can play Skyrim without crashing.  My character must have died about 50 times so far and no crashes during auto-loading the last save.  Those dang flame throwing spriggans on Solstheim are the worst!  LOL

Edited Tuesday at 08:39 PM by Kattmandu

[Mercury71]

 I am running latest Step Guide with no problems at all. Could it be a problem outside Skyrim?

Maybe try cleaning the save? https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/5031

[Kattmandu]

I have started so many new games I can't even count.  I have even tried cleaning my new saves.  Could be hardware related.  Maybe a mod doesn't like my old Nordic RTX4090 or my Imperial 13700K.

[Mercury71]

You have to good hardware. My old RTX 2080Ti is perfect for Skyrim.

[z929669]

  On 3/25/2025 at 10:28 AM, Kattmandu said:

I have started so many new games I can't even count.  I have even tried cleaning my new saves.  Could be hardware related.  Maybe a mod doesn't like my old Nordic RTX4090 or my Imperial 13700K.

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To rule out OS hardware/software issues, disable any and all overclocking in the BIOS, including XPM/EXPO. Revert BIOS to the default optimal. Also be sure you are running the latest display drivers, doing a clean install of those.

[Kattmandu]

  On 3/25/2025 at 1:35 PM, Mercury71 said:

You have to good hardware. My old RTX 2080Ti is perfect for Skyrim.

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My old 2080 (not a Ti) was crippled by modded Skyrim.  My 4090 chews up modded Skyrim and spits it out like a rabid wolf hungry for more.

  On 3/25/2025 at 2:31 PM, z929669 said:

To rule out OS hardware/software issues, disable any and all overclocking in the BIOS, including XPM/EXPO. Revert BIOS to the default optimal. Also be sure you are running the latest display drivers, doing a clean install of those.

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I don't OC my CPU or my GPU.  Running everything stock.  Even in BIOS, everything stock.  Ran memory tests as well, no issues there.  Haven't crashed with half the mods disabled though.  It's a huge list of disabled mods to narrow it down.  If I start enabling mods, I would need to start a new game to test.  And generally, the crashing doesn't start until after about 5-10 hours.  It's been a huge pain trying to pinpoint the cause.

Edited Tuesday at 08:10 PM by Kattmandu

[z929669]

  On 3/25/2025 at 8:03 PM, Kattmandu said:

My old 2080 (not a Ti) was crippled by modded Skyrim.  My 4090 chews up modded Skyrim and spits it out like a rabid wolf hungry for more.

I don't OC my CPU or my GPU.  Running everything stock.  Even in BIOS, everything stock.

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Then it seems like your CTD issues are most likely related to the DynDOLOD patch. Try generating terrain and object LOD for your minimal LO to see if you are still stable. If you are stable, then the culprit is most likely either a mod or ENB.

[Kattmandu]

  On 3/25/2025 at 8:10 PM, z929669 said:

Then it seems like your CTD issues are most likely related to the DynDOLOD patch. Try generating terrain and object LOD for your minimal LO to see if you are still stable. If you are stable, then the culprit is most likely either a mod or ENB.

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So to run DynDOLOD, do I need to run xLODGen and TexGen first?  Basically everything under the Step 7?  I did suspect a mod that altered lightning/spark magicka as it often crashed when my follower would cast those kind of spells.  Couldn't narrow it down though.  Could be in combination with an ENB mod.

Edited Tuesday at 08:20 PM by Kattmandu

[z929669]

  On 3/25/2025 at 8:17 PM, Kattmandu said:

So to run DynDOLOD, do I need to run xLODGen and TexGen first?  Basically everything under the Step 7?  I did suspect a mod that altered lightning/spark magicka as it often crashed when my follower would cast those kind of spells.  Couldn't narrow it down though.  Could be in combination with an ENB mod.

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Yes, just do Step 7

[Kattmandu]

  On 3/25/2025 at 8:54 PM, z929669 said:

Yes, just do Step 7

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I had to enable a few other mods such as Unique Map Weather Framework, A Clear Map of Skyrim, A Mountainous Experience, Majestic Mountains and patches, Enhanced Vanilla Trees, Grass Cache, etc. to be able to complete step 7.  Also, had to revert the 21-Post-Processing edits in my DynDOLOD_SSE.ini and TexGen_SSE.ini back to their default values since I'm currently not using ENB.  Generating LOD files now.  Will report back in a few days (or earlier if any CTDs occur).

Edited Wednesday at 12:01 AM by Kattmandu

[Kattmandu]

Okay, after doing all of those things in my last post, Skyrim crashed after my character died and it attempted to auto-load the last save.  Maybe it's DynDOLOD, maybe it's the grass cache, I don't know.

crash-2025-03-26-01-22-49.logFetching info...

Edited Wednesday at 01:33 AM by Kattmandu

[z929669]

  On 3/26/2025 at 1:24 AM, Kattmandu said:

Okay, after doing all of those things in my last post, Skyrim crashed after my character died and it attempted to auto-load the last save.  Maybe it's DynDOLOD, maybe it's the grass cache, I don't know.

crash-2025-03-26-01-22-49.log 117.01 kB · 0 downloads

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Have you reverted your game folder to pure vanilla and created a new MO instance with this latest partial build? If you have followed the guide all this time with these issues, then something is unique to your situation. Either something basic wasn't done correctly, or you have a hardware or OS issue.

Your best bet at this point is to post your situation in the DynDOLOD support forums with this log and the needed DynDOLOD logs. Something in your LO or game folder is not playing nicely, and it seems to come out with those additional mods activated with the DynDOLOD patch.

[Kattmandu]

  On 3/26/2025 at 4:37 AM, z929669 said:

Have you reverted your game folder to pure vanilla and created a new MO instance with this latest partial build? If you have followed the guide all this time with these issues, then something is unique to your situation. Either something basic wasn't done correctly, or you have a hardware or OS issue.

Your best bet at this point is to post your situation in the DynDOLOD support forums with this log and the needed DynDOLOD logs. Something in your LO or game folder is not playing nicely, and it seems to come out with those additional mods activated with the DynDOLOD patch.

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Yes, deleted my Skyrim game folder and downloaded fresh files from Steam, created a new MO2 instance, deleted my Skyrim folder in Documents, etc.  I'll have to see if I can pinpoint it further.  Maybe I'll run through step 7 again without some of those mods enabled (such as grass cache, and majestic mountains) to see if it's still crashing before I go to the DynDOLOD support forums.  I did build a new computer a little over a year ago.  I upgraded to Windows 11 a little over a year ago as well.  I think the last time I ran stable was when Skyrim v1.6.640 was current.  Many things have changed since then.

[z929669]

  On 3/26/2025 at 9:58 AM, Kattmandu said:

Yes, deleted my Skyrim game folder and downloaded fresh files from Steam, created a new MO2 instance, deleted my Skyrim folder in Documents, etc.  I'll have to see if I can pinpoint it further.  Maybe I'll run through step 7 again without some of those mods enabled (such as grass cache, and majestic mountains) to see if it's still crashing before I go to the DynDOLOD support forums.  I did build a new computer a little over a year ago.  I upgraded to Windows 11 a little over a year ago as well.  I think the last time I ran stable was when Skyrim v1.6.640 was current.  Many things have changed since then.

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Win 11 does have some bugs with the MO2 VFS. See the posts on this mod for some details.