Help - Exterior World Space Freezes and CTDs

[MadWizard25]

I get CTDs and freezes in Exterior World spaces quite often, and it is becoming a major irritant. The freezes are total; i have to ctrl+alt+delete TESV.exe to exit Skyrim, and the CTDs are CTDs without any warning. This only occurs in world spaces, i.e. outdoors, wilderness, etc. My experience with oblivion tells me this is a mesh issue usually, but disabling mesh mods does not seem to fix the issue for me. Before i launch into frantic troubleshooting mode I was hoping if anybody else had experienced this issue? Any help or ideas would be appreciated, as i desperately try to avoid disabling mods one by one.

 

Additional Info:

- Only since latest patch

- Occurs with STEP setup, without any extra mods, vanilla is fine

- Occurs with or without texture optimization

- Occurs when trying out a new game

- Searched nexus, bethesda, and steam forums to no avail. plenty of people seem to have this issue? (in reality probably small minority)

- SoS sound mods do not cause it

- I occasionally hit 2GB VRAM allocation (use?), but using skyrim performance monitor shows that the crashes are not linked to hitting the VRAM ceiling

- Using gamebooster, steam offline, no overlay, all desktop notifications/ popups disabled, fully defragged

- Tried Papyrus and budgetcap ini tweaks

- Clearing all cells after 31 day wait, no effect

 

So if anybody has experienced this issue and/ or somehow fixed it, even if it was with one of the things i already tried above, i would grateful for any comments. Thanks!

 

Edit:

- Freezes and CTDs, occurring frequently, averaging ever 15/ 20 minutes.

- Default ini's, (uGrids=5) after other ini tweaks failed to fix the issue

- Verified game cache

 

Second Edit:

- fps booster did not help

- cpu core affinity did not work

- underclock did not work

[z929669]

Don't alt-tab to GPU-z. Turn on logging and look at the log file when you exit. I posted a proposed standard somewhere on these forums. Cross reference my name with GPU-z in a search of the forums.

[MadWizard25]

@MadWizard25

I can confirm that your video shoudn't be the entire problem.

I've the exact same card with 1920*1024 resolution and I experienced many freezes (outside whiterun, going straight forward to the down river for example) and game loading when directly outside.

I mention also that I freshly installed STEP and skyrim for a new game.

After, optimized textures the problem has been solved (at least for the 5 hours I played last two nights).

Just few changes on my config. uGrid => 7 and shadows configured with this values https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=7638

 

Thanks, I was getting freezes at exactly the same place, but i had already DDSopt-imized the vanilla textures, the DLC textures, and the Hi-Res packs textures. I did optimize any other of the textures mods though, such as armor of foliage. Maybe i should :)

[llfbandit]

I didn't it see it in your previous posts but I didn't use DDSopt ! I used Optimizer Textures by Apipino.

https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=12801

[psychosteve]

i'm experiencing the same crap... for some times i have HUGE numbers of game freezes :

 

> when using destruction magic (i'm playing a mage so it's really annoying)

 

> when NPC or ennemis are attacking with destruction magic (which is often)

 

> when dragons attacking with fire / ice breath (dragons are part of the gamplay...that's a shame)

 

> when opening player menu or contaigner menu (wich is 75% of the gameplay)

 

i used to play with a moded game ...so i've tried to remove mod after mod to see which one was causing those... NONE !...even the vanilla game's doing it (even making a file check with STEAM or changing the sound to 24 bits 44100)... i don't know what else to do :(

[torminater]

i'm experiencing the same crap... for some times i have HUGE numbers of game freezes :

 

> when using destruction magic (i'm playing a mage so it's really annoying)

 

> when NPC or ennemis are attacking with destruction magic (which is often)

 

> when dragons attacking with fire / ice breath (dragons are part of the gamplay...that's a shame)

 

> when opening player menu or contaigner menu (wich is 75% of the gameplay)

 

i used to play with a moded game ...so i've tried to remove mod after mod to see which one was causing those... NONE !...even the vanilla game's doing it (even making a file check with STEAM or changing the sound to 24 bits 44100)... i don't know what else to do :(

ok, I think I know something which might help you.

!!!!Backup your skyrim folder

a) disable at least burnified effects/burnfreezeshock effects and any other mod that makes changes to destruction magic, delete your inis and let them be created new by Skyrim Launcher. Long Load times opening your inventory usually come from scripting errors which result in adding like 10000000000000000000 feathers to your inventory which makes it impossible for your rig to open your inventory in a decent time. This usually is only a problem with XBox, but you never know.

b) use a complete vanilla install. when I say complete, I mean complete. This includes:

 

1. deactivate all the mods using wrye/ModManager/NexusModManager

2. Go to your data folder and delete all folders in it except "Interface", "Strings" and "Video"

- Delete all loose files in your data folder except:

< Skyrim - Misc.bsa

< Skyrim - Shaders.bsa

< Skyrim - Textures.bsa

< HighResTexturePack01.bsa

< HighResTexturePack02.bsa

< Skyrim - Interface.bsa

< Skyrim - Animations.bsa

< Skyrim - Meshes.bsa

< Skyrim - Sounds.bsa

< Skyrim - Voices.bsa

< Skyrim - VoicesExtra.bsa

< Update.bsa

< HighResTexturePack01.esp

< HighResTexturePack02.esp

< Skyrim.esm

< Update.esm

- If you see that you don't have some of those files and you do not know why, verify gamecache after the end of the cleansing.

3. Go into "Interface" and delete everything except: "TRANSLATE_.txt"

4. Go into "Strings" and delete everything except:

- Skyrim_.DLSTRINGS

- Skyrim_.ILSTRINGS

- Skyrim_.STRINGS

- Update_.DLSTRINGS

- Update_.ILSTRINGS

- Update_.STRINGS

5. Go into "Video" and delete everything except: "BGS_Logo.bik"

6. Go to your Skyrim Folder and delete all loose files except:

- atimgpud.dll

- binkw32.dll

- high.ini

- installscript.vdf

- low.ini

- medium.ini

- readme.txt

- Skyrim_default.ini

- SkyrimLauncher.exe

- steam_api.dll

- TESV.exe

- VeryHigh.ini

7. In your Skyrim Folder delete any folder except:

Data

DirectX10

DotNetFX

reslists

Skyrim

VCRedist

8. Usually this would suffice, but you can check your other folders, they should contain this amount of files total (hidden files included!)

- directX10: 146 files + cab-archives

- DotNetFX: 1 file

- reslists: 2 files

- Skyrim: 1 file

- VCRedist: 1 file

9. Open up Steam, go to your workshop and UNSUBSCRIBE from EVERY MOD!

10. Delete your all your ini's (AFTER backing up of course) in Documents>MyGames>Skyrim

11. Verify Game Cache via Steam

12. start Skyrim using the game launcher, let it create your ini's. Set your settings in the game launcher as you like it.

13. Play Skyrim

14. Start a new game

- Skip through everything if you like (run through all the levels ignoring combat or type "tgm" in to your console, don't mind setting your character uup properly etc., )

- Type "tmm 1" in your console, enter.

- Type "psb"

- Type "player.modav dragonsouls 1000"

- Activate all your shouts

- Fast travel to every location you'ld like to try out and use all spells which have caused you problems and always check your inventory!

 

[Farlo]

ok, I think I know something which might help you.

!!!!Backup your skyrim folder

a) disable at least burnified effects/burnfreezeshock effects and any other mod that makes changes to destruction magic, delete your inis and let them be created new by Skyrim Launcher. Long Load times opening your inventory usually come from scripting errors which result in adding like 10000000000000000000 feathers to your inventory which makes it impossible for your rig to open your inventory in a decent time. This usually is only a problem with XBox, but you never know.

b) use a complete vanilla install. when I say complete, I mean complete. This includes:

 

1. deactivate all the mods using wrye/ModManager/NexusModManager

2. Go to your data folder and delete all folders in it except "Interface", "Strings" and "Video"

- Delete all loose files in your data folder except:

< Skyrim - Misc.bsa

< Skyrim - Shaders.bsa

< Skyrim - Textures.bsa

< HighResTexturePack01.bsa

< HighResTexturePack02.bsa

< Skyrim - Interface.bsa

< Skyrim - Animations.bsa

< Skyrim - Meshes.bsa

< Skyrim - Sounds.bsa

< Skyrim - Voices.bsa

< Skyrim - VoicesExtra.bsa

< Update.bsa

< HighResTexturePack01.esp

< HighResTexturePack02.esp

< Skyrim.esm

< Update.esm

- If you see that you don't have some of those files and you do not know why, verify gamecache after the end of the cleansing.

3. Go into "Interface" and delete everything except: "TRANSLATE_.txt"

4. Go into "Strings" and delete everything except:

- Skyrim_.DLSTRINGS

- Skyrim_.ILSTRINGS

- Skyrim_.STRINGS

- Update_.DLSTRINGS

- Update_.ILSTRINGS

- Update_.STRINGS

5. Go into "Video" and delete everything except: "BGS_Logo.bik"

6. Go to your Skyrim Folder and delete all loose files except:

- atimgpud.dll

- binkw32.dll

- high.ini

- installscript.vdf

- low.ini

- medium.ini

- readme.txt

- Skyrim_default.ini

- SkyrimLauncher.exe

- steam_api.dll

- TESV.exe

- VeryHigh.ini

7. In your Skyrim Folder delete any folder except:

Data

DirectX10

DotNetFX

reslists

Skyrim

VCRedist

8. Usually this would suffice, but you can check your other folders, they should contain this amount of files total (hidden files included!)

- directX10: 146 files + cab-archives

- DotNetFX: 1 file

- reslists: 2 files

- Skyrim: 1 file

- VCRedist: 1 file

9. Open up Steam, go to your workshop and UNSUBSCRIBE from EVERY MOD!

10. Delete your all your ini's (AFTER backing up of course) in Documents>MyGames>Skyrim

11. Verify Game Cache via Steam

12. start Skyrim using the game launcher, let it create your ini's. Set your settings in the game launcher as you like it.

13. Play Skyrim

14. Start a new game

- Skip through everything if you like (run through all the levels ignoring combat or type "tgm" in to your console, don't mind setting your character uup properly etc., )

- Type "tmm 1" in your console, enter.

- Type "psb"

- Type "player.modav dragonsouls 1000"

- Activate all your shouts

- Fast travel to every location you'ld like to try out and use all spells which have caused you problems and always check your inventory!

 

Where did you find those instructions (or did you make them )!?  I'd very much like to post those on our wiki, and of course I like to give credit where it's due.

[frihyland]

 

Where did you find those instructions (or did you make them )!?  I'd very much like to post those on our wiki, and of course I like to give credit where it's due.

We have simpler instructions already included in SIG and Bash guides.

[Farlo]

We have simpler instructions already included in SIG and Bash guides.

Yeah but they're no where near as thorough, and this also includes testing to make sure the vanilla installation is stable.

[frihyland]

Its totally redundant if people are following SIG as they have already made a full backup of the vanilla skyrim directory, if you haven't made a vanilla backup just delete all files and directories under skyrim except data and in there delete all but the large bsa files and then run steam validate. Then delete your skyrim directory under mygames and finally make a zip backup as you should have done in the first place :D. That procedure is already laid out in the troubleshooting guide.

 

I'm also about to explain what each default skyrim file does for those who really want to nerd out.

[gwoody79]

Its totally redundant if people are following SIG as they have already made a full backup of the vanilla skyrim directory, if you haven't made a vanilla backup just delete all files and directories under skyrim except data and in there delete all but the large bsa files and then run steam validate. Then delete your skyrim directory under mygames and finally make a zip backup as you should have done in the first place :D. That procedure is already laid out in the troubleshooting guide.

 

I'm also about to explain what each default skyrim file does for those who really want to nerd out.

i'm ready to nerd out :) knowledge is power!

[torminater]

Where did you find those instructions (or did you make them )!?  I'd very much like to post those on our wiki, and of course I like to give credit where it's due.

 

took me about 15 minutes to write it up (did it myself too often...). of course there is the SIG but the problem is, that many people don't have a clean vanilla setup as backup in the first place. They come to this forum after a long way of modding their game without having heard anything about clean saves etc.

I myself have a really bad internet connection which makes validating any files by steam really really really annoying (internet mostly dies before it ran the validation). It's fairly easy to manually delete only those files that don't have anything to do with skyrim vanilla and then run a validation as check, whether or not some original files have been lost.

[frihyland]

So in the case of poor internet service it can be added as an alternate to the procedure in the troubleshooting guide.

[torminater]

So in the case of poor internet service it can be added as an alternate to the procedure in the troubleshooting guide.

makes sense to me! :)

[psychosteve]

@torminater

 

Thanks dude ! it took me some time but i've made a folder clean and reinstall mod after mod. In fact i had not just 1 problem :

 

> Extended color sliders : making my game to freeze (randomly) if it's placed at the end of the load order list

 

> Deadly spell impact : the "high resolution" decals were making the magic / dragons freezes (i've installed a lower version)

 

> the ini was "corrupted" (i guess)

 

i just have to test my new setting for some times to see if all OK...but apparently it's ok with thoses 3 changes

 

THANKS AGAIN !

[Farlo]

 

Where did you find those instructions (or did you make them )!?  I'd very much like to post those on our wiki and of course I like to give credit where it's due.

took me about 15 minutes to write it up (did it myself too often...). of course there is the SIG but the problem is, that many people don't have a clean vanilla setup as backup in the first place. They come to this forum after a long way of modding their game without having heard anything about clean saves etc.

I myself have a really bad internet connection which makes validating any files by steam really really really annoying (internet mostly dies before it ran the validation). It's fairly easy to manually delete only those files that don't have anything to do with skyrim vanilla and then run a validation as check, whether or not some original files have been lost.

 

That's exactly what I was thinking of it for.  I was actually in that situation after forgetting to make a backup before I threw SKSE and RCRN in, so that helped me get a truly vanilla archive (ultra-compressed down to 6GB for safe keeping :D ).  Any better name ideas than "Make Skyrim Vanilla Again" or "How to Clean Skyrim"?  I'm not a very creative writer, lol.