Game crashes/locks my entire pc

[Parasive]

Every time I try to play the game, at a random time in under and hour, it locks up my entire computer, I can not interact with my computer in any way, if I move my mouse I see my cursor stutter across my second monitor, I can't open the window to open task manager, I can't Alt+f4, I can't interact with my computer AT ALL, I tried verifying my game files, I tried doing a clean install, I even RESET my computer and FORMATTED my drives, and yet it still kills my computer when I try playing the game, I'm at a loss for what it could be at all,

before my computer bricks I get 70-80fps, the game runs great for me problem aside, my GPU is a 1660, my CPU is a Intel i7-9700, and I have 24 gigs of ram, and I haven't been able to find ANYTHING about anyone having a similar if not the same problem, I'm truly at a loss for why the game does this to my computer.

[JBrown247]

cap frame rate at 60 fps or a little lower.

[Parasive]

Originally posted by JBrown247:

cap frame rate at 60 fps or a little lower.

Sadly, capping my fps didn't fix it, still bricks my computer.

[JBrown247]

try it without the second monitor on.

[Lisa]

I have the same problem on my PC since several updates ago.
After a few minutes to a few minutes of starting to play Fallout76, the screen stops, the mouse works but nothing can be started and nothing can be stopped. I have to press the power button to restart my PC. At that time ctrl+alt+del does not respond either.
The same problem occurs even if I limit the FPS of the monitor to 60fps or change the vertical sync setting.
I am concerned about the impact on the PC and SSD if I have to press the power button to restart the PC several times.

CPU: i5-8500
RAM: 32GB
GPU: GTX1060 (6GB)
Windows11 (24H2)
Single monitor

(This is a translated English text. My native language is not English. Forgive me if this English is wrong.)

[hawkeye]

Complete pc hang happened to me today on login. So I'm going back to the old way of waiting for 10 seconds at each login screen.

[perfectevil]

Originally posted by Lisa:

I have the same problem on my PC since several updates ago.
After a few minutes to a few minutes of starting to play Fallout76, the screen stops, the mouse works but nothing can be started and nothing can be stopped. I have to press the power button to restart my PC. At that time ctrl+alt+del does not respond either.
The same problem occurs even if I limit the FPS of the monitor to 60fps or change the vertical sync setting.
I am concerned about the impact on the PC and SSD if I have to press the power button to restart the PC several times.

CPU: i5-8500
RAM: 32GB
GPU: GTX1060 (6GB)
Windows11 (24H2)
Single monitor

(This is a translated English text. My native language is not English. Forgive me if this English is wrong.)

Use reset not Power Button, but next time try "Windows key+Ctrl+D" it will create new Desktop, and if you'll be able to switch to New Desktop you'll kill the task from Task Manager

[Lisa]

Originally posted by perfectevil:

Originally posted by Lisa:

I have the same problem on my PC since several updates ago.
After a few minutes to a few minutes of starting to play Fallout76, the screen stops, the mouse works but nothing can be started and nothing can be stopped. I have to press the power button to restart my PC. At that time ctrl+alt+del does not respond either.
The same problem occurs even if I limit the FPS of the monitor to 60fps or change the vertical sync setting.
I am concerned about the impact on the PC and SSD if I have to press the power button to restart the PC several times.

CPU: i5-8500
RAM: 32GB
GPU: GTX1060 (6GB)
Windows11 (24H2)
Single monitor

(This is a translated English text. My native language is not English. Forgive me if this English is wrong.)

Use reset not Power Button, but next time try "Windows key+Ctrl+D" it will create new Desktop, and if you'll be able to switch to New Desktop you'll kill the task from Task Manager

I cannot operate my PC except by pressing the power button to shut it down. What should I do?

[Mooman]

Originally posted by Lisa:

I cannot operate my PC except by pressing the power button to shut it down. What should I do?

Before starting anything hold ctrl-shift-esc to bring up the Task Manager. In the Options menu highlight Always on top. Close the Task Manager window.

Now start the game. When/if it crashes hold ctrl-shift-esc to open the Task Manager. Highlight Fallout76 under the App list and press End Process button in the lower right corner. This will close Fallout 76 and you can use your PC as normal.

As for the crashes I'm curios about some things. If anyone is willing I'd be interested in seeing your Fallout76prefs.ini file settings. The file is in the Documents/My Games/Fallout 76 folder. Open it with a text editor (wordpad or notepad), copy the entire contents and paste here.

There was an issue I had on the PTS but those issues shouldn't happen just yet, though we have had the bug fix update since so I wonder if some code was sent early.

[Lisa]

Originally posted by Mooman:

Originally posted by Lisa:

I cannot operate my PC except by pressing the power button to shut it down. What should I do?

Before starting anything hold ctrl-shift-esc to bring up the Task Manager. In the Options menu highlight Always on top. Close the Task Manager window.

Now start the game. When/if it crashes hold ctrl-shift-esc to open the Task Manager. Highlight Fallout76 under the App list and press End Process button in the lower right corner. This will close Fallout 76 and you can use your PC as normal.

As for the crashes I'm curios about some things. If anyone is willing I'd be interested in seeing your Fallout76prefs.ini file settings. The file is in the Documents/My Games/Fallout 76 folder. Open it with a text editor (wordpad or notepad), copy the entire contents and paste here.

There was an issue I had on the PTS but those issues shouldn't happen just yet, though we have had the bug fix update since so I wonder if some code was sent early.

When crashing, the PC will not accept any keys.
In addition, the screen drawing and sound will stop, including the display in the Task Manager.
There is no recourse other than to force the power off with the power button.

--
Fallout76Prefs.ini

[Display]
iMaxAnisotropy=16
fShadowDistance=120000.0000
fDirShadowDistance=120000.0000
iShadowMapResolution=2048
uiShadowFilter=2
uiOrthoShadowFilter=2
fBlendSplitDirShadow=48.0000
iMaxFocusShadows=4
iMaxDecalsPerFrame=100
iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=25
bVolumetricLightingEnable=1
bSAOEnable=1
uWaterShadowFilter=3
iVolumetricLightingTextureQuality=2
iSize H=720
iSize W=1280
iLocation X=65535
iLocation Y=236
bFull Screen=0
bBorderless=0
iGraphicPreset=0
fShadowBiasScale=1.0000
iDirShadowSplits=4
uShadowExpirationMS=5000
uPointLightShadowMapMaxResLog2=10
fTessFactorMaxDistanceScale=500.0000
fTessFactorMinDistanceScale=100.0000
flocalShadowMapHalveEveryXUnit=750.0000
fLeafAnimDampenDistEnd=4600.0000
fLeafAnimDampenDistStart=3600.0000
fDepthOfFieldWST=0.0000
iMaxFocusShadowsDialogue=4
bComputeShaderDeferredTiledLighting=1
uFaceGenTextureResolution=1024
uPipboyTargetHeight=700
uPipboyTargetWidth=876
iTiledLightingMinLights=10
fRainOccProjRadiusRejectionSize=0.0100
fRainOccObjRejectionSize=100.0000
fSMProjRadiusRejectionSize=0.0200
fSMObjRejectionSize=250.0000
uSMObjRejectionSplit=2
bFadeInCulledGeometries=1
bEffectShaderAllowPBRShadows=1
sAntiAliasing=TAA
fDefaultWorldFOV=90.0000
iPresentInterval=0
bTopMostWindow=0
bMaximizeWindow=0
iAdapterOutputIndex=0
iAdapterIndex=0
sD3DDevice=
bAllowShadowcasterNPCLights=0
iScreenShotIndex=2
fMaxFocusShadowMapDistance=450.0000
bShowOtherPlayersNames=1
fConversationHistorySize=4.0000
bForceIgnoreSmoothness=1
bShowCorpseHighlighting=1
uiShowCorpseHighlighting=2
bAutoScrollPipboyItemStats=0
bEnableGlassShader=1
fDepthOfField_v1=0.0000
bShowOtherPlayersPings=1
[Decals]
bDecals=1
bSkinnedDecals=1
uMaxDecals=1000
uMaxSkinDecals=100
[TerrainManager]
fBlockMaximumDistance=250000.0000
fBlockLevel2Distance=110000.0000
fBlockLevel1Distance=90000.0000
fBlockLevel0Distance=60000.0000
fTreeLoadDistance=25000.0000
fSplitDistanceMult=0.7500
bShowLODInEditor=0
[ImageSpace]
bDoDepthOfField=1
bMBEnable=1
bLensFlare=1
bScreenSpaceBokeh=1
[LightingShader]
bScreenSpaceReflections=1
[LOD]
fLODFadeOutMultActors=15.0000
fLODFadeOutMultItems=10.0000
fLODFadeOutMultObjects=30.0000
fLODFadeOutMultSkyCell=1.0000
[Grass]
fGrassStartFadeDistance=7000.0000
fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=7000.0000
fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=3500.0000
[Water]
bUseWaterHiRes=1
bUseWaterDisplacements=1
bUseWaterRefractions=1
bUseWaterReflections=1
bUseWaterDepth=1
[Texture]
iLargeTextureArrayMipSkip=0
iTextureMipSkipBC1UNormSrgb=1
iTextureMipSkipBC3UNormSrgb=1
iTextureMipSkipBC1UNorm=1
iTextureMipSkipBC5SNorm=1
iTextureMipSkipBC4UNorm=1
iTextureMipSkipMinDimension=1024
iLargeTextureArrayDim=2048
iTextureQualityLevel=2
iLargeTextureArrayCount=32
[Weather]
iRainOcclusionMapResolution=512
[General]
fBrightLightColorB=1.0000
fBrightLightColorG=1.0000
fBrightLightColorR=1.0000
bGamepadEnable=0
iStoryManagerLoggingEvent=-1
bEnableStoryManagerLogging=0
uGridsToLoad=5
bHasSeenPlayerTitleTutorial=1
[VATS]
fModMenuEffectHighlightPAColorB=0.4100
fModMenuEffectHighlightPAColorG=0.8200
fModMenuEffectHighlightPAColorR=1.0000
fModMenuEffectPAColorB=0.4100
fModMenuEffectPAColorG=0.8200
fModMenuEffectPAColorR=1.0000
fModMenuEffectHighlightColorB=0.0824
fModMenuEffectHighlightColorG=1.0000
fModMenuEffectHighlightColorR=0.0706
fModMenuEffectColorB=0.4200
fModMenuEffectColorG=0.9900
fModMenuEffectColorR=0.4900
uVATSTargetEffectColorB=49
uVATSTargetEffectColorG=100
uVATSTargetEffectColorR=10
[Pipboy]
fPipboyEffectColorB=1.0000
fPipboyEffectColorG=1.0000
fPipboyEffectColorR=1.0000
bBabylonQuickboyMode=1
bQuickboyMode=0
fQuickBoyEffectColorB=0.7200
fQuickBoyEffectColorG=0.9500
fQuickBoyEffectColorR=0.9700
[Enlighten]
fBounceQuality=0.0000
bEnableDirectionalIrradiance=1
bComputeRadiosityOnlyCubeMaps=1
[Culling]
bMultiThreadedLODCulling=1
[MAIN]
fImageContrastHDR=1.7500
fImageContrastSDR=1.0000
bEnablePowerArmorHUD=1
fHUDOpacity=1.0000
bSaveOnTravel=1
bSaveOnWait=1
bSaveOnRest=1
bCrosshairEnabled=1
bEnableQuestAutoTrackOther=1
bEnableQuestAutoTrackEvent=1
bEnableQuestAutoTrackMisc=1
bEnableQuestAutoTrackSide=1
bEnableQuestAutoTrackMain=1
bShowDialogueHistory=0
iTutorialCPSeasonViewed=14
bTutorialHasSeenScore=1
bNavMeshAlwaysRunCleanupOnSave=0
fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=150000.0000
bUserAimAssistModelEnabled=0
bCompFontEnabled=0
bShowBackpack=1
bEnableCameraShake=1
bRejectSharedPerksEnabled=0
bEnableWeaponImpactEffects=1
bEnableMuzzleFlashes=1
bAdvancedModDescriptions=0
bEnableQuestTrackNotification=1
bTutorialQuestTravelOffMapViewed=1
bTutorialSeasonRefreshedViewed=1
uActivityListSort=0
bTutorialBestBuildsViewed=1
[Interface]
bDialogueSubtitles=1
bGeneralSubtitles=0
bDialogueCameraEnable=1
bShowCompass=1
uHUDActiveEffectWidget=2
iHUDColorC=0
iHUDColorV=0
iHUDColorS=0
iHUDColorH=0
iHUDColorB=21
iHUDColorG=255
iHUDColorR=18
bUseLargeEasyReadText=0
fEasyReadBackgroundColorB=0.0780
fEasyReadBackgroundColorG=0.0780
fEasyReadBackgroundColorR=0.0660
fEasyReadTextColorB=0.7200
fEasyReadTextColorG=0.9500
fEasyReadTextColorR=0.9700
fEasyReadTextColorUniqueG=0.9500
[Controls]
fMouseHeadingSensitivityY=0.0492
fMouseHeadingSensitivity=0.0270
bGamepadHeadingSensitivityMigrated=0
fGamepadHeadingSensitivityY=0.6000
fGamepadHeadingSensitivity=0.6667
bAlwaysRunByDefault=1
bInvertXValues=0
bInvertYValues=0
bGamePadRumble=1
bToggleAim=0
[GamePlay]
iDifficulty=2
bShowPublicTeamNotifications=0
bShowFloatingQuestText=1
fFloatingQuestMarkersDistance=100.0000
bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=1
uWorldAccessType=1
uVATSGrenadeMineTargetingMode=2
[Particles]
iMaxDesired=750
[NuclearWinter]
bTeamFill=1
bEnableItemRarityColors=1
bShowDamageNumbers=1
[AudioMenu]
fAudioMasterVolume=1.0000
fVal7=1.0000
uID7=0
fVal6=0.7317
uID6=138006
fVal5=0.6427
uID5=1007612
fVal4=0.6548
uID4=94881
fVal3=0.0348
uID3=466532
fVal2=1.0000
uID2=554685
fVal1=0.7727
uID1=2300724
fVal0=0.2567
uID0=5736035
[Survival]
bShowDamageNumbers=0
[Adventure]
bShowDamageNumbers=1
[Voice]
bVoicePushToTalkEnabled=1
uTransmitPreference=0
uVivoxVoiceVolume=77
[Landscape]
fScrSpaceErrorThreshold=3.0000
fWorldBorderHeight=2048.0000
[FOWorlds]
uActiveFOWCGMHighId=0
uActiveFOWCGMLowId=0
[Bethesda.net]
uPersistentUuidData3=2981919313
uPersistentUuidData2=2595093843
uPersistentUuidData1=3923002471
uPersistentUuidData0=4258121112
[Workshop]
bWorkshopFreeCameraControlsHoldToggle=0
fWorkshopFreeCameraRotationSpeed=3.0000
fWorkshopFreeCameraTranslationSpeed=15.0000
bWorkshopFreeCameraStartAtPreviousFreeCameraLocation=1
bWorkshopStartInFreeCamera=0
bClientShowWorkshopWeatherOverride=1
bClientEnableIntenseLightEffects=1
[Automation]
fAutoCamHeight=300.0000
fRestDuration=5.0000
[Camera]
fTPShipFOV=70.0000
fTPWorldFOV=90.0000
fFPWorldFOV=85.0000
[Accessibility]
bAltFastTravelControl=0
uiScreenNarrationVoice=0
uiTextToSpeechVoice=0
fMessageFadeAmountOption=3.0000
fMessageFadeOptionSpeedReset=3.0000
fMessageFadeOptionSpeedMax=10.0000
fMessageFadeOptionSpeedMin=3.0000
fMessageFadeOptionSpeed=3.0000
bScreenNarrationEnabled=0
bUserPrefSpeechToText=0
bUserPrefTextToSpeech=0
bHasHadFirstTimeAccessilbility=1
fTextToSpeechVoiceSpeed=5.0000
uiTextToSpeechVoiceVolume=100

[Mooman]

Originally posted by Lisa:

Originally posted by Mooman:

A few things of note:

Fallout76Prefs.ini

[Display]

bFull Screen=0
bBorderless=0

This will run your game in a window, I think. This could lead to performance issues. Ideally only one item should have a 1 for either full screen or borderless window.

[Decals]
bDecals=1
bSkinnedDecals=1
uMaxDecals=1000
uMaxSkinDecals=100

1000 decals is a lot. These are bullet marks, blood splatter etc. This'll eat up VRAM over time. You can easily drop this to 100 without much notice.

They are the only things I'd try first as that decals option will cause issues over time.

Edit: I just noticed with my own game that the other .ini file: Fallout76.ini had defaulted back to Full Screen 0 and Borderless 1. The issue with that file is it is overwritten by the same file in your Steam install every time you start the game. Usual install location is programme files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Fallout76 This file is downloaded new every update and every time you do a verify as it is seen as a modified file.

So... edit it in the Steam install and/or the Documents/My Game folder (it'll overwrite anyway) to your preferred settings of full screen or borderless.

[Lisa]

Originally posted by Mooman:

Originally posted by Lisa:

A few things of note:


This will run your game in a window, I think. This could lead to performance issues. Ideally only one item should have a 1 for either full screen or borderless window.


1000 decals is a lot. These are bullet marks, blood splatter etc. This'll eat up VRAM over time. You can easily drop this to 100 without much notice.

They are the only things I'd try first as that decals option will cause issues over time.

Edit: I just noticed with my own game that the other .ini file: Fallout76.ini had defaulted back to Full Screen 0 and Borderless 1. The issue with that file is it is overwritten by the same file in your Steam install every time you start the game. Usual install location is programme files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Fallout76 This file is downloaded new every update and every time you do a verify as it is seen as a modified file.

So... edit it in the Steam install and/or the Documents/My Game folder (it'll overwrite anyway) to your preferred settings of full screen or borderless.

bFull Screen=0
bBorderless=1

uMaxDecals=96
uMaxSkinDecals=24

I set it up this way, but it crashed within minutes, as it has done so far.
Also, I could not figure out how to move the borderless window, it was fixed in the upper left corner.
If the window cannot be moved or only works in full screen I cannot play this game as it does not fit my play style.
I also tried setting the CPU core limit but that did not improve the crashes.
I am going to give up playing Fallout76 because the crashes are not improving.
Thank you.

[moonstarmac]

I have had the same issue for a few months now.

Ryzen5 5700X3D, 16GB RAM, RX6700XT, game installed on 2TB NVME.

Game crashes every 2 of 3 launches on the Please Stand By screen, attempting to end task locks the computer. I am starting to think the December update broke a lot more than the Holiday Scorched.

[splinterz]

Stuff like this can be hard to pin down, on my intel/nvidia or amd/nvidia win 10 It's just ctd or program freeze once or twice a week. Crashing in such short time sounds like somethings corrupted, crashes such as this in my past since win95 always came back to sound card/driver issues. Easy enough to uninstall mb sound drivers, delete that folder and reinstall the newest flavour. Sound in this game always sketchy , I'm sure lots of crashes at events are due to too many calls with all the gunfire. GL

[Finkleschtein]

Just got this issue as well, except I can access the windows bar to log out. Did not have this problem last week.

[Global Rage]

OK, 9700 check but I run a 2800 GPU, is your machine overheating? I suspect a power supply issue or GPU overheat, Check for dust but if you blow it out remember to use your fingers to stop spinning cooling fans as that can generate current.