❗ Monster Hunter Wilds Crashing on Ryzen 5 1600 (Zen 1) — Exception C0000096 — Likely Unsupported Instruction

[unsword]

Hey all — I’m dealing with consistent game crashes that appear to be related to CPU instruction compatibility, and I wanted to both raise awareness and report this in detail.

System Specs:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (Zen 1)
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 (Driver: 528.83 – March 2025, WHQL)
RAM: 32GB DDR4
Storage: Fast SSD
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Display: Ultrawide (3440x1440)

Crash Behavior:

The game consistently crashes to desktop with no error message. Sometimes it takes 30–40 minutes, sometimes just 2. Once REFramework was removed, I started seeing the proper Capcom crash reporter, and the crash log always shows:

ExceptionCode : C0000096
ExceptionAddress: 0x14BEECDB2
Faulting Module : MonsterHunterWilds.exe
That code (C0000096) points to a privileged or unsupported instruction being called. From what I’ve gathered, this could be a result of the game trying to execute instructions that are only available on newer CPUs (like AVX2 or FMA3), which Zen 1 doesn’t support.

What I’ve Already Tried (in full):

Software & Mod Fixes:
Fully clean uninstalled the game

Manually deleted leftover folders from:
SteamApps/common
%AppData%
Documents\My Games\

No REFramework or mods reinstalled
Removed all autorun/ scripts, .ini configs, and Lua files
Verified files multiple times
Ran the game with -dx11 launch flag
Tried both fullscreen and borderless windowed
Tested with both ultrawide and 16:9 resolutions
Disabled all overlays (Steam, NVIDIA, Discord)
Set graphics to Low/Medium
Let game idle and also ran live hunts to trigger crash conditions
Hardware & System Settings:
Updated GPU drivers (WHQL)
Monitored system (CPU, GPU, RAM, VRAM) — no overheating, no spikes
Tried on High Performance power plan
Disabled background apps and cleaned startup

Conclusion:

Based on all this testing, the game appears to execute CPU instructions not supported by Ryzen 1000-series (Zen 1). This wasn't always an issue — crashes likely began after a recent patch that introduced new code paths. If the game isn't doing proper CPU feature checks before calling these instructions, users on Zen 1 chips (still common!) will continue to crash hard with Exception C0000096.

Request to Capcom:

Please consider implementing a CPU feature check or fallback for users on Zen 1 or similar older CPUs. At the very least, updating the system requirements to reflect AVX2 or similar needs would help players avoid this frustrating issue.

Happy to provide full logs, crash dumps, or testing help if needed.

[アンジェル]

Publicado originalmente por Doom:

bon je reviens au nouvelle cela ne fonctionne pas toujours les mêmes crash avec les même code erreur par contre j'ai remarqué que dans les fichier du benchmark les fichiers nommée rechunk001 et 002 ne sont pas présent serait t'il possible que ca vienne de ces fichier

No.

[Rod]

Publicado originalmente por unsword:

Publicado originalmente por NeoX:

Install the MHWilds Benchmark (uses the directstorage version of the release of the game, that did still support Ryzen 1000 CPU's command-list and feature limitation). Run it and see if it crashes there too. If it does not crash there, copy over the directstorage DLL files over to the main game and see if it still crashes for you.

yep that seem to have worked out, just had an hour long session multiple hunts across multiple biomes, no crashes. you're a legend.
for anyone reading, grab dstorage.dll and dstoragecore.dll from the benchmark version of the game and slap it into the current mhwilds main folder version if you're having this issue running Zen 1 CPUs, this entirely explains the C0000096 exception crashes.
You're a legend NeoX.

I have the same series cpu as you and also getting the same error. I found a way to consistenly crash within a min. Do you mind if you can perform this test for me to see if its truley fixed?

Option 1: Start a new save file, go through all cut scene, when you get to Hunter/palico screen, stay on that screen for 1 min
Option 2: go to Support cat, edit tent, stay on that screen for a min or 2.

And also, what version of direct support dll files are the ones from the benchmark?

Thanks.

[Doom]

ce qui est étrange c'est que le benchmark par contre tourne a merveille peut être par ce que c'est un script

[ᛈᚢᛒᚲᚱᚨᛚᚱ13]

Publicado originalmente por AH-1 Cobra:

Bro, you can probably support a better CPU if you upgrade your motherboard Bios. You can buy a Ryzen 5 5600 for around $100 USD. If it's an OEM motherboard, you're probably screwed though. But you can always look up your motherboard model, and see if there are any bios updates that provide support for the 5000 series CPUs.

I'm using a Ryzen 7 5800X3D in an x370 motherboard, which is from 1st gen Ryzen. It benchmarks the exact same as it does in a newer chipset.

This. Most people don't realize how impactful their system BIOS is.

[Hastur]

I've got that exact CPU, still crashes after swapping direcstorage

[Kiririn]

It's because the issue does not have to do with DirectStorage.

DirectStorage is supported on Windows 10 which also has full support for Zen 1.

Publicado originalmente por Hastur:

I've got that exact CPU, still crashes after swapping direcstorage

[namakubi]

Publicado originalmente por Hastur:

I've got that exact CPU, still crashes after swapping direcstorage

Excuse the machine translation.
I had the same problem, but it was cured after updating the chipset drivers on the motherboard!
I had already updated the BIOS but the chipset driver was a blind spot.

[NeoX]

Publicado originalmente por Hastur:

I've got that exact CPU, still crashes after swapping direcstorage

1. Bios update
2. chipset and driver update
3. benchmark test
4. apply solution

Publicado originalmente por Kiririn:

It's because the issue does not have to do with DirectStorage.

DirectStorage is supported on Windows 10 which also has full support for Zen 1.

Publicado originalmente por Hastur:

I've got that exact CPU, still crashes after swapping direcstorage

It is sort of. The latest version uses a CPU command feature the 1st ryzen generation does not have. It was added this year to directstorage. Thats the reason why older versions still work legacy wise. AVX2! Its AVX2 that the newwest directstorage version is based on and the reason why the older generations crash on it.

[Kiririn]

We have had the discussion. I'm not trying to be argumentative but I have yet to see any documentation or article that mentions what technologies and/or CPUs are required for DirectStorage. I tried looking for them, I asked you, I'm guessing you tried looking for them, and we came up with nothing definitive.

I did see multiple sources all citing the same requirements when it came to NVMe and GPU. Those are easy to find and the corroborate each other.

No onto the matter of AVX2.

- Wilds requires AVX2, as far as I know.
- There a numerous reports of the game failing to launch/crashing on launch with a CPU that does not support AVX2.
- The OP reported being able to launch and play the game, but with instability.
- Zen 1 supports AVX2, albeit it's slower than Zen 2.
- Other people have reported swapping the DirectStorage DLLs with no luck, further giving credence to the idea that DirectStorage is not at the root of the issues.

Maybe you've got other information, but that is my understanding.

Publicado originalmente por NeoX:

Publicado originalmente por Kiririn:

It's because the issue does not have to do with DirectStorage.

DirectStorage is supported on Windows 10 which also has full support for Zen 1.

It is sort of. The latest version uses a CPU command feature the 1st ryzen generation does not have. It was added this year to directstorage. Thats the reason why older versions still work legacy wise. AVX2! Its AVX2 that the newwest directstorage version is based on and the reason why the older generations crash on it.

[NeoX]

Publicado originalmente por Kiririn:

We have had the discussion. I'm not trying to be argumentative but I have yet to see any documentation or article that mentions what technologies and/or CPUs are required for DirectStorage. I tried looking for them, I asked you, I'm guessing you tried looking for them, and we came up with nothing definitive.

I did see multiple sources citing the same thing when it came to NVMe and GPU requirements. Those are easy to find and the corroborate each other.

No onto the matter of AVX2.

- Wilds requires AVX2, as far as I know.
- There a numerous reports of the game failing to launch/crashing on launch with a CPU that does not support AVX2.
- The OP reported being able to launch and play the game, but with instability.
- Zen 1 supports AVX2, albeit it's slower than Zen 2.
- Other people have reported swapping the DirectStorage DLLs with no luck, further giving credence to the idea that DirectStorage is not at the root of the issues.

Maybe you've got other information, but that is my understanding.

Publicado originalmente por NeoX:

It is sort of. The latest version uses a CPU command feature the 1st ryzen generation does not have. It was added this year to directstorage. Thats the reason why older versions still work legacy wise. AVX2! Its AVX2 that the newwest directstorage version is based on and the reason why the older generations crash on it.

Get actual correct sources. What you state is wrong in every PoV. But i mostly recommend you is to check that ryzen 1000 and 2000 do not support AVX2. That was introduced with ryzen 3000.
Just check wikipedia. To prove the AVX2 requirement of the latest directstorage version, just check the sourcecode on github.

If you refuse this, not my problem. It has been proven here over and over again that this has also been the solution.

I end this conversation here, since its not the topic to educate people with false and outdated knowlege.

[Kiririn]

Wow. No sources and a bad attitude. Even after receiving a polite response. How about I do you one better and link you multiple sources citing AVX2 support in Zen.

"While not new, Zen also supports AVX, AVX2, FMA3, BMI1, BMI2, AES, RdRand, SMEP."
https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/amd/microarchitectures/zen

"Zen supports AVX2 but it requires two clock cycles to complete each AVX2 instruction compared to Intel's one.[71][72] This difference was corrected in Zen 2."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_(first_generation)

"Features: AVX2"
https://www.techpowerup.com/cpu-specs/ryzen-7-1800x.c1879

Me: Multiple sources.
You: 100% attitude. 0% facts.

Publicado originalmente por NeoX:

Publicado originalmente por Kiririn:

We have had the discussion. I'm not trying to be argumentative but I have yet to see any documentation or article that mentions what technologies and/or CPUs are required for DirectStorage. I tried looking for them, I asked you, I'm guessing you tried looking for them, and we came up with nothing definitive.

I did see multiple sources citing the same thing when it came to NVMe and GPU requirements. Those are easy to find and the corroborate each other.

No onto the matter of AVX2.

- Wilds requires AVX2, as far as I know.
- There a numerous reports of the game failing to launch/crashing on launch with a CPU that does not support AVX2.
- The OP reported being able to launch and play the game, but with instability.
- Zen 1 supports AVX2, albeit it's slower than Zen 2.
- Other people have reported swapping the DirectStorage DLLs with no luck, further giving credence to the idea that DirectStorage is not at the root of the issues.

Maybe you've got other information, but that is my understanding.

Get actual correct sources. What you state is wrong in every PoV. But i mostly recommend you is to check that ryzen 1000 and 2000 do not support AVX2. That was introduced with ryzen 3000.
Just check wikipedia. To prove the AVX2 requirement of the latest directstorage version, just check the sourcecode on github.

If you refuse this, not my problem. It has been proven here over and over again that this has also been the solution.

I end this conversation here, since its not the topic to educate people with false and outdated knowlege.

[Doom]

toujours aucune communication de Capcom.
pourtant on est plusieurs a avoir ce problème

[Hastur]

Publicado originalmente por NeoX:

Publicado originalmente por Hastur:

I've got that exact CPU, still crashes after swapping direcstorage

1. Bios update
2. chipset and driver update
3. benchmark test
4. apply solution

The benchmark worked fine even before I did any troubleshooting, and it's still going right. And what do you mean with "apply solution"?

[NeoX]

Publicado originalmente por Hastur:

Publicado originalmente por NeoX:

1. Bios update
2. chipset and driver update
3. benchmark test
4. apply solution

The benchmark worked fine even before I did any troubleshooting, and it's still going right. And what do you mean with "apply solution"?

please see "solution post of the thread".

Copy & Paste:

Install the MHWilds Benchmark (uses the directstorage version of the release of the game, that did still support Ryzen 1000 CPU's command-list and feature limitation). Run it and see if it crashes there too. If it does not crash there, copy over the directstorage DLL files over to the main game and see if it still crashes for you.

[namakubi]

I was able to play for 3 hours and it seemed to be cured, but while adjusting graphics settings, it crashed.
After that, the crashes became more frequent as before.
It was an illusion that it seemed to be cured.