Constant Crash to desktop.

[Salty]

**Edit: will be noting all crashes in this post along with the attempted fixes**
**All fixes were done individually until the crash happens. Then another fix attempted.
**Windows is not logging any of the events in Event Viewer. There is no dump to provide as windows is not noting the crash itself.
**The Sony/PS report popup does not always show after a crash. Reports are sent for every crash when the popup is provided.
** 25/03 Downloaded and played Remnant 2 on Ultra settings with DLSS on, streaming to Discord, and no crashes. Played >1 hour with no issues at all, no crashes, no FPS loss, etc.
** 26/03 Downloaded and played Alan Wake 2 on Ultra settings, DLSS and DLSS Frame generation on, Ray tracing on Medium, streaming to discord, no crashes. CoreTemp and GEForce Performance Monitor running with no issues noted/no spikes/no fps drops/no latency. etc.

This is a brand new <2 week PC and the only other game initially downloaded was Nightingale until Horizon came out.

Noted:
While in the tutorial mode (prior to the main game song/actual game start), crashes would happen every 5-20 minutes.

24/03: Past the tutorial mode (after leaving Meridian/post main game song/cutscene) it happens about every hour.

25/03: Currently experiencing more frequent crashes starting at 2:42pm UTC+1 (5 minutes after starting to play):
3 - Straight to desktop crash. I do get the PS/Sony popup error report request (and i do send it)
3 - Full computer freeze, no audio/visual. No BSOD. No notations are in the Event logger. Windows is only logging that the PC was shut down inappropriately and restarted correctly in Event Viewer.
I have currently been trying to play for 3 hours (5:34pm UTC+1)
1 - BSOD , no windows event viewer log noted. just that the computer was unresponsive (no reason given or error) and the restart was successful. *7pm UTC+1


************
Original Post
As says, crashing to Desktop after 20 min of play or so:
New pc with Windows 11
NVidea GEForce RTX 4070TI
AMD Ryzen 9 7900 12 core CPU
mem: Corsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000
storage: 980 PRO Heatsink NVMe M.2 2 TB SSD and Crucial MX500 2 TB SSD

**INITIAL PLAY 23 MARCH 3pm UTC+1. TRIED THE FOLLOWING**
-Verifying integrity of files (Good)
-Restarting Game and PC
-Updating NVidia Drivers
-Running game in Admin
-Running game in Compatibility Mode (Trialed both 7 and 8)
-Launching game from Installation Folder
-Disabled Steam/Nvidia Overlay and OBS
-Turned off upscaling in the game settings
-Set Shader Cache to 10GB in Nvidia Settings
-DLSS off and DLSS frame generation
-turned down graphic settings (to low)
-Turned off Shader Cache in NVidea/restarting/deleting all items in folders GLCache and DXCache and NV_Cache, Turned on Shader cache and restarted PC.
-Deleted DIrectX Shader Cache
- stopping all background apps/unnecessary processes
- stayed out of Discord during game play
- Removing and reinstalling the Game entirely
- Deleting the prior game save files
***************

**24 MARCH FIX ATTEMPTS:**
-re-verified the game file integrity (good)
-tried increasing the pagefile size (12000mb min-49152mb max)
-Checking BIOS Chipset settings to be sure they are the suggested ones for the vendor
- XMP on. Resize Bar is enabled.
-Checking Settings> Gaming> Game Mode set to "on"
-Checking settings> System > Display > Graphics > Default Graphics Settings for "Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling" and "Optimizations for windowed games" are on
- Changed Horizon Game setting to "Exclusive Fullscreen" **This setting must be done each time I start it**

**25 MARCH FIX ATTEMPTS**
- re-verified game file integrity
-checked Bios chipset settings again to ensure they are set to the recommended and not the default.
- Continuing to try to set Exclusive FullScreen (which does not help).
- Running CoreTemp Overlay and GEForce Performance Overlay to monitor CPU and GPU health/temps/fps/etc while playing. Nothing is out of the ordinary even up to the point of crash. Temps are within regular limits, no spikes, no major drops in FPS / Voltage / Render Latency. All 12 cores are being utilized during the game and the load is shared between them all equally.
- Downloaded and played Remnant 2 at the highest (ultra) settings with DLSS on/everything on. No issues noted during the 1.5 hours of playing.

**26 MARCH**
- downloading Alan Wake 2 and will try to play that at the highest settings and see if can recreate any crash/issues with game play. (Trying to download PC intensive games to rule out the PC as an issue, which is only 1.5 weeks old)
- played some AW2 at highest graphics settings, DLSS and Ray Tracing on, through gaming and cut scenes, while monitoring with CoreTemp and GEForce performance overlay. No issues noted at all.


Any further suggestions from anyone?

[Endragor]

İlk olarak Praesi tarafından gönderildi:

Did you check Temps?

In my case there was no instabilities and no temps related issues. The only problem that i had with the game was that, once closed the game, instead of Steam synchronizing local saves with the cloud, the game would trigger a "Kernel security check failure".

After the third update this bug has been fixed and now i don't have any other issues with the game. Nixxes actually delivered a relatively quick fix.

[Cobra Commander]

I have 2 systems with this game installed. Both are windows 11. One REQUIRES win 8 compatibility, or it wont even launch...and when it does it takes 15 MINUTES to load into the game. That system is a 14900KF w/ a 4090, and 128GB of system ram... The second system a 9900k w/ 64 GB ram, and a 3090Kingpin, runs it FLAWLESSLY, no compatibility settings, nada. just like playing on a PS5... I don't get it.

[Carlos Spicywiener]

İlk olarak Cobra Commander tarafından gönderildi:

I have 2 systems with this game installed. Both are windows 11. One REQUIRES win 8 compatibility, or it wont even launch...and when it does it takes 15 MINUTES to load into the game. That system is a 14900KF w/ a 4090, and 128GB of system ram... The second system a 9900k w/ 64 GB ram, and a 3090Kingpin, runs it FLAWLESSLY, no compatibility settings, nada. just like playing on a PS5... I don't get it.

I believe its an issue with the 4090. I am on a few different forums from time to time and the 4090 seems to be an issue with a lot of people.

[Praesi]

İlk olarak Cobra Commander tarafından gönderildi:

I have 2 systems with this game installed. Both are windows 11. One REQUIRES win 8 compatibility, or it wont even launch...and when it does it takes 15 MINUTES to load into the game. That system is a 14900KF w/ a 4090, and 128GB of system ram... The second system a 9900k w/ 64 GB ram, and a 3090Kingpin, runs it FLAWLESSLY, no compatibility settings, nada. just like playing on a PS5... I don't get it.

Win 10
13900k
rtx 4090
32GB DDR5

No Issues whatsoever.

I doubt any modern Game needs Win 8 compatibility.

[TH3R4BB!T]

Be sure your GPU is not overclocked, mostly that causes crashes with high demanding games. But, I had my FIRST crash after around 100 hours of total gameplay. And it was during a mission with the most annoying NPC, hope I do not have to start the mission all over.

[periurban]

For what it's worth I prevented HFW crashing by changing the screen setting to exclusive full screen.

[Frankie Fire]

İlk olarak periurban tarafından gönderildi:

For what it's worth I prevented HFW crashing by changing the screen setting to exclusive full screen.

Yep, that worked for me as well. Do you have more stutters than before? That is the only downside I experienced so far.

[Zaros]

I am also still getting constant crashes to desktop every 20mins or so (sometimes less). I have tried almost all fixes I've found in these forums and elsewhere.

Specs:
HP Omen 40L GT21-0003na
Windows 11 23H2
NVidea GeForce RTX 3080 10GB (HP OEM)
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
RAM: 32 GB (2 x 16 GB), DDR4 HyperX, 3200 MHz (up to 3722 MHz with boost but I don't use this)
storage: 2TB WD Black Gen 4 TLC M.2 SSD
PSU: 800 W 80 Plus Gold certified ATX power supply (HP OEM)

[Carlos Spicywiener]

İlk olarak Zaros tarafından gönderildi:

I am also still getting constant crashes to desktop every 20mins or so (sometimes less). I have tried almost all fixes I've found in these forums and elsewhere.

Specs:
HP Omen 40L GT21-0003na
Windows 11 23H2
NVidea GeForce RTX 3080 10GB (HP OEM)
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
RAM: 32 GB (2 x 16 GB), DDR4 HyperX, 3200 MHz (up to 3722 MHz with boost but I don't use this)
storage: 2TB WD Black Gen 4 TLC M.2 SSD
PSU: 800 W 80 Plus Gold certified ATX power supply (HP OEM)

I had an hp oem once. Only their drivers would work. They only came out with drivers once or twice a year for the first couple of years, then. Nothing. I tried going to nvidia for drivers but when trying to install, it would always say incompatible

[Bagneule]

Try these steps:

- disable cloud storage for the game on steam
- open: %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition\<user-id>\
- delete profile.dat
- launch the game

The game should create this file from scratch instead of steam cloud downloading the bad one, your setting will be set to default, but it might fix your crash.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/2420110/discussions/0/4355618117946166473/

[Zaros]

İlk olarak Frehgin tarafından gönderildi:

Try these steps:

- disable cloud storage for the game on steam
- open: %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition\<user-id>\
- delete profile.dat
- launch the game

The game should create this file from scratch instead of steam cloud downloading the bad one, your setting will be set to default, but it might fix your crash.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/2420110/discussions/0/4355618117946166473/

Thanks I'll try this. I really hope the devs come out with a fix asap because it's definitely a game issue not a hardware one. Makes an otherwise beautiful game almost unplayable

[[XGS]DonkyBoY]

İlk olarak Zaros tarafından gönderildi:

I am also still getting constant crashes to desktop every 20mins or so (sometimes less). I have tried almost all fixes I've found in these forums and elsewhere.

Specs:
HP Omen 40L GT21-0003na
Windows 11 23H2
NVidea GeForce RTX 3080 10GB (HP OEM)
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
RAM: 32 GB (2 x 16 GB), DDR4 HyperX, 3200 MHz (up to 3722 MHz with boost but I don't use this)
storage: 2TB WD Black Gen 4 TLC M.2 SSD
PSU: 800 W 80 Plus Gold certified ATX power supply (HP OEM)

You refuse to use enable your correct memory settings but want help fixing a game crashing....
The RAM was designed to run with XMP (Intel) or EXPO (AMD) enabled...

Also that is pretty slow RAM for that CPU. defiantly leaving performance on the table and holding back the CPU. While it may work it is the cheap out option. well done you saved $200 on a $2600 cheap office PC build.

Why are you using HDD... The rest of us who like to enjoy playing their games are running from SATA or NVME SSD.

The only thing HP is good for is Office PC's / Printers and 36 months interest free laptops.

[Zaros]

İlk olarak XGSDonkyBoY tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak Zaros tarafından gönderildi:

I am also still getting constant crashes to desktop every 20mins or so (sometimes less). I have tried almost all fixes I've found in these forums and elsewhere.

Specs:
HP Omen 40L GT21-0003na
Windows 11 23H2
NVidea GeForce RTX 3080 10GB (HP OEM)
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
RAM: 32 GB (2 x 16 GB), DDR4 HyperX, 3200 MHz (up to 3722 MHz with boost but I don't use this)
storage: 2TB WD Black Gen 4 TLC M.2 SSD
PSU: 800 W 80 Plus Gold certified ATX power supply (HP OEM)

You refuse to use enable your correct memory settings but want help fixing a game crashing....
The RAM was designed to run with XMP (Intel) or EXPO (AMD) enabled...

Also that is pretty slow RAM for that CPU. defiantly leaving performance on the table and holding back the CPU. While it may work it is the cheap out option. well done you saved $200 on a $2600 cheap office PC build.

Why are you using HDD... The rest of us who like to enjoy playing their games are running from SATA or NVME SSD.

The only thing HP is good for is Office PC's / Printers and 36 months interest free laptops.

Umm...I'm not sure what the point of this post was lol.

I only posted my specs to get relevant help with the crashing issue many others are having. And actually, the reason I don't enable the RAM overclock is because it leads to instability on many games and all my other games I have run fine without the RAM overclock. I also didn't choose the RAM as its a prebuilt, it's a 2TB SSD not HDD and i definitely didn't pay $2600 for it...I'm not sure if you're trolling or not XD

[[XGS]DonkyBoY]

Do you guys know that the cheats for the game have been the cause of many crash's.

Perfect example = Health potions over 100 would cause random CTD after using or after certain world events.
Caused by the Max inventory items option (sets potions to 9999).

How many of you here like to flex and play on mega ultra hardcore insta death mode BUT use cheats to get the job done.

= Fix your inventory (reduce items back down to legit levels) and hope your save is not too badly damaged.

OR

= Start a new game and dont cheat again.

[[XGS]DonkyBoY]

İlk olarak Zaros tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak XGSDonkyBoY tarafından gönderildi:

You refuse to use enable your correct memory settings but want help fixing a game crashing....
The RAM was designed to run with XMP (Intel) or EXPO (AMD) enabled...

Also that is pretty slow RAM for that CPU. defiantly leaving performance on the table and holding back the CPU. While it may work it is the cheap out option. well done you saved $200 on a $2600 cheap office PC build.

Why are you using HDD... The rest of us who like to enjoy playing their games are running from SATA or NVME SSD.

The only thing HP is good for is Office PC's / Printers and 36 months interest free laptops.

Umm...I'm not sure what the point of this post was lol.

I only posted my specs to get relevant help with the crashing issue many others are having. And actually, the reason I don't enable the RAM overclock is because it leads to instability on many games and all my other games I have run fine without the RAM overclock. I also didn't choose the RAM as its a prebuilt, it's a 2TB SSD not HDD and i definitely didn't pay $2600 for it...I'm not sure if you're trolling or not XD

there you go...... your system does not like the RAM.
fix that and your problem will likely go away.

Ye I messed up on the HDD, I seen the Western Digital Black and jumped the gun my bad.

BAD RAM and or settings is very very relevant to the game having random CTD.