Crashing whenever getting near Sarethi Farm.

[Odium_Hector]

Got the Anniversary Edition end of last year during a holiday special. Been playing a lot and loving it! Ran into a problem. Every time I try to go to Sarethi Farm for the crimson nirnroot quest I either CTD or the horse I'm riding and I go WAY up in the air, the horse disappears as I hear the sound of the horse dying, I go rag dolling all over the place until it reloads, and then it crashes while trying to reload.

I don't have any mods because I've read for years about how much they make the game even more bugged than Bethezda did. I just have AE with all of the official DLCs and CC. I've found guides for cleaning up mods using xEdit, but I'm seeing warnings against cleaning files when you don't know the mod authors' intent or for other reasons. This is way over my head so any help would be appreciated. I found another forum post describing a similar problem that was fixed by disabling references. What does this mean?

I Here's my load order according to LOOT:
0 0 Skyrim.esm
1 1 Update.esm
2 2 Dawnguard.esm
3 3 HearthFires.esm
4 4 Dragonborn.esm
5 5 ccasvsse001-almsivi.esm
6 6 ccBGSSSE001-Fish.esm
254 FE 0 ccbgssse002-exoticarrows.esl
254 FE 1 ccbgssse003-zombies.esl
254 FE 2 ccbgssse004-ruinsedge.esl
254 FE 3 ccbgssse005-goldbrand.esl
254 FE 4 ccbgssse006-stendarshammer.esl
254 FE 5 ccbgssse007-chrysamere.esl
254 FE 6 ccbgssse010-petdwarvenarmoredmudcrab.esl
254 FE 7 ccbgssse011-hrsarmrelvn.esl
254 FE 8 ccbgssse012-hrsarmrstl.esl
254 FE 9 ccbgssse014-spellpack01.esl
254 FE a ccbgssse019-staffofsheogorath.esl
254 FE b ccbgssse020-graycowl.esl
254 FE c ccbgssse021-lordsmail.esl
254 FE d ccmtysse001-knightsofthenine.esl
254 FE e ccQDRSSE001-SurvivalMode.esl
7 7 cctwbsse001-puzzledungeon.esm
8 8 cceejsse001-hstead.esm
254 FE f ccqdrsse002-firewood.esl
254 FE 10 ccbgssse018-shadowrend.esl
254 FE 11 ccbgssse035-petnhound.esl
254 FE 12 ccfsvsse001-backpacks.esl
254 FE 13 cceejsse002-tower.esl
254 FE 14 ccedhsse001-norjewel.esl
254 FE 15 ccvsvsse002-pets.esl
254 FE 16 ccBGSSSE037-Curios.esl
254 FE 17 ccbgssse034-mntuni.esl
254 FE 18 ccbgssse045-hasedoki.esl
254 FE 19 ccbgssse008-wraithguard.esl
254 FE 1a ccbgssse036-petbwolf.esl
254 FE 1b ccffbsse001-imperialdragon.esl
254 FE 1c ccmtysse002-ve.esl
254 FE 1d ccbgssse043-crosselv.esl
254 FE 1e ccvsvsse001-winter.esl
254 FE 1f cceejsse003-hollow.esl
9 9 ccbgssse016-umbra.esm
10 a ccbgssse031-advcyrus.esm
254 FE 20 ccbgssse038-bowofshadows.esl
254 FE 21 ccbgssse040-advobgobs.esl
254 FE 22 ccbgssse050-ba_daedric.esl
254 FE 23 ccbgssse052-ba_iron.esl
254 FE 24 ccbgssse054-ba_orcish.esl
254 FE 25 ccbgssse058-ba_steel.esl
254 FE 26 ccbgssse059-ba_dragonplate.esl
254 FE 27 ccbgssse061-ba_dwarven.esl
254 FE 28 ccpewsse002-armsofchaos.esl
254 FE 29 ccbgssse041-netchleather.esl
254 FE 2a ccedhsse002-splkntset.esl
254 FE 2b ccbgssse064-ba_elven.esl
254 FE 2c ccbgssse063-ba_ebony.esl
254 FE 2d ccbgssse062-ba_dwarvenmail.esl
254 FE 2e ccbgssse060-ba_dragonscale.esl
254 FE 2f ccbgssse056-ba_silver.esl
254 FE 30 ccbgssse055-ba_orcishscaled.esl
254 FE 31 ccbgssse053-ba_leather.esl
254 FE 32 ccbgssse051-ba_daedricmail.esl
254 FE 33 ccbgssse057-ba_stalhrim.esl
254 FE 34 ccbgssse066-staves.esl
11 b ccbgssse067-daedinv.esm
254 FE 35 ccbgssse068-bloodfall.esl
254 FE 36 ccbgssse069-contest.esl
254 FE 37 ccvsvsse003-necroarts.esl
254 FE 38 ccvsvsse004-beafarmer.esl
12 c ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS.esm
254 FE 39 ccffbsse002-crossbowpack.esl
254 FE 3a ccbgssse013-dawnfang.esl
254 FE 3b ccrmssse001-necrohouse.esl
254 FE 3c ccedhsse003-redguard.esl
254 FE 3d cceejsse004-hall.esl
13 d cceejsse005-cave.esm
254 FE 3e cckrtsse001_altar.esl
254 FE 3f cccbhsse001-gaunt.esl
14 e ccafdsse001-dwesanctuary.esm

[Corinze]

Do you have a decent pc? Sounds like you are running over 60fps. Try capping your frame rate to 60. The ragdolling, flying horses are usually physic related to frame rates.

[Odium_Hector]

Would the FPS cause the game to crash when I'm going on foot?

Computer Specs:
Intel i7-12700KF 3.60 GHz
32GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, VRAM 8 Gb
3D Premium Surround Sound
Windows 11 64-bit, x64-based processor
DirectX 12
All Windows and NVIDIA drivers are up-to-date.
60 Hz screen refresh rate
Game Graphics:
58 FPS
1920x1080 resolution
FXAA (Low) antialiasing
Low shadow quality
Medium shadow distance
No decal quantity
No godrays quality
Screen space ambient occlusion
Low distant object detail
Low object detail fade

[4K_240hz_MLED]

Uh oh, seems like you have 2 specs that are known to cause problems in many software. Those would be Core 12th Gen processors and Windows 11 OS. Doesn't happen to everyone, but ut happens often enough that it is a legitimate problem.

[smr1957]

First, try verifying the Master files. Read and follow this:

How to verify integrity of game cache by Ilja -
http://steamcommunity.com/app/489830/discussions/0/1843493219431033688/
(from PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References, Section 5, General Troubleshooting)

Second, and unrelated to your issue - with those specs you should be able to have all the graphics settings maxed out at Ultra without a problem.

[P.]

Use console command "TFC" and go to same area where the game is crashing. If the game doesn't crash, it means a quest/script is triggering CTD, otherewise (CTD anyway) it can be some invalid mesh/texture files.

[Bandy]

Originally posted by P.:

... it can be some invalid mesh/texture files.

...sound files can be culprit as well...

But with a lot of mods and long load order, have to ask if OP installed mods using best practices, i.e. no install mod then change mind on that mod, yet keep going with the same save minus the mod... There are <many> bad user habits that cause CTD, just saying.

Sometimes you just need to start a new game.

[Odium_Hector]

Originally posted by Bandy:

But with a lot of mods and long load order, have to ask if OP installed mods using best practices, i.e. no install mod then change mind on that mod, yet keep going with the same save minus the mod... There are <many> bad user habits that cause CTD, just saying.

I don't have any mods installed. Just the official Bethezda DLCs and the CC DLCs that came preinstalled with the Anniversary Edition.

[Odium_Hector]

Originally posted by P.:

Use console command "TFC" and go to same area where the game is crashing. If the game doesn't crash, it means a quest/script is triggering CTD, otherewise (CTD anyway) it can be some invalid mesh/texture files.

I traveled under the TFC command. My game didn't crash, but as I got close to the area with the Sarethi Farm all of the geometry for the environment (including the farm) flickered like a strobe light whether I kept moving or not. Then, it just disappeared altogether.

https://imgur.com/a/uqLIq1Z

Should I use the following method to validate the master game cache? I already validated the master game files in the Steam program by going to the game in my library, right-clicking the game, selecting properties, and using the Verify Game Files option there.

Originally posted by smr1957:

How to verify integrity of game cache by Ilja -
http://steamcommunity.com/app/489830/discussions/0/1843493219431033688/
(from PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References, Section 5, General Troubleshooting)

[smr1957]

Originally posted by Odium_Hector:

Originally posted by P.:

Use console command "TFC" and go to same area where the game is crashing. If the game doesn't crash, it means a quest/script is triggering CTD, otherewise (CTD anyway) it can be some invalid mesh/texture files.

I traveled under the TFC command. My game didn't crash, but as I got close to the area with the Sarethi Farm all of the geometry for the environment (including the farm) flickered like a strobe light whether I kept moving or not. Then, it just disappeared altogether.

https://imgur.com/a/uqLIq1Z

Should I use the following method to validate the master game cache? I already validated the master game files in the Steam program by going to the game in my library, right-clicking the game, selecting properties, and using the Verify Game Files option there.

Originally posted by smr1957:

How to verify integrity of game cache by Ilja -
http://steamcommunity.com/app/489830/discussions/0/1843493219431033688/
(from PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References, Section 5, General Troubleshooting)

That flickering is due to a bad mesh - usually you see that when a mesh from original Skyrim (Oldrim) is used and not converted for use in SSE. There should be no way that what you see is from SSE or CC content unless a file got corrupted during download. First validate the Master files as I posted in my post #4. If that does not work, you will need to do a clean reinstall, as despite you saying that you never modded, there is some file that does not belong causing the issue. See and follow this guide exactly should you need to do so:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2743619856

If you prefer a vid, see this by GamerPoets - Clean Installation Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ5uNCKOKmI
(links from PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References, Section 5, General Troubleshooting,)

[Odium_Hector]

Originally posted by smr1957:

That flickering is due to a bad mesh - usually you see that when a mesh from original Skyrim (Oldrim) is used and not converted for use in SSE. There should be no way that what you see is from SSE or CC content unless a file got corrupted during download. First validate the Master files as I posted in my post #4. If that does not work, you will need to do a clean reinstall, as despite you saying that you never modded, there is some file that does not belong causing the issue. See and follow this guide exactly should you need to do so:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2743619856

If you prefer a vid, see this by GamerPoets - Clean Installation Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ5uNCKOKmI
(links from PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References, Section 5, General Troubleshooting,)

If I do need to do the reinstall, can I back up all of my game saves and load them into the reinstalled game? Or will that cause the problem to happen again?

I really appreciate the help with this!

[smr1957]

If the issue is indeed a mesh, then you should have no further issues once the file is fixed and you should be able to use your existing saves. So definitely back them up (though they are stored in a separate folder and so should not be touched when going through the reinstall process - but it is always good to have a separate backup of them).

[Odium_Hector]

Originally posted by smr1957:

If the issue is indeed a mesh, then you should have no further issues once the file is fixed and you should be able to use your existing saves. So definitely back them up (though they are stored in a separate folder and so should not be touched when going through the reinstall process - but it is always good to have a separate backup of them).

I tried validating the master files. I tried uninstalling the entire game and reinstalled it in a new directory not in the Programs Folder like the videos said. I can now get within sight of the farm's silo, but the game still crashes before I can actually get to the farm. Got any other ideas? I'd rather not resort to using the console command to finish the quest because I'm concerned I might not get The Nirnroot Missive or the Sinderion's Serendipity ability for turning in the quest the normal way.

[Vlad 254]

Yes following Gamerpoets excellent video you will lose your saves so back them up first. They should be here:
C:\Users\Owner\Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition\Saves

[Fear2288]

Probably not your issue, but I know that when I’ve had CTDs while moving towards an area it’s usually because the game is trying to load NPCs, an event, or textures/meshes and for whatever reason it just craps the bed and crashes.

Reloading an earlier save and trying again, fast traveling away and then coming back, or waiting for awhile before trying again usually fixes this issue for me.

[Odium_Hector]

Originally posted by Vlad 254:

Yes following Gamerpoets excellent video you will lose your saves so back them up first. They should be here:
C:\Users\Owner\Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition\Saves

Curious. I backed up my saves on a thumb drive, deleted the originals, and unplugged the thumb drive before following the video's instructions to reinstall the game. My game saves automatically loaded without me having to plug the thumb drive back in. They might be backed up on a Steam cloud account and were automatically downloaded to my computer during the reinstallation. Maybe that's why the problem keeps happening after the reinstallation.