Crash when getting on the train

[FluffyPotato]

The game, Steam VR and Steam itself all crash after it starts loading a new level after I get on the train after the gravity glove tutorial. I tried the native Linux version and the Windows version via Proton and both crash exactly the same.

I have a HTC Vive with Steam Index controllers
I'm running Manjaro Linux on the unstable branch (I also tried the stable)

My hw:
AMD Ryzen 5800X3D
AMD Radeon 7900XT
64GB memory

[FluffyPotato]

Found a solution: Had to install OpenXR with my package manager and then everything worked. SteamVR itself started working a lot better too.

[NowIsGold]

In the past I experienced a similar problem. I then switched from the DX11 to the Vulkan API and that solved the issue for me. You can do this via the HL Alyx menu.
In my case the underlying cause appeared to be the now well-known Intel 13th & 14th generation CPU problem. You will sometimes see the error: short of video memory.

[FluffyPotato]

Ok apparently there are more issues... Now it crashes when entering what I assume is the loading zone in the quarantine zone after first 2 headcrab encounters. Since I'm using the Linux build it's already on vulkan and I did monitor memory usage on my GPU and it didn't exceed 30%. I also have an AMD cpu so no issue with the CPU being defective.

I also found the crash takes down wayland as well as the game, steamvr and steam itself. Unfortunately trying it on X11 has the same result with the exception that X11 doesn't recover like wayland did and I had to manually restart it.

[Marie]

I'm also having this problem, also with a 7900 XT. From the kernel logs, it looks like it's this problem with the amdgpu driver: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/drm/amd/-/issues/1974
Did you find a workaround?

[FluffyPotato]

Originally posted by Marie:

I'm also having this problem, also with a 7900 XT. From the kernel logs, it looks like it's this problem with the amdgpu driver: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/drm/amd/-/issues/1974
Did you find a workaround?

Nope, gave up unfortunately

[GNU/Grim]

I fixed this issue for myself today by having hl alyx load the amdvlk vulkan library instead of radv

https://www.reddit.com/r/Fedora/comments/yo9gp6/comment/m1e1j2i/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

[Marie]

Weird, I also tried amdvlk, but it also crashed with it.

[kroltan]

Unfortunately I also crash identically when using AMDVLK, both on Wayland and X11

[GNU/Grim]

yeah I called it too soon when I responded - with amdvlk I managed to get past the train, but the game crashes at the next load point after you kill the first head crabs.

[kroltan]

For unrelated reasons, I switched distros last week (from Manjaro+KDE to CachyOS+KDE), and now the crash still happens, BUT it doesn't bring down the entire GPU, so what I did was to hold the headset on one of my hands, look at the monitor, and awkwardly operate the crank door so I could get past the crash location and save there.

I'll try to upload a save at that location tonight in about 8~10h for the people that are still crashing, feel free to reply again if I forget!

(For the record or future readers, if this is your first playthrough, I do not recommend skipping to Chapter 3, because there is some important exposition and my favorite character scene in the game between the headcrab crash and the start of chapter 3, which is the next point the game lets you skip to)

[ғɢx † Blas de Lezo †]

https://youtu.be/MdO2TrHuwws?feature=shared
i had the exact same problem and this video helped me fix it now i can finally play for gods sake

[FluffyPotato]

Originally posted by ☨ ꝀⱲĄ Blas de Lezo ☨:

https://youtu.be/MdO2TrHuwws?feature=shared
i had the exact same problem and this video helped me fix it now i can finally play for gods sake

This is for a windows issue. Also my swap is already 16GB, so twice as recommended in the video.

[Broetchen]

Same crash happens for me in chapter 2 and 5. Skipped 3, played through 4 without issues and am now stuck again.

I'm currently on openSUSE Tumblweed, kernel version 6.12.8-2-default

GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT
Driver: Mesa 24.3.3

Someone crashing on chapter 2 also referenced this thread here https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/mesa/mesa/-/issues/12442

[samen_91]

Hi, I will leave this here in case IT helps someone: I had a similar Problem, where the game Crashes after the first two headcrap encounters (Chapter 2, the map is a2_pistol), Just before a door/Gate with a wheel, which I assume is a loading area for the next map (which I found must be named a2_hideout).

I am running an AMD RX 6600 XT and ryzen 7 3900X with 32gb RAM and Manjaro Linux. I have a Quest 3 which is connected wirelessly via ALVR and SteamVR. Switching to wired (USB) or lowering the graphics settings did not change anything.

Took me more than a day to figure it out. Would it be any other Game, I would have given Up, but I really wanted to Play it.

So Here is what one could do:
Quick&Dirty method: Just load to chapter 3 via the Main Menu / new Game. But you apparently miss some Story.

Maybe also try this: instead of moving continously, maybe try to Teleport to the wheel that opens the gate. Not Sure about it, Thats what I did in an accident after doing the steps below, so it May be required to do the other things before as well.

Better way/what I did besides several re-installs:
1)Use Proton instead of native Linux Version (via Game settings in Steam). It doesn't fix it, but allows to open the console, which apparently doesn't work in the native Linux version (Thanks Valve, took me several hours to find that out).

2)Add -console -vconsole to launch parameters (there are Guides online for this step)

3)Launch the game with the Headset on. Hope it opens with your Proton version. For me, I was able to open the console in the Main Menu with the "`" key (online, I found it opens with the ~ key, but I am pretty Sure I Had to use the other one). Hint: On a non-US Keyboard Layout, it might be necessary to Change the Layout to US.

4) Type map a2_hideout and press enter. When I did that from the Main Menu, it loaded into the exact Location, and I was able to open the gate and continue. Others said that you need to first load into the gameplay and than load the next map, but for me that did also result in a crash.

5) save the Game and hope for the best

6) Change back to native Linux version If needed.

Man, this may be most tinkering I have ever done with any game ever. And apparently there are a lot of people with this Problem. I don't understand why this happens so long after Release with Valves flagship game.

[Link_jon]

woot woot
i think i found the solution? Havent pushed to pistol, but i was able to get past the intro (aka, the train didnt crash steam. Thanks Cachy, for saving my gpu from crashing, apparently XD)

But, messing around, i tried installed 'vulkan-mesa-layers'
Seems to be going... okay.... with the main problem being that, exception of the main menu, most loading screens are very... wrong. Alongside that, the VR steam dashboard is completely broken. Its still there, but unrendered. Might be a sideeffect of testing with amdvlk though, so imma go ahead and reboot to clean things up and see what i get.

(it really doesnt help my controller is broken and drifts... making it very VERY hard to not accidentally teleport out of the map... if i dont save every 5 seconds i lose that 5 seconds of progress XD)
...also, i had to install openXR manually too. Thanks.

{Reboot: No longer launches. What? decided to reverify, before remembering i turned off compatibility tool... which was literally just steam linux runtime, but that mightve done it. need to wait for verification now though, so ill leave this for later...}

(???? Re reboot after messing around, and now it works?
Sigh... )