Game crash

[zyph3r]

My game was working almost fine, but now it crashes shortly after launching. I'm using the Steam version, and about 20 seconds after I hit "Play," I get a blue box saying "Unfortunately, the game crashed."

I’ve tried deleting all mods and running a file integrity check, but that didn’t help. The only thing that works is deleting the saved files/DCS folder—then the game starts. But as soon as I add back anything like my 20 keybinds or option settings, it crashes again.

I'm really tired of going down this rabbit hole, especially when I’ve spent so much time fine-tuning VR settings and configurations.

Anyone else been through this or have tips?

[MAXsenna]

16 minutes ago, zyph3r said:

The only thing that works is deleting the saved files/DCS folder

Don't delete. Just rename the folder, and you have a back up of your controller bindings and all your settings. 

Are you adding any mods to the Saved Games folder? If you do, it's definitely one of them that crashes the game. Can't really see how any settings would crash it.

I highly recommend a mod manager, even for Saved Games mods, as it's so easy to enable and disable one by one until you find the culprit. After the latest update, quite a few mods have become incompatible. 

It would really help if you can post your latest DCS.log. After it crashes, just drag and drop it here before you try to start DCS again. 

[zyph3r]

dcs.log-20250411-065543.zip

@MAXsenna Thank you for your help, here it is.

Edited April 11 by zyph3r

[zyph3r]

23 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

Don't delete. Just rename the folder, and you have a back up of your controller bindings and all your settings. 

Are you adding any mods to the Saved Games folder? If you do, it's definitely one of them that crashes the game. Can't really see how any settings would crash it.

I highly recommend a mod manager, even for Saved Games mods, as it's so easy to enable and disable one by one until you find the culprit. After the latest update, quite a few mods have become incompatible. 

It would really help if you can post your latest DCS.log. After it crashes, just drag and drop it here before you try to start DCS again. 

dcs.log-20250411-211336.zip

This crash log, the dcs saved games folder is clean except from config and options.lua

[sleighzy]

The logs show this is crashing really early on, not long after your peripherals are loaded. You mentioned that a clean saved games works but crashes after putting back your inputs config and options. I would highly recommend adding back just one input at a time in case one of those is causing the crash. Then do the same with the options.lua file. Will help narrow down if there is one in particular. If you find it's just one of them then try rebinding again manually. Running a repair of the game doesn't touch your saved games folder so it's likely this is one of them if it works when clean and crashes when not.

I also note that the vJoy shows as being forcefeedback, not sure where that it set but could try setting that to off as well.

The DxDiag report in the zip file also shows you have blue screen events occurring on your system. This is the output from the log analyzer:

Your system crashes with Bluescreens.

The following kernel-events have been detected:

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE,VIDEO_ENGINE_TIMEOUT_DETECTED

Remove any overclocking (including XMP).

Run SFC and DISM to check your Windows.

Check for any updates of your BIOS or chipset drivers.

For the SCF and DISM checks you can run the below commands using a command prompt run as administrator. Run each command separately and then restart your PC.

sfc /scannow

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

The error trace also references VCRUNTIME140. Not saying that this is the issue but you could try repairing that as well. Is a 1 minute job. Just download the latest C++ distributables from the Microsoft site and run the repair option.

https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

The link above is the direct download of the x64 version from the Microsoft site if you're worried about running that exe:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170

 

Edited April 11 by sleighzy

[zyph3r]

10 hours ago, sleighzy said:

The logs show this is crashing really early on, not long after your peripherals are loaded. You mentioned that a clean saved games works but crashes after putting back your inputs config and options. I would highly recommend adding back just one input at a time in case one of those is causing the crash. Then do the same with the options.lua file. Will help narrow down if there is one in particular. If you find it's just one of them then try rebinding again manually. Running a repair of the game doesn't touch your saved games folder so it's likely this is one of them if it works when clean and crashes when not.

I also note that the vJoy shows as being forcefeedback, not sure where that it set but could try setting that to off as well.

The DxDiag report in the zip file also shows you have blue screen events occurring on your system. This is the output from the log analyzer:

Your system crashes with Bluescreens.

The following kernel-events have been detected:

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE,VIDEO_ENGINE_TIMEOUT_DETECTED

Remove any overclocking (including XMP).

Run SFC and DISM to check your Windows.

Check for any updates of your BIOS or chipset drivers.

For the SCF and DISM checks you can run the below commands using a command prompt run as administrator. Run each command separately and then restart your PC.

sfc /scannow

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

The error trace also references VCRUNTIME140. Not saying that this is the issue but you could try repairing that as well. Is a 1 minute job. Just download the latest C++ distributables from the Microsoft site and run the repair option.

https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

The link above is the direct download of the x64 version from the Microsoft site if you're worried about running that exe:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170

 

Wow, thank you man!!! I give this a shot. Report back in couple of hours.

[zyph3r]

16 hours ago, sleighzy said:

The logs show this is crashing really early on, not long after your peripherals are loaded. You mentioned that a clean saved games works but crashes after putting back your inputs config and options. I would highly recommend adding back just one input at a time in case one of those is causing the crash. Then do the same with the options.lua file. Will help narrow down if there is one in particular. If you find it's just one of them then try rebinding again manually. Running a repair of the game doesn't touch your saved games folder so it's likely this is one of them if it works when clean and crashes when not.

I also note that the vJoy shows as being forcefeedback, not sure where that it set but could try setting that to off as well.

The DxDiag report in the zip file also shows you have blue screen events occurring on your system. This is the output from the log analyzer:

Your system crashes with Bluescreens.

The following kernel-events have been detected:

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE,VIDEO_ENGINE_TIMEOUT_DETECTED

Remove any overclocking (including XMP).

Run SFC and DISM to check your Windows.

Check for any updates of your BIOS or chipset drivers.

For the SCF and DISM checks you can run the below commands using a command prompt run as administrator. Run each command separately and then restart your PC.

sfc /scannow

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

The error trace also references VCRUNTIME140. Not saying that this is the issue but you could try repairing that as well. Is a 1 minute job. Just download the latest C++ distributables from the Microsoft site and run the repair option.

https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

The link above is the direct download of the x64 version from the Microsoft site if you're worried about running that exe:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170

 

@sleighzy Update:
I ran SFC and performed cleanup. I haven't disabled XMP or updated the BIOS, as I updated it a few months ago.
When I launch from Steam and select OpenXR mode, it crashes even with a clean start. However, if I start in normal mode, it works fine. In Normal, I can also add VAICOM and some input without any issues or crashes.

dcs.log-20250412-123823.zip

 

@sleighzy REPORT 2: 
Since this morning, after countless tests: If I start the game from Steam in normal mode, it opens the in-game launcher. From there, if I select VR, the game starts without crashing. (Praise the Lord!) I can even bring my config/Vaicom file along with me. My guess is that the latest patch might have added some code to direct people to the launcher.

Edited April 12 by zyph3r

[sleighzy]

15 hours ago, zyph3r said:

@sleighzy Update:
I ran SFC and performed cleanup. I haven't disabled XMP or updated the BIOS, as I updated it a few months ago.
When I launch from Steam and select OpenXR mode, it crashes even with a clean start. However, if I start in normal mode, it works fine. In Normal, I can also add VAICOM and some input without any issues or crashes.

dcs.log-20250412-123823.zip 226.1 kB · 0 downloads

 

@sleighzy REPORT 2: 
Since this morning, after countless tests: If I start the game from Steam in normal mode, it opens the in-game launcher. From there, if I select VR, the game starts without crashing. (Praise the Lord!) I can even bring my config/Vaicom file along with me. My guess is that the latest patch might have added some code to direct people to the launcher.

Awesome-sauce!! Thanks for the update. Something definitely weird there, will keep in mind for future reference if it crops up for other folk.

Quote

My guess is that the latest patch might have added some code to direct people to the launcher.

Changes were made a number of patches ago when the new launcher was introduced so that this was opened when DCS was started, so has been around longer than the last patch. I don't know what Steam is trying to do when selecting the OpenXR option. Stick with the way you're launching it now and you can't go wrong  
 

[Oscar1984]

В 12.04.2025 в 01:20, sleighzy сказал:

The logs show this is crashing really early on, not long after your peripherals are loaded. You mentioned that a clean saved games works but crashes after putting back your inputs config and options. I would highly recommend adding back just one input at a time in case one of those is causing the crash. Then do the same with the options.lua file. Will help narrow down if there is one in particular. If you find it's just one of them then try rebinding again manually. Running a repair of the game doesn't touch your saved games folder so it's likely this is one of them if it works when clean and crashes when not.

I also note that the vJoy shows as being forcefeedback, not sure where that it set but could try setting that to off as well.

The DxDiag report in the zip file also shows you have blue screen events occurring on your system. This is the output from the log analyzer:

Your system crashes with Bluescreens.

The following kernel-events have been detected:

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE,VIDEO_ENGINE_TIMEOUT_DETECTED

Remove any overclocking (including XMP).

Run SFC and DISM to check your Windows.

Check for any updates of your BIOS or chipset drivers.

For the SCF and DISM checks you can run the below commands using a command prompt run as administrator. Run each command separately and then restart your PC.

sfc /scannow

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

The error trace also references VCRUNTIME140. Not saying that this is the issue but you could try repairing that as well. Is a 1 minute job. Just download the latest C++ distributables from the Microsoft site and run the repair option.

https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

The link above is the direct download of the x64 version from the Microsoft site if you're worried about running that exe:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170

I had similar issues with game crashes after longer sessions, and in my case it turned out to be related to background apps conflicting with DCS. Disabling overlays (like Discord or Nvidia) and running the game in a clean boot really helped. Also, check your log files for any specific error codes, as they usually point to the culprit. While troubleshooting, I kept myself distracted with some light gaming on sites like 1xbet.gw — worth a look if you need a break. But for DCS itself, updating GPU drivers and repairing the install via the launcher finally solved my problem. Give that a try, it might stabilize your setup too.

If you’re dealing with constant crashes in your sim setup and the usual fixes (driver updates/rename Saved Games folder) don’t cut it, here’s something offbeat: take a little break and spin up a session at an online casino for a mood reset. One of my go-to chill spots lately is here: https://bookofdead-finland.fi – quick, low-pressure fun, zero stress on the rig. Then go back to your rig with a cleared head and try the fix-lists: disable mods, rename the folder, check your page-file size. Might sound weird, but sometimes loosening up helps you spot the real issue.

Edited November 9 by Oscar1984

[luisdawson]

On 4/10/2025 at 11:35 PM, zyph3r said:

My game was working almost fine, but now it crashes shortly after launching. I'm using the Steam version, and about 20 seconds after I hit "Play," I get a blue box saying "Unfortunately, the game crashed."

I’ve tried deleting all mods and running a file integrity check, but that didn’t help. The only thing that works is deleting the saved files/DCS folder—then the game starts. But as soon as I add back anything like my 20 keybinds or option settings, it crashes again.

I'm really tired of going down this rabbit hole, especially when I’ve spent so much time fine-tuning VR settings and configurations.

Anyone else been through this or have tips?

 

I’m honestly getting tired of dealing with this, especially after spending so much time fine-tuning my VR settings. What’s funny is that when I play other things online, I never run into issues like this; recently I came across this site https://casinosanalyzer.com/free-spins-no-deposit/for-existing-players while I was checking out some online casino information, found a few casino sites worth trying, tried a couple of free-spin offers, and everything ran smoothly without a single bug. Meanwhile, DCS just keeps crashing for no clear reason.

It sounds like something in your configuration or saved data folder is getting corrupted. Since deleting the DCS folder fixes it, you might try moving it somewhere else and adding things back one piece at a time (like Config, Input, Missions, etc.) to see which part triggers the crash. Sometimes it’s the options.lua or a bad control profile that gets messed up after an update. Also, check if you’re running any scripts or custom liveries that could reference old paths. If it still happens clean, maybe try launching with --force_enable_VR or --force_disable_VR to rule out VR settings. I’ve had to rebuild my DCS Saved Games folder before too. It’s annoying, but once you find the culprit it usually stays stable after that.

Edited Friday at 09:38 AM by luisdawson