Game keeps crashing (locking up) since U41 update today

SuicideRoach · March 21

SuicideRoach wrote: »

Also been having issues with the game constantly freezing while playing since Update 41. Never happened before the update. Happens multiple times an hour now. User id is undisputedroach

to add, just froze 3 times on me in the last 10 minutes. Had to force a restart through task manager each time due to black screen

Athanasia_Nocnitsa · March 21

Have this problem since today. And taskmanager won't even open; It becomes a totally black screen

benzenexz · March 21

For me it is randomly stop responding, have happened during dungeon while we are simply standing waiting, running around after completing a dungeon, some time after joining queue, and finally today it's been crashing while I'm opening hand card window in ToT. Most times happening repeatatively multiple times in a row.

Sangrevida · March 21

I am also experiencing this issue, just as of today. It seems random. The first time I was crafting for daily writs, the second time I had just ported to Grahtwood wayshrine and the third time I had just finished the Sable Knight world boss in High Isle and was walking out of that space.

Just as others have reported, there is no crash to generate logs. Instead it totally freezes. I can't shift to another program via task manager. All I can do is turn my computer off and restart.

BarbedTurtle · March 22

yachoor wrote: »

For anybody using Process Hacker or similar task manager - close it before launching the game or it dies after 30s...

I don't know how you realized it was this but thank you. This has been pretty much keeping me from playing the game for almost 2 weeks now great job ZOS.

[snip]
[edited for bashing]

Pud3l · March 22

I have exactly the same issue. The game stops working without any notification. It was unable to close the game via Task Manager. It happened for the first time after U41. Never had any isseues before. I was just doing daily writs, opened container and the game went dead.

averyfarmanb14_ESO · March 23

I'm experiencing similar issues - after what appears to be a random amount of time, everything freezes. Not just the game, but the entire desktop. Only way to continue is to restart the machine. It's happening multiple times a night.

Hotdog_23 · March 23

Console player (PS5), so no update 41 yet. My game crashes daily and has been doing so for a while, like months. Deleted game data made no difference, nor did power recycle. I just learned to live with it. Always send in a report via PSN.

Stay safe

MafiaCat115 · March 23

Game crashes randomly during crafting dailies for my friend and I both, oddly often at the same exact time. Seems to happen during crafting and loading screens, not too often during combat or running around. PC/NA

Celticmagick · March 23

My game has been crashing right at startup - the splash screen before I even get to character selection. I'm not able to force close the game. I can pull up the taskbar but not able to use or switch other apps. All I can do is force shut down the computer.

GooGa592 · March 23

I've submitted at least 15 crash reports since U41. It's a really big issue right now.

Rishikesa108 · March 25

I'm a PC EU player, but I have a NA account. On my NA account, this morning my character was suddenly freezed, the game was totally blocked and I had to operate with Control-Alt-Canc to close the game. This occurred twice in a hour playing.
The first time I was on a mount, running in Wrothgar. The second time I was simply waiting for a boss in Wrothgar.

I did not experience this behavior in my main EU account.

Telvas · March 30

ZOS, any update on this? There are at least 2 issues, possibly related.
1. After U41 the game started to have issues with random apps running on the PC (task managers it seems? some people reported companion software for their gaming mouse/keyboard or automation tools).
Is this some shady anti-cheat being smuggled onto our computers with U41? ZOS please answer this, this is important.

2. Game is quite unstable, randomly crashing (disconnecting?) for either specific systems or players or times of the day.

taugrim · March 30

I've been having the same issue.

It occurs in 2 places:
1. when I'm logging in, occasionally the game is stuck on the loading screen & music forever
2. when entering a BG, occasionally the game is stuck on the loading screen & music forever

These behaviors were very rare pre-U41, but I'm seeing the 2nd issue about once every dozen BGs or so.

Daimonion82 · April 3

Game started to freeze on splash screen, after logging in, before character selection. Happened a couple of times. Something is definitely wrong. Switching to task manager causes black screen and I'm forced to shut down PC. Win 10. Never experienced freeze or crash in other circumstances, always before char select.

Elsonso · April 3

Telvas wrote: »

Is this some shady anti-cheat being smuggled onto our computers with U41? ZOS please answer this, this is important.

I don't think there is a "shady anti-cheat" being "smuggled"

I think they just have made some sort of a policy decision to include something that scans the process table for undesired applications. Whatever it is, it is not properly configured to allow for applications that are not actually a threat.

I have not scanned what they are installing to see if there is something more in there.

calitrumanb14_ESO · April 6

I am getting the game freezing up on me, have to force close it, usually (and often) when I hit the logout button, but occasionally when opening dialogue with an NPC. This has been going on since the Anniversary event started.

javic1502 · April 10

Is there any update on this? The game has become unplayable for me. It freezes constantly, at best I can only stay online a few minutes.

javic1502 · April 10

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

mitch.j.poirierb16_ESO wrote: »

No, just freezes the screen and can't exit game, can't close it can't even use Task manager
Have to full sign out of windows or restart to get game closed

Could you post or pass along your UserID please?

@ZOS_GinaBruno

I'm sorry to bother you like this, but the forums are very new to me, although I have played ESO since Beta. Recently my game is unplayable. It freezes constantly, making me close it via task manager. Just doing crafting dailies on several characters gives me over a dozen crashes in one hour. I have not been able to stay logged in for more than 10 minutes, and only that long in the mornings, maybe because server pop is lower. I've tried every recommendation in the ZOS troubleshooting articles. Minimum graphics settings, no multi-threading, compatibility mode, administrator run, no addons active, updated all pc drivers, etc. Still unplayable. Is there any assistance or info you can provide? I'm happy to provide my eso account name in a direct message if you need it. I normally play eso several hours a day, but right now I cannot do anything. It's only eso giving me such troubles, my pc can simultaneously run multiple other MMOs at max settings with no problems. Please help if you can, even any info that ZOS is working on the problem would be welcome. Sorry again for the ping.

javic1502 · April 10

It especially sucks that this is happening during a great event, with great rewards, and bind on pickup cosmetics. x_x

javic1502 · April 10

I am posting the body of my support ticket here, in case anyone reading this has advice. It explains all pertinent information, to the best of my knowledge. Any help or advice is welcome.

Since Sunday night ESO is constantly freezing. I am able to get to the character selection screen with no problems; I freeze after the characters load in zone. Freezes happen anywhere from seconds after loading a character, to at best 10-12 minutes after loading a character. I have tried all the troubleshooting article guidance and suggestions from the forums: disabling all addons/libraries, removing all addons/libraries, disabling multi-threading, minimal graphics settings, reinstalling eso, repairing game files, using both standard and beta launchers, running as administrator, running in compatibility mode, updating all pc drivers, checking anti-virus and firewall, etc. Nothing works. I am only able to do get through my crafting dailies in the mornings, maybe due to lower server pop, I don't know why. In the evenings, I am unable to do anything, and going to high pop areas is a trap, where I freeze so quickly I cannot even move to another zone before crashing, until trying again the next morning. I'm frustrated and out of ideas for what to do. I am unable to play the game for more than simple town activities (struggling through many freezes to do even that). This is especially frustrating since there is a great event right now with limited-time items, and although there are multiple threads on this issue and related issues in the Bug Reports forum, I have not seen anything helpful from ZOS on this issue, or any plans to extend the event. I've seen others having similar freeze/crash problems with Update 41, but my problems only started Sunday night (April 7th). NA server makes me freeze much more than EU server, I have tried both. My pc can simultaneously run multiple other MMO games on max settings: WoW, EVE, Diablo 4, Hearthstone, and Steam single-player games; so I think it must be an ESO issue. My pc exceeds all recommended and minimum system requirements... Operating System: Windows 10 Pro with 64-bit operating system; Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900K 3.20 GHz; System RAM: 128GB DDR5; Hard Disk Space: 3.15 TB free of 3.72 TB; GPU: GeForce RTX 4090 24GB RAM; Sound: DirectX 12. I am desperate for assistance. Please help.

Telvas · April 12

Elsonso wrote: »

Telvas wrote: »

Is this some shady anti-cheat being smuggled onto our computers with U41? ZOS please answer this, this is important.

I don't think there is a "shady anti-cheat" being "smuggled"

I think they just have made some sort of a policy decision to include something that scans the process table for undesired applications. Whatever it is, it is not properly configured to allow for applications that are not actually a threat.

I have not scanned what they are installing to see if there is something more in there.

1. Lack of update from ZOS is a sign of "we haven't decided yet how to answer".
2. Scanning system hooks is usually sign of some kind of surveillance - you usually do this to to take attack stance against runtime environment you do not like.

Add #1 and #2 and I'm suspecting some off-the-shelf anti-cheat (in a PvE game? why?) purchased and integrated into ESO, which is now wrecking havoc. Silence from ZOS might be suggesting they use it as a black box and are not sure what is exactly going on and how to tackle the problem, from both technical and PR side, which is worrying.

ZOS, any update on this, please? We really like playing the game, please help us to continue that.

Elsonso · April 13

Telvas wrote: »

Elsonso wrote: »

Telvas wrote: »

Is this some shady anti-cheat being smuggled onto our computers with U41? ZOS please answer this, this is important.

I don't think there is a "shady anti-cheat" being "smuggled"

I think they just have made some sort of a policy decision to include something that scans the process table for undesired applications. Whatever it is, it is not properly configured to allow for applications that are not actually a threat.

I have not scanned what they are installing to see if there is something more in there.

1. Lack of update from ZOS is a sign of "we haven't decided yet how to answer".
2. Scanning system hooks is usually sign of some kind of surveillance - you usually do this to to take attack stance against runtime environment you do not like.

Add #1 and #2 and I'm suspecting some off-the-shelf anti-cheat (in a PvE game? why?) purchased and integrated into ESO, which is now wrecking havoc. Silence from ZOS might be suggesting they use it as a black box and are not sure what is exactly going on and how to tackle the problem, from both technical and PR side, which is worrying.

ZOS, any update on this, please? We really like playing the game, please help us to continue that.

To point #1. I have never thought that ZOS does not know how to answer anything. Based on my interaction with them in person, I assume that they are aware of the question, and they have an answer, but they are just not answering.

As for your conclusion, Security is like that strange uncle that everyone knows about but no one talks about.

I am confident that ZOS knows what the "black box" is doing. I can't see them putting something into the game client while, simultaneously, wondering what it does. Ten weeks into this, I can say that I do not share your worry.

Yes, ten weeks later. 75 days. At first, I thought bug or configuration error. Now I assume that it is by design.

Based on the answer I received from the specialized team person who responded to my ticket, they are not going to change their mind any time soon. I re-installed ESO on one of my PCs to write that ticket, and uninstalled it again after the final response from them. I won't risk my PC account to the whims of their security posture, not to mention the fact that they close the client in the most inconvenient manner possible, so I play on XBox.

javic1502 · April 15

With help from the ESO support ticket team, we identified my problem. I don't know if it will help anyone else, but I am adding this post anyway in case it does help. Anyway, I didn’t realize that even after uninstalling the game, some files persist in Documents > Elder Scrolls Online > live. I do not know which file it was, but something in there was causing the freezes. I deleted that folder, reinstalled, and now everything works fine. My thanks to the support team for their help.