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What makes ESO screw up your computer so much?

Meredy
Meredy
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My friends and I have recently been plagued by simply launching or closing the game. For me, while opening the game it will always open on my primary monitor, as it should. However it quickly glitches out and softlocks itself onto my third, every other time I launch the game. This is recent since the new update.

It also freezes mine and my friends pc's on exit. For a solid... couple seconds. This has been going on for months now, roughly since Solstice dropped I believe.

I love this game, but the godawful software makes me resent it more and more. I have never seen a semi-modern game perform this badly. It just barely omits being a virus by not maliciously infecting software. Instead it just craps all over your computer, it's settings and your sanity. Come the *** on.

Does anyone here have similar issues? Specifically not looking for those that do not. Nobody cares.


  • SilverBride
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    There is a thread about the launcher freezing when trying to shut down the game, but it is still not resolved.

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/680427/launcher-freezing-after-game-exit#latest
    PCNA
  • Soarora
    Soarora
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    I’ve not had those problems but it makes my computer overheat really bad. No other game makes it overheat as badly as ESO does.
    PC/NA Dungeoneer (Tank/DPS/Heal), Trialist (DPS/Tank/Heal), and amateur Battlegrounder (DPS) with a passion for The Elder Scrolls lore
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  • Ilumia
    Ilumia
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    Soarora wrote: »
    I’ve not had those problems but it makes my computer overheat really bad. No other game makes it overheat as badly as ESO does.

    Yep, mine too. Also the launcher heats up my pc quite a lot, no idea why.
  • freespirit
    freespirit
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    I do have random loading glitches, quite often in between login screen and character select the game just stops responding(I notice it because the oroborus stops spinning), to clear that I have to kill the game with Task Manager, interestingly the next load is always very fast.

    As for exiting the game, well I've been getting a black screen on exit for many, many months, waaay before Solstice! Typically takes 10-ish seconds to return to my desktop but it always does, it doesn't lock up my PC.

    Oh in the first case(on log in) when I kill the game via Task Manager, I always get the "Game Crash detected" message, advising me to try repairing my game..... Trust me repairing does nothing in this situation, I have repaired a LOT!! :#
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • JeroenB
    JeroenB
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    Ilumia wrote: »
    Soarora wrote: »
    I’ve not had those problems but it makes my computer overheat really bad. No other game makes it overheat as badly as ESO does.

    Yep, mine too. Also the launcher heats up my pc quite a lot, no idea why.
    I've noticed that sometimes when starting the launcher it immediately starts using ~10% CPU (presumably one full core) with "Very high Power usage" and continues like that indefinitely (even while playing the game), with no associated network or disk activity, and irrespective of being windowed or minimised to System tray. On closing and restarting it often behaves properly, so I've started checking in Task manager whenever starting the launcher.

    I only noticed this a few weeks ago when something was blocking another game installer at the MS VC redistributable stage -- looking in Task manager I noticed the (minimised to System tray) ESO launcher stuck at ~10% CPU, and as soon as I closed the ESO launcher the other game continued installing without issue.
    Edited by JeroenB on 23 August 2025 21:12
  • silky_soft
    silky_soft
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    Been known for years to only use the launcher to patch your client, then just close it. Then you use a shortcut to the exe for your actual launches.
    This recent update has made me sad. Sad for the game. Sad for the community. Sad to pay whatever it is now. I want the previous eso back.
  • SilverBride
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    I've always used the launcher and not the exe, and I used to just keep it up while I played. But now it doesn't want to shut down, and even if I shut it down right after the game launches, it still freezes up where I can't use my browser for a minute or so after shutting the game down until it clears.
    PCNA
  • Avran_Sylt
    Avran_Sylt
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    Fullscreen for whatever reason screws with my monitors/other screens. I've changed my display mode to Windowed (Fullscreen) and haven't had any issues afterwards.
  • SilverBride
    SilverBride
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    I use Windowed (Fullscreen) and I'm having problems.
    PCNA
  • Meredy
    Meredy
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    freespirit wrote: »
    I do have random loading glitches, quite often in between login screen and character select the game just stops responding(I notice it because the oroborus stops spinning), to clear that I have to kill the game with Task Manager, interestingly the next load is always very fast.

    As for exiting the game, well I've been getting a black screen on exit for many, many months, waaay before Solstice! Typically takes 10-ish seconds to return to my desktop but it always does, it doesn't lock up my PC.

    Oh in the first case(on log in) when I kill the game via Task Manager, I always get the "Game Crash detected" message, advising me to try repairing my game..... Trust me repairing does nothing in this situation, I have repaired a LOT!! :#

    Ooohhh I remember this! I used to have this problem. It has since been replaced with just a freeze though lool
  • Meredy
    Meredy
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    Avran_Sylt wrote: »
    Fullscreen for whatever reason screws with my monitors/other screens. I've changed my display mode to Windowed (Fullscreen) and haven't had any issues afterwards.

    I have the same issue yes. My reason for not really wanting to play on Borderless Windowed is because ESO has a pretty big input delay on it sadly and it's very noticeable for me.
  • Davvy123
    Davvy123
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    " I do have random loading glitches, quite often in between login screen and character select the game just stops responding(I notice it because the oroborus stops spinning), to clear that I have to kill the game with Task Manager, interestingly the next load is always very fast."

    ^^^ This. The same thing happens to me almost every other time I try to log on. Alt-Ctrl-Del > End Task. Try again, and the login is fast and without hitch.

    I keep hoping the next patch will solve the problem. But so far, no luck. :-(
    Edited by Davvy123 on 24 August 2025 00:15
  • scrappy1342
    scrappy1342
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    have some similar issues. when i stopped playing and started just logging in for daily bonuses/endeavors/event tickets, i uninstalled from the desktop and put eso on the laptop. STILL having issues on the desktop after uninstalling. mine were coming from steam. if i start up task manager and shut down steam, everything fixes itself. i'm not even playing any games on there currently, so i probably need to just figure out how to take it off of the startup dealie
  • SeaGtGruff
    SeaGtGruff
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    have some similar issues. when i stopped playing and started just logging in for daily bonuses/endeavors/event tickets, i uninstalled from the desktop and put eso on the laptop. STILL having issues on the desktop after uninstalling. mine were coming from steam. if i start up task manager and shut down steam, everything fixes itself. i'm not even playing any games on there currently, so i probably need to just figure out how to take it off of the startup dealie

    Start - Settings - Apps - Startup - Steam Off
    I've fought mudcrabs more fearsome than me!
  • YandereGirlfriend
    YandereGirlfriend
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    Meredy wrote: »
    Avran_Sylt wrote: »
    Fullscreen for whatever reason screws with my monitors/other screens. I've changed my display mode to Windowed (Fullscreen) and haven't had any issues afterwards.

    I have the same issue yes. My reason for not really wanting to play on Borderless Windowed is because ESO has a pretty big input delay on it sadly and it's very noticeable for me.

    Do you have like "Flip Mode Optimizations" enabled in Windows? That's vaguely its name. In any case, I play in Borderless and notice no input delay. And I am very sensitive to it.
  • Ilumia
    Ilumia
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    JeroenB wrote: »
    Ilumia wrote: »
    Soarora wrote: »
    I’ve not had those problems but it makes my computer overheat really bad. No other game makes it overheat as badly as ESO does.

    Yep, mine too. Also the launcher heats up my pc quite a lot, no idea why.
    I've noticed that sometimes when starting the launcher it immediately starts using ~10% CPU (presumably one full core) with "Very high Power usage" and continues like that indefinitely (even while playing the game), with no associated network or disk activity, and irrespective of being windowed or minimised to System tray. On closing and restarting it often behaves properly, so I've started checking in Task manager whenever starting the launcher.

    I only noticed this a few weeks ago when something was blocking another game installer at the MS VC redistributable stage -- looking in Task manager I noticed the (minimised to System tray) ESO launcher stuck at ~10% CPU, and as soon as I closed the ESO launcher the other game continued installing without issue.

    Yes, this is very true.

    I've started shutting down the launcher after starting the game.
  • Ilumia
    Ilumia
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    I use Windowed (Fullscreen) and I'm having problems.

    Good to know this, that saves me from having to spend the time to test it.
  • freespirit
    freespirit
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    I just wanted to update on the login issues I had been having....... the freezing between password screen and character screen.

    Since Update 47 hit I have been having horrible issues with my addons *looking at you Master Merchant!!

    Anyway after several days of trying many, many suggested fixes, yesterday I wiped EVERY trace of EVERY addon from my PC. My reasoning by that point was that something old and no longer used might be causing my issues, I hated losing some of the information but hey I can collect it all again! :)

    Long story short, I have so far managed to get MM working(still throwing the odd error when collecting History) and I have re-installed another five addons(one by one)..... it's still early days but I have not had ANY login issues in the past 24hrs!!

    So is the login issue I have been experiencing addon related or is it pure coincidence, anyone not using addons having the login issue I described?

    Will update if it returns! :)
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • SeaGtGruff
    SeaGtGruff
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    I'm not having the logging-in or shutting-down problems described, and I do not use any addons. I also have the game set to Windowed (Fullscreen).

    Note, I do launch the game through Steam, although Steam launches the ESO launcher/updater-- but I don't know whether it's the same version of the ESO launcher that non-Steam players use.

    The ESO launcher does usually take several seconds to shut down after I exit the game, but nothing like what others have said about taking several minutes to shut down, or even freezing completely.
    I've fought mudcrabs more fearsome than me!
  • freespirit
    freespirit
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    SeaGtGruff wrote: »
    I'm not having the logging-in or shutting-down problems described, and I do not use any addons. I also have the game set to Windowed (Fullscreen).

    Note, I do launch the game through Steam, although Steam launches the ESO launcher/updater-- but I don't know whether it's the same version of the ESO launcher that non-Steam players use.

    The ESO launcher does usually take several seconds to shut down after I exit the game, but nothing like what others have said about taking several minutes to shut down, or even freezing completely.

    It was the login issues specifically that seemed to have gone after my addon purge, I'm still getting the black screen on logout.

    Oh and also I use Fullscreen not Windowed Fullscreen and I don't have any overheating issues.

    I always use the Launcher and don't seem to have any problems if I leave it running whilst playing, I just forget to shut it.
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • darkriketz
    darkriketz
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    Absolutely nothing makes ESO screw my computer.
    And I really, sincerely, unironically, never understand when the matter is brought by so many players. "Servers are unstable" "the game has crashed" "infinite loading screens" "TESO has become unplayable." Really, I don't get it.

    Of course I've seen some bugs now and then, some laoding screens and was unable to log on from time to time but in regard of raw performance, when TESO is working as it should, my PC barely feels the difference, and it's not even new, last time I changed some components must have been 2021 or something like that.

    I've started to use the launcher this year, when I got back from my last ESO break during spring, because for unknown reasons I wasn't able to launch the game directly from the .exe, but it doesn't change anything, TESO works perfectly fine for me.
  • AngryPenguin
    AngryPenguin
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    I remember over 10 years ago when I first installed the game and realized right away that somehow my computer didn't have enough cooling ability to run the game. I had to modify my case by cutting a big hole in the top so my water cooler could blow the heat right out the top of the case.

    It's a fact. There is something about ESO that makes computers run much hotter than other games.
  • AngryPenguin
    AngryPenguin
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    Meredy wrote: »
    My friends and I have recently been plagued by simply launching or closing the game. For me, while opening the game it will always open on my primary monitor, as it should. However it quickly glitches out and softlocks itself onto my third, every other time I launch the game. This is recent since the new update.

    It also freezes mine and my friends pc's on exit. For a solid... couple seconds. This has been going on for months now, roughly since Solstice dropped I believe.

    I love this game, but the godawful software makes me resent it more and more. I have never seen a semi-modern game perform this badly. It just barely omits being a virus by not maliciously infecting software. Instead it just craps all over your computer, it's settings and your sanity. Come the *** on.

    Does anyone here have similar issues? Specifically not looking for those that do not. Nobody cares.


    I also run multiple monitors at the same time and have an issue of the game opening on the wrong monitor. For me it happens if I have to go AFK and don't shut the game down before I'm kicked for inactivity. Something happens and the game decides my second monitor is the default monitor. There is a setting right next to where you set your resolution that you can use to also set which is your default monitor. Might want to check that your main monitor is set as the default monitor. I never had a problem with this until recently as well. But that's what I do to fix it. It will also set your default resolution to the max for your secondary monitor, so you have to change that back as well.



    Edited by AngryPenguin on 24 August 2025 21:17
  • Orbital78
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    It sounds like you and your may need to run a repair, your hardware is very outdated, or there is hardware dying of age. I haven't had any crashes really in months. Pretty much anytime I am having many crashes a repair will fix it. I was having issues for a bit on my older PC and it turned out to be a faulty SATA cable.
    Edited by Orbital78 on 24 August 2025 23:33
  • LadyGP
    LadyGP
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    The engine being near 20 years old.
    LadyGP/xCatGuy
    PC/NA

    Having network issues? Discconects? DM me and I will help you troubleshoot with PingPlotter to figure out what is going on.
  • LPapirius
    LPapirius
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    LadyGP wrote: »
    The engine being near 20 years old.

    ZOS has claimed that they upgraded and changed the engine when they created ESO. Take that for whatever you think it's worth.
  • Cellithor
    Cellithor
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    Soarora wrote: »
    I’ve not had those problems but it makes my computer overheat really bad. No other game makes it overheat as badly as ESO does.

    My PC had a straight shutdown the other night when I was logging out of ESO. No BSOD, just right down into the black.

    Event viewer showed:

    A fatal hardware error has occurred.

    Reported by component: Processor Core
    Error Source: Machine Check Exception
    Error Type: Cache Hierarchy Error
    Processor APIC ID: 15

    The details view of this entry contains further information.

    I literally have never had this error on my machine before and currently do not experience it on any other programs I run that are much more memory and CPU intensive than running ESO.
  • SeaGtGruff
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    Last night when I logged out of PCNA, the launcher was ready to be closed less than 1 second after I exited the game. I like to click on the launcher settings and select the option to remove outdated files the next time the launcher is opened, and it often takes several seconds after exiting before "play" turns green and I can access the launcher settings, so it was very noticeable that "play" turned green literally a fraction of a second after I exited the game.

    And this afternoon I just logged out of PCEU, and once again the launcher was ready to be closed almost immediately after I exited the game.

    I'm not sure why other people are having so much trouble with it, but I hope someone can figure out the cause(s) and come up with a solution soon.
    I've fought mudcrabs more fearsome than me!
  • MincMincMinc
    MincMincMinc
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    Keep in mind that microsoft had some bad patches recently, supposedly relating to multithreading and AI written code. Granted the ai banter might just be conspiracy theory banter.
    We should use the insightful and awesome buttons more
  • Orbital78
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    Keep in mind that microsoft had some bad patches recently, supposedly relating to multithreading and AI written code. Granted the ai banter might just be conspiracy theory banter.

    True, there is a Windows 11 specific issue messing up ssds. It might be worth looking into, but that is os and not a games fault.
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