ESO Process still runs after crash and alt f4

yodased · August 2016

Hey guys,

Just to let you know, especially on Windows 10. When you hard crash to desktop or fore quit (alt f4) the game, the background process stays running. If you open the game after that and run it again, you will have 2 back ground eso processes and 1 active program running.

This will murder your available RAM. Ever since I have been checking my processes running before startup and making sure that there isn't a random ESO running (which honestly is about 50% of the time) my entire experience in game has been much smoother.

Obviously your mileage may vary here, but I wanted to share something I have been watching for a week or so.

Thanks! and penguins rule.

megageeklizzy · August 2016

I'd just like to say that I use Windows 7, and I also have this problem. If I don't have the sound on, I don't even notice until I try to get back into the game and it tells me I'm already logged in. (And my fans go crazy. Beefy laptop.)

It does appear to be necessary to kill the second process through the task manager, and it's possible to keep playing with both running, as the second one will just make the first log off (I think). It's possible to have more than two running if you crash multiple times, and killing the wrong one will crash the game again.

Previous to the last patch, it also happened when exiting the game through the menu, but I believe that was a separate issue that actually caused the game to crash on exit.

Armitas · August 2016

Windows 10 as well and have had the same thing occur.

I also have a problem sometimes when I quit while on Cyrodiil. Game will close to a black screen with my windows task bar showing at the bottom. I can never end eso by Alt f4 or task manager because task manager is covered up by the black screen. This started in DB. I have to resart the computer to fix ot or alt f4 the game instead of manual log out. My entire pc is a fresh install.

yodased · August 2016

@armitas I have had this happen to me as well

hold start and push alt it will allow you to choose your desktop

Armitas · August 2016

yodased wrote: »

@armitas I have had this happen to me as well

hold start and push alt it will allow you to choose your desktop

Thanks. This will save me a lot of headache.

Armitas · August 2016

That didn't work but I did find a way around it. I can hit cntrl/alt/delete and log out as a user and back in and save me the restart. Even show desk top from the task bar won't penetrate the black screen.

billcage · August 2016

I have the similar problem . I use Windows 8.1 but i think the problem is not about the operating system . So i can't do alt f4 when I am in the game. My theory the problem is related server-side.It is also about fps and ping numbers.

yodased · August 2016

Ok @armitas are you running multiple screens?

I tested out when I went into crosfire and the start+alt won't work, but when I am off and using both screens, it does.

Logging out is clever though, it will do the same thing.

Armitas · August 2016

yodased wrote: »

Ok @armitas are you running multiple screens?

I tested out when I went into crosfire and the start+alt won't work, but when I am off and using both screens, it does.

Logging out is clever though, it will do the same thing.

I wish. I went cheap and just put a laptop beside me as my second screen.

susmitds · August 2016

Penguins rule!!

yodased · August 2016

susmitds wrote: »

Penguins rule!!

So much truth in so little words

Devlin69 · September 2016

I also have this problem with windows 10, the other day I was thinking my pc was running a virus scan while i was gaming. I took a look under task manager and I had had two previous crashes and both those were still running.

To stop them I just right clicked on them and selected 'end task' and they closed.

Think its probably more of an eso issue rather than a windows one, although are we allowed to run two accounts side by side without breaching TOS? If yes then it makes sense that we can have more than one process running.

People are using multiple screen setups more and more these days and if your pc is up to the task I suppose you could run multiple accounts with extended desktop.

Amiliana · April 2017

I am on Windows 7 64-bit and have experienced this problem since Dark Brotherhood.

It is not constant though, it comes a little now and then.

Yesterday after the patch I could play just fine, today I can not. It will simply not load the login screen, just showing completely black screen.

All I can see that is different from yesterday, is a Windows Update for the security of .NET 3.5.5, 4.5.2, 4.6,4.6.1, 4.6.2 (KB4014553) but what this would have to do with starting the Eso64.exe I can not imagine.

When I try to force quit the process, nothing happens. Sometimes, when I actually bother, it might end after about 1-2 hours of waiting, but usually I have to force quit my desctop. Just logging out does not work as the process is still active when logging back in. If I try to restart the computer normally, it gets stuck at "Shutting down.." as it is struggling with shutting down the process even here.

I have:
- removed SavedVariables
- removed AddOns
- removed Usersettings.exe
- Repaired the game
- Double-checked anti-virus and firewall

These because they are always required by the support to even proceed further.

Other than those I have:
- Updated GFX driver (Radeon R9 380)
- Made a clean install of GFX driver

So far no change. It's very annoying that every time this happens, I have to spend HOURS trying to login to the game...
As a next step I will try to uninstall the KB4014553 update to see if it makes a difference. Second step will be installing the former, more stable, driver of my GFX...

To be continued...

Amiliana · April 2017

After being stable for over two weeks I can give feedback on what I did:

I uninstalled Elder Scrolls Online and all VC++ packages from 2010 and forward, and the .NET update.

I moved all my addons and savedvariables to their own folders.

I installed all windows updates and VC++ packages again.

I made a clean installation of most recent GFX driver.

I reinstalled Elder Scrolls Online.

Now everything is working as it should from first login. First login I did without any addons etc. Second login I added all the addons again and it is all running perfectly.

We will see how long it will last this time..

If it will require a reinstallation of ESO every time I will start looking for another game...